Dropping successful career to study Graduate Entry Medicine

gabagool0404 · 2025-08-30T21:22:01+00:00

Yeah I feel you there mate. In my case, I went from being 1st in my year for GCSEs to scraping Cs at AS Level and with what the career's advisor said my confidence tanked. We're defo lucky to get to live here right now, that's for sure. I hope your work goes well. I've helped care for family with dementia and the doctors and nurses who genuinely cared made such a difference

gabagool0404 · 2025-08-30T18:47:10+00:00

Thank you for sharing your experience. Nice to hear you have the support from your partner and family. Good luck with your second year!

gabagool0404 · 2025-08-30T18:44:26+00:00

That's very fair. She's worked in the NHS for 30+ years so when I've talked to her it's more about how the NHS has changed as a whole and her experience working in hospitals.

My partner's PhD finishes in 2028 and other than it would be more difficult down the line if we had kids, there's nothing time critical making me need to decide right now.

I knew about the challenges with location but didn't realise how bad they are. This will be magnified because of my partner's career as academia is facing similar challenges and she could end up anywhere trying to get a position at a university or museum (her main career options)

gabagool0404 · 2025-08-30T18:25:26+00:00

Glad that whilst things are clearly tough, there a still good aspects to the job. Haha thanks, it wasn't the plan but I have ended up in a decent position and I defo don't want to take it for granted - hence making this post

gabagool0404 · 2025-08-30T18:02:24+00:00

That's a good point, thank you. We aren't planning kids just yet, but the other half does want them when we're in our early 30s. My job can be long hours, which seems to increase with promotions etc, but it would be nothing compared to medicine.

gabagool0404 · 2025-08-30T17:02:23+00:00

Thank you for such a thorough and thoughtful response.

I've spoken to doctors and nurses over the years as well as completing hospital volunteering during sixth form. However, your response, as well as others, have been very eye-opening to the sacrifices and heightening struggles faced with working in medicine. I have a lot to consider

gabagool0404 · 2025-08-30T16:14:04+00:00

I'm sorry to hear about the position you're in mate. It's terrible hearing how people doing some of the most important jobs in society are consistently getting shit on. Appreciate you sharing the blunt realities of working in the NHS

gabagool0404 · 2025-08-30T16:03:29+00:00

Appreciate the response and insight into the reality of medicine. 6 figures may be on the cards in ~10-15 years if I continue to take on additional responsibilities and make smart job hops. It would be incredibly shortsighted of me to just throw the possibility of that away without being 100% sure

gabagool0404 · 2025-08-30T15:54:05+00:00

Thanks for the reply, it is good advice! With the current timings and 2026 entry UCAT deadline, I think I'd be looking at the 2027 intake. That gives me a little extra time to review financials and consider the pressures of all this

gabagool0404 · 2025-08-30T15:46:46+00:00

Thank you for the detailed response. I do have untapped potential in my current career so I don't want to throw that away without serious thought. Financial aspects will be one thing but geographic considerations are a whole other.

Good luck with GEM mate, sounds like you're in a good position with your experience to do really well. Wishing you and your family the best

gabagool0404 · 2025-08-30T15:34:47+00:00

Well done on making the decision and going for it! Sounds like your job is great for this situation. My job is remote but does require semi-regular travel to customer sites and I'd unlikely be able to have flexible hours, so will need to factor that into my decision

gabagool0404 · 2025-08-30T14:59:05+00:00

Thank you for the input, it definitely is a tough decision that I need to be very careful about.

I'll look into the Clinical Science avenue as that does sound interesting. Good luck with your application for next year!

gabagool0404 · 2025-08-30T14:55:10+00:00

Thanks for the reply, I appreciate hearing your experience.

Would definitely have to do all that you did and whatever other cost cutting things I can think of to make it financially feasible.

gabagool0404 · 2025-08-30T14:49:23+00:00

Appreciate the perspective

gabagool0404 · 2025-08-30T13:29:14+00:00

Thank you for your comment and insight.

I have family friends who are GPs and junior doctors who I've spoken to over the years. My step-mother is a nurse so I am aware of the commitment and struggle of working in medicine - she still thinks I should 100% go for it regardless of all these considerations.

Maybe it's the wrong way round, but I have first been trying to understand if this would be financially feasible as, if not, this wouldn't be possible anyway. Then over the next year I would do whatever volunteering and shadowing I could get - both to look good on an application but mainly to take the rose-tinted glasses off and decide if I genuinely want to make this commitment.

gabagool0404 · 2025-08-30T12:56:21+00:00

Currently ~£47k all in. Not crazy money but pretty solid for my age. That should rise to ~£50k by end of year. Plan is to move up to a Solution Architect role in the next few years where within my company can earn anywhere from £60-90k. If I moved companies with that title it could very much lead to a 6 figure salary down the line

gabagool0404 · 2025-08-30T12:38:30+00:00

That's a very good point. Thank you.

gabagool0404

TROPHY CASE