Employability and Young People

Get Ready for Medicine programmes will take place as follows:

August to September: Online evening lecture events & half day workshops for S6 pupils making applications in October

January to March: Online evening lecture events & half day work experience workshops for S5, gap year and access students and postgraduate applicants planning October applications

June to July: NHS GGC will support delivery of Medic Insight Glasgow Programme (please make sure you are following Medic Insight Glasgow social media platforms)

Sept 2024 Programme Applications now CLOSED

Get Ready for Medicine Work Experience Workshops. 

This even open to anyone who is applying to medical school next October who hasn’t previously attended a GRfM workshop event. 

We would also advise to make sure you have a look at the information below for the Reach Programme and Medic Insight Glasgow Programme. Also make sure are following Medic Insight Glasgow social media platforms ( ie Facebook) for the Medic Insight Glasgow Programme and some Guidance for aspiring doctors from current medical students. See more details below:

Please note that NHSGGC does not host “Shadowing” within a number of professions including Medicine. All requests for work experience, to source placements or support self found placements for Medicine will be re directed to the Get Ready for Medicine Programme.

We would also advise to make sure you have a look at the information below for the Reach Programme and Medic Insight Glasgow Programme. Also make sure are following Medic Insight Glasgow social media platforms (i.e. Facebook) for the Medic Insight Glasgow Programme and some Guidance for aspiring doctors from current medical students. See more details below:

You can visit the Becoming a Doctor webpage and YouCanBeADoctor to view content that may help you gain insight and support your application to study medicine.

The entry requirements for entry to each university can vary but excellent grades in science subjects such as chemistry and biology are essential. 

Generally speaking you are aiming to achieve  at least 5 Highers, usually at AAAAB or AAABB grades in S5 and SQA Advanced Highers at AB or BBB in S6, however consideration will be given to factors which may affect you achieving these grades.

Scottish Medical Schools are committed to ensuring that a person’s background or life circumstances are not a barrier to them studying medicine.

This means that Medical Schools will consider all circumstances which may prevent you meeting their standard entry requirements and make adjusted offers of entry accordingly.

This process is called contextualised admission and consideration is given to potential barriers such as disability, care experience*, carer responsibilities, refugee status and challenging financial or family circumstances. View more about the Adjusted Entry Criteria for the University of Glasgow.

• Care experienced applicants are people who live/have lived with foster parents/kinship carers or who live/have lived in a residential children’s setting/secure unit.

You can find out more about applying to study medicine and links to specific entry requirements for each university, including other accepted academic qualifications.

You may also apply to study medicine through the ScotGEMS Graduate Entry Programme.

If you are not a University Graduate you may also be able to apply via the Scottish Wider Access Programme here.

Having the right grades is just the start of the application process. Most Universities will need you to sit the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT). UCAT is designed to test your attitudes and identify the professional behaviours required for new doctors and dentists to be successful in their clinical careers. You can try some sample tests here

If you are resident in Scotland and study full-time in Scotland, the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) should pay your tuition fees. For all enquiries relating to SAAS, please consult them directly.

SAAS student loans

If you are a Scottish student, you can apply for a SAAS student loan when you apply for tuition fee funding. Loan payments are paid monthly; and you should receive the first instalment within 3 or 4 days of registering as a student. Make sure you have enough money to support yourself for those first few days and please check whether the loan payment is in your account before spending money.

Grants

If you are eligible, SAAS can offer supplementary grants or a Young Student’s Bursary. Please consult SAAS for more information on grants.

Further information about SAAS eligibility, support available and how to apply can be found here:

• SAAS Guide to undergraduate funding
• SAAS Guide to postgraduate funding
• SAAS Funding Awareness.

Bursaries, Scholarships and Other Financial Support

You may also be able to apply for additional funding directly from your University. Use the links below to find our more about each universities arrangements:

• University of Glasgow
• University of Aberdeen
• University of Dundee
• University of Edinburgh
• University of St Andrews.

A disability, chronic illness or mental health condition will not necessarily prevent you from becoming a doctor. The General Medical Council (independent regulator for doctors in the UK) states that “we firmly believe disabled people should be welcomed to the profession and valued for their contribution to patient care”. 

You can also find out more about support available to you here Disability Guidance | Disabled Doctors Network.

Before you submit an application for medical school via UCAS, you should contact medical schools to request advice about your individual circumstances. Each medical school has a disability support adviser who can help.

All Universities offer confidential support services for disabled students.

This includes students with physical and sensory impairments, mental health difficulties and dyslexia.

You can find out more about what support is available by clicking the links below:

• University of Glasgow
• University of Dundee
• University of Edinburgh
• University of St Andrews
• University of Aberdeen.

Yes, but you will be given guidance and support in advance of your interview and it’s designed to be a conversation rather than an a question and answer session. 

While each medical school has its own interview process it is a vital part of the application and selection wherever you are applying. There are several sources of interview guidance online and it is worth practising with anyone you can – whether that is family, friends or teachers.

Remember that just like there is no “right” person for medicine, there is rarely a “right” answer in an interview.  It is a conversation and your score will depend much less on what you say but more on how you say it.  Try to have a reason behind any answer you give, make your answers as personal to your own experiences as you can and speak as clearly and confidently as you can. Enthusiasm and commitment are the key things an interviewer will be looking for.

