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Reply 40
Original post by ashu12345678
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If you don't like what you're told you are welcome to ignore it, but don't for one second pretend that you're right.
Original post by sd91
Anything can happen. When I enrolled onto my medical degree, I was asked to sign a bunch of declarations and one of them was about whether or not I had previously attended university. Lying on a UCAS form is dishonest and is a form of fraud - things which go against the medical student charter and are grounds for termination of the course at any stage. It's also a question of probity as far as the GMC are concerned.

With Dr Prabhu Satya, he had got to a point were he was applying for ST1 posts - i.e he had finished medical school and finished the PRHO/F1 year. He got into trouble with a doctor at the hospital he was working at, who then decided to do a full background check on him and discovered that he had omitted his educational history from his UCAS form. He was eventually struck off. How do you know that you aren't going to be involved in a similar incident where you have a personality clash with someone at work that is so bad for them to start looking your details up? People should do things with honesty instead of acting in desperation.




With regards to Dr prabhu satya, he previously failed medical school in the UK and than reapplied by taking a degree in some other discipline. He took place in southampton medical school and came out as an incompetitve doctor. His performance was below standard.

I read a complete article on him. So yeah this is a clearly different case and drop out to get into other course that you adore is a way different case.
Reply 42
Original post by ashu12345678
Yeah but for person like me who got rejected from all 4 unis even though I had all those predictions and work experience. It would be unwise to just carry on for a GAP year and ending up in the same situation next year. Anything can happen, when you are talking about getting into medicine. Plus there is a hug fee rise.

I have spoken to UCAS and I dont think even if someone try to find out about anyone can find out because its against confidentiality where you are disclosing someone else information without their permission. And its not lieing, Its hiding and there is a big difference in both. I will make sure I apply to universities who have got no problem with it at the first place. Even if they find out I wont be at any loss but writing about it on your ucas can actualy screw your chances of even getting an interview. They might not treat you the same.


you are actually ridiculous. so what if you got 4 rejections? it took me 3 years to get into medical school. i did what any decent applicant would do which was to take a gap year and reapply the honest way. You WILL get found out, it may not be at university but the truth will always come out and it is a very serious matter for doctors to lie on professional documentation. If you are stupid enough to think that omitting key information from the UCAS form that will factor into whether or you get an offer is not considered as lying then you clearly shouldn't be studying medicine. check the GMC website if you must because under the fitness to practice guidelines it clearly states that when filling in professional CVs and UCAS forms if there is anything misleading (which saying you are on a gap year whilst being at uni is misleading) then this is professional misconduct and grounds for termination of a medical course and registration with the GMC. It is too big a risk to take because you will always be looking over your back. Southampton aren't the only school who ask for declarations and believe me.the uni WILL find out from other means. I know people who have done this and have been told where to go no matter how far into the degree they are because it is a very serious matter.

all i can say is read the FtP guidelines on the GMC website and medical student charter. i certainly wouldn't want you as my doctor with these morals that you seem to be basing your career on.
Just to say, I completed two years of English Lit before leaving and I am now applying as a mature student for medicine, and one of my choices was the original university.

I have never made it a secret - it is right there in my personal statement and educational history that I dropped out and didn't enjoy the course. I have been offered two interviews - it doesn't seem to affect things (though just wait until offers come out and I don't get any...).

Lying about it is really stupid, and you are missing an opportunity to say why medicine is right for you - that whilst biomed/whatever is incredibly interesting, it does not give the opportunity to communicate and help people on a very personal and intimate level.
Reply 44
Original post by ashu12345678
With regards to Dr prabhu satya, he previously failed medical school in the UK and than reapplied by taking a degree in some other discipline. He took place in southampton medical school and came out as an incompetitve doctor. His performance was below standard.

I read a complete article on him. So yeah this is a clearly different case and drop out to get into other course that you adore is a way different case.


and you also would have read the bit where it says that omitting his previous education was one of the biggest mistakes he had made becaus ehe denied another person of the place.
Original post by sd91
you are actually ridiculous. so what if you got 4 rejections? it took me 3 years to get into medical school. i did what any decent applicant would do which was to take a gap year and reapply the honest way. You WILL get found out, it may not be at university but the truth will always come out and it is a very serious matter for doctors to lie on professional documentation. If you are stupid enough to think that omitting key information from the UCAS form that will factor into whether or you get an offer is not considered as lying then you clearly shouldn't be studying medicine all i can say is read the FtP guidelines on the GMC website and medical student charter. i certainly wouldn't want you as my doctor with these morals that you seem to be basing your career on.





