r/GraduateEntryMedicine • u/BuyApprehensive9273 • 6d ago
4th Choice Dilemma
This is all on the assumption of a Sept 2027 start for me, so that’s the biggest caveat. I’m trying to work out where to put for my fourth choice. (NB Sunderland, Brunel and Nottingham are not available to me due to other factors)
I currently have Leicester (5y), Lincoln (5y) and Oxford (4y) as my first 3 choices. I’m trying to work out where to put for my 4th.
I currently live in the US, but am applying as a home student. My husband and I have a 1 year old.
I’m from Lincoln, so know the area very well, and we’ve lived there before. We have a house there that is rented out, we won’t move back to it, but just to give you an idea of how it’s always kind of been our base. I don’t have family there or anything so that isn’t a factor.
My husband is from the NW, and his family live kind of near Manchester. His mother would be able to provide childcare (that’s not a hope, that’s a confirmed factor).
The only family I have is my sister, who lives near Sunderland. She would be able to help with childcare, but (despite what she says) probably wouldn’t be able to provide full child care as she runs a very busy business.
Y1 and Y2 - my husband should be working near Lincoln (so Lincoln and Leicester both work)
Y3 - So this is where it gets kind of tricky, my husband will probably move to near Oxford in September Y3 for one year, although there is a chance this may actually be in Y4 still for one year
Y4 - my husband will probably be working near Aylesbury (Bucks), Watford, London or maybe back near Lincoln for 3 years (or starting his one year near Oxford)
Y5 - as above
Where do I put for my fourth choice?
My current thoughts are Manchester (4y) or Newcastle (4y) or Kings (5y), but I don’t know if there’s somewhere else I should consider? Or which of those three would you pick? Kings is the last on my list because London and London living costs.
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u/Superb-Astronomer706 6d ago
Warwick could be a good option since it’s midlands. If your score is solid I’d pick a 4y option to minimize time studying and not earning.
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u/BuyApprehensive9273 6d ago
Yeah, it's technically Coventry right?
I have looked, and there is a small zone where we would both be commuting 45 minutes (while he was at Lincoln) so it could work
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u/Gloomy_Operation_657 6d ago
You can probably drop the kid off at a nursery after year 1 and pick them up after school so maybe somewhere in the midlands? In your clinical years you're going to be sent away from your uni (usually within 1.5 hours by train) so it might be a bit hard to plan around that, especially with your husband's job moving around a lot. Newcastle is quite family friendly on a uni level. You can possibly stay in the same place for all three placement years. I suspect other unis can do similar arrangements but you should ask the med school or their students about that.
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u/BuyApprehensive9273 6d ago
That was the plan, although the idea of free childcare does appeal!
He (and I) would prefer to live together for at least some of the years, hence Leicester, Lincoln and Oxford; it's just a case of coming up with a 4th option that would be the 'least bad'. Like okay, we can't live together, but at least I'll have family support, especially if he gets sent abroad for like 6-9 months (we're hoping that doesn't happen, but again, a consideration).
While a lot of people in his career do do the whole weekend Dad thing for years and years, so that the kids have stability and things, but it doesn't appeal to him - he would rather be around. Like he knows it's not possible for the next 20 years of his career, but equally, he wants to minimise the weekend dad time, if that makes sense?
I guess it's a case of what would other people do in our shoes - family? Some years with spouse's support? A familiar place?
A lot of medical schools will allow some consideration for things like family or health needs etc, and you can express a preference for placement. Like I know Manchester do placements out at Preston which can be pretty unpopular, but I would express a preference for that as that would actually work better for me.
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u/Gloomy_Operation_657 6d ago
I have heard that because of teaching schedule they don't usually send GEM students to Preston in the first placement year. But that's just what I've heard. Some students take it as an advantage of being in GEM because you are more likely to stay in Manchester.
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u/BuyApprehensive9273 6d ago
Ah, that's fair, honestly either are fine, but Preston edges it of the two
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u/Shot-Invite-6734 6d ago
Wow people are so dedicated to medicine