Not doing A-level chemistry for medicine

Honestly every course I've seen requires an A at A-Level Bio AND chem so you might find it really tough to get onto a course

Have you thought of Biomedicine as an alternative then doing grad med? Biomed only requires biology plus another science (chem,math or physics) and this is the route I'm choosing as, like you, I haven't done chem at all since GCSE.

I was wondering if there was anyone who has been able to get onto a Medicine course at university without Chemistry AS or A level. I know Durham requires an A at GCSE chemistry if you don't do the A-level, which I have been able to achieve. But I wanted to know whether doing that would mean you would have pretty low chances of getting in to do medicine. What would you need to almost replace that disadvantage if you know what I mean?!

Also do you know if many universities are flexible with that kind of thing at all?

I hadn't actually thought about that! Thanks. I thought Durham did except people without chemistry from what I read on the website on requirements and admissions?? maybe I read it wrong, I don't know!.

What point are you at? Have you done your a-levels but not in the correct subjects?? Or have you sat your GCSEs and are about to start a-levels?

If its the latter, you will be severely limiting the places you can apply if you choose not to do chemistry. Is there a reason you don't want to do chemistry?

Quite a few do say things like that but my bio teacher (I have head of bio at my college) said I could struggle to get into biomed at Uni without chem, let alone medicine.

Another idea would be to do a foundation year+medicine, obviously it takes a year longer but it's still a way to do the degree you want.

I'm going to be honest and say I've never heard of anyone getting onto a bed course without chem, I've heard of people managing without maths but not chem. Maybe contact some med schools you like the look of and see what their stance is on the situation.

My uni of choice so far is QMUL for biomed because the top 15 students there are given a place on grad med at Barts and the London, look at the course and see what you think of it

I am about to start my a-levels. The reason I don't want to do chemistry, is because I lack the confidence in it and struggle, I've heard from many people that a-level chemistry is pretty tough so, I don't want to end up with a bad grade. I know if I really want to do medicine it is probably worth going through the two years of chemistry, but that's the problem I am unsure whether medicine is something I really want to do.

When you apply for medicine I think they want to see that you have done some volunteering or work experience in that area to make sure medicine is for you. Grades alone won't get you in (as far as I know), so you need to have something for your personal statement ( I presume they still do ps. Been a while since I've applied to uni.)

For more information about work experience fro medicine see the link to the thread about it
---> http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/content.php?r=15999-medicine-work-experience


TBH, I would suggest you take Chemistry, especially if you really want to do medicine. There will definitely be chemistry in the med degree, so you can't really avoid it. Could you not drop it later? I'm not familiar with a-levels, only IB.

I hope you find a compromise in the end.