Career/life change

Outofoffice

Hi,

I am hoping for some advice regarding a career change.

My current situation is that I am 30 years old, I have three GCSE'S (maths, history and Religious studies) and I am about 5 months away from completing a degree in Leadership and Management with The Open University with a third class honours. I have no other qualifications and am currently working in a full time, 9-5 office job. I am expecting a baby in the summer and I also have a mortgage and car to pay.

I am looking for advice regarding changing my career from an office based job to something in the medical profession, primarily becoming a GP. I have worked with doctors in my career, doing administration work for them, but I now feel that I would like to trim to become a GP if I can. I have done some preliminary research and have found that it is very difficult to become a GP, especially if you have a full time job and a family. However, I am determined not to let these things get in the way of what to me is a dream career.

Advice around possible career paths for me in my situation would be especially helpful please.

Many thanks for your help.

gunsandbanjos

I really don't want to rain on your parade, but if you can only manage a third class degree in what may be classed as a Mickey Mouse subject then do you realistically think medicine is for you?

Outofoffice

I don't see why not. I lost interest in the subject along time ago and as a result have ended up wasting my time and earning a third class honours for doing so. I do feel that if I done something which truly interests me, I would be able to achieve more!

ohreally

Outofoffice wrote: »

I would be able to achieve more!

I would suggest you need to up the ante in terms of the third especially if you wish to become a medic.

gunsandbanjos

It's likely you'd need to do a pre medical course, as I doubt any university would offer a place based on 3 GCSEs when there is competition from school leavers with A levels coming out of their ears.

gunsandbanjos

http://www.medschools.ac.uk/Students/Courses/Pages/FoundationPre-clinicalyear.aspx

Kathy535

Places on medical degree courses are highly contested and the course itself lasts a long time. You will usually require 3-4 specific A levels or a medically related first degree and the course is intense, you go through a variety of clinical placements other than in GP surgeries. Once the course is over there is more training to do. GPs are currently under a great deal of stress work wise and their salaries are not always as high as reported in the press - a salaried GP earns around £50-60k as compared to £100k plus for a partner GP. To be honest, I doubt you'd get a place on a course. Have you looked into the Physician Associate courses? They still require medical training but might be an easier to get into option.

Outofoffice

@ohreally I am on the last module of the course which really is not interesting at all, so I'm not sure whether or not I can improve the classification at this stage.

Outofoffice

@gunsandbanjos I know the competition is fierce for these courses. I'll have a look at the premedical course route thanks.

Outofoffice

@kathy535 Although the money is an attractive part of the job, I feel at this point in my life working a 9-5 job in an office really gives me no job satisfaction. This is one of the major draws of medical work, what can be more satisfying than helping people who are in need of your help?! I earn around 26k a year at the moment, but as I said in my OP I have major commitments which aremmy main priority. I'll have a look at the physician associate route though, thanks for your help.

FBaby

I'm very sorry but your chances are next to nil. Even those with 10 A/A* GCSEs struggle to get in and many will not even get an interview if they get a B in Maths/English Language and have no chance with a B in Sciences

Your degree is not even science related. The first thing they would consider is your commitment and enthusiasm for medicine. How are you going to explain that when you decided to go for a degree, you picked something that has nothing to do with it?

There may be other medical career you might be able to consider but even there the competition will be tough and you would need to be 100% committed, show evidence of work experience, volunteering etc... relating to your intended studies.

Unfortunately, it takes a lot more than an interest in the work a GP does to become one. If you don't have the brain to take on the high level of studying required (making management studies a laugh), then you won't make it even through the first door.