Rejection #2

Tough but expected. From Newcastle. Likely a low UKCAT score.

It is deflating but nothing new that I can't cope with.

I am at a juncture, aged 21 (22 in April), when I honestly need to start thinking about the impact I hope to bring as a clinician. Not necessarily a specialty specifically but what I envision myself doing as clinical professional. Whether that be contributing through research, presiding within societies or policy-making. A lot of graduate applicants to medicine, particularly with a scientific background, I would think would be keen to use their previous work in some facet as a clinician. I am no other. Genomics is upcoming, particularly in informing individualised risks and stratifying subgroups of treatments to people. However, the introduction of such data clinically faces enormous structures and policies which simply do not exist. To be at stage of informing these policies, you need to demonstrate a track record of implementation work to get yourself in the policy-making room. Can you deliver such a track record of years of research and analysis whilst training to become or practicing as a junior doctor?

That is the crux of it. If you want to make the most of what you already know, knowing that at least 12 years combined of training, junior doctor employment and specialty training await, you need to make a decision on how you want to make your impact.

This thought came to light after a conversation with a clinician on the fourth module of my Masters in Genomic Medicine.

Never have I been so fuelled to understand the real reasons for me wanting to do Medicine. To act in the interest of others, deliver on a personal level and prove people wrong. Those are the abbreviated reasons. And I'm still hungry.