I know you guys might be right, Its very nice to hear that it took you three years to get into medicine and its been 6 years since I am struggling. Everyone has different backgrounds. I wasn't born in Britian. I got all my qualifications from other country which aren't equivalent to A levels.

I couldn't make it to medical school in the country where I come from as I dint have the financial resources to do so( unlike student loan that you get here)

I started my education all over again by doing A levels( the things I studied 6 years ago) just to get a place for medicine here. I am already a mature student and trust me I dont think anyone would have dreamt of doing medicine like I did.

With regards to honesty, I dont think anyone could be more honest than me and stop judging people on grounds of hiding something.

After looking into what you guys have said, I might mention in my personal statement this fact in a positive way.

But biomedicine is not what I want to do. I am just going to enroll to just save my self to go through same misery again if I get rejected. There is a fee rise and If I dont get it I have a shot after graduating..

Hope you guys get my point, there is no offence in putting forward your view point.
(edited 13 years ago)
Reply 46
Original post by ashu12345678
With regards to Dr prabhu satya, he previously failed medical school in the UK and than reapplied by taking a degree in some other discipline. He took place in southampton medical school and came out as an incompetitve doctor. His performance was below standard.

I read a complete article on him. So yeah this is a clearly different case and drop out to get into other course that you adore is a way different case.


people have given you the right advice and you are ignorant to it all. Just take the offer you have for biomed at sussex because you are really aren't listening to anything that the medics are telling you
Original post by kc91
people have given you the right advice and you are ignorant to it all. Just take the offer you have for biomed at sussex because you are really aren't listening to anything that the medics are telling you



I am not being ignorant, If you read my post above I did say that I am looking to mention it in my personal statement in a positive way.
Reply 48
Original post by ashu12345678
I know you guys might be right, Its very nice to hear that it took you three years to get into medicine and its been 6 years since I am struggling. Everyone has different backgrounds. I wasn't born in Britian. I got all my qualifications from other country which aren't equivalent to A levels.

I couldn't make it to medical school in the country where I come from as I dint have the financial resources to do so( unlike student loan that you get here)

I started my education all over again by doing A levels( the things I studied 6 years ago) just to get a place for medicine here. I am already a mature student and trust me I dont think anyone would have dreamt of doing medicine like I did.

With regards to honesty, I dont think anyone could be more honest than me and stop judging people on grounds of hiding something.

After looking into what you guys have said, I might mention in my personal statement this fact in a positive way.

But biomedicine is not what I want to do. I am just going to enroll to just save my self to go through same misery again if I get rejected. There is a fee rise and If I dont get it I have a shot after graduating..

Hope you guys get my point, there is no offence in putting forward your view point.


try saying that at a gmc hearing into your fitness to practice. you still don't seem to understand what people are saying to you - it is not an issue of hiding something, it is an issue of submitting an incorrect and misleading application. it is fraud.

tbh, most matures have had to sacrifice a lot in order to apply and no matter how good you think you are there is always someone better. you say how the fees are going up but applying as a graduate is more expensive than taking a gap year and reapplying with a decent app
Original post by Harbour Seal
Just to say, I completed two years of English Lit before leaving and I am now applying as a mature student for medicine, and one of my choices was the original university.

I have never made it a secret - it is right there in my personal statement and educational history that I dropped out and didn't enjoy the course. I have been offered two interviews - it doesn't seem to affect things (though just wait until offers come out and I don't get any...).

Lying about it is really stupid, and you are missing an opportunity to say why medicine is right for you - that whilst biomed/whatever is incredibly interesting, it does not give the opportunity to communicate and help people on a very personal and intimate level.


