So unfortunately, I missed the grades to get into undergraduate medicine in the UK.
I have two options left:
I could do Biomedical Science at Abertay University (in Scotland) and go for grad medicine then.
Or I could apply to study medicine right away at Poznan University of Medical Sciences. Poznan is a city in Poland and they offer a 6-year medical programme in English language. It would be fully recognised in the UK, most probably even if the UK left the EU.
I’d like to go to Abertay University way more, but on the same time I feel bad for dropping an opportunity to study medicine right away and I don’t know what to do. Grad medicine would be either in the UK or Ireland, or as the last option somewhere in Eastern Europe. Any suggestions?
Can you give us some background, please? Are you currently an overseas student? Or did you do your A levels last year (this year’s aren’t out yet) in which case why did you not retake this year, or at least think about your options earlier?
I wouldn’t count on the Polish degree being recognised in a world which would bed several years into a post-Brexit world. Would you be doing your post-degree training in Poland (in which case would you need a different visa) or back in the UK (not only would the degree be recognised, but would there be any available training posts?)? It might work out for you, but you have to consider the potential for it not happening as you hope.
Getting into a postgrad medicine course is actually more challenging than getting into medicine - I know someone who did it but the percentage of acceptances is lower. So if that happens, will your degree give you an alternative career path?
Thanks :).
Sure! I already thought about my options, it’s not possible to retake my finals unfortunately.this aren’t A levels but an overseas qualification. I think it would work out by going to Poland, though I’m not sure whether or not a hospital would hire anybody with a Polish qualification even if the degree is formally recognised.
As for the second option I think I’d enjoy something related to medicine, but I want to become a Doctor and so there would still be the possibility to get into a grad medicine programme somewhere in Eastern Europe.
If you want to practice medicine in the UK, Scotland is by far the better option, even if it may take a bit longer.
Getting a license to practice medicine in a different country than the one you completed your education in is generally a nightmare. Let’s assume that EC-rights no longer apply post-Brexit, so applicants for a medical license in the UK from Poland will have to meet the same requirements as current applicants from outside of Europe. A few considerations:
You will have to figure out where to complete the patient care part of your training. (Americans would call this "internship" and "residency", the British seem to call it "foundation program".) Doing it in Poland would be difficult if you don't speak the language. Doing it in the UK may not be possible at all - current admission requirements to the foundation program state that you either have to graduate from a UK medical school, or else be legally allowed to work in the UK. (Are you a UK national? Assume no free movement of people post-Brexit.)
http://www.foundationprogramme.nhs.uk/pages/medical-students/how-to-apply
If you complete your medical training outside of the UK, you will have to go through another set of exams to get your UK medical license. At a time when you have already been out of med school for multiple years. That prospect alone should sound terrifying to you. The current pass rates for the PLAB test seem to hover around 50%. What will you do if you don't pass the test after 6 years of medical school and 2-4 years in practical training?
http://www.gmc-uk.org/doctors/plab.asp
And even if everything works well, there's always the uncertainty of finding employment. In the US, graduates of foreign medical schools seem to mostly work jobs that American physicians don't want, e.g. in rural areas, free clinics, prisons, etc.
Thank you! That was a lot of information. I’m mit a UK national but an EU national and I know a lot may change after Britain leaves the EU. Would you still advise pro Scotland and against Poland? Because as I said I really feel bad about dropping a chance to study medicine right away so I need somebody to make me confident in mz choice :).
You should get your medical training in whichever country you plan to practice medicine. Optimally, that should be in your country of citizenship. That would make getting a postgrad training spot and ultimately a job, easier.
That would be the US or the UK in Europe.
Otherwise, the UK would be an okay option in Europe. Okay, got your point. A degree from Poland might be formally recognised, it wouldn’t make it easy getting a job afterwards, however.
That would be the US or the UK in Europe.
Okay, got your point. A degree from Poland might be formally recognised, it wouldn’t make it easy getting a job afterwards, however. Thanks :).
Scotland, if you do well, would open up more possibilities in the field of health care. I know the royal college of surgeons in Ireland has a postgraduate path, for instance.
Gap year… Because it sounds like your two options don’t appeal to you much and a gap year would thus give you time to find other options.
Thank you MYOS :). That’s true, my options would probably way better after the course.
Well, it shouldn’t sound like those two options don’t appeal to me. I would love to study in Scotland, it’s just that I’m not or wasn’t sure about dropping a chance to study medicine right away.
You guys are very helpful!
I have one more question: In Scotland, should I rather choose Abertay University in Dundee or Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen? I have an offer for Abertay, but I saw that Robert Gordon offers a shortened 3 year programme in the same course.
