Working during first/second year GEM

Roger_that

Hi all,

Just wondering do any current/past GEM's think it's realistic to be able to work 10ish hours a week while doing the course?

whatsthecraic

I'm wondering the same myself. From what I've heard, it is definitely do-able, but the more flexible the job the better. As long as you can balance it with the study I'd say you'll be grand. Would be great if there were some nixers available here and there.

tiredcity

I couldn't have. RCSI anyway is intense intense and even though 2nd year is a little less fraught, I still have no free time at all most days. That could be down to inefficient studying and a long commute but those who did come into 1st year with jobs quit them pretty sharpish. There's one guy who has maintained a saturday job as a pharmacist but he's been working there for years and has a seriously strong background in science so cops onto things a lot quicker than some of us! Give it a go if you think you'll be able for it but make sure it's something you can quit at (very) short notice. I really wouldn't recommend it if you're from a non-science background, the amount of work you need to make up just to get through the first year really is incompatible with any distractions. That's not said to scare you because it's totally doable, but when you've paid so much to do the course you want to make sure you give yourself the best possible shot.

Nonoperational

I work about 7.5 hours a week (I'm in2nd year) and it's completely doable. The odd day if there was nothing critical on I might take a day and work. Don't do that often though. I have a strong science background though.

EugeneOnegin

Hi roger_that,

I'm a UCC GEM and I've been working about 6-8hr/week. Only problem for me is getting hours that fit with the lecture timetable.

The course itself is intense but coming from science I manage. Others from non-science were previously working and have since given up as they felt they were falling behind.

I'd recommend trying working and studying for the first few weeks and then you can decide yourself whether you need to cut your cloth to measure.

heybert

Non-science here and I couldn't possibly fit it in - the current workload is just too intense.

Wings2010

I'm really hoping to get into RCSI or UCD GEM this September and I was hoping to keep on my part-time shop job so that I would have a wee bit of income along with the GEM loan. It would just be around 8 hours at the weekend...do any current GEMS think this would be wise to keep on working the few hours? I don't have a science background!

Nonoperational

You could keep it on during term time, definitely, but you may need to make it up some other time. 1st year is intense enough but at the end of day the 6 weeks before exams i when it's make or break. You might struggle to keep it on during this period.

Wings2010

gpf101 wrote: »

You could keep it on during term time, definitely, but you may need to make it up some other time. 1st year is intense enough but at the end of day the 6 weeks before exams i when it's make or break. You might struggle to keep it on during this period.

Thank you gpf101, I'd just love to be able to keep working a few hours on a Saturday...the few euro would mean less worrying about finances on top of the intense study!

Acrimoniously Challenged

This is a major concern for me also. But from the sounds of it, my expectations were hilariously exaggerated. I wanted to keep my weekend job too, but I would be working 16 hours on the weekend. Considering you all think that working 6-8 hours a week would be a tad daunting I should probably reconsider my options. Although any excuse to quit would be lovely...

Wings2010

Acrimoniously Challenged wrote: »

This is a major concern for me also. But from the sounds of it, my expectations were hilariously exaggerated. I wanted to keep my weekend job too, but I would be working 16 hours on the weekend. Considering you all think that working 6-8 hours a week would be a tad daunting I should probably reconsider my options. Although any excuse to quit would be lovely...

16 hours does sound a lot but if you're from a science background, the study load might not be as intense for you in 1st year. I'm thinking ahead to the summer break between Year 1 & 2...it would be good to be able to work and save a bit then. I don't have a science background so I'm hoping working on a Saturday actually works out! Well, more than anything, I'm hoping to actually get into GEM!

Acrimoniously Challenged

Wings2010 wrote: »

16 hours does sound a lot but if you're from a science background, the study load might not be as intense for you in 1st year. I'm thinking ahead to the summer break between Year 1 & 2...it would be good to be able to work and save a bit then. I don't have a science background so I'm hoping working on a Saturday actually works out! Well, more than anything, I'm hoping to actually get into GEM!

Ha! Right now I'm taking the incredibly positive route whereby I can't not think that I'm going to get in. I do have a science background but I would still like to make things as easy as possible for myself. A friend of mine who is currently in her first year of GEM in UCD told me that even with her strong science history she found her first semester challenging. They apparently cover all of the genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry, basically all the branches of science that have a major role in medicine in the first semester. She said that they go into quite some detail. I suppose I will just have to jump off that bridge WHEN it comes to it.

Wings2010

Acrimoniously Challenged wrote: »

Ha! Right now I'm taking the incredibly positive route whereby I can't not think that I'm going to get in. I do have a science background but I would still like to make things as easy as possible for myself. A friend of mine who is currently in her first year of GEM in UCD told me that even with her strong science history she found her first semester challenging. They apparently cover all of the genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry, basically all the branches of science that have a major role in medicine in the first semester. She said that they go into quite some detail. I suppose I will just have to jump off that bridge WHEN it comes to it.

