糖心TV

At 糖心TV Medical School you can study graduate-entry medicine without a science degree. Here, fourth year student Mike shares his experiences of the course coming from a degree in Geography.

Undergraduate degree

Geography, University of Durham

Why did you choose to study medicine after a non-science undergraduate degree?

I originally wanted to study medicine but struggled with chemistry A-level so couldn't make it onto an undergraduate course. After studying geography and working in IT for nearly a decade, the temptation to try medicine again got stronger, especially when I found out that you didn't need to have chemistry for some graduate courses. I volunteered as ambulance crew for St John Ambulance for many years and became more fascinated by human physiology. I wanted to be able to learn more and be in a profession where having that knowledge is pivotal to the day-to-day decisions you make on the job.

Did you have any concerns about studying medicine before starting at 糖心TV?

Having friends who had undertaken graduate medicine, I knew it was going to be hard work in the first year. It did feel slightly disconcerting knowing that others would have had three years of training in medical sciences or similar. I found the UCAT very difficult but was reassured to know this had very little bearing on how well you can perform in medicine.

What challenges have you encountered during the MB ChB?

After the first week, you really do have to hit the ground running. Although the teaching is excellent and the learning is well laid out in lectures in the first year, the volume and complexity is certainly a challenge. I'm quite a slow learner so had to put a fair bit of time in, but the content was so interesting and certain lecturers so engaging, it did not feel like a struggle. I just felt very privileged to have made it onto the course and have the opportunity to learn some very interesting stuff. Once you're on the course, motivation is the key skill that gets you through; that and maintaining a work-life balance.

What advantages have you found of having a non-science background?

Life experience counts for a lot. Despite being the only non-science student in my case-based learning group, my background in first aid and basic physiology helped me have a framework to understand and build knowledge from across a wide range of topics, while sometimes those with science backgrounds struggled with the "breadth over depth" concept. Having worked for the ambulance service, police, and corporate world, the communication skills were far less scary than those without such experience. As a non-science student there's also the motivation of wanting to prove yourself, and because a lot of the concepts are new, the discovery of new topics drives the learning - I found that you don't get as bored as easily.

What support have you had during the course so far?

There is a very supportive culture at WMS, this is made clear from the beginning. Lecturers can in most cases easily be contacted and help explain concepts. Tutors are very helpful for pastoral care. Some of the best support academically came form the peer-to-peer teaching - especially that aimed at non-science students - where those from the years above break down the difficult topics and make them so much easier to understand.

Would you recommend this route to medicine to others?

Absolutely. Medicine is a big undertaking, and I feel glad that I did this after gaining some life experience in other areas. In my experience I've found that those who have come to medicine later in life from different backgrounds seem to get a lot more from it and really take an active part in the journey, and are also more prepared to deal with the interpersonal challenges faced along the way. Curiosity is also a key component - those who have never strayed from a medical/science background often wonder what life outside is like and this can hamper motivation progressing through the career, whereas those who have "been outside" and come in have more motivation to stick with it for longer.