Retrain to be a doctor

[essayer]

Increasingly dissatisfied with career and have recently been thinking about retraining to be a doctor

I have no relevant experience in the area. I'm 29 and would need to do a Chemistry A-level at the very least.

Is it too late to make the jump? I've read lots online, including the importance of getting good work experience / voluntary work beforehand, but just curious to see views from those already in the field.

[ShadownINja]

Can't help/free bump but I do find the topic interesting (as you may have noticed from various posts). Would probably faint if required to inject someone or open someone up and if someone had a nasty rash with discharge, I wouldn't be poking it like a doctor might (can you watch Embarrassing Bodies without turning away or having a look of horror on your face?).

Here's a test. Does this make you pass out or want to learn more? http://www.urologymatch.com/Orchiectomy.htm

[Lucie W]

Do it. I'm in my 2nd year now (I'm 21), but there are people on my course who have been teachers, nurses etc and are now retraining. They are in their mid-late thirties and tend to do better than us young'uns when it comes to exams etc. You'd need to do A levels (a year) and then med school (5 years) so by the time you graduate you'd be 35-36, which can but shouldn't be a barrier to doing it.

[john_p]

ShadownINja said:

Here's a test. Does this make you pass out or want to learn more?

The thought of having to shave someone's perineum disturbed me slightly (I guess a nurse would do that!), more than the pictures

Edited by john_p on Friday 26th March 15:36

[N Dentressangle]

Not too late at all. Medicine will probably become graduate entry in any case at some point in future, and plenty of entrants to the profession are now aged anything up to 40ish.

Check out which med schools attract or look more favourably on mature entrants. Peninsula is one, but there are others: you'll need to do some research and email a few. If you ask her nicely, LucieW might post a question on doctorsnet for you!

Also, if you already have a relevant degree, several med schools have graduate entry programmes. Bristol's is a 4 year course, for example, and I know St Georges do a similar one too which caters for entrants with non-science degrees - you might not need that Chemistry A level!

So, to summarise, not too late at all, but approach med schools directly and find out. They'll be very happy to advise you.

eta You need to act fast if you want everything to be ready to apply for entry in September 2011. Remember that HE applications work on very long lead times...

Edited by N Dentressangle on Friday 26th March 15:22

[whitechief]

My wife did exactly that at a similar age to you. Five year course at UEA and now she is finishing her F2 year and has a London surgical training job starting in the Autumn.

If you feel you can do it, and it is a lot of hard work and will leave you with some sizeable debts, go for it, the age barrier has not prevented my wife from progressing at a very fast rate. This is however deserved as the effort she has put in is amazing.

Edited by whitechief on Friday 26th March 15:28

[Ginger goblin]

I'd echo the above comments.

My sister was a late decider as well. Now an opthalmic surgeon but it took her 15 years to get there; 15 years of incredible hard work and dedication.

I'd say go for it if you're sure. Then again I'd be very, very sure.

[whitechief]

Ginger goblin said:

I'd say go for it if you're sure. Then again I'd be very, very sure.

Listen to the Goblin

[essayer]

St George's could be a good option however the GAMSAT test is needed, September for a 2011 UCAS entry. Is it possible to learn enough A-Level Chemistry / Biology to pass the test in such a short amount of time? My Physics seems OK.

Edited by essayer on Friday 26th March 15:56

[Lucie W]

ShadownINja said:

Can't help/free bump but I do find the topic interesting (as you may have noticed from various posts). Would probably faint if required to inject someone or open someone up and if someone had a nasty rash with discharge, I wouldn't be poking it like a doctor might (can you watch Embarrassing Bodies without turning away or having a look of horror on your face?).

Here's a test. Does this make you pass out or want to learn more? http://www.urologymatch.com/Orchiectomy.htm

I wince when watching embarrassing bodies! You just get over it. I fainted in theatre a few months ago, then have been into theatre since and watched a whole day of surgery.

I'm not keen on having my blood taken, but quite happy to take it (my boyfriend kindly acted as my guinea pig!).


If you're interested in Peninsula at all OP, feel free to ask any questions. Have you looked at a site called new media medicine? There's bound to be a section on there about graduate entry medicine and loads of info on the GAMSAT.

[ShadownINja]

Lucie W said:

ShadownINja said:

Can't help/free bump but I do find the topic interesting (as you may have noticed from various posts). Would probably faint if required to inject someone or open someone up and if someone had a nasty rash with discharge, I wouldn't be poking it like a doctor might (can you watch Embarrassing Bodies without turning away or having a look of horror on your face?).

Here's a test. Does this make you pass out or want to learn more? http://www.urologymatch.com/Orchiectomy.htm

I wince when watching embarrassing bodies! You just get over it. I fainted in theatre a few months ago, then have been into theatre since and watched a whole day of surgery.

Well, it's Friday night... you know what that means? Yep, anal discharge night!!

[shirt]

op: you are 29, meaning you have 36 years of work left until retirement. if you act quickly, 30 of them could be spent as a doctor.

[ucb]

I think you should have a very serious look at your motives for entering medicine. It is not the profession that is portrayed in the media/public perception

[dave_s13]

ucb said:

I think you should have a very serious look at your motives for entering medicine. It is not the profession that is portrayed in the media/public perception

What is it then?

I see a GP job as being - start very early, see about 40 pt's per day. Go home late, fvcking knackered. But, good money. Hospital medic - long, hard shifts and not as much money.

I'm an NHS Podiatrist and get immense satisfaction from helping people out when they genuinely need it. I have a limited scope of practice though, and I just don't get paid enough!!

I like the idea of retraining too. I'm 33 and have a BSc Hons in Podiatric Medicine so that would probably give me a reasonable grounding. I have 1000's of hours of pt contact time and like nothing more than an infecting pustulating ulcer to debride or an infected ingrown toenail to rip off. I like to think I could make a decent GP - loads of my patients have commented that I should have been one!