Thats good but I am not looking to drop out like you did. I will just state that I am enrolled onto the different course in other university and I wont drop it until I get a place in medicine. would that be ok?
Original post by kc91
try saying that at a gmc hearing into your fitness to practice. you still don't seem to understand what people are saying to you - it is not an issue of hiding something, it is an issue of submitting an incorrect and misleading application. it is fraud.

tbh, most matures have had to sacrifice a lot in order to apply and no matter how good you think you are there is always someone better. you say how the fees are going up but applying as a graduate is more expensive than taking a gap year and reapplying with a decent app


But isn't applying as a graduate would cost me just for one year as all remaining three years is paid by NHS.
Original post by ashu12345678
Thats good but I am not looking to drop out like you did. I will just state that I am enrolled onto the different course in other university and I wont drop it until I get a place in medicine. would that be ok?


It's not a case of it being OK with me, it's a case of being completely honest and open and trustworthy. Otherwise how can you expect patients/doctors/tutors to do the same with you?

And you will be dropping out, remember, just like I did.
Original post by Renal
If you don't like what you're told you are welcome to ignore it, but don't for one second pretend that you're right.


Sure I can ignore whatever I feel like. Your statements, like mine and others are opinions based on your knowledge. This is a public forum where people share knowledge and ask questions to gain knowledge, I can be wrong but "dont for one second pretend that you're right"


Original post by sd91
you are actually ridiculous. so what if you got 4 rejections? it took me 3 years to get into medical school. i did what any decent applicant would do which was to take a gap year and reapply the honest way. You WILL get found out, it may not be at university but the truth will always come out and it is a very serious matter for doctors to lie on professional documentation. If you are stupid enough to think that omitting key information from the UCAS form that will factor into whether or you get an offer is not considered as lying then you clearly shouldn't be studying medicine. check the GMC website if you must because under the fitness to practice guidelines it clearly states that when filling in professional CVs and UCAS forms if there is anything misleading (which saying you are on a gap year whilst being at uni is misleading) then this is professional misconduct and grounds for termination of a medical course and registration with the GMC. It is too big a risk to take because you will always be looking over your back. Southampton aren't the only school who ask for declarations and believe me.the uni WILL find out from other means. I know people who have done this and have been told where to go no matter how far into the degree they are because it is a very serious matter.

all i can say is read the FtP guidelines on the GMC website and medical student charter. i certainly wouldn't want you as my doctor with these morals that you seem to be basing your career on.


Ridiculous am I? Decent applicant, you may call yourself that now and call me ridiculous bcuz you're now finally in a medical school. I'm sure you can remember how frustrating it was for you in those three years that you struggled to get in. Had you been still struggling to get a place in medicine your opinion would have been completely different.

Yes a person who hides such facts when applying for a place in medicine may get found out at some stage in life however its a fact that GMC's job is not to sit and invest funds in going through the history of countless doctors to see what they did etc.

I am a simple person, who has a desire since childhood like many others to study medicine. I'm just frustrated like you probably were in you're three years of struggle and like many others who are facing similar struggle are. In my frustration, I agree I came up with a unrealistic thought...not something I was set to do! However clearly its not you're place to advise that I shouldn't be studying medicine. My thought was wrong, pointing that out was enough. Anyway you're opinion doesn't matter.

Havin thought about it, I agree that such a risk would never be worth taking. You wouldn't want to live your entire career with the guilt and with the fear that you may get found out particularly when you're progressing and have achieved the dream you've always had.


Original post by kc91
people have given you the right advice and you are ignorant to it all. Just take the offer you have for biomed at sussex because you are really aren't listening to anything that the medics are telling you


I respect people sharing their knowledge with me and taking out the time to advise me and I'd point out that you're wrong...I am not ignoring any valid advice, I am thankful for the advices given.

Again, I thank you all for you're advices and its just that I am quite frustrated, since always..since the time i cant even remember now, I've wanted to study medicine. The rejections have left me a bit hurt and frustrated...like it would to any normal person...as a result a unrealistic thought came into my head...however I never said that I was set to do this!
Reply 53
Surely it is much easier just declare everything on ucas and be honest!
The medical schools that allows this route will take you on if they think you are good enough, doing a first year degree at somewhere does not matter!

