Graduate Entry Programmes Medicine & Dentistry Lisa Stone (Careers Adviser)

What I’m going to cover Medicine & Dentistry ▫Advice to give to students that are making the decision ▫How to get onto a programme ▫The competition ▫Resources

Medicine - things to consider (1) Attributes: good communications skills, hard-working, good at science and retaining large amounts of information, problem-solving skills, stamina Postitive aspects: Very well respected profession. Well-paid. Huge choice in career pathways. Something to suit everyone? Opportunities to get involved with teaching, research, management etc Historically good job security. Strong supportive system in place in medical school and in training. Other aspects: Years of training~ N.B. Length of training – 9 years + to become a GP, 12 years + a consultant. Long hours and weekend/night-time work. CPD commitment. Post foundation, the trainees will need to study for the Royal College exams. Need to be emotionally resilient. Some specialties very competitive to get into. Need to be flexible – unlikely you’ll always work in one hospital or geographic area. Financial obligations, starting from scratch again, planning a family.

Medicine - things to consider (2) Eligibility 4 year versus 5 year programme (financial implications) Option to complete a pre-clinical year or access to medicine course Salary LMI

Medicine -Advice on how to get in Admissions tests Work experience ▫Work shadowing ▫Voluntary work ▫Paid work Application form Interviews Information can be found on:

Medicine – GEP courses GEP course Degree Class Req Degree subjects accepted Chem A-level req Biology A- level req Admissions Test (GAMSAT, BMAT, UKCAT) Barts 2:1 Science or health- related Yes UKCAT Birmingham 1 st Life SciencesYesNoNone Bristol 2:1Human ScienceYesNoNone Cambridge 2:1AnyYesNoBMAT Imperial College 2:1 Biological Sciences No UKCAT King’s College 2:1AnyNo UKCAT Leicester 2:1AnyNo UKCAT Liverpool 2:1 Biomedical/ health sciences Yes None Newcastle 2:1AnyNo UKCAT Nottingham 2:2AnyNo GAMSAT Oxford 2:1 Applied & experimental sciences YesNoUKCAT Southampton 2:1AnyYes None St George’s 2:2AnyNo GAMSAT Swansea 2:1AnyYes GAMSAT Warwick 2:1AnyNo UKCAT

GEP medicine - competition GEP course Number of applicants Number interviewed Number of placesApplicants per place Barts : 1 Birmingham : 1 Bristol600Approx : 1 CambridgeApprox : 1 Imperial College782 (2012 entry)Approx (10 places available for international students) 15.6: 1 King’s CollegeOver 1500Approx : 1 Leicester : 1 LiverpoolApprox 550Approx : 1 NewcastleApprox 918Approx : 1 NottinghamApprox places (91 Home & 2 International) Between 10: 1 and 12:1 Oxford In the past 10 years, the no. of applicants has ranged from 220 to Between 7. 3: 1 and 13:1 SouthamptonApprox : 1 St George’sApprox 1291Approx : 1 SwanseaApprox : 1 Warwick1852 (2012 entry) 178 (164 Home/EU & 14 International) 10.4: 1

Careers in Medicine - facts Over 60 different specialties within medicine, trainees make a choice about their career pathway 18 months post medical school. The Dept. of Health are saying that over 50% of medical students will become GPs. There is a trend for moving jobs from hospitals into the community e.g. community paediatrics. Trend to have more out of hours GPs. Some specialties are more competitive than others, e.g. surgery (and the number of posts in this area is being reduced).

General Practice 2 years foundation + 3 years training (probable from 2014 this will extend to 4 years training). Can become a salaried GP or a partner. If you are a partner you will become more involved with the business side of running the practice. In England increasing opportunities to become involved with commissioning of hospital services for the community. See patients in the clinic and on home visits ( patients per day) Good opportunities for flexible working. N.B:More information on GP and other specialties on

Medicine resources – Information for those considering medicine (and beyond) – Case-studies and current issues in medicinewww.bmjcareers.com – financial advice for medical studentshttp:// Books: Steven Sanders, David Metcalfe and Harveer Dev (2011) So you want to be a doctor? The ultimate guide to getting into medical school (Success in Medicine). Adrian Blundell, Richard Harrison and Benjamin W. Turney (2011) Becoming a Doctor, 3rd edition. Wiley- Blackwell/BMJ books

