Hello

My name is Sarah and I am currently a final year medical student at Warwick. For my first post, I wanted to tell you a bit about myself and my path to studying medicine here.

I did my first degree at Manchester University, where I studied biomedical science. I thought that I wanted to work in research, but during my final year research project I realised that I enjoyed my clinical lectures much more, and decided to apply for medicine. I had done some work experience at a local hospice, and also shadowed a GP for a few days so I gave it a go. The first year, I didn’t even get an interview anywhere, which I was pretty gutted about.

I then spent the months after graduation (in 2010, when the recession was doing its worst) doing a variety of awful jobs to earn some money whilst I regrouped and reapplied. This time, I got an interview at Warwick, and a few months later found out that I had been accepted. I hadn’t had an interview anywhere else, which I think goes to show that perseverance and self-belief are pretty essential in the lottery that is the medical school applications system!

If you are reading this and wondering about whether you should bother applying to medicine or not, because the odds of getting in are so small, then you should stop wondering and apply! I never thought that I would get a place, and I didn’t think that I had the right background or experience.

It actually turned out that the student body at Warwick is pretty diverse. In my house alone we have someone who studied psychology, a neuroscientist, a sports scientist and a research chemist who worked in the pharmaceutical industry before applying. I also know a few physicists, a midwife, a nurse and a pharmacist. Since I applied, Warwick’s entry requirements have changed to include non-science degrees, so there is even more diversity now.

The one piece of advice that I would give to you if you are applying to medicine is to sit down before your interview and think not only about what work experience you have done, but also about what that work experience has taught you. Everyone can say, “I shadowed a GP for 3 days,” but not everyone will have reflected on what this has taught them about medicine as a career. Reflecting on your experiences is a really important part of working as a doctor, and everybody from medical students up to consultants has to do it, so you might as well start now!

Since starting at Warwick, I have been through 18 months of pre-clinical education and then 18 months of clinical placements in medicine, surgery, anaesthetics, orthopaedics, general practice, psychiatry, obstetrics and child health. I only have my emergency medicine block left before finals, which is quite a terrifying thought!

I hope to use this blog to give you some perspective of what it is like to be almost at the end of the marathon that is medical school, and what it is like to sit finals.

Megan Earle : 24 Nov 2014 10:43 |  Tags: Mbchb Sarah Student Warwick Wms |  Comments (0) |  Report a problem