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MEGATHREAD - The Ultimate 'Am I Good Enough For Medicine?' Angst Thread Mk II

msta

Hi, well basically I want to apply to medicine at uni but I have only like 1A, 3B's and 1C at GCSE because I have had to miss all of year 10 due to my school being closed down in the country I was living in. I'm now in year 12 and should be starting year 13 in September, I think I've done pretty good in my as levels and I have all the relevant work experience and voluntary work. Does anyone think I have a chance at getting into medical school?

Well I can be optimistic here, as from the situation you described, the admissions tutors would take that into account and be sympathetic,
as long as what you say is backed up in your referees statement as proof, and you can supply proof wherever they ask (if they need any other info) and most importantly your AS/A2 grades are up to the standard they ask for,
although, even if they are slightly lower, i would guess you would be an ideal candidate for the many varied access schemes due to your previous experiences etc..

I also wanted to apply to Cambridge as one of my choices, I've heard about the Cambridge Access Scheme and I've asked the university if in my case I was eligible for the scheme and they have told me yes. Should I still apply?

If you really want to go there, and they have clearly said yes,
go for it.
as long as you definitely want to go there etc

i write these comments as pretty much a normal applicant with little experience of access schemes/extenuating circumstances,
but i though i would still comment to offer any useful advice/opinion,
:smile:

Reply 781

JJ 91

hi everyone just wondering do unis count our short courses
thanks

Reply 782

paki4lyf786

1

sc0307

just went through all the uni's i can apply to: soton and kings(6 year programmee), UCL, glasgow, dundee, peninsula, newcastle, durham, brighton sussex and hull york. Any suggestions or recommendations? :smile:

well to be honest. Not a lot of people know that Hull offers medicine so i would deffo consider it. I mean i didnt know till i found out frm a teacher.

Reply 783

nerdman09

11

msta

Hi, well basically I want to apply to medicine at uni but I have only like 1A, 3B's and 1C at GCSE because I have had to miss all of year 10 due to my school being closed down in the country I was living in. I'm now in year 12 and should be starting year 13 in September, I think I've done pretty good in my as levels and I have all the relevant work experience and voluntary work. Does anyone think I have a chance at getting into medical school?

I also wanted to apply to Cambridge as one of my choices, I've heard about the Cambridge Access Scheme and I've asked the university if in my case I was eligible for the scheme and they have told me yes. Should I still apply?

answers all your questions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyuoUwxCLMs

Reply 784

Dr. Hannibal Lecter

13

nerdman09

answers all your questions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyuoUwxCLMs

LOL but waa taa faa?

Reply 785

419

14

nerdman09

answers all your questions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyuoUwxCLMs

WTF!

Reply 786

Tally_16

2

Hi all

I just wanted to know if you think my choices for Med School are reasonable and managable. So heres some things about me:

School: 50% 5 A*-C grades

GCSE: 4 A*s, 7 A’s. A in Additional Maths (FSMQ).

AS Subjects: Chemistry, Biology, Maths & Further Maths

AS Results (Jan): Maths (C1) 97%, Stats (S1) 97%, Biology (BIOL1) 92% and Chemistry (F322) 90%.

A2 Predicited: Maths A*, Biology A*, Chemistry A*

UKCAT: 590 VR, 780 QR, 680 AR, 630 DA. Average = 670.

YASS Course(OU): Molecules, Medicine and Drugs.

Work Experience (each lasting 1 week):

o Nursing Home
o Surgery
o Chemist
o Indian Civil Hospital
o Dentist/Physiotherapist
o 3 years as a Karate Instructor
o 1 helping Year 7's, with learning difficulties, in Science lessons.

Reading:
o Student BMJ
o BBC Health
o A Very Short Introduction books on Medical Ethics, History of Medicine & Schizophrenia.
o Robert Dawkins “the Selfish Gene.”
o Rameen Shakur “A Career in Medicine: Do you have what it takes?”
o Max Pemberton “Trust me, I’m a Junior Doctor”
o Medicine on the Front Line.