P.S. I have emailed Cambridge about this and they said yes it is allowed, however your college choices are really limited!
Original post by krisblade
There has been a lot of debate about whether universities would accept those on the first year of another degree. I personally thought most wouldn't. Out of curiosity, I emailed the universities with the following email to see who in fact does accept it:

“Dear Admission Tutor,

In regards to admissions, what would be the position of your university for an applicant that applies to your medical school whilst studying for the first year of a non-medical undergraduate degree at another university? For example someone studying the first year of a biomedical degree, which would require them to leave this course to join yours. Would their application be accepted or affected in anyway compared to someone who is in their final year of sixth form or on a gap year?”


Any universities not listed below either never replied or sent a generic response that in fact did not answer the question at all, lol. I sent this originally in Febuary, and I am still getting responses... Some uni's are very slow at answering. It turns out quite a few universities are willing to consider those on a degree, and I put it up here for future reference of those considering this route. Yes, I know this is random, but curiosity got the better of me. THose in red said no, those in green said yes.

Keele “We regret that we do not consider applications from students on degree courses in other subjects who wish to transfer without first completing their degree.”

Edinburgh “We would not normally encourage an application from anyone who was currently on-course and was not due to complete their qualification in the year of application.”

Leeds - “At Leeds we do discourage applicants from starting out on another degree course if they intend to apply for medicine. The reasons for this is that it is not fair to other applicants who may have been rejected for that course and it also isn’t fair to the course the student is on as they are losing students elsewhere.
We do advise that applicants who have commenced another degree course should complete that course and then apply as a graduate applicant for medicine.”

Bristol “Applicants who embark on a degree course are
expected to complete their degree and then apply as a graduate.”

UEA “We do not accept applications from candidates who are in the first year of a degree elsewhere.”

Manchester - “We only consider undergraduates applying a the start of their final year with a minimum 2.1 degree prediction”

Nottingham “We do not accept applications from students who are already on a course and we would require that an applicant has withdrawn from any previous degree course... An applicant would need to have a strong personal statement that is backed up with relevant proof to show their motivation for a career in medicine that was not there when they applied for a different degree.”

Aberdeen “Our usual advice in these circumstances is to complete the current degree to at least 2:1 Honours level and then apply for graduate entry to Medicine.”

Cambridge “Please note that the Cambridge Colleges will not normally, as a matter of principle, consider applications from students attending other UK universities applying to study the same or a very similar subject at Cambridge.
If you wish to make such an application, it will have to be strongly supported by your tutor at your current university... If you wish to apply to Cambridge to study a different subject from the one you are currently studying at university, we would assume that had had a change of heart and no longer wish to study the subject you are currently pursuing. In this case your application would be considered, but would still need strong support from your current university tutor.”

Barts “The School of Medicine and Dentistry does not accept applicants who have not completed their degree courses... You must work to finish your degree course and apply via UCAS for either the five year or graduate entry programme.”



Imperial “We would consider someone who is already registered on another degree elsewhere; you would need to explain the choice to change the degree in your personal statement so that the shortlisters can determine your commitment to Medicine.”

Pennisula “The fact that you will be leaving a degree course would not be detrimental to any application that you send to us. As you are still in the first year of your degree, your application would be judged on your A level results and UKCAT score... Alternatively, if you have signed on to the second year of your degree you would need to apply as a non-direct school leaver and would be required to sit GAMSAT”

Newcastle “Just because they have left one programme would not necessarily disadvantage them during the selection process, however, they would be expected to outline why they felt they didn't want to complete their course.”

Leicester “We would consider an application from a student in the first year of another course.”

St Andrews “We consider applicants who have studied for one year in another university course (but not two years), however they are assessed on the basis of their school performance - they would be competing with other school leavers.”

Oxford “Admissions tutors at Oxford are concerned only with selecting the most academically able students with the most potential to excel in their studies here. As a result, your being a student at another institution will not directly affect your application in any way; however, you will b expected to demonstrate a consistently excellent academic record, and thus they may ask to see transcripts from your university studies.”

Soton “Provided you meet the academic entry requirements, it will be fine for you to apply.”

Cardiff “This would not affect the status of your application.”

Sheffield “There is nothing stopping a candidate applying here whilst doing a degree. However, we would not encourage anyone to drop out of a degree.

Glasgow “Applications from applicants, who have commenced a degree programme other than medicine, can apply through UCAS and have their application considered, providing they meet entry requirements. We would not take the first year of the degree programme into consideration as this does not meet our entry requirements



I applied under such circumstances nearl 4/5 years ago now. I then applied to Peninsula, Southampton and Glasgow (all of which you mention as saying that it's ok) and King's College London (whom you haven't yet mentioned).

