pharmacology and then medicine?

ok, so my GCSEs have been an absolute disaster due to family problems and I have been denied to do A level chemistry although I've provided evidence that I've maintained A*s in my mocks...
Anyway, the college i have applied to have agreed to offer me A level biology, history and philosophy since I got an A* in English lit and language + a B in biology.
My plan is to apply for pharmacology then apply for medicine...I'm just wondering are there any other courses I can apply to where I can switch to medicine? PLEASE HELP!

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 1

Workangel_24

Original post by Outlawblues

ok, so my GCSEs have been an absolute disaster due to family problems and I have been denied to do A level chemistry although I've provided evidence that I've maintained A*s in my mocks...
Anyway, the college i have applied to have agreed to offer me A level biology, history and philosophy since I got an A* I'm English lit and language + a B in biology.
My plan is to apply for pharmacology then apply for medicine after my first year... I'm just wondering are there any other courses I can apply to where I can switch to medicine after the first year? PLEASE HELP!

Not to put you off or anything but you need chemistry for pharmacology.

Reply 2

Outlawblues

do you know what else I could take?

Original post by Workangel_24

Not to put you off or anything but you need chemistry for pharmacology.

Reply 3

Workangel_24

Original post by Outlawblues

do you know what else I could take?

http://www.dorcan.co.uk/media/careers/A_Levels_Required_For_Degree_Areas.pdf

Hope this helps you to choose your A Levels!! :smile:

Original post by Outlawblues

do you know what else I could take?

But if you really want to do medicine try GEM (Graduate entry to medicine)

Read more about it here:

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/content.php?r=15889-graduate-entry-medicine-a-guide

http://www.medschools.ac.uk/Students/Courses/Pages/Graduate.aspx

Reply 5

Outlawblues

Original post by Workangel_24

http://www.dorcan.co.uk/media/careers/A_Levels_Required_For_Degree_Areas.pdf

Hope this helps you to choose your A Levels!! :smile:

thank you! I'm thinking of doing biomedicine since I'm not doing a level chemistry :frown:

Reply 6

username944192

Original post by Outlawblues

thank you! I'm thinking of doing biomedicine since I'm not doing a level chemistry :frown:

What did you get in chemistry GCSE? Can you push back on this - have your parents spoken to the college? You could look into adult colleges in your area which may offer evening classes for chemistry.

I think some unis let you enrol for biomedical science and then have the chance to transfer to medicine in your first year (St Georges does this if I recall correctly) but obviously it will be very competitive

Reply 7

Workangel_24

Original post by Outlawblues

thank you! I'm thinking of doing biomedicine since I'm not doing a level chemistry :frown:

Good luck with your a levels and work hard and it will surely pay off :biggrin:

Reply 8

Outlawblues

Original post by infairverona

unfortunately I only got a C due to family problems + there are very few colleges in my area which allowed me to take a levels. They offered me btec applied science instead... but most unis don't consider btec

Reply 9

username944192

Original post by Outlawblues

Ok, so you got a C in chem and a B in bio but A* in english - have you considered maybe your strengths lie in humanities/other subjects? What other subjects did you take and what were your grades like in them? If you can't take chemistry A level and your sciences were your weaker subjects this might be a good opportunity for you to reconsider medicine/something science based at all

Reply 10

Outlawblues

Original post by infairverona

I would love to take "humanities based" a levels, but I don't know what I could do at uni if I took a level English lit, history and philosophy. Obviously my GCSEs are terrible for medicine so I have no chance of getting a place, but I got: A* English lit, A* English language, B biology, C chemistry, C physics, C maths, C German, B geography, BB health and social, B religious studies

what if I applied for "medicine with preliminary year"? would I still have a chance?

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 11

Workangel_24

Original post by Outlawblues

Well done for the A* in lit and lang! You can do those three subjects and remember they are also hard and eng lit and history are facilitating subjects so they give you more options when you choose your university course.

Reply 12

SpriteBottle

The essay subjects you've mentioned seem perfect for something like law. Have you considered this as an option?

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Reply 13

JayAhm

Original post by Outlawblues

You can't switch to medicine after the first year of pharmacology.

I was under the impression that Biomed also required two sciences but I can't advise on whether this is the case everywhere.

As you'd only have one science A-level, you may be eligible for some 'access to medicine' courses. Look into this.

There are foundation years in some courses. Manchester has a 6 year medicine programme so one year foundation before to accommodate for the lack of Chemistry. However, I'm not sure you'd be eligible as they do still require at least 4 A's at GCSE. Do look into other medicine courses with foundation years and see if you are eligible:

http://www.medschools.ac.uk/Students/Courses/Pages/FoundationPre-clinicalyear.aspx

Reply 14

Nottie

I think it's Brighton where you can do biomed sciences and switch to medicine after 1st year. But it's very, very difficult and you basically need to top of the year.

Reply 15

a_d_e

Foundation Year Entry Medicine maybe????

Reply 16

JayAhm

Original post by Nottie

I think it's Brighton where you can do biomed sciences and switch to medicine after 1st year. But it's very, very difficult and you basically need to top of the year.

Bradford have Clinical Sciences where you can transfer to Leeds Medicine.

Newcastle also have Biomed to Medicine transfers.

Same as what you said, very difficult/top of the year

But again, NCL require Chem at least at AS level unless I'm mistaken. :frown:

Reply 17

Asklepios

You'll find it difficult for pretty much any biology/life science based course without AS chemistry

Reply 18

username944192

Original post by Outlawblues

Well obviously you could do english, history or philosophy at uni, you could also take politics, ancient history, law. You could take geography A level as you got a B in the GCSE? Have you considered other healthcare professions that aren't medicine also?