Career/life change

tomtontom

LongTallKatie wrote: »

You have a dream and you can achieve it if you work hard.


My advice, first you need to retake your GCSE's in English and Maths, since a Maths GCSE from perhaps 15 years ago is not going to be accepted by a University for a Medical Degree.


Look at doing an Access Course for the pathway to medicine, this will include the three sciences which you will need. You can look at doing the course online or better still going to a local college and getting additional support. Most course are 12 months and during that time if you are in an actual college, you will get help and support in applying through UCAS for universities.


Also whilst you have paid work experience, look at doing some voluntary work in health care, it will all help when doing a Personal Statement for UCAS.


Finally as others have mentioned, you can do a Foundation Year for Medical School, making your studies a total of 6 years instead of 5!

How do you suggest OP funds all this, given that she will already have a degree?

How do you suggest she stands out from all the candidates with excellent academics and extracurriculars?

Tigsteroonie

Outofoffice wrote: »

I never said I wanted to keep my full time job (ideally I'd leave it in the morning):rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

So how are you going to pay for the mortgage and car, not to mention all the baby's needs? You've made no mention of a partner so far ...

Outofoffice

Tigsteroonie wrote: »

So how are you going to pay for the mortgage and car, not to mention all the baby's needs? You've made no mention of a partner so far ...

Part time employment...do I/we need to keep a hold of the car/mortgage? Many people get by on public transport and renting. Not everything in my opinion is about money and lifestyle, happiness comes first!

mumps

Tigsteroonie wrote: »

So how are you going to pay for the mortgage and car, not to mention all the baby's needs? You've made no mention of a partner so far ...

I know they are cutting back but NHS bursaries were traditionally quite generous to single parents, one of my children is a nurse and a friend who qualified with them took a drop in money when they qualified. Not sure how it is going to be in future.

daytona0

Outofoffice wrote: »

I earn around 26k a year at the moment

If its any consolation, in my old "office" job there were people (myself included) with 11+ GCSEs, 4 A-levels AND a 2:1+ degree in a half decent subject (computer science, maths) and yet they still were earning a fraction of that 26k a year. So be grateful for the nuggets you currently grind. A lot of people worse off than you in that little cushy office job

Your biggest problem is funding/living expenses. Sadly, if you pop out some sprogs then you have to pay for them and that's your disposable income (and more!) gone right there.... So what's the plan? I'm not saying that it is impossible, and I'd love you to succeed, but you really do need to sit down and plan everything.

Tigsteroonie

Outofoffice wrote: »

Part time employment...do I/we need to keep a hold of the car/mortgage? Many people get by on public transport and renting. Not everything in my opinion is about money and lifestyle, happiness comes first!

How will you pay rent? It's often as much as a mortgage ... Or do you see yourself claiming benefits to help, whilst you are studying?

I'm just trying to figure out whether you've thought this through. Happiness may come first, but reality bites when you need to put a roof over your child's head and buy them nappies.

Polarbeary

Outofoffice wrote: »

Would you have any links for more information on this please?

https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/clinical-support-staff/assistant-practitioner

You would need to get a role as a clinical support worker/healthcare assistant first - if you look on NHS Jobs you can search by location. You might need to do 6 months of voluntary work at your local hospital first to show interest and to learn more about hospital work.

http://www.ipswichhospital.nhs.uk/aboutourhospital/assistant-practitioner-role.htm

missbiggles1

LongTallKatie wrote: »

You have a dream and you can achieve it if you work hard.


My advice, first you need to retake your GCSE's in English and Maths, since a Maths GCSE from perhaps 15 years ago is not going to be accepted by a University for a Medical Degree.


Look at doing an Access Course for the pathway to medicine, this will include the three sciences which you will need. You can look at doing the course online or better still going to a local college and getting additional support. Most course are 12 months and during that time if you are in an actual college, you will get help and support in applying through UCAS for universities.


Also whilst you have paid work experience, look at doing some voluntary work in health care, it will all help when doing a Personal Statement for UCAS.


Finally as others have mentioned, you can do a Foundation Year for Medical School, making your studies a total of 6 years instead of 5!

I'm sure you mean well but medical school isn't like X Factor. You can't do an Access to Medicine course online and you're unlikely to get on one without at least one science at GCSE. As an example, the College of West Anglia says,

"You must be aged 19 or over on 31st August in the year you begin the course and will need 5 GCSEs or O levels at grades A-C, including English, maths and science (grade BB). Most medical schools require a minimum of grade B in GCSE English and maths. If you have a C in English and/or maths, you will be required to retake and achieve a higher grade alongside the Access to Medicine and Dentistry course.

If you already hold a recent degree, it must be at 2:1 level or above. This is because medical schools do not usually accept students with a recent degree below grade 2:1."

Sometimes realism is a greater kindness than optimism.

LongTallKatie

tomtontom wrote: »

How do you suggest OP funds all this, given that she will already have a degree?

How do you suggest she stands out from all the candidates with excellent academics and extracurriculars?

Of course she would have to self fund such courses like GCSE's and the Access Course since she currently has a degree.


As for your comment about standing out, just because a mature student takes the Access Course route does not make them any different than someone who gains A-Levels and it can be done. I did an Access Course 7 years ago for Nursing, I gained a place at York University which at the time was the top of the table for Nursing in Mental Health. In my college, there were access courses for several different paths, and I met a girl determined to go to medical school so she could become a Psychiatrist.


At the time she was a single parent, but had great family support. She is now in her final year at Medical School and has done amazing, so it can be done, it depends on how much you want it.


The Personal Statement from UCAS is the most important part of applying to any university course, whether it be in computers or medical school, it is what sells you to the universities. It doesn't matter if your 18 or 48, if you can't write a good PS, then you'll get nowhere.


Most universities will take on mature students and if the OP wants to really do this career then they should go for it. Comments from people saying they don't stand a chance are really rude.

gunsandbanjos

missbiggles1 wrote: »

If you already hold a recent degree, it must be at 2:1 level or above. This is because medical schools do not usually accept students with a recent degree below grade 2:1."

Sometimes realism is a greater kindness than optimism.

I agree, there's no point ploughing time and energy into something that is never going to happen.

I think you've shot yourself in the foot by not making a decent effort in your current degree, it will not be looked on favourably by either employers or universities.