I’m in an odd situation here (ok I’m not alone at all I know :P), and have a few questions…
Med school in the UK seems to have very rampant ageism, and even if you are in the young age group it’s really hard to get a job or a position for a consultancy.
Anyway I guess I can’t quite decide what to do. I’m 34 now (just) and I have a 3.something GPA back in the States. Essentially, there is no way in hell I can get into a school in the UK with that gradepoint (seriously not a chance with out a 3.8something if you are from US). But, I could take UK A levels and then take a foundation year somewhere, take a medical admin. test, and then try to get in a UK school.
Or we could try to move back to the US at some point and I could take classes back home (I’d need all pre-reqs since I was a history major). I guess the smartest option would be to take A levels or OU or something here in preparation for UK schools, and just go back to the States if I can at some point? No US school is going to care about UK A levels I imagine?
I guess I don’t know what I’m saying, more just speaking out loud so to speak. 
If you want me to answer anything to add some actual clarity to my ramblings, please do!
Cass
Well I can at least opine intelligently about the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.
My undergrad is OUS too and in speaking with the admission’s office, they told me that they required at least 50% of the pre-reqs to have been taken at an American institution.
I would assume that other US institutions have a similar pre-req if not the same. But then again, US institutions are very dissimilar in pre-reqs, amongst other things.
You could do your A levels there and then take half of the pre-reqs here, or just simply do the pre-reqs here instead of wasting time on the A levels since I’m not sure how you’d split the pre-reqs since they are usually [Chemistry/Organic Chem/Bio/Physics] I and II over 2 semesters.
Hope that helps.
In my (limited) experience, it seems like UK and US med schools are apples and oranges. My friends in the UK were doing gross anatomy around their 18th birthdays. It seems that it would be tough to overcome some of the built in ageism and the obstacles you would face. But the best way to find out is to ask their admissions people. Maybe British universities have their own “old-premeds” wave happening, and you could be part of it. Their system seems set up for very young people. I’m curious. I don’t remember seeing any older (as in, over the age of 20…) first year med students in Edinburgh. Maybe I’m wrong. I think you’re very brave for considering going that route in the UK.
I’m also curious how they would treat you as an American with regards to funding, and if they would be afraid that you would take their training and move back to the US, where you could be more profitable.
On the face of it, it seems much more achievable to get into med school and do your training here in the US—then if you wanted to move back to the UK, there must be ways to make that happen as well. The US system is more geared toward second chances. Either way, good luck to you.
Thank you both for your replies.
Yeah I honestly just cannot decide what to do. There is a ‘mature’ student pool here as well, although the average age seems a lot lower in the mature crowd. Ageism is also definitely worse here, although the exact degree of it is a bit hard to quantify.
Either way I’m here for a bit at least while I sort things out, and just posted a similar question on the newmediamedicine forum (UK med school forum) just asking what other mature students would do in my shoes.
Obviously I have to make the decision, it just doesn’t seem an easy one at all. At least starting A levels or an OU class or something will put information into my brain that can be used in the US, although I’d have to take a class again I guess. But I’d be out of the money I suppose.
Oh, I wouldn’t have to worry about being treated as an American as I have residency here (married) and will be able to get UK citizenship in a bit over 2 more years if I wish.
Have you looked into Ireland schools?
How about Polish English programs?
They are decent options
I’m bumping my own post - I hope no one minds! It seemed silly to almost post the same thing again. (Perhaps I should start a blog!)
I’m still in the UK and I’ve not done any medical education. Turns out I didn’t do enough research before I came over and fees were a lot higher until I was a resident; however by that time I was working and my employer has been paying for part of an MBA degree.
Now, what going on the MBA has made me realise (1/4 of the way through it) is that I don’t like this ‘stuff’ at all’. One moment was definitely when I was going through things with my coach and we were discussing what I like to do or where I see myself in the future.
So, I can’t decide if its a good idea to go through and get the MBA or get out early. Now that I’m a ‘normal’ resident I can take A levels and other classes at the normal rate.
This post is more of a rant, but I’m 37 now and as time goes by I keep getting more and more worried about not having done anything!