Languages: Fluent in Hindi & Punjabi

Senior Leadership Team. (representing the Sixth Form infront of Headteachers, Govenerns etc)

Headboy of Sixth Form.

Duke of Edinburgh: Gold

Karate: Practicing for 12 years/ 3rd Dan Black Belt/ Instructor/ National Tournaments

Lectures: Oxford University Lecture (Logistic Maps), Complex Numbers, Fractals.

Secondary School Prefect

The Unis I look to apply to are:

- Cambridge
- Nottingham
- Sheffield
- Leicester.

Do you see any issues I might face, the one I'm worried about is Sheffield's cut off for UKCAT. Can you think of another uni which I can use as a replacment which would suit my application. Please quote and express anything else. :smile:

Thanks in advance x

Reply 787

gildartz

14

Tally_16

Hi all

I just wanted to know if you think my choices for Med School are reasonable and managable. So heres some things about me:

School: 50% 5 A*-C grades

GCSE: 4 A*s, 7 A’s. A in Additional Maths (FSMQ).

AS Subjects: Chemistry, Biology, Maths & Further Maths

AS Results (Jan): Maths (C1) 97%, Stats (S1) 97%, Biology (BIOL1) 92% and Chemistry (F322) 90%.

A2 Predicited: Maths A*, Biology A*, Chemistry A*

UKCAT: 590 VR, 780 QR, 680 AR, 630 DA. Average = 670.

YASS Course(OU): Molecules, Medicine and Drugs.

Work Experience (each lasting 1 week):

o Nursing Home
o Surgery
o Chemist
o Indian Civil Hospital
o Dentist/Physiotherapist
o 3 years as a Karate Instructor
o 1 helping Year 7's, with learning difficulties, in Science lessons.

Reading:
o Student BMJ
o BBC Health
o A Very Short Introduction books on Medical Ethics, History of Medicine & Schizophrenia.
o Robert Dawkins “the Selfish Gene.”
o Rameen Shakur “A Career in Medicine: Do you have what it takes?”
o Max Pemberton “Trust me, I’m a Junior Doctor”
o Medicine on the Front Line.

Languages: Fluent in Hindi & Punjabi

Senior Leadership Team. (representing the Sixth Form infront of Headteachers, Govenerns etc)

Headboy of Sixth Form.

Duke of Edinburgh: Gold

Karate: Practicing for 12 years/ 3rd Dan Black Belt/ Instructor/ National Tournaments

Lectures: Oxford University Lecture (Logistic Maps), Complex Numbers, Fractals.

Secondary School Prefect

The Unis I look to apply to are:

- Cambridge
- Nottingham
- Sheffield
- Leicester.

Do you see any issues I might face, the one I'm worried about is Sheffield's cut off for UKCAT. Please quote and express anything else. :smile:

Thanks in advance x

you're kidding, right?

I heard the cutoff for sheffield this year was 685 and it's expected to rise, you didn't need to post your whole application to find that out :rolleyes:

Reply 788

Tally_16

2

gildartz

you're kidding, right?

I heard the cutoff for sheffield this year was 685 and it's expected to rise, you didn't need to post your whole application to find that out :rolleyes:

No its mainly about my other choices, ie Cambridge, Nottingham and Leicester. I was wondering if there were issues with those choices.

Can you think of another Uni which I could apply to instead of Sheffield?

Thanks x

Reply 789

conorcd

8

Aiboz

would the 5As include a short course? :confused:

thanks in advance.

last year it didn't but you could email to check.

Reply 790

conorcd

8

sc0307

just went through all the uni's i can apply to: soton and kings(6 year programmee), UCL, glasgow, dundee, peninsula, newcastle, durham, brighton sussex and hull york. Any suggestions or recommendations? :smile:

Durham is a bit less popular ( sorry for awful grammar) as people are put off by being on separate campus at stockton but course still great and you join with newc in 3rd year. what is your ukcat score?

Reply 791

conorcd

8

Tally_16

No its mainly about my other choices, ie Cambridge, Nottingham and Leicester. I was wondering if there were issues with those choices.