The Royal College of Surgeons (England) has prepared a list of possible questions to help you prepare.

So why do you want to be a Doctor?

• Interview Scenario 1
• Interview Scenario 2.

Source – Medic Insight Dundee

Once at university there are frequent assessments and you will have a more hectic schedule than most other students, but there is an immense camaraderie amongst fellow medical students and a sense of growing confidence in your own ability. 

Each Medical School has a slightly different structure to their course, but broadly speaking the first couple of years are spent learning the basic science behind human physiology and disease, and the later years are spent learning how to apply this clinically. As you progress through medical school you will not only learn the knowledge to become a doctor but also the skills and attitudes you will need.

You will be taught by doctors, nurses and a whole range of other healthcare professionals and each one is committed to making you the best doctor you can possibly be.

After medical school you will progress through the different grades before qualifying as a Consultant or a General Practitioner – with competitive entry to each grade and post-graduate exams. These things should not put you off but it is important to be aware that the challenges continue long after university.  

You can find out more about training to be a Doctor or visit the NHS Scottish Medical Training website.

Each student has their own experience of life at medical school but there are some things which are common to everyone.  There is a huge feeling of being “in it together” and although there are regular challenges the support of your colleagues is always there. Most doctors still consider their time at medical school to be the most enjoyable time of their life.

Here is a selection of interviews with current medical students at Glasgow University to see how they feel about certain aspects of medical school.

• Why did you chose to study Medicine?
• What is it like to first speak to patients?
• What is your experience of bedside teaching?
• What is it like working with non-medical staff?
• What is it like to perform procedures on patients?
• What is your biggest fear about starting out as a doctor?

This five week Sector Based Work Academy programme has been developed with support from our nursing leads and the NHSGGC Practice Education Team. 

This is an unpaid training programme however trainees registered with the DWP (Job Centre) or who are eligible to register with one of our Employability Partners will receive support for travel and other programme expenses for the duration of the programme. Job Centre Clients will not be required to attend their local Job Centre during the programme and will continue to receive their benefits.

This programme is designed to support candidates who have not previously worked in Healthcare Support Worker role to develop the skills and experience to help them begin their career as a Healthcare Support Worker.  

The programme includes Core induction sessions on NHS Policies and Procedures, Ward Skill sessions delivered by our Practice Education Nursing team in a simulated ward environment and a 3 week hospital based work placement followed by application support and interview preparation.

All training is delivered by NHS Professionals and placement activity takes place on NHSGGC Hospital locations.

In addition all participants complete the Statutory and Mandatory NHS training (Learnpro) and issued with certificates and will complete the training required and are issued with the NHS Scotland Manual Handling Passport.

All participants who successfully complete the programme are guaranteed interviews for Healthcare Support Worker vacancies across our Board area subject to satisfactory report from placement and attendance at all sessions.

Who can apply?

Candidates who are interested in applying for this programme must not be in employment or education,  be genuinely interested in training as a Healthcare Support Worker, available to be interviewed for vacancies at the end of the programme and take up employment if offered.

When do applications open?

We run programmes throughout the year and you can register your interest in applying by speaking with your Job Centre Work Coach or contacting one of our Employability Partners. We also advertise this programme at www.jobs.scot.nhs.uk.

Applications open 15th May 2024 at the following link: NHS Scotland | Jobs | Search here for your perfect career – Job Information | Apply for Healthcare Support Worker (HCSW) Pre-Employment Training Programme

East Dunbartonshire: East Dunbartonshire Employability Services

East Renfrewshire: Work EastRen

Glasgow: Jobs and Business Glasgow

Inverclyde The Trust

Renfrewshire Invest In Renfrewshire

Rutherglen and Cambuslang Routes to Work South

West Dunbartonshire Working4U 

Princes Trust Scotland The Prince’s Trust Wolfson Centre | The Prince’s Trust in Scotland (princes-trust.org.uk)

This two week programme has been developed with support from our Facilities Managers and the Facilities Recruitment and Training leads.

The programme includes Core induction sessions on NHS Policies and Procedures, Practical Skill sessions delivered by our Domestic Supervisory team in a simulated ward environment and a 1 week hospital based work placement followed by application support and interview preparation.

All training is delivered by NHS Professionals and placement activity takes place on NHSGGC Hospital locations.

In addition all participants complete the Statutory and Mandatory NHS training (Learnpro) and issued with certificates and will complete the training required.

All participants who successfully complete the programme are Guaranteed interview for Support Services vacancies across our Board area – subject to satisfactory report from placement and attendance at all sessions.

To register your interest for upcoming programmes, please use the following link: Click here

The primary aim of Project SEARCH is to connect young people with learning disabilities and additional support needs with competitive employment. There are no formal entry requirements. However, applicants must participate in a selection process, where they may undertake assessments and interviews with a host business, and education partners, such as their school or local college to be accepted on Project SEARCH.

Interns are supported through placements within NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. They get hands-on experience and are given the opportunity to demonstrate their skills and abilities while learning new complex and varied, practical and vocational skills to help ready them for the world of work.

The NHSGGC programme is open to Glasgow  City Council area residents and runs for one year, delivered in partnership with Glasgow Clyde College. Other Project Search opportunities are offered by City of Glasgow College