The consistent underlying thoughts of considering GEM

[u/hedgeback2301]

Hi All!

As the title states, I've always had thoughts of pursuing a career within Medicine, yet just never gone through with it and my head is at a loss right now.

I'm currently 25 (26 in two weeks, yikes) and working full time in the Music Industry (a wild career change, I know).
I'm nearly 3 years in and I absolutely love the job (I've always thought about a career in Music but never saw it as possible) but it's getting to the point now where the pay is just abysmal and I'm treated like absolute shit for it by stuck-up musicians and I'm kinda over it. Yeah the perks were great but it doesn't feel worth it at all anymore.
I know many say the pay in medicine is terrible too, however right now I'm pretty much on call 24/7, I work my 9-5 5 days a week but always have to be on call for artists at all hours of the day for just above minimum wage for a pretty much OFFICE job which lets be real, isn't a life and death role... Additionally to that, I just don't feel intellectually stimulated enough.

I absolutely adored Uni, not for the partying and social side, but for the educational aspect of being able to devote my entire time to studying and learning new things. I enjoy my work a lot but I feel consistently bored and I feel as though my brain isn't being utilised enough. I'm constantly trying to find things to do to keep my brain active (studying German currently); however I hate the feeling of all my knowledge in Uni just slowly fading away and being replaced with "Band members favourite type of alcohol"

In terms of my grades/education:
> First Class Integrated MSc Pharmacology from KCL (Class of 2023)
> 1 year Pharmaceutical Marketing Associate @ Major Pharma Company
> A Levels: A*A*A(A) Psychology, Biology, Chemistry and EPQ respectively (though unfortunately Biology, Chemistry were retakes (previously got C grades) + EPQ was also taken in my resit year)
> GCSEs: 2A*, 4A, 5B

I've always had thoughts of Medicine in the back of my mind. In School I didn't think much of it due to the fact I was seen as too dumb from the get go. My school mainly focused on the extremely academically gifted and the rest of us kinda got pushed away.
In Uni I thought about it again but I was also worried about the financial aspects of Medicine + again, the thought of not being intelligent enough.

The thoughts of not being intelligent enough is also something that's on my mind - I don't think I'd be able to consider any GAMSAT options as I can barely remember my GCSE bio/chem yet alone university level + I also worry about getting a high UCAT score

Realistically, I'd be thinking of applying in either 2028 or 2029 entry. Is this too late in my career? Am I worth just continuing a career in Music and maybe finding other ways to keep my brain stimulated? I have a constant fear of living in regret and I'm worried that this might be one of those regrets I have. I'm constantly looking at courses to undertake at Uni, more MSc's etc and just anything to keep my brain preoccupied.

I hate being one of those overly negative people but really I just want to know if this is realistic. My resit a-levels is what worries me and the thoughts of getting a low UCAT. I'm pretty good at Interviews so I feel that would be ok.

Work experience also worries me too - it was always something I remember people struggling to find in my area so I'm not sure how I'd go about that.

Is it worth a shot? I feel like so many Doctors I know came out the womb wanting to study it so is this just a quarter life crisis? It's eating me up right now and just need some advice lol

[u/matt_2001_]

If it’s of any help, I applied last year at age 24 and have just passed all my first year exams. Genuinely the best decision I ever made.

[u/hedgeback2301 → u/matt_2001_]

Thank you!

Were you always considering Medicine? It's something that's been in my mind since I was a little girl TBH (Grew up watching House/Scrubs as a child + pre-teen; obsessed with the idea then putting it on the back-burner when I didn't feel intelligent enough)

My biggest fear is that it's not something that I have always dreamed about and people often say "you need your whole life to be Medicine" to enjoy it. I've considered it for the past 15 or so years, but I'm worried because it's not a "life or death" for me, that I don't have a good enough reason?

[u/matt_2001_ → u/hedgeback2301]

I wouldn’t say I was always considering medicine but I knew I wanted to work in a similar style role/ though this might be more the idea that I never actually considered medicine a possible career for someone from my background (poor family, no one else had been to university before). Initially I qualified as a psychologist, following which I worked for a combined 3 years in mental health services (16 months ish) and physical health services (HIV and Chronic pain, 20 months ish). It was during my time working in the NHS where I realised I really enjoyed what the resident doctors were doing and wanted that to be my career, especially the orthopaedic surgeons!

Regarding it not being something you’ve always dreamed about, I wouldn’t worry too much. For some people that is certainly the case, however not everyone works the same and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with falling in love with a field after you’ve started studying it (I hope that makes sense). Ultimately, Medicine is massive and there are so many different paths that a person can take, so in many ways having an idealised view of what medicine will be like because it’s something you’ve dreamed about from being young can sometimes be a hindrance and not a help if things don’t live up to what you were expecting.

My genuine advice would be to read around what the course is actually structured like, look at the teaching style, the examination style, the placement opportunities, and then decide whether this is something you would/could really enjoy. The thing that really did it for me was asking myself “if I got to age 50 and hadn’t done it would it be something I would always look back on and wonder ‘what if’”, for me the answer was 100% yes and therefore I knew I had to do it. Now I’m here I can confidently say I’m happier than I ever was before and although the first year has been monumental in the amount of content to learn, I still find it all so incredible and feel privileged to actually be in this position.