I have RCSI as my No.1 on the CAO...went to the open day last year and came home all excited about their course so just stuck with the idea I wanted to go there but maybe I should go to look around UCD too. That's a wee bit scary thinking about starting GEM with no science background. I've just arranged with a chemistry teacher to get a few grinds...going round in circles with the self-teaching so decided it would be a good investment to be kinda half ready for all the science medicine will throw at me! You're good to go on that front when you have the science knowledge, back to Organic Chemistry for Dummies I go!

tiredcity

Wings2010 wrote: »

I have RCSI as my No.1 on the CAO...went to the open day last year and came home all excited about their course so just stuck with the idea I wanted to go there but maybe I should go to look around UCD too. That's a wee bit scary thinking about starting GEM with no science background. I've just arranged with a chemistry teacher to get a few grinds...going round in circles with the self-teaching so decided it would be a good investment to be kinda half ready for all the science medicine will throw at me! You're good to go on that front when you have the science knowledge, back to Organic Chemistry for Dummies I go!

If you are planning on going to RCSI and already have a competitive GAMSAT score then maybe do a little reading on physiology (borrow Guyton and Hall from a library) and watch Acland's anatomy dvds (that's the most memorisation heavy -and thus time intensive - subject in first year) over studying organic chemistry! I think we saw perhaps twenty slides with organic chemistry structures throughout all of first year and none of it was examinable. There's been nothing at all in second year. It's obviously important for GAMSAT but once you've surmounted that hurdle it won't be troubling you again! They do expect you to understand some basic chemistry but a slight grasp of physiology and anatomy will stand you in much, much better stead so you won't being stuck whispering "WTF is the femoral triangle?!" on the first day with your cadaver. Don't worry about being non-sci; you'll be amazed how much science you learn in no time though it might seem like everyone's speaking Urdu at the beginning.

tiredcity

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=73040232 <- This post by Biologic will scare the bejaysus out of you but it does nicely lay out everything you do in GEP1 in RCSI. Wherever you're going, it'll be a tough first year but virtually everyone gets through it one way or the other and then it's much more manageable and interesting because you're building on existing (cough, supposedly anyway!) knowledge.

Wings2010

tiredcity wrote: »

If you are planning on going to RCSI and already have a competitive GAMSAT score then maybe do a little reading on physiology (borrow Guyton and Hall from a library) and watch Acland's anatomy dvds (that's the most memorisation heavy -and thus time intensive - subject in first year) over studying organic chemistry! I think we saw perhaps twenty slides with organic chemistry structures throughout all of first year and none of it was examinable. There's been nothing at all in second year. It's obviously important for GAMSAT but once you've surmounted that hurdle it won't be troubling you again! They do expect you to understand some basic chemistry but a slight grasp of physiology and anatomy will stand you in much, much better stead so you won't being stuck whispering "WTF is the femoral triangle?!" on the first day with your cadaver. Don't worry about being non-sci; you'll be amazed how much science you learn in no time though it might seem like everyone's speaking Urdu at the beginning.

Hello tiredcity,

Thank you very much for your advice on the science and for the link to Biologic's post on RCSI GEP1, definitely a bit scary but very informative! I'm doing the GAMSAT again this month to see can I improve the score a wee bit incase the cut-offs jump this year...just hoping and praying that the drop in the RCSI cut-off to 60 last year wasn't a once off. I noticed how quiet the GAMSAT/GEM pages on Boards have been this year - hopefully a sign that less people are trying to get into a GEM programme this year. As soon as I have the GAMSAT over with, I'm definitely guna follow your advice and focus more on Guyton and Hall, Acland anatomy etc. I'm very relieved to hear that organic chemistry isn't a terrifying part of Year 1 GEM that I thought it would be! Thank you again.

tiredcity

Wings2010 wrote: »

Hello tiredcity,
I'm very relieved to hear that organic chemistry isn't a terrifying part of Year 1 GEM that I thought it would be! Thank you again.

No prob at all, best of luck to all of you sitting it soon!

Last post - don't want to be dragging this off topic any longer but to be fair they do structure the course so that you can come in with absolutely minimal science and cover all the major bits... the only problem is the rate at which they do it! One thing to keep in mind, which we didn't fully appreciate last year and used to have panic meltdowns over, is that if it's important (i.e. heart, lungs, kidneys) you will be doing it over and over and over again until you can recognise a MI, PE and ARF in your sleep. Biochemistry - for example - can be very useful to understanding the mechanism and treatment of disease but tbh, once you've done it once, other things usually take precedence. Try your best to understand it as you're going through cause it'll stand you in good stead but don't despair if it doesn't awaken some latent love for the subject. Invest in a white board for learning pathways and drawing out bits of anatomy to avoid annihilating half a rainforest by Christmas. You'll be grand

stoolan

8-10 hours is definitely do-able. I'm doing 18hours at weekends at the moment- I'm in GEM 1 and it's fine. It just means you've to put your head down during the week. Granted, it's not ideal as sometimes I could do with a break from work/study, but I'm sure it will be worth it in three years time when my loan is a fraction of what it would be if I didn't work. Graduate medicine isn't as time consuming as people think- most people in my class in UCD have hobbies that they've kept up, and pretty active social lives, and are getting by without any problems.

Wings2010

Thank you for sharing your experiences of GEM and the advice tiredcity and stoolan...it's so relieving to know that the science isn't a massive challenge for non-science students and that holding down a job for a few hours at weekends can be done! Good luck everyone on Saturday week!