Careers in Medicine

Welcome to the fascinating world of medicine. Where science and compassion interact to save lives and transform the human experience.

Panellist, Amber, speaks to students at the Careers Service about the Mature Medic Platform.

In March we welcomed a panel of 4 speakers for a panel event, who shared their experiences, as well as their top tips, to students interested in a career in medicine.  

Meet the panellists

Amber, a fourth-year MB ChB student at the University of Bristol, believes age should never be a barrier.

  • studying medicine as a mature student.
  • completed her PhD in Biochemistry at University of Bristol.
  • Her experiences motivated her to set up The Mature Medic Platform for students aged 21 and over.  The Mature Medic Platform offers guidance and mentorship for applying to medicine. Their ‘spotlight’ student videos also highlight the diversity of career journeys into medicine.

Ebube, a second-year MB ChB student at the University of Bristol, shared her experiences of struggling to secure a place to study medicine.

  • She was initially unfamiliar with the application process and overcame many hurdles.
  • She started her degree after a delay of two years.

Her passion for medicine and her perseverance led her to success. Ebube proves that passion can help you achieve your goals.

Jade, is a second-year graduate Professional Entry Medicine student at King’s College. She initially completed a Cellular and Molecular Medicine undergraduate degree.

  • During her degree, she embraced volunteering activities and part-time work.
  • She volunteered in residential care and coordinated a project for isolated older people.
  • She also tutored GCSE and A level students.
  • Jade also worked as a Widening Participation Ambassador and Open Day Host for the university. 

She believes engaging in opportunities to interact with different people during your degree is beneficial as patient interaction is such a vital part of medicine. Every experience counts!

Jodie is a University of Bristol medicine graduate, a Clinical Teaching Fellow on the MB ChB at the university, and is due to start Obstetrics and Gynaecology speciality training in 2023. She believes in the importance of continuous learning.

Never stop being open to learning. You’ll continue to learn throughout your career in medicine.

  • Jodie advises reflecting on why you want to pursue this career. What does medicine mean to you, and why is it important? Have you challenged these thoughts?
  • Medicine is a very rewarding career but can be very difficult at times. So it’s worth spending time understanding your motivations and reasons for pursuing medicine. This can help identify if medicine is the right choice for you.

Of course, the Careers Service can help too! We offer appointments to help reflect on your options. Talk to us on Live Chat or drop-in to see us at 5 Tyndall Avenue.

Top tips for students interested in applying for medicine:

Are you studying a non-science undergraduate degree?

Check each school’s eligibility as some offer places for non-science graduates, though criteria vary. Your current academic qualifications may be enough. Or schools may offer the opportunity to apply for a preliminary year. This is an alternative pathway into studying Medicine for students who don’t have the required ‘A’ level or equivalent subjects.


Useful links for further information. Happy exploring!

  • Careers Service Health Sector Guide – Medicine.  Includes advice on finding work experience. University of Bristol medicine students also share their varied routes into medicine and their advice for starting this journey
  • British Medical Association Studying medicine (bma.org.uk).  Information on how to become a doctor and what to expect at medical school
  • NHS Doctors | Health Careers. An introduction to medicine as a career and options to explore other NHS careers 
  • The Mature Medic Platform.  Advice on applying to medical school. Includes video ‘spotlights’ where mature medics share their varied career journeys into medicine 
  • Careers Service Online medicine panel recording. Medicine students and doctors share their experiences of studying and working in medicine.

This blog is written by Priyam Suri, MSc Bioinformatics

How to get into: Start-ups and SMEs

Are you innovative, self-driven and interested in working in a close-knit work environment? Then working in a start-up or SME might be the right career move for you!

On 28 February, the Faculty of Social Sciences and Law invited University of Bristol alumni to talk about their experiences in start-ups and SMEs, as part of the ‘How to get into…’ event series.

Read on for our speakers’ top tips for those interested in pursuing a career in the sector, as well as an overview of the sector and some useful links.

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Get Hired sponsor spotlight – meet Elizabeth from Davitt Jones Bould (DJB)

Hi, I’m Elizabeth Collin and I am the Business Manager at Davitt Jones Bould (DJB), real estate law specialists, and we are one of the sponsors of Get Hired this year.

