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

I want to do access course, so do you know what the entry requirements for medical school ? Will I be able to do the course with my degrees Maths GCSEs higher paper C. English GCSES C. Arabic GCSEs A. Science GCSEs B. Level 2 betc Ict M. Level 3 betc science M.

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Hi, all the details you are asking for can be found in this wiki: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Medical_School_Foundation_and_Widening_Access_to_Medicine_Programs

:smile:

Reply 9921

DELETED ACCOUNT

15

Original post by EOrr

Hiya everyone, i've noticed that not all med schools list their required AS grades. I know most only ask for AAAb but is there anywhere that asks for 4 A's at AS? Just so I know to steer clear of that! ( I got aaab- the B in maths) :colondollar:

Birmingham prefer applicants offering AAAA.
Cambridge would look at ums scores for maths and other subjects.

considering that you got aaab, thats pretty much it.

Reply 9922

izzyq.

Hi all. I'm looking for some advice. I achieved AABC in Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Chemistry at A Level (I didn't try very hard at Chemistry as I didn't need it at the time but I got As in all the sciences at GCSE) and went on to achieve a First Class degree in Engineering at University of Bristol and then got accepted to undertake a PhD in Material Science (involving engineering/chem) with a taught element in the first year and have achieved in the 70s and 80s in all my 'taught' modules. When I complete my thesis in a couple of years time I really want to study medicine but I fear my chemistry a level will hinder any application I put forward. I am resitting that A level this year more for self-satisfaction because I know I can do well if I try, rather than specifically for medicine. I also have voluntary first aid/care home/youth work experience and am about to undertake some ward volunteering and shadowing. What do you all think? I have researched med schools and I realise some say they do not look at GCSE or A Levels but I know that they still go on the UCAS forms. Any advice on how I could strengthen my application over the next two years? Thank you!

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 9923

leadership

[INDENT]Hi, I'm new to this and my first question is going to be one of those "am I good enough for medical school" ones

GCSE - 7A*, 3A

AS - AAAb

A2 - AAA - achieved [Chemistry, Biology & History]

Will be sitting UKCAT in four weeks

Had four rejections for 2012 entry [teacher predicted a B in Chemistry A2] , so taking a Gap year working as a data administrator in a hospital. Fair bit of other medical work experience as well

What are my chances for 2013 entry? Any advice would be greatly appreciated[/INDENT]

Reply 9924

x_ANT

Original post by leadership

[INDENT]Hi, I'm new to this and my first question is going to be one of those "am I good enough for medical school" ones

GCSE - 7A*, 3A

AS - AAAb

A2 - AAA - achieved [Chemistry, Biology & History]

Will be sitting UKCAT in four weeks

Had four rejections for 2012 entry [teacher predicted a B in Chemistry A2] , so taking a Gap year working as a data administrator in a hospital. Fair bit of other medical work experience as well

What are my chances for 2013 entry? Any advice would be greatly appreciated[/INDENT]

Looks good to me! Have you done any volunteering? As long as your UKCAT is good, you should be fine :smile:

Reply 9925

leadership

[INDENT]Thanks

I didn't get any interviews last year. Managed to get 620 UKCAT but think my A2 predictions [AAB] may have let me down.
Work experience - hospital pharmacy and dental dept. Also shadowed and observed doctors. Have also spent a couple of weeks working with a GP. Haven't done a great deal in terms of voluntary work but aim to do some in my gap year. Lucky enough to secure an admin asst job in a major London hospital in my gap year.
Extra curricular activities - play electric guitar [grade 5] and piano [grade 5] and when in school rugby team for two years.
Now that I have my three grade As at A2, I'm hoping that with an improved UKCAT, I'll have a chance at either Barts, Kings, Southampton or UEA[/INDENT]

Reply 9926

myyrh

9

Original post by leadership

[INDENT]Thanks

I didn't get any interviews last year. Managed to get 620 UKCAT but think my A2 predictions [AAB] may have let me down.
Work experience - hospital pharmacy and dental dept. Also shadowed and observed doctors. Have also spent a couple of weeks working with a GP. Haven't done a great deal in terms of voluntary work but aim to do some in my gap year. Lucky enough to secure an admin asst job in a major London hospital in my gap year.
Extra curricular activities - play electric guitar [grade 5] and piano [grade 5] and when in school rugby team for two years.
Now that I have my three grade As at A2, I'm hoping that with an improved UKCAT, I'll have a chance at either Barts, Kings, Southampton or UEA[/INDENT]

Not at Barts as your UCAS tariff is too low unfortunately, the other three would be fine but you may want to consider somewhere other than Soton purely because of how competitive they are.

Reply 9927

dekg140

9

Hey guys, I just sat my ukcat today so the angsting has started all over again haha! Basically i'd love to go to King's, but anywhere in London is fine with me. I know this is limited but due to my circumstances I can really only study in london :/

For my gcse's I didn't do too well, and this is what i'm mostly worried about. I got 2A*s, 2As, and 3b's :/

AS levels I got AAAB

I'm predicted AAA for A levels

I've done voluntary work at a hospice, and 4 weeks shadowing a gp.

UkCAT which I sat today : 750,750,650,730. Avg 720

Should I bother applying to KCL? I know my GCSE'S are bad, but can my ukcat balance it out or am I wasting my time applying there?

