Medicine as a second 'degree' help please

Camelina

Back in 2012 I asked re this scenario thinking it 'could' happen and it is now in the process so I am asking again.


Friend has done a DipHe course for ODP and has been working at a hospital for past year (fantastic)


She now wants to do an Access to Medicine Course (one year self funding) wishing to do a five year medical course afterwards to become a Dr.


She has called Student Finance and they have told her that she will get full funding for this bearing in mind that a degree in medicine is a higher qualification than the one already held (so tuition fees, maintenance loan etc) and then NHS bursaries kicking in a few years further down the line of study(year 4 or 5).


She cannot afford to do this unless she gets the tuition fees paid and I have read so much about it and how Student Finance gives out incorrect advice!


She had NHS funding for the ODP course but parents supported her so she didn't take any funding from Student Finance.
The ODP course was gained at Uni but is a diploma not strictly a degree and even if it was a degree it is a lower qualification than a medical degree.
So we seem to be going around in circles re whether it is a second degree and what funding is actually available over what part of the course.


From doing some research myself I didn't think she would get full funding but obviously I could be wrong


I am going to ring Student Finance too to see what 'different' advice they give to me but if anyone here can say with any certainty it would be appreciated, thanks

Camelina

Update-Student Finance told me she was entitled to everything but when I questioned this they said yes we will do maintenance loans/grants and NHS will pay tuition fees.
This is absolutely incorrect, NHS will only cover fees from year 5 onwards.
Spent hour on phone with Student Finance and still unsure, even they don't seem sure although to be fair to the young lady she did try.
But when I explained that a DipHE award was held, she wanted to know what that was(?) when I explained what it was she said it was a level 5 (foundation degree) ?


The DipHE course (2 years) was a preliminary course as it happened first but it wasn't required as a pre requisite to undertake medicine. NHS Bursaries provided the funding for this.


I believe that she would be entitled to some funding and think it should be this:


Med degree 5 years but will calculate it as 4 (because NHS fund year 5 onwards)


So 4 years plus 1 'gift' year = 5 years- 2 years study DipHE = 3 years, - further year when she only completed couple weeks at a Uni (no funding received but reg 12(7) states that it will


count as a full year) =2 years funding entitlement which Student Finance will fund for years 3 and 4 and she will have to finance for years 1 and 2, as in tuition fees in particular? Have I got this correct?
As opposed to what she was told in that she would get full funding as the Dip HE course has no effect on funding as it is a diploma of higher education and medicine would be a degree.

Confused!!

Voyager2002

You might get some information on the Student Room website.

Rather than telephoning Student Finance, write: this means that your enquiry gets seen by senior people who know the answer, rather than the junior staff who answer the telephone; and if you get a reply in writing then you can rely on it.

Camelina

I quite agree with you re writing but don't think time is on her side.Only recently heard that she has got on access course starting September so needs to know for sure 're finance before giving notice to work and landlord, relocating for course etc. I am assuming Student Finance will take a fair few weeks to respond.

Taiko

Camelina wrote: »

Update-Student Finance told me she was entitled to everything but when I questioned this they said yes we will do maintenance loans/grants and NHS will pay tuition fees.
This is absolutely incorrect, NHS will only cover fees from year 5 onwards.
Spent hour on phone with Student Finance and still unsure, even they don't seem sure although to be fair to the young lady she did try.
But when I explained that a DipHE award was held, she wanted to know what that was(?) when I explained what it was she said it was a level 5 (foundation degree) ?


The DipHE course (2 years) was a preliminary course as it happened first but it wasn't required as a pre requisite to undertake medicine. NHS Bursaries provided the funding for this.


I believe that she would be entitled to some funding and think it should be this:


Med degree 5 years but will calculate it as 4 (because NHS fund year 5 onwards)


So 4 years plus 1 'gift' year = 5 years- 2 years study DipHE = 3 years, - further year when she only completed couple weeks at a Uni (no funding received but reg 12(7) states that it will


count as a full year) =2 years funding entitlement which Student Finance will fund for years 3 and 4 and she will have to finance for years 1 and 2, as in tuition fees in particular? Have I got this correct?
As opposed to what she was told in that she would get full funding as the Dip HE course has no effect on funding as it is a diploma of higher education and medicine would be a degree.

Confused!!

You've got that assessment correct, funding from SFE for years 3 and 4, maintenance loan only in years 1 and 2.

Camelina

Thank you Taiko.


Are you absolutely certain on that?
I am not doubting what you are saying but doubting what I have said, if that makes sense (even though you have said what I think is correct)
So much is riding on this and if I get it wrong.....

Voyager2002

Camelina wrote: »

I quite agree with you re writing but don't think time is on her side.Only recently heard that she has got on access course starting September so needs to know for sure 're finance before giving notice to work and landlord, relocating for course etc. I am assuming Student Finance will take a fair few weeks to respond.

I still suggest writing (unless you choose to rely completely on Taiko's excellent advice): if they take too long to respond you can then 'chase' by telephone.

bauhaus_modern

It is an option for medical students to take a couple of years 'out', to complete an additional degree during their medicine studies - indeed my sister met her husband during his '2 years out' doing a science degree before he completed years 3-5 in medicine.

However, my sister did a full degree in science (despite having qualifications sufficient to study medicine ) before she began her degree in medicine, so was not eligible for the same funding opted to first degree medics. She was not disheartened by this - she used the 'directory of grantmaking trusts' to find suitable sponsors to fund her for her first 3 years of medicine before the grant system completed funding for year 4-5.

Think outside the box to get funding!

I think uni's tend not to favour folk who didn't get the appropriate qualifications first time, so i'd be extremely cautious of an 'access to medicine' course. Is there any guarantee of a place at a particular uni after qualifying the access course? is the course accepted by all uni's? if not, they're probably just after your 'funding money'.

SuperCat007

bauhaus_modern wrote: »

I think uni's tend not to favour folk who didn't get the appropriate qualifications first time, so i'd be extremely cautious of an 'access to medicine' course. Is there any guarantee of a place at a particular uni after qualifying the access course? is the course accepted by all uni's? if not, they're probably just after your 'funding money'.

Universities will consider why the person has gone back to re-study at level 3, this will be backed up with the personal statement, reference and at interview if the person gets that far. Obviosuly as with any other course, there is no guarantee of a place because the Access course is not run via a university. BUT many people are successful and it provides a way into HE. Though I'm personally not a fan of them because teaching of equivalent A-level syllabuses is often incomplete leaving students with big gaps in their knowledge.

Obviously they are used by colleges to get lots of money in. At my college this was at the expense of the A-level programme, meaning that lots of 16 y/o's every year are being let down in their teaching because tutors have so much focus on the Access students.

Camelina

Thank you both for your input. I agree re not getting the qualifications first time around but there were some extenuating circumstances and no to her having a guarantee of a uni place at this point but the surgeons/consultants she currently works with are pushing her all the way and are backing up with references.