Dentistry GEP – things to consider (1) Attributes: good communications skills, hard-working, good at science and retaining large amounts of information and problem-solving skills; manual dexterity; stamina Postive aspects: Highly respected profession Self-employed, being your own boss, can be entrepreneurial and set up your own dental practice(s) Potential for having a good work-life balance, easy to work part-time to fit in with having a family. More women than men studying dentistry. Other opportunities: teaching, being an in-practice trainer, part-time trainer in a hospital, the dental specialisms Well-paid & historically good job security Strong supportive system in place in dental school and in training. Other aspects At present there is a bit of job insecurity for new graduates. This is temporary as the intake to dentistry school is predicted to drop. Reason: dental nurses/therapists/technicians are taking on some of the more routine work. Dealing with aggressive or frightened patients Some routine involved (potential for boredom) N.B: Length of training – 4 years + 1 foundation year + option to complete a 2 nd foundation year (if interested in going into hospital dentistry, full specialist training will last a further 3-5 years).

Dentistry GEP – things to consider (2) Eligibility 4 year versus 5* year programme (financial implications) Option to complete a pre-dental year or an access to dentistry course Salary LMI *With a pre-dental year this could be a 6 year course (offered by Bristol, Cardiff, Dundee and Manchester)

Dentistry -Advice on how to get in Admissions tests Work experience ▫Work shadowing ▫Voluntary work ▫Paid work Application form Interviews

GEP Dentistry GEP course Degree Class Req Degree subjects accepted Chem A- level req Biology A- level req Admissions Test (UKCAT) Aberdeen 2.1 A bio-medical science or health related degree No UKCAT King’s College 2.1 (1) Bio-medical or a qualification in a health care profession subject No UKCAT Central Lancashire 2.1 Bio-medical (degrees listed on website) Yes 2NoNone Liverpool 2.1 Bio-medical or medical degree Under review None Peninsula 2.1 Bio-medical or a qualification in a health care profession subject No GAMSAT for those without a bio-medical degree 1 Or a 2.2 with a bio-medical degree and a postgraduate qualification with at least a merit 2 A minimum of 3 A-Levels at Grade C or above (at least two of which must be from Biology, Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics)

GEP Dentistry - competition GEP course Number of applicants Number interviewed Number of places Applicants per place AberdeenApprox 150Approx : 1 King’s College1624Approx : 1 Central Lancashire Approx : 1 LiverpoolApprox 300Approx : 1 PeninsulaApprox (2 are international) 6.3 : 1

Careers in dentistry - facts Approximately 95% of dentists are general dentist practitioners, only 5% become hospital dentists. For those in general dentist practices, when they have completed their training, they usually become associate dentists (self-employed). Though some become assistant dentists (salaried dentists). Dentists can eventually run their own practice. 12 specialisms in dentistry – hospital dentists complete a further years of training (i.e GEP 4 years + 2 years of foundation training + 3 to 5 years of specialty training). Oral and Maxillo-facial surgery – requires degree in dentistry & in medicine. Normally complete dentistry degree first, it is now counted as a medical specialty.

Resources NHS Careers: British Dental Association: General Dental Council: uk.org/Pages/default.aspxhttp:// uk.org/Pages/default.aspx Faculty of Dental surgery: Book: Cross, A., 2011, Getting into Dental School, 7 th edition, Trotman publishing, Richmond, Surrey.

Medicine & dentistry There are opportunities to study abroad... Caution though with medicine! (Currently some difficulties entering UK training due to fact you often will have full registration with the GMC –means you are not eligible to start F1 programme). Opportunities for international students – usually there are a restricted number allowed onto courses e.g. only 4 places for non-EU applicants in Bristol for dentistry in However in 2009, 52 non-EU applicants were successful in getting onto dentistry degrees.

Next… I would like to introduce you to Dr Sacha Evans… We will take questions at the end. Many thanks!