Thanks guys :smile:

Reply 9928

myyrh

9

Original post by dekg140

Hey guys, I just sat my ukcat today so the angsting has started all over again haha! Basically i'd love to go to King's, but anywhere in London is fine with me. I know this is limited but due to my circumstances I can really only study in london :/

For my gcse's I didn't do too well, and this is what i'm mostly worried about. I got 2A*s, 2As, and 3b's :/

AS levels I got AAAB

I'm predicted AAA for A levels

I've done voluntary work at a hospice, and 4 weeks shadowing a gp.

UkCAT which I sat today : 750,750,650,730. Avg 720

Should I bother applying to KCL? I know my GCSE'S are bad, but can my ukcat balance it out or am I wasting my time applying there?

Thanks guys :smile:

I think you should go for it because that's an excellent UKCAT score.

Reply 9929

amzz

Hi everyone

I'm new to this forum so bare with me

I've just started year 12 and am in a bit of a dilemma

Unfortunately I did horribly at my GCSE's achieving straight B's in all 10 of my subjects.

I was wondering whether i still stand a chance at medicine.

My teachers tell me that if i get 4 A's at A-Level i may still have a chance despite my poor GCSE's

Is this true or should i just give up

Thank you

Reply 9930

dekg140

9

Original post by myyrh

I think you should go for it because that's an excellent UKCAT score.

Thankyou

Do you think it's enough to balance out my GCSE's though? Basically everyone else i've seen applying has like 7A*s :/

Reply 9931

myyrh

9

Original post by dekg140

Thankyou

Do you think it's enough to balance out my GCSE's though? Basically everyone else i've seen applying has like 7A*s :/

I would think so but there's obviously no way of really knowing. I had a friend who had 10A*s and a UKCAT of 582 and still managed an interview because his GCSE grades offset that score.

Reply 9932

Neostigmine

18

Anyone at the Southampton open day today/coming tomorrow?

Reply 9933

glynalba

I have 3 A*s and 7 As at GCSE, doing the IB and scored 2570 UKCAT.....642.5 average.....I'd appreciate any advice regarding which medical schools I should apply to with this profile. Many thanks in advance.

It is possible

Unfortunately universities are increasingly looking at your GCSE results because it's so competitive, especially for medicine. However if you can prove that you have worked hard by getting straight As in you AS levels you have chance. You will also need to do really well in the UKCAT test and impress in the interview. You will need a lot of relevant work experience and a strong personal statement.

Reply 9936

CameronLee

6

Yes Defiantly ! I know many people who got straight Bs and have got in. You also don't need 4x A's you only need 3. The most important thing is personal statement and the extra curricular things you do to show why you want to be a DR. Good Luck :smile:

Reply 9937

Avaricious

TSR, I've found myself with quite a problem and I was hoping you could help.

I did Biology, Chemistry, Maths and English for AS, and on results day discovered I had achieved C grades for Biology, Chemistry and Maths, and a B grade for English. I dropped English despite it being my best grade, as I could never really keep up in lessons and had to work extremely hard to make the B possible. The other three results are, as many have told me, unacceptable should I want to study Medicine.

I'm planning to do retakes for a few exams in all subjects in which I got a C (eg: Maths, where I got an A in C1 and C2 but an E in S1). I've identified the crucial mistakes I made last year when revising, and I'm confident in these retakes I will achieve above my marks last year.

I wanted to be a GP, however I've been told that with these grades there is virtually no hope in a University accepting my UCAS application. I've heard something about retaking and working hard this year to attain A grades at A2 then taking a gap year, and I'm happy to do this however is it possible?

Failing that, I'm studying Maths, Biology and Chemistry at A2. Medicine cannot be the only career choice that falls with these three subjects, and I was wondering if there are any others which aren't as strict on good grades at AS. I'd like to think of myself as somewhat adaptable, and so any career choice that promises me a bright future is an excellent choice for me.

Thanks for reading guys, let's hope there's something out there for me! :smile:

Reply 9938

Neostigmine

18

Southampton for example, don't look at AS grades just predicted so if you can get your predicted grades as AAA then you'll be fine. There are a few uni's' like this. Also there are other courses for example BM6 that if eligible you'll only need BBC at A level (varies between courses).

In short: You're fine. :smile:

Reply 9939

Doglamlico

16

Original post by Avaricious

TSR, I've found myself with quite a problem and I was hoping you could help.

I did Biology, Chemistry, Maths and English for AS, and on results day discovered I had achieved C grades for Biology, Chemistry and Maths, and a B grade for English. I dropped English despite it being my best grade, as I could never really keep up in lessons and had to work extremely hard to make the B possible. The other three results are, as many have told me, unacceptable should I want to study Medicine.

I'm planning to do retakes for a few exams in all subjects in which I got a C (eg: Maths, where I got an A in C1 and C2 but an E in S1). I've identified the crucial mistakes I made last year when revising, and I'm confident in these retakes I will achieve above my marks last year.

I wanted to be a GP, however I've been told that with these grades there is virtually no hope in a University accepting my UCAS application. I've heard something about retaking and working hard this year to attain A grades at A2 then taking a gap year, and I'm happy to do this however is it possible?

Failing that, I'm studying Maths, Biology and Chemistry at A2. Medicine cannot be the only career choice that falls with these three subjects, and I was wondering if there are any others which aren't as strict on good grades at AS. I'd like to think of myself as somewhat adaptable, and so any career choice that promises me a bright future is an excellent choice for me.

Thanks for reading guys, let's hope there's something out there for me! :smile:

You can still go abroad, Romania or somewhere for a medical degree which counts here too. I know someone who went to Prague to do medicine with very low entry requirements, and she's now a GP.