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I really want to be a doctor but I cant get the grades

I am currently in 6th form and studying 3 as levels: Maths, Chemistry and Biology. I revised really, really hard for my January exams (I revised as soon as we started the courses for a few hours every night) , but my results were awful I only passed Maths and Chemistry and they weren't good passes (E and D).
Now I'm stuck as I've only ever wanted to be a doctor, and I don't think I'll be able to get the grades.
Is there anyone else that's in, or has been in, this situation? I don't really know what to do.
Thanks :smile:

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Reply 1
Original post by Sarah2707
I am currently in 6th form and studying 3 as levels: Maths, Chemistry and Biology. I revised really, really hard for my January exams (I revised as soon as we started the courses for a few hours every night) , but my results were awful I only passed Maths and Chemistry and they weren't good passes (E and D).
Now I'm stuck as I've only ever wanted to be a doctor, and I don't think I'll be able to get the grades.
Is there anyone else that's in, or has been in, this situation? I don't really know what to do.
Thanks :smile:


As for revision, instead of setting yourself a set time every night you should have just revised until you understood what it was you were reading. A tip for the future.

Why don't you resit? My friend wants to be a doctor and got similar grades to you but is resitting. He just wasn't used to how intense A levels are compared to GCSE's. You really have to push yourself and work hard to get those grades.

If you don't get the grades you need at A2 then there isn't a lot you can do but maybe apply for foundation courses?

You have to remember that medicine is ridiculously competitive, and you're constantly competing with people who are getting A's and A*'s. You have to be realistic and think is it really for you if you can't achieve the grades?

Having said that, if you can't think of doing anything but that then stick in, work harder then you are now, and get those grades pulled up in resits or at A2 level as much as you can.
Original post by Sarah2707
I am currently in 6th form and studying 3 as levels: Maths, Chemistry and Biology. I revised really, really hard for my January exams (I revised as soon as we started the courses for a few hours every night) , but my results were awful I only passed Maths and Chemistry and they weren't good passes (E and D).
Now I'm stuck as I've only ever wanted to be a doctor, and I don't think I'll be able to get the grades.
Is there anyone else that's in, or has been in, this situation? I don't really know what to do.
Thanks :smile:


Ok well these are the first ever grades you've had from AS modules, so it's bound to come down as a shock. There's always a chance to resit though, so don't just give up.
What were your GCSEs like? Because they do play a part in your application.
What about your extra curriculars? Work Experience/Volunteering?

You see, when it comes to applying for medicine, sure the grades are a big factor, but the other stuff (like what I've mentioned above) are just as important.

And if medicine doesn't work out, you can take another route via post-graduate?
Something similar happened to me too. When I was starting sixth form, I had a very vague idea of maybe becoming a doctor, so I picked AS Biology and Chemistry. I found them ridiculously difficult like you and despite trying hard and getting extra help, I only got U and E respectively for them :frown:. My teachers wouldn't let me carry them on to A2 nor even resit, so I ended up dropping them and the idea of being a doctor. Not that this should be you at all by the way! Just telling my own personal experience (my doctor dream was very half-hearted and fleeting anyway). If you really want to be a doctor and you think you have it in you then keep trying :smile:
Reply 4
gonna get negged for this, but sometimes you just have to drop the dream. Maybe aim for anew target, pharmacy?
Reply 5
Original post by Ilyas
gonna get negged for this, but sometimes you just have to drop the dream. Maybe aim for anew target, pharmacy?


I don't think you should be negged, it's a perfectly reasonable thing to say. Like an above poster said, you are in competition with applicants who have straight As at AS. I think you should resit, try and gain understanding in what you are being taught and decide from there.
As some people have said, as the moment it looks like you're not going to get in. That said, if you have been revising that much and got D-Us then you're doing something wrong in your revision. How have you been revising? What sort of marks were you getting in past papers? If you can find a reason why you got such low marks and fix it then, with resits, you might be able to get a place.
If medicine's really your dream, then I say stick with it. There are plenty of avenues open to you in order to get to where you want to be. You could, and would perhaps be better off resitting your AS grades to try and bump them up, as A-levels are the most straight forward way of getting into medicine. If that doesn't go to plan, you could pick different subjects that you're better suited to (e.g. Humanities) and then apply for Foundation entry. There's always the option of graduate entry medicine, in which case you'd need to pursue a degree first. (Where you apply would also factor in, as some universities would still look at and question your poor AS) There's also the option of waiting a few years and pursuing something else, to perhaps look at Access to Medicine courses later on either.

You can get there eventually, don't give up!
Be a dentist.

