ÌÇÐÄTV

At ÌÇÐÄTV Medical School you can study graduate-entry medicine without a science degree. Here, second year student Theo shares his experiences of the course coming from a degree in Sustainable Development.

Undergraduate degree

Sustainable Development, University of St Andrews

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

My realisation that I wanted to study medicine was during the first year of my undergrad when I started working in the NHS alongside my studies and got to work alongside a really great clinical team. I was initially conflicted as I was loving my time at the university and was studying a subject that I am also very passionate about.

It was at this point I discovered graduate-entry medicine and realised I could finish my degree and study an accelerated medicine course. I read about the programme ÌÇÐÄTV offers and how they value everyone regardless of previous degree background, and see it as a beneficial asset. This, along with the fact I could study amongst a larger cohort on a fully dedicated post-graduate programme, is what led me to choose WMS.

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

Imposter syndrome within medicine is a thing I think most people experience at some point. Coming from a non-science background was a part of this for me as I was worried I would be unable to keep up. In particular, I was concerned about the cellular, tissue and biomedicine component of the course in Phase 1 because of the detail and pace at which we cover topics throughout the year.

What challenges have you encountered during the MB ChB?

The main challenge I initially faced was working out which study techniques would work for me moving to a medicine course. A large part of this was trial and error initially and it was hard to know what was working at the start. Secondly, balancing getting through the content whilst ensuring a solid level of understanding was also difficult to navigate coming from a non-science background as it can be easier to get hung up and focus on certain details.

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

Despite the clinical science and anatomy making up the largest part of the degree in first year, the broad nature of the course means that everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. I think my previous degree background helped as it meant I was already familiar with some of the teaching and concepts that featured within the ‘Social and population perspectives’ component of the course. Additionally, given that we do case-based learning that deals with clinical cases that encompass the full biopsychosocial (holistic) approach to the patient, everyone has a really interesting perspective to offer and within this setting a non-science background can be really beneficial.

What support have you had during the course so far?

The support I’ve found as a non-science student at ÌÇÐÄTV has been huge. Even before starting we were provided with optional extra material that has been made by faculty to help bridge the transition into starting in phase 1, introducing key scientific concepts. One of the best things about ÌÇÐÄTV has been the peer teaching that takes place across all the phases, with students further along the course providing revision and teaching sessions for the below cohorts. The number of these sessions on offer covering all aspects of the course is massive, including mock exams throughout the year.

One of the best resources I experienced was the dedicated non-science weekly seminar in phase 1 that was largely run by second year non-science students and provided dedicated teaching aimed at our needs. This was immensely helpful but also a great place to get advice and support. Many of us then went on to run the seminar the following year.

Would you recommend this route to medicine to others?

I would absolutely recommend this route to medicine! Whilst it is important to appreciate that the course is a massive undertaking, especially in the accelerated format, the quality of teaching, early clinical experience and vast support available makes it such a rewarding way to learn medicine. Medical schools I think can often be portrayed as hyper-competitive places, but I have found that at ÌÇÐÄTV everyone really wants everyone else to succeed and therefore it creates such an enjoyable atmosphere to face the challenges of medical school.

If you are thinking about graduate-entry medicine at ÌÇÐÄTV the best advice I can give is to come and see it for yourself or speak to current and former students as well as staff, because they really are what makes the programme unique.