The 'I feel like Im never going to get into Medicine' Thread

kingofkong

Fiddles44 wrote: »

Hey Abbey19, I just wondering what kind of experience did you have before applying for mature entry?

I've been working in a nursing home since I was 16 and then once I went to college I worked there every summer full time, so in total I have about 6/7 years experience working there. I was a youth volunteer when I was 17 and helped bring a group of sick and elder people to Lourdes and during my transition year I volunteered in a local psychiatric rehabilation center. The only recent experience I would have though would be working in the nursing home as a care assistant. I'm currently looking into volunteering in my local hospital but the only volunteering available is visiting around the wards and talking to the patients and running earns for them. It's better than nothing i suppose but not exactly what I'm looking for.
I'm finding it quite difficult to get any experience with actually doctors and patients because of the strict confidentiality.

I have a science degree but went back and repeated the leaving cert this year but unfortunately I don't think I got the points. I'm prepared to repeat again if needs be but I'm afraid it might not look the best if I'm doing it for a third time but then again they might look at is as commitment to getting in, I hope.

Just looking for some advice really

What's stopping you from sitting the GAMSAT?

Have you applied to the UK?

Fiddles44

kingofkong wrote: »

What's stopping you from sitting the GAMSAT?

Have you applied to the UK?

I only have a 2.2 in my degree unfortunately so I can't sit the GAMSAT for Ireland. I could apply for the UK with my degree but I'd have to get a very high GAMSAT. I also repeated my leaving cert and most UK colleges don't take repeats. I've been told that some do but you need to contact them directly to ask but I still have to do that.

Jessibelle

Fiddles44 wrote: »

Does anyone know what the hpat cut off scores were for mature entry last year?

It depends on the institution to be honest, I got in the 89%-ile and I got interviews with all colleges. I know someone who got in the 99-100th % and they didn't get one interview, but got in via normal entry. I know two with a score in the mid 60's and lower who also have been accepted. Different institutions put different weights on volunteering/science background etc.. The one thing they all seem to have in common is you have to meet the matriculation requirements, most for example require a grade c or higher in the Leaving Cert or equivalent in a science subject and/or chemistry.

Fiddles44

Jessibelle wrote: »

It depends on the institution to be honest, I got in the 89%-ile and I got interviews with all colleges. I know someone who got in the 99-100th % and they didn't get one interview, but got in via normal entry. I know two with a score in the mid 60's and lower who also have been accepted. Different institutions put different weights on volunteering/science background etc.. The one thing they all seem to have in common is you have to meet the matriculation requirements, most for example require a grade c or higher in the Leaving Cert or equivalent in a science subject and/or chemistry.

Do you mind me asking what kind of experience/volunteering you had? Seems pretty difficult to pick out what they are looking for. I would have thought if someone got 90-100th % and had some sort of experience they would have at least got an interview.

Jessibelle

I had volunteered in a few hospitals and shadowed a few drs in different specialities. Other than that, my background was a science degree and my working life till then was engineering. HTH

jack89

Really like this thread thanks FairytaleGirl, just wondering how are people currently or planning on supporting themselves throughout the degree? Is having a part time job a good idea?

EternalGeek

I'd definitely have to plan to work throughout!