GEP medicine

virtus

Hey all, 1st time poster here.

Just want to enquire about GEP medicine, maybe some people here have applied for it this year or are thinking about it.

Im graduating soon from a pharmacy degree course and am considering continuing on to do medicine afterwards. What I would like to enquire about is the GAMSAT. Is it really the horrible exam that it is made out to be? It seems to be designed as an aptitude test, however it seems that you need to put it 100's of hours of study to stand a chance..

I would like to become registered as a pharmacist so I can pay my way through college and also gain some healthcare experience. This requires spending an additional year after college working as a pre reg.

My question is should I do the GAMSAT in my final year, or do it after during pre-reg. If I didnt get in the first time at least I could repeat without wasting a year.. Only thing is you need a 2.1 to get in as well (or if your loaded a 2.2 for RCSI), which is going to be a serious challenge in itself and I am not too confident about getting even without the GAMSAT looming over me..

P.S. Anyone get GEP this year? How was your experience?

angeldelight

If you need the 2.1 to get in, I think you should concentrate on finishing your Pharmacy degree course. I'm going into final year myself in Pharmacy and from all accounts, it's a tough year with a lot of work required.

In your pre-reg year you're going to be working a full time job, trying to do your pre-reg project, and studying for the licence exams, which also by all accounts are a lot of work. You're not going to have a lot of free time, and that you do have you may not want to spend on more studying!

I don't know anything about GEP but I do know a little about studying Pharamcy and I think you'd be mad to attempt both concurrently. Why not do your degree and pre-reg then work as a pharmacist for a year, doing the exam in that year? You'd be earning quite a lot so could save the money required for your course, have a big nest egg so if you went into GEP you could do the odd locum rather than have to do mad hours. Also when you're working as a pharmacist, you may be working a lot of hours but you won't have to study for anything else when you get home, so you can have free time and stud for the exam.

Did you go into Pharmacy from Leaving Cert? An extra year won't hurt too much

virtus

I went from the Leavingcert. Ill be just under 22 when I graduate, so I suspose Ill still be young enough. Trouble is, if I go down down this route I really want to be as young as possible when I start. So taking another year out after my pre reg dosent seem like the best option.

The GAMSAT is designed to be an aptitude test, so I really dont see why it is neccessary to "study" for it the way some people describe. I think I might do it anyway next year, even if its just as a practice run for the year after.

I understand that the Pre reg exams are held in November, so that would mean that I would have to do my exams, and prob project, during 1st year of medicine.. hmmm

5 year courses are also an option, but I really have my heart set on going to UL..

I suspose its still a long way off yet.. Better at least pass my exams next year!! Best of luck yourself

squarah

Hi, I am thinking of applying to do GEM in UL in 2008 too. I dont know if you know but your GAMSAT result is valid for 2 years. So if you dont get in in 2008, you wont necessarily have to repeat the GAMSAT to apply in 2009. http://www.gamsat-ie.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=17&Itemid=79
The score needed to get it might be lower if there are more places on the course in 2009. I wouldn't worry too much about a year one way or another. I will be 30 if/when I start in 2008.:eek:

virtus

I understand that the places will be increasng, so perhaps the points will also be coming down...

Best of luck for applying in 2008. Not sure if im goning to apply this year or not, 2.1s dont come easily! Really have to study hard this year. Studied my proverbial backside off for pharmacology, memorised doses, linked material from other subjects, didnt stop writing for the full exam (and some). Came out elated - guaranteed 1st. What did I get? 50% Grrrrrrrr

Trouble is now im really comin to like pharmacy.

Been doing work experience in hospital and the pharmacists do an amazing job! I can really see how they contribute to care, especially with their knowlede of pcology. There are somethings they are absoltely essential for, like parenteral compatibility, adverse reactions and deciding treatmet options for critically ill patients. There are some things that you are really unlikely to see unless you have done pharm.

Interesting stuff!

eth0_

The hours in UL in the first 2 years look great! I went to Leicester uni GEP open day before and they seemed to have a lot more hours in classes/PBL per week.

The idea of being 85,000 euro in debt by the end of GEP really puts me off applying. You might love medicine but hate working as a doctor, and then you're left with that huge debt

Tazzle

I've been following this a bit too, I'm wondering if anybody knows what's happening with the NUIs/TCD, has there been any progress coming to some arrangement for their graduate entry schemes? Information is pretty sketchy at the moment with only a bulletin from TCD providing any real information.

eth0_

Looks like TCD won't be participating in the GEP scheme at all. That's a shame.
For me, it's not just about the extra year in med school, but the way GEP is taught is a lot more attractive to me personally, than the traditional medical degree course.

http://www.medicine.tcd.ie/bulletin/july_2007/grad_entry_medicine_weekly.php