It may be worth adding that when I applied Peninsula would guarantee an interview to anyone who had already met the grade requirements and this was one of the reasons why I applied. Obviously this was back in 2006 so things may have changed then as I am aware as of next year the standard offer will be A*AA/AAA.

It's encouraging to see a lot of universities that are willing to consider applicants under these circumstances. I can understand the argument posed by those medical schools against it but ultimately there are alternative options.
Original post by ashu12345678
Yeah but for person like me who got rejected from all 4 unis even though I had all those predictions and work experience. It would be unwise to just carry on for a GAP year and ending up in the same situation next year. Anything can happen, when you are talking about getting into medicine. Plus there is a hug fee rise.

I have spoken to UCAS and I dont think even if someone try to find out about anyone can find out because its against confidentiality where you are disclosing someone else information without their permission. And its not lieing, Its hiding and there is a big difference in both. I will make sure I apply to universities who have got no problem with it at the first place. Even if they find out I wont be at any loss but writing about it on your ucas can actualy screw your chances of even getting an interview. They might not treat you the same.


Someone like you? Please. There are plenty of students who get 4 rejections each year and have to take a gap year to re-apply before getting into medical school. Sure it may take a year longer but it's certainly worth it if you get to do what you want to do. You may have had "all the predictions and work experience" but so did hundreds/thousands of other students too. That's just tough luck I'm afraid.

You do realise you wouldn't be paying fees until AFTER you graduate and there are always loans/bursaries available if you can't afford to pay the fees but are comitted to study. Also yes the medical schools can find out. It's called the "Freedom of Information Act" and given that you will be given one-to-one access with patients and their families in their most vunerable positions in addition to their medical records when on the wards, the medical schools have a duty of care to ensure that their students do not have any issues which would deem them unfit to practice.

If it states in the rules they would not consider you if you started a degree elsehwere, that is their rules and they must stick to that. If you were t apply and purposely cover up information you would be comitting an act of fraud, be rejected from all your medical schools (as you would most likely be "blacklisted" within the system), the GMC would be informed about your fraud pretty much barring you from a medical career for life and perhaps even more serious it may even prevent you from pursuing other courses at other universities. Why would any other reputable university/department want to admit a student to their programme with a history of deceit and manipulation at a time when pressure for places is at their greatest?

Also you talk about it "screwing up" your application if ti's mentioned. Well if the medical schools said they don't have a problem with it then no it will not "screw up" your application. The only thing that would screw up your application would be a bad personal statement, lack of non-academic achievements, poor grades and poor interview performance.

I give you this advice as a student who was in a similar position (reapplying during first year at university but with the grades) and so I appreciate the situation you are in right no. I was limitted in my choices but I got through and touchwood I'm heading down the home straight.

Do yourself a favour and try not to get into the habit of manipulation or deceit before you've even got to medical school.
Original post by Warrior King
Someone like you? Please. There are plenty of students who get 4 rejections each year and have to take a gap year to re-apply before getting into medical school. Sure it may take a year longer but it's certainly worth it if you get to do what you want to do. You may have had "all the predictions and work experience" but so did hundreds/thousands of other students too. That's just tough luck I'm afraid.

You do realise you wouldn't be paying fees until AFTER you graduate and there are always loans/bursaries available if you can't afford to pay the fees but are comitted to study. Also yes the medical schools can find out. It's called the "Freedom of Information Act" and given that you will be given one-to-one access with patients and their families in their most vunerable positions in addition to their medical records when on the wards, the medical schools have a duty of care to ensure that their students do not have any issues which would deem them unfit to practice.

If it states in the rules they would not consider you if you started a degree elsehwere, that is their rules and they must stick to that. If you were t apply and purposely cover up information you would be comitting an act of fraud, be rejected from all your medical schools (as you would most likely be "blacklisted" within the system), the GMC would be informed about your fraud pretty much barring you from a medical career for life and perhaps even more serious it may even prevent you from pursuing other courses at other universities. Why would any other reputable university/department want to admit a student to their programme with a history of deceit and manipulation at a time when pressure for places is at their greatest?

