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

For your best chance at getting in, I would say to take a year off (while doing something relevant to medicine) and apply when you have your results, assuming they are all A*/A.


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I am taking my UKCAT on Thursday and am probably going to get less than 600. With AAAB at AS, where can I apply with an actual chance of getting in?

I am taking my UKCAT on Thursday and am probably going to get less than 600. With AAAB at AS, where can I apply with an actual chance of getting in?

I absolutely under performed in my GCSEs due to screwing up a few exams. It sucks because the school I attend is very academic and on results day everyone was expecting me to get 10A*s or something and when I came out and told them I achieved 4A*s & 6As

I stopped reading when i saw that.
Them results are excellent!

I've wanted to do medicine for a long time and already have some work experience from last year in a GP surgery. However despite being a hard worker I absolutely under performed in my GCSEs due to screwing up a few exams. It sucks because the school I attend is very academic and on results day everyone was expecting me to get 10A*s or something and when I came out and told them I achieved 4A*s & 6As they all thought I was joking. One friend didn't believe me for ages until I saw him the next day and showed him the results sheets. I feel as if I have let everyone down including my teachers, parents, friends and most of all myself.

I've gotten over the issue and I only feel more motivated now to work unbelievably hard for my AS Levels. I will be taking Biology, Chemistry, English Lit and History. I have researched all of the revision techniques possible, structured a timetable, study plan and collected many resources. I plan to put a lot of focus into understanding & have researched all of the effective ways of grasping concepts. I also plan to do practice questions very often aswell as research more practicals tips.

I will also dedicate time to UKCAT practice on a regular basis, have signed up to 4 voluntary work positions and aim to get more work experience.

I want to do really well in my AS Levels and achieve AAAA and do very well in my A Levels the next year. I know it's easier said than done however my disappointment from my GCSE results, the sheer difficulty of A Levels and my determination to achieve my dream is definitely going to make me work harder than ever.

I'm so worried that my GCSE results will hold me back in comparison to the many many candidates who will be applying against me with much better grades at GCSE.

If I manage to do well in my AS Levels and A Levels (really well) can I still achieve the medicine dream?

The thing is, getting AAAA is the max you can get, which is what almost every med applicant has anyway.

I've seen you on other threads like this. You're very pessimistic.

I would say realistic - I don't lie to the OPs, but just give them the truth. Especially for courses like this which are incredibly competitive, GCSEs actually mean a lot when you're compared hundreds of AAAA students.

I'm obviously aware of that which is the reason why I actually made this thread. However after doing some research I've seen some people with few A*s at GCSE get in.

I stopped reading when i saw that.
Them results are excellent!

Yes they were called Peninsula but now they've split Cut-off has been 642.5 for 2011 and 2012 entry.
St Georges is around 625 and I have no idea about Nottingham sorry.


Liverpool need B grades in the sciences and your GCSE grades are not really good enough to meet the overall point score requirements. Manchester should be okay but I would double check with them.

This may increase the OPs chances if he gets AAA at A2 however I don't think they should plan like that. It would make more sense to apply anyway in their final year of college and only take a year out if the OP doesn't get any offers with their AS results and GCSEs. It would be stupid to not give it a go and waste a year.

I've wanted to do medicine for a long time and already have some work experience from last year in a GP surgery. However despite being a hard worker I absolutely under performed in my GCSEs due to screwing up a few exams. It sucks because the school I attend is very academic and on results day everyone was expecting me to get 10A*s or something and when I came out and told them I achieved 4A*s & 6As they all thought I was joking. One friend didn't believe me for ages until I saw him the next day and showed him the results sheets. I feel as if I have let everyone down including my teachers, parents, friends and most of all myself.

I've gotten over the issue and I only feel more motivated now to work unbelievably hard for my AS Levels. I will be taking Biology, Chemistry, English Lit and History. I have researched all of the revision techniques possible, structured a timetable, study plan and collected many resources. I plan to put a lot of focus into understanding & have researched all of the effective ways of grasping concepts. I also plan to do practice questions very often aswell as research more practicals tips.

I will also dedicate time to UKCAT practice on a regular basis, have signed up to 4 voluntary work positions and aim to get more work experience.

I want to do really well in my AS Levels and achieve AAAA and do very well in my A Levels the next year. I know it's easier said than done however my disappointment from my GCSE results, the sheer difficulty of A Levels and my determination to achieve my dream is definitely going to make me work harder than ever.

I'm so worried that my GCSE results will hold me back in comparison to the many many candidates who will be applying against me with much better grades at GCSE.

If I manage to do well in my AS Levels and A Levels (really well) can I still achieve the medicine dream?