Gillian Kelly - Bath - 1987 - 1994

Doctor – Emergency Medicine

I qualified 6 years ago from Dundee University Medical School. I initially wanted to be a cardiothoracic surgeon and following my pre registration house jobs and 6 months working in a rural hospital in Swaziland, pursued surgical training. For a number of reasons I changed my career choice to Emergency Medicine, and supplemented my surgical training with posts in paediatrics and intensive care. I am now an Emergency registrar.

Medicine is a hugely fulfilling career, it is also your passport to work anywhere in the world and I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else, but it isn’t just a job, it is your life. Doing exams when you are 18 isn’t much fun, and it becomes much less fun the older you get. I will still be doing exams in my mid thirties. In addition I work every other weekend and lots of evening and night shifts, add a partner and children to the equation and life becomes very hectic indeed……still interested??

Medicine continues to be hugely competitive, not only to get a place at university to study, but also to get a good job in a place where you’d like to live once you’ve graduated. Selection committees aren’t just looking for academically able candidates; they are looking for people who will have more to offer the profession than just brains.

If you really want to do medicine here are some tips to the first rung of the ladder; that coveted place at Medical School…..

1. Due to data protection and patient confidentiality it is almost impossible to get work experience with doctors or nurses. Instead try to get work at your local hospital; you could porter or be a volunteer, or you could get a job in a nursing home as a Health Care Assistant.
2. Have non academic interests; swim, go to the gym, windsurf, sail, cycle, dive. The more unusual your hobby the better. You don’t have to do this at a competitive level, but you need to know enough about it to be able to talk about it if you are asked for an interview.
3. Help with the local scout or guide group, join St Johns Ambulance, help on summer play schemes. All of these indicate that you have responsibility and leadership skills, which are essential attributes of a doctor.
4. If you haven’t had the opportunity to do any of the above, take a GAP year and do them. Your GAP year needs to show that you have grown and developed as a person, not sat on a beach for a year.
5. Read a book on getting into medical school, there are several.
6. If you don’t get in first time, try again. Resit your exams, take a GAP year, do a degree and then apply for a fast-track 4 year course. You will gain valuable experience during this time, and will be able to add it to your next application. If you really want to do medicine you will get in as long as you are persistent.

Remember your application needs to be different. Lots of applicants to medical school are predicted straight A’s, play several instruments, are school prefects, captain the school rugby/hockey/netball team and have their gold Duke of Edinburgh Award. You don’t need to have all of those things, in fact you don’t need to have any of those things, you just need to stand out by being different and showing that you are committed.

I am happy to be contacted by anyone for advice by email.