Also you talk about it "screwing up" your application if ti's mentioned. Well if the medical schools said they don't have a problem with it then no it will not "screw up" your application. The only thing that would screw up your application would be a bad personal statement, lack of non-academic achievements, poor grades and poor interview performance.

I give you this advice as a student who was in a similar position (reapplying during first year at university but with the grades) and so I appreciate the situation you are in right no. I was limitted in my choices but I got through and touchwood I'm heading down the home straight.

Do yourself a favour and try not to get into the habit of manipulation or deceit before you've even got to medical school.

Well I appreciate your advice and I would definitely not hide anything before applying next year as its not worth the risk involved. Medicine is the only thing I have ever dreamt off and only reason I am enrolling on to a different course is not to face the same thing again next year. I think its wiser to apply while being on another course as there is a fee rise. So if God forbid I dont get in next year I will still hv a shot after being a graduate.
Original post by ashu12345678
Well I appreciate your advice and I would definitely not hide anything before applying next year as its not worth the risk involved. Medicine is the only thing I have ever dreamt off and only reason I am enrolling on to a different course is not to face the same thing again next year. I think its wiser to apply while being on another course as there is a fee rise. So if God forbid I dont get in next year I will still hv a shot after being a graduate.


It's hardly wiser if you're enrolling on a course you have no interest in only to waste money in fees, living costs etc for that year of study. Also if you don't get in and become downheartened and muck up the first year of your other course you risk having to drop out of that too. Also bear in mind the graduat entry route is much tougher.

A gap year has so many advantages if applying with the grades in hand in that you can strengthen your application in so many ways and spend the time working/travelling etc and believe me you'd appreciate the free time once you get to medical school and then start working when free time becomes a scarce luxury.

Also enrolling onto a different course if your heart isn't it doesn't send out the best impression to lecturers/tutors on that course and not that I'm suggesting any underhanded tactics or anything but you don't really want to have strained relations with tutors or paint a negative impression of yourself with people you'll be spending at least 3 years with if things don't go to plan. You also take up a place on a course of study which so many other students may have wanted to do as a first choice and your chosen university (i.e. where you are doing the degree) may not look upon that favourably if once you've enrolled you then decide to reapply.

I was in that position and to be honest felt under a lot more pressure to get into medical school as I feared that if that didn't happen it would potentially hinder my progress throughout the course I was enrolled on should the worst case scenario had materialised (mine was a different set of circumstances in that I had to resit an A-level due to ill health etc so ended up applying 3 times).

I honestly think that if you get the grades you should contemplate a gap year to reapply for med. You talk about the fees rise but you wouldn't need to pay that until you graduate.

If I had the option I'd go for the gap year if only to maximise my chances by having a wider selection of universities to apply to rather than just a small pool.
Original post by Warrior King
It's hardly wiser if you're enrolling on a course you have no interest in only to waste money in fees, living costs etc for that year of study. Also if you don't get in and become downheartened and muck up the first year of your other course you risk having to drop out of that too. Also bear in mind the graduat entry route is much tougher.

A gap year has so many advantages if applying with the grades in hand in that you can strengthen your application in so many ways and spend the time working/travelling etc and believe me you'd appreciate the free time once you get to medical school and then start working when free time becomes a scarce luxury.

Also enrolling onto a different course if your heart isn't it doesn't send out the best impression to lecturers/tutors on that course and not that I'm suggesting any underhanded tactics or anything but you don't really want to have strained relations with tutors or paint a negative impression of yourself with people you'll be spending at least 3 years with if things don't go to plan. You also take up a place on a course of study which so many other students may have wanted to do as a first choice and your chosen university (i.e. where you are doing the degree) may not look upon that favourably if once you've enrolled you then decide to reapply.

I was in that position and to be honest felt under a lot more pressure to get into medical school as I feared that if that didn't happen it would potentially hinder my progress throughout the course I was enrolled on should the worst case scenario had materialised (mine was a different set of circumstances in that I had to resit an A-level due to ill health etc so ended up applying 3 times).

I honestly think that if you get the grades you should contemplate a gap year to reapply for med. You talk about the fees rise but you wouldn't need to pay that until you graduate.

If I had the option I'd go for the gap year if only to maximise my chances by having a wider selection of universities to apply to rather than just a small pool.



