Advice needed: applying to medicine

If I am extremely lucky and get into medicine via Clearing (mutual acquaintance got into Bristol), but it's not a very highly ranked uni, should I just decline

Hey all! So CIE results were released yesterday, and achieved my predicted, which was 3A*2A, but underapplied (current firm is UCL Biomedical Science, AAA) last year as school policy dictates that we take the Oct/Nov AS exams, which meant that I had to study for AS and apply at the same time, and I had absolutely nothing concrete to give universities regarding academics. I had originally intended to apply for medicine as it was something I wanted and still really want to do, and had sat for the UKCAT and went for a GP placement and everything. My line of thinking was that I would rather get the grades and at least a place in university than get a conditional offer for medicine (which was pretty much impossible with no AS grades) but screw up my AS and not meet the requirements because of having to handle both at the same time.

Thinking back, I'm not sure I made the best decision. Even if I was rejected completely, I'd still be in the position I am now in terms of what to do next.

So after wasting everyone's time with far too much backstory, I have 2 questions:

1) If I am extremely lucky and get into medicine via Clearing (mutual acquaintance got into Bristol), but it's not a very highly ranked uni, should I just decline and try for a higher ranked uni in Australia? I know ranking says nothing about the kind of doctor one would be in the future, but I do know higher ranked usually = more cutting-edge research + better network. Keep in mind that I would have to pay a fortune anyway as an intl. student, even if it's ranked 400 in the world.

2) What are the chances of me getting into a BMAT uni as an international student for Sep 2017? Assume decent BMAT score (19-21) and hospital placements (currently only have GP and hospice experience). I've seen the stats and the quota and they're really discouraging, but thought I'd get real life opinions.

Thanks for reading and putting up with my wordiness!

For medicine the prestige/rank of a uni is of no importance, often you will find that the teaching quality could be better or more suited to you at a lower ranked uni than a higher ranked one, its all about preference. As for the more-cutting edge research and a better network, that can be found at any of the russel group universities, have a look into the research they are doing in the medical profession. For example I am at Cardiff med school (not that highly ranked in the UK) and we have just partnered with Harvard to open a world leading brain MRI centre, we are doing cutting edge research on stem cells, my academic mentor is researching into schizophrenia and mental health disorders and our cardiology department is brilliant. Its all about what your into, but that there is proof that you dont have be to top of the world in terms of a uni to get amazing research quality.
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Just to echo this really, it's not just the Russel group unis which have top quality research and worldwide importance I study medicine in Hull, which has a world leading cough centre, and does a lot of research in cancer. Unlike some other universities, we also have the opportunity to work with these in our SSIP components, so we can get contact with the experts.

Prestige doesn't necessarily equal opportunity.