Where do I start...?
Welcome to Medschools Online. If you're here, you are probably interested in a career as a doctor. If so, you're at the right place! This website is aimed at anyone who is thinking of studying medicine in the UK and this section helps you to work out where to start.
Working as a doctorA career in medicine is very varied and there are hundreds of different types of doctor. One of the biggest advantages of studying medicine is the number of options open to you when you qualify. You can specialise in anything from broken bones to skin conditions, mental illness to open heart surgery, or pregnancy to post mortems. What ever type of doctor you would like to be, the first step is to study medicine at university. If you would like to find out more about the different types of doctor, visit our medical careers section. Studying medicineIf you want to become a practising doctor (GP, hospital doctor etc) in the UK, the first step is to study medicine at university. This is the ONLY way you can legally practise as a doctor in the UK. There are over one hundred universities in the UK, and only 31 of them have degree courses in medicine. Only courses entitled 'Medicine' will enable you to become a doctor - other similar courses such as 'Biomedical Science' are actually science degrees and, while closely allied to medicine, will not enable you to practise as a doctor. Degrees in medicine usually take 5 years, but some courses last only 4 years, while others take 6 - it depends what type of medicine degree you're doing. To find out more about what a degree in medicine involves, please visit our course guide section. Do I really want to be a doctor?Being a doctor is a big responsibility. The decisions you make and the way you interact with people can make a huge difference to people's lives, both good and bad. The hours can be long and the work can be emotionally and physically demanding. It's a good idea to talk to lots of people about whether being a doctor is right for you. Discuss it with your friends and family, teachers or careers advisor to help you come to a decision. Also talk to any doctors that you know, maybe a relative, a family friend or even your own GP. Ask them what they most enjoy about their job, what they least enjoy and what advice they would give to someone thinking about becoming a doctor. However, the best way to find out if you really want to be a doctor is to do work experience. Work experienceGaining work experience is an essential part of deciding to become a doctor. As a result, virtually all medical schools expect applicants to have undertaken some health or social care work experience. This might involve following doctors to see what the job really involves (known as shadowing) or volunteering in a hospital, hospice or care home to find out if you really enjoy working with people. Visit our jobs and volunteering section to find out more. What qualifications do I need?That entirely depends on the type of course you are applying for. If you're a school leaver, you'll probably need predicted A-level grades of at least ABB (or the equivalent) and you'll probably actually need to get AAB or AAA. If you are a mature student, but haven't done a degree, the entry requirements are often similar to school leavers but some univesities expect you to show evidence of recent study. If you're a graduate, you'll probably need at least a 2.1, although some medical schools will sometimes accept a 2.2. Some medical schools only accept certain degree subjects, while others will accept any degree. Our course guide provides much more information on the entry requirements for different courses. Applying to medical schoolAll applications to university are handled by UCAS - the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service. The application deadline is the 15th October each year for courses starting the following September. You can apply to only 4 medicine courses at the same time. Many medical schools will require you to sit an entrance exam of which there are several different types. Most medical schools will also require you to attend an interview as the final stage of the applications process. To find out more about the applications process, please visit our section on how to apply.
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