Hmm I am confused now on what to do. I do strongly think what you saying is right. But I have been trying to get into medicine since I was 18. Now I am 25 now. I wasn't born here in the UK. I came here three years back. I had really good grades from the country I came from but I had to start A levels 2 years back due to requirement of the universities here. I did get grades but like every other potential candidate for medicine I dint get in. I had all the work experience and good personal statement. So its already very demoralizing for me not to get it. I have firmed the offer for biomedicine in university of sussex which will allow me to get a guaranteed interview If i meet their A level requirement plus If i score 70 percent in first year of biomedicine. So If I dont get in next year GOD forbid than I have another short after first year. PLus job market is so tight and without any experience I doubt that I can get a job in medical related environment. Second is that there is a fee rise. I know I wont be paying until I am earning but it is still a lot of money when it comes to paying them back.

I dont want to end up in the same situation next year and than face the same depair and than end up doing biomedicine again with a fee rise that everyone will have to face next year. I dont mind payiing this much if I get into medicine but dont want to pay this much next year for biomedicine degree.

There are alot of universities that do allow you to apply in the first year If you explain that you dont think it is what you want to do as biomedicine is all lab related work. This is what I think and I dont know if it is wise for me to do. Obviously you were in the same situation a few years back so you would understand it better.
Original post by ashu12345678
Hmm I am confused now on what to do. I do strongly think what you saying is right. But I have been trying to get into medicine since I was 18. Now I am 25 now. I wasn't born here in the UK. I came here three years back. I had really good grades from the country I came from but I had to start A levels 2 years back due to requirement of the universities here. I did get grades but like every other potential candidate for medicine I dint get in. I had all the work experience and good personal statement. So its already very demoralizing for me not to get it. I have firmed the offer for biomedicine in university of sussex which will allow me to get a guaranteed interview If i meet their A level requirement plus If i score 70 percent in first year of biomedicine. So If I dont get in next year GOD forbid than I have another short after first year. PLus job market is so tight and without any experience I doubt that I can get a job in medical related environment. Second is that there is a fee rise. I know I wont be paying until I am earning but it is still a lot of money when it comes to paying them back.

I dont want to end up in the same situation next year and than face the same depair and than end up doing biomedicine again with a fee rise that everyone will have to face next year. I dont mind payiing this much if I get into medicine but dont want to pay this much next year for biomedicine degree.

There are alot of universities that do allow you to apply in the first year If you explain that you dont think it is what you want to do as biomedicine is all lab related work. This is what I think and I dont know if it is wise for me to do. Obviously you were in the same situation a few years back so you would understand it better.


We seem to be going around in circles here; I say one thing but you stick to your original view etc. I will say this much; only YOU can decide what to do.

If you feel that you had a strong application but still got rejected well the reality is that your application was not as strong as you thought it might have been or that those who got offers simply had better and stronger applications. A good start would be to ask for feedback from medical schools as to why they rejected you and what you could do to make your application stronger if you decided to reapply.

You talk about being 25 like you're some old man heading for the retirment home. There is no point dwelling on age or years gone by as those are now history and you need to focus on the here and now.

Even if you went down the graduate route you will be in your early 30s by the time you graduate from medical school and that is assuming you got a 2:1 and admitted to a 4 year graduate programme. In those circumstances there would be nothing to lose in reapplying again for medicine as an undergraduate programme.

I'm not going to say to you that you should consider other career options but if as it appears to me the age factor is a huge issue for you and if from what you have told us you have been applying since you were 18 and still haven't got in, then perhaps you may won't to explore other routes or maybe consider going to study abroad in Eastern Europe or Ireland etc if Medicine is still what you want to do.

I don't believe in the notion that some people can have very strong applications but get rejected unfairly. Sure different medical schools look for different things but if you haven't got a place it simply means in comparison with the rest of the applicant pool, your application was viewed as weaker. I firmly believe that if a candidate is truly a strong candidate for Medical School they will receive at least one offer from their 4 and with Medicine being so competetive that really is the norm these days.

I can't keep repeating the same thing over and over. Believe me I can see your point of view but you have to understand you are not the first and certainly won't be the last person to apply as a "strong candidate" and still get rejected. It happens every year. The key is to make "the cut".

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