After graduating from the University of Warwick in 2018 with first-class honours in English Literature, I embarked on the graduate job hunt. When looking for positions, I was very open-minded, seeking a position that would allow me to learn and grow in a commercial setting.

This is always my first tip to graduates now: with this mindset, you will invariably stumble upon opportunities that you weren’t even aware of at the time. This is exactly what I experienced when I secured my graduate position at Davitt Jones Bould (DJB).

DJB is a national law firm founded in 1999 which has become established as the largest specialist real estate firm in the UK. Unlike traditional law firms, at DJB we operate a twin-track model, separating commercial dealings from the legal practice.

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Top tips for networking with employers at careers fairs.

Get Hired, our flagship spring careers fair, is back! Taking place on Wednesday 3 May, from 12:30 pm to 4 pm at Bristol Beacon, it’s a great opportunity to network with a variety of employers.

But how do you network effectively? We chatted with James Darley, CEO of Transform Society, to get his networking top tips.

“It’s critical that you get the most out of this unique opportunity to meet employers face-to-face and build your professional network, but often students worry about these events and don’t know how to get the most out of them.

As part of the ‘Prepare to get hired’ event series (aiming to help you get the most out of Get Hired), I will be hosting a skill session based on professional networking where I’ll discuss what professional networking is, why you need to do it and how to do it.

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How to get into: business intelligence, data analytics, and artificial intelligence.

It’s no surprise that career opportunities within the business intelligence, data, and AI sectors have grown massively in recent years.

Data is everywhere, so data analytics is critical in helping businesses improve all types of decision outcomes.

Technology is constantly unearthing new ways to be innovative and efficient, making it an equally exciting and challenging area to work within.

On 14 March 2023, we were joined by three speakers who shared their experiences of internship, leadership, and entrepreneurship within these evolving areas of the technological industry, and how students from a range of academic backgrounds can go into them.

Our speakers were:

Teik Keat Tee
Finance Business Intelligence Intern  

Sam Haynes
Head of Risk Analytics  

Helen Tanner
Director at Data Cubed 


Here are our top 7 takeaways from the event:

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Jumpstart: land a role in a top start-up.

Get Hired, our flagship spring career fair is taking place on Wednesday 3 May, from 12:30 pm to 4 pm at Bristol Beacon, Trenchard Street (near Bristol Hippodrome).

On the run-up to Get Hired, we will be hosting a series of employer-led sessions to help you prepare for, and make the most out of, the fair. So if you are unsure what to do at a careers fair, or want some tips on how to research the attending employers, and what questions to ask; head to mycareer to explore our Prepare to Get Hired sessions.

Jumpstart, whose mission is to make startups a valuable career path for everyone, are one of the organisations presenting a Prepare to Get Hired skill session. We recently caught up with Jumpstart’s co-founder Kabir, to hear about his experience as an entrepreneur. 

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Transform Society’s Hackathon Challenge

“I was looking to reinforce familiar transferable skills, discover new ones and ultimately strengthen my CV”

We recently caught up with third-year Social Policy and Sociology student, Anne, to hear about her experience taking part in the SPAIS Transform Society Hackathon Challenge.

How did you find out about the Hackathon?

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Overcoming career anxiety

If you are feeling anxious about career planning or future job prospects, we’re here to help.

At the Careers Service, we understand the importance of seeking support.

We’re here to help you navigate a sometimes daunting path, and help you build confidence in your own decision-making. We know that everyone is different.

Sometimes just talking through your worries can help but we can also recommend some practical tips, and suggestions and set some next steps which can make all the difference.

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Why Attend the Faculty of Arts Careers Series?

Are you interested to hear from alumni from all over the world who have built interesting and fulfilling careers after graduating from Bristol? Would you like to hear from Faculty of Arts alumni who now work in  diverse roles, ranging from being a brand manager for the Royal Mint, to a history teacher in Seychelles, or a reporter for the Wall Street journal?

February is a special month for those studying in the Faculty of Arts, as the Careers Service and Faculty collaborate to host the annual Faculty of Arts Careers Series, spanning four weeks from 1 to 28 February 2023. 

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