Can you think of another Uni which I could apply to instead of Sheffield?

Thanks x

do you want to do a more traditional course like camb or would you consider pbl? last year manch and newc had ukcat cut-offs of 648 but it might go up this year (it jumped from 615 the year before) so you should be okay but no-one can be sure.
with your scores most would be fine for most unis except those wanting mainly A*s at gcse (eg Birmingham). you have plenty to put in your ps for work exp ( was it hands-on as you need to show you didn't just watch).
why not go thru each uni and decide if it would suit you, then doublecheck your qualifications match?

Reply 792

cheeseisnice

I was wondering if I stand a chance at my unis too:
(I have copied the format of the guy above lol)
School: 100% 5 A*-C grades

GCSE: 9.5 A*
AS Subjects: Chemistry, Biology, Maths & History

Did all exams in June, so don't know AS results or predicted grades

UKCAT: 680 VR, 660 QR, 600 AR, 610 DA. Average = 638.

YASS Course(OU): Human Genetics and Health Issues
Extended Project: Neurological Disorders

Work Experience:
2 years at nursing home
6 months Oxfam
6 months Sunday School
6 months disabled school
About to start St Johns
1 week maxillofacial surgeon
1 week colorectal surgeon
2 weeks GP
Peer supporter for younger pupils
Medlink
Reading:
BBC Health
Oliver Sachs books
Susan Greenfield books

Duke of Edinburgh: Gold

Music: Grade 4 piano, grade 6 violin, grade 8 flute

The Unis I look to apply to are:

- Cambridge
- UCL
-Birmingham
-Don't know where else-any suggestions?!

Reply 793

conorcd

8

Tally_16

No its mainly about my other choices, ie Cambridge, Nottingham and Leicester. I was wondering if there were issues with those choices.

Can you think of another Uni which I could apply to instead of Sheffield?

Thanks x

Camb doesn't give set number of A8s but if I was you I'd check what people got last year in case they were mainly A*s at GCSE.
well done on your as scores by the way.
had quick look. last year people with less A*s than you did get Camb offer but you could ask in Camb forum as maybe it depends on college you apply to. are you confident for bmat?

Reply 794

Markh1000

12

cheeseisnice

X

Generally a good application. :smile:

But your UKCAT score is not particularly high, so you'd need to steer clear of unis like Kings (check up on UKCAT cutoffs).

Reply 795

Panorama

9

Tally_16

No its mainly about my other choices, ie Cambridge, Nottingham and Leicester. I was wondering if there were issues with those choices.

Can you think of another Uni which I could apply to instead of Sheffield?

Thanks x

I got offers from Cambridge and Nottingham. I scored 677.5 in the UKCAT , didn't have much work experience.You could have a look at my profile in the profile thread (page 9 or 10)

Reply 796

cheeseisnice

Markh1000

Generally a good application. :smile:

But your UKCAT score is not particularly high, so you'd need to steer clear of unis like Kings (check up on UKCAT cutoffs).

Which other unis have high ukcat requirments?
I was thinking maybe nottingham, but I'm not sure? x

Reply 797

Markh1000

12

cheeseisnice

Which other unis have high ukcat requirments?
I was thinking maybe nottingham, but I'm not sure? x

I think Barts has a higher cutoff than your score - but for confirmation and some other unis, I'll let someone else who knows about the specific UKCAT requirements chime in!

Reply 798

conorcd

8

cheeseisnice

Which other unis have high ukcat requirments?
I was thinking maybe nottingham, but I'm not sure? x

Sheffield was 685 last year. Newc/Durham and Nanch around 648. sorry don't know others.
nanch=manchester!

Reply 799

sc0307

8

Panorama

I got offers from Cambridge and Nottingham. I scored 677.5 in the UKCAT , didn't have much work experience.You could have a look at my profile in the profile thread (page 9 or 10)

im so glad you just said that cos those last two application posts had ridiculous amounts of work experience and i havent got much, how much w/e did u have?