Braces for all the dental student negs
Original post by CherryCherryBoomBoom
Something similar happened to me too. When I was starting sixth form, I had a very vague idea of maybe becoming a doctor, so I picked AS Biology and Chemistry. I found them ridiculously difficult like you and despite trying hard and getting extra help, I only got U and E respectively for them :frown:. My teachers wouldn't let me carry them on to A2 nor even resit, so I ended up dropping them and the idea of being a doctor. Not that this should be you at all by the way! Just telling my own personal experience (my doctor dream was very half-hearted and fleeting anyway). If you really want to be a doctor and you think you have it in you then keep trying :smile:


same sorta bad grades thing happened to me too, what did you end up doing?
im doing A2 now
Original post by Sarah2707
I am currently in 6th form and studying 3 as levels: Maths, Chemistry and Biology. I revised really, really hard for my January exams (I revised as soon as we started the courses for a few hours every night) , but my results were awful I only passed Maths and Chemistry and they weren't good passes (E and D).
Now I'm stuck as I've only ever wanted to be a doctor, and I don't think I'll be able to get the grades.
Is there anyone else that's in, or has been in, this situation? I don't really know what to do.
Thanks :smile:



My friend resat his A levels, repeated a year, now got through university of medicine and now is a doctor. My friends are all doctors, you can call me Dr in the future, hohohoho.

Try again, don't think you gave all your best because if you did, you would say your a perfectionist but they isn't such a thing. Try again if you really want to become a doctor, just beware of the pros and cons and consider its right for you or not.
Whilst the whole "follow your dream" thing can be inspiring and motivational, its important to be realistic in your ambitions too. I don't know too much about applying for medicine but if you can work extremely hard and resit and pull your grades up then by all means go for it. If deep down you know you're incapable then you should pursue something within your ability.
Reply 12
Original post by Larry31
Like an above poster said, you are in competition with applicants who have straight As at AS..


This is my claim to fame. :perv:
Original post by High VOLTAGE
same sorta bad grades thing happened to me too, what did you end up doing?
im doing A2 now


I dropped them and did two new AS Levels in completely different subjects, but that didn't work out too well either, so then I went on the college to do an admin course. Now I've finished that and I do a bit of part time work whilst looking for more work, doing volunteering and wondering still what the hell I'm gonna do with my life :afraid:
Original post by Sarah2707
I am currently in 6th form and studying 3 as levels: Maths, Chemistry and Biology. I revised really, really hard for my January exams (I revised as soon as we started the courses for a few hours every night) , but my results were awful I only passed Maths and Chemistry and they weren't good passes (E and D).
Now I'm stuck as I've only ever wanted to be a doctor, and I don't think I'll be able to get the grades.
Is there anyone else that's in, or has been in, this situation? I don't really know what to do.
Thanks :smile:


Getting bad A level grades doesn't mean you won't be able to get into medicine or that you'd make a bad doctor. It does however mean you need to really think about what went wrong...so, why do you think you ended up with those grades? Inefficient revision? A deep and fundamental lack of understanding of the subjects? Too much stress and anxiety?

I get the impression (and correct me if I'm wrong) that you probably did quite well in those subjects at GCSE and you genuinely thought you were going to do well in your AS exams...but that didn't happen. So what do you think went wrong along the way? Whatever it is, think about it and be frank with yourself and do something to sort it out. Get a tutor perhaps, employ a smarter revision plan, etc.
How do you revise? Everyone has their own way, I personally draw mind maps and diagrams by heart to ensure I fully understand a concept and know how it all works from the basics. Then I would write flashcards/cue cards and memorise them. After I feel comfortable with the flashcards I would go through many of the past papers in timed conditions and mark the exam myself thoroughly looking at the mark scheme and know what grade I am and the weaker areas I need to work on.

Alot of people make the mistake in MEMORISING a concept/idea instead of UNDERSTANDING the concept. MEMORISING would only mean you could apply your knowledge to one specific situation. UNDERSTANDING ensures you can apply your knowledge to any scenario the exam would ask of you. Also 1 hour of effective revision is better than 6 hours of glancing at a book not absorbing the information properly!

Now you need to have a good think to yourself, can you do it? Do you have a realistic chance in getting an A or A* (which are the usual grades in medicine.) Remember the options you have chosen can lead to many other scientific routes but if you've got your heart set on medicine and you think your realistically capable of getting the grades, ITS TIME TO WORK YOUR ASS OFF! Start preparing all your revision material WAY before the exams and make sure your prepared!

Good luck in pursuing your dreams :smile:
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by CherryCherryBoomBoom
wondering still what the hell I'm gonna do with my life :afraid:


I can relate lool
Original post by Sarah2707
I am currently in 6th form and studying 3 as levels: Maths, Chemistry and Biology. I revised really, really hard for my January exams (I revised as soon as we started the courses for a few hours every night) , but my results were awful I only passed Maths and Chemistry and they weren't good passes (E and D).
Now I'm stuck as I've only ever wanted to be a doctor, and I don't think I'll be able to get the grades.
Is there anyone else that's in, or has been in, this situation? I don't really know what to do.
Thanks :smile:


Have a look at the foundation medicine courses, as these have much lower grade requirements (you need to meet other criteria because they are 'widening access' courses, but I obviously don't know your background and circumstances so this is something you should definitely look into).

Southampton foundation BM6 - BCC
University East Anglia foundation A104 - BBB
Nottingham foundation - ?
Bradford clinical science - you have to get 70%+ in the end of year exam to progress onto Leeds med school

Hope this can be of some encouragement to you! :smile:
Reply 18
Original post by lsaul95
This is my claim to fame. :perv:


You're welcome :h:
Reply 19
Try a foundation course or graduate entry (I.e. do a degree like anatomy, then apply, normally they would just look at your degree grade 2.1, or a first etc.) If its really what you want to do keep trying! :smile:

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