It would be terribly hard work though, I'm sure of that.

The alternative is to sit back and let my misses become a secondary head teacher over the next few years. House husband would be easier I reckon

Edited by dave_s13 on Sunday 28th March 23:24

[Lucie W]

dave_s13 said:

ucb said:

I think you should have a very serious look at your motives for entering medicine. It is not the profession that is portrayed in the media/public perception

What is it then?

I see a GP job as being - start very early, see about 40 pt's per day. Go home late, fvcking knackered. But, good money. Hospital medic - long, hard shifts and not as much money.

I'm an NHS Podiatrist and get immense satisfaction from helping people out when they genuinely need it. I have a limited scope of practice though, and I just don't get paid enough!!

I like the idea of retraining too. I'm 33 and have a BSc Hons in Podiatric Medicine so that would probably give me a reasonable grounding. I have 1000's of hours of pt contact time and like nothing more than an infecting pustulating ulcer to debride or an infected ingrown toenail to rip off. I like to think I could make a decent GP - loads of my patients have commented that I should have been one!

It would be terribly hard work though, I'm sure of that.

The alternative is to sit back and let my misses become a secondary head teacher over the next few years. House husband would be easier I reckon

Edited by dave_s13 on Sunday 28th March 23:24

I've done lots of days with lots of different GPs, and in my experience (which is not a generalisation, only speaking from my experience), they see nowhere near that many patients and don't go home late. We leave with our GPs at 5.30/6 and probably see about 20 patients a day. Again, I'm not meaning to put GPs down (I might end up being one). Hospital doctors do appear to have harder lives (the ones I know personally) but at the top end can earn more money doing private practice etc, but that's only once you reach the top.

[dave_s13]

To be honest the 40pt's a day thing was a badly judged guess

Half that would be more like it I suppose. I see 19/day in a full, routine clinic - that's 20min slots. And that's more than enough!!

[968]

Lucie W said:

dave_s13 said:

ucb said:

I think you should have a very serious look at your motives for entering medicine. It is not the profession that is portrayed in the media/public perception

What is it then?

I see a GP job as being - start very early, see about 40 pt's per day. Go home late, fvcking knackered. But, good money. Hospital medic - long, hard shifts and not as much money.

I'm an NHS Podiatrist and get immense satisfaction from helping people out when they genuinely need it. I have a limited scope of practice though, and I just don't get paid enough!!

I like the idea of retraining too. I'm 33 and have a BSc Hons in Podiatric Medicine so that would probably give me a reasonable grounding. I have 1000's of hours of pt contact time and like nothing more than an infecting pustulating ulcer to debride or an infected ingrown toenail to rip off. I like to think I could make a decent GP - loads of my patients have commented that I should have been one!

It would be terribly hard work though, I'm sure of that.

The alternative is to sit back and let my misses become a secondary head teacher over the next few years. House husband would be easier I reckon

Edited by dave_s13 on Sunday 28th March 23:24

I've done lots of days with lots of different GPs, and in my experience (which is not a generalisation, only speaking from my experience), they see nowhere near that many patients and don't go home late. We leave with our GPs at 5.30/6 and probably see about 20 patients a day. Again, I'm not meaning to put GPs down (I might end up being one). Hospital doctors do appear to have harder lives (the ones I know personally) but at the top end can earn more money doing private practice etc, but that's only once you reach the top.

For the OP, think about it carefully. Remember you are committing yourself to 5 years of undergraduate training, 2 years as a house officer or FY1/2 doctor (these days have little or no opportunity to do anything due to lack of hours and training opportunities) then either another 2-3 years GP training or possibly 7 years training as a Specialist trainee. Either way it's another 10-15 years of training until you are actually in a position to do the job you want to do. However, if you are motivated enough you can still enjoy it.

The discussion about GP vs Hospital here doesn't quite tell the story. GP can be a well paid job, however, these days getting a partnership, which will enable good money is very difficult and most positions are salaried and earn considerably less. Added to that, by the time you qualify, the NHS will have undergone another few reorganisations and therefore the role of GPs will be different, with the advent of polyclinics and community hospitals run by GPs.

Consequently hospital doctors jobs will change too. They will be more out of the hospital and into community areas too. However, the structure of training will remain similar, though it has shortened a bit lately. It is a hard life in the hospital, mainly due to the appalling organisation of staff in hospitals and the lack of any discernable help in making working life easy, however you do get to actively manage the patients in the acute setting, which is always exciting.

Private practice is dwindling these days, mainly due to the change in the Consultants contracts. Most contracts ensure that consultants are working 48 hours within the NHS, therefore any private work will occur in evenings and weekends only, limiting opportunities. Certain specialities are better than others though. I wouldn't bank on private practice boosting your income massively any more, however.

[shirt]

do doctors view being a GP as a good career choice? certainly the medical students [now practising docs] i knew thought it was only something they'd consider if they weren't good enough to cut it in a hospital.

[Coco H]

It;s something I wanted to do but now I am too old - mid 30s with 3 children under 4. Without that commitment and if I were younger I'd go for it. I expect to be working until late 70s anyway.
a-level chemistry - easy!

[968]

shirt said:

do doctors view being a GP as a good career choice? certainly the medical students [now practising docs] i knew thought it was only something they'd consider if they weren't good enough to cut it in a hospital.

Yes, I think GP is a good choice. Most of my friends who are GPs tend to be happier with their lives and now more hospital care is being moved into the territory of GPs, and there is more scope for GPs to pursue specialist interests, so it's not just a case of being bored seeing people with colds and coughs. I certainly wish I'd considered it more carefully.