The Graduate Entry Medicine course

Dear prospective GEM students, Some of you are considering leaving successful careers to go back to university and retrain; for others this was always the goal but it has taken a little longer than anticipated. Whatever your situation, graduate entry medicine is a somewhat gruelling but very rewarding experience. This short post outlines the application …

A day in the life of a medical student

– 6.30am – Time to start the day. It’s an early start because I’m on placement today at a GP surgery. I make some breakfast and get ready to head out. – 7.20am – I get the bus to the GP surgery at West Bridgford. I’ve also done placements at Queen’s Medical Centre and King’s …

Writing the Personal Statement for medical school applications

Personal statement writing is one of the most difficult and tedious tasks that you must undertake as part of your application to medical school. Written in first person, the personal statement is a compulsory 4000 character essay (including spaces) which must reflect what you have done to present your interest and determination towards the medical …

A foundation for life, not just a degree

I was stumped. I wanted to study at higher education (HE) but knew nothing about university lifestyle apart from the rather active nightlife, and dissertations being the bane of every students’ existence. Hardly mind-blowing stuff. So, it’s no wonder when a guy from an under-achieving comprehensive school in South London said, ‘I want to read …

BMedSci project: “A vision for the future of gross anatomy teaching at medical school”

There were a few central reasons why I chose to study Medicine at the University of Nottingham. The opportunity to obtain two degrees during the 5-year course, and the medical school’s teaching of Gross Anatomy through full-cadaver dissection classes, set Nottingham apart. To conclude my BMedSci degree, and the first half of my course, I …

When Things Don’t Go To Plan… A Levels Result Day

With results day coming up, tensions can be running high, and the sense of trepidation might seem unbearable.  While I wish you the best of luck, it would be unwise to not approach the day with a sober sense of caution and sensible preparation.   You must consider well in advance what you plan to …

How to utilize your summer holidays before Year 13

Hey! I’ve currently just finished my 2nd year of medicine. Three years ago, I was stressing about applying for medicine. There were so many questions; Where to apply? What entrance exams to sit? And not to forget, which “relevant” extra-curricular activities to do? The application process is, in short, daunting. Balancing an application to medical …

Life as an international student

Accents, bad stereotypes and a culture shock; the typical ABCs of being an international student. Coming from Singapore, a tremendously westernized country, I did not believe I would struggle with any of these when I moved here to study medicine. That’s where I was wrong. Food Life is so different here from back home in …

Regional GP work experience scheme

A total of 20 aspiring doctors took part in a Health Education England-funded GP work experience scheme targeted at year 12 students across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Lincolnshire. The aim of this initiative is to improve access to medicine for students from less advantaged backgrounds in the East Midlands. Eligibility to this scheme was designed to align with the …

The wait for university offers…

If you’re still waiting for university offers, have a re-read of Fern’s great advice on how to stay positive! My name is Fern Buller and, in some sort of miracle, I am now a second year medical student at Nottingham. This past year has been the most amazing experience; I have loved almost every moment …