Thinking of doing medicine.. But got a small problem...

Well i am thinking to do medicine for uni. however i've got a C in english GCSE... :s-smilie:

I used to live in Holland and came to London late 2008. (halfway year 9) so i achieved a C in english GCSE. an A* in Maths and A* in science. im doing Maths Bio,Chem and Media this year (AS) and tomorrow is my bio exam. :s-smilie:

so i flashed through some unis and looked at their entry requirements, and most of them require a B in english....

Do i still have a chance to get to do medicine or do i have to retake english. (which i wont ever improve)..
However i did take an extra GCSE Dutch which i got an A* for. Would they consider that? (personally i was very proud of myself when i got that grade. :tongue:

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Reply 1

Choccodrop

If I were you I would call the admissions department of the universities that you were looking at and ask their advice. Also make sure you get plenty of work experience - start as early as possible. Good luck! :smile:

Reply 2

splendidsun

Retaking English would definitely increase chances of invitation to interview ..with increasing competition for places at medical school, the least you could do is meet the uni's minimum requirements

As for 'never improving', I'd say you can be guaranteed an A/A* given you started preparing for it now; ask an English teacher to provide you with model answers to typical questions and use this as a guide when practising at your own pace...the key is practice

Reply 3

WanaBdoctor

They might class the fact that you moved here just before starting gcse as extenuating circumstances and make an allowance for you. It'd be worth giving the med schools a ring and asking if you would be allowed to apply- they would probably want proof but I'm guessing you probably have something that proves you lived in Holland until 2008.

When I was looking at the entry requirements (I've applied for 2012 entry =)) some universities said that if you didn't have gcse English at grade b you could.do other tests that prove you speak fluent English- sorry I can't remember what they called them. I can't remember which one said is specifically but it was definitely one I applied to, so keele, Liverpool or Leeds.

Is dutch your first language? If so then you did amazing to get a c!

Good luck :smile:

Reply 4

Calm-and-collected

IELTS

Take Test

email them

Original post by alhasan

Well i am thinking to do medicine for uni. however i've got a C in english GCSE... :s-smilie:

)

I'm afraid they want fluency in ENGLISH, not Dutch as you will be communicating to patients, professors etc in English. Email admissions and ask if you can take another admissions test to prove your english literacy. As suggested above, IELTS is an option. :smile:

Reply 7

alhasan

ok i will email them :smile:

ohh and i forgot to write. i volunteer at asda pharmacy every saturday and sunday. pretty good reference im gonna get from them :smile:

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and yes i got proof that ive lived in holland until 2008 :smile:

Reply 8

alhasan

Original post by splendidsun

As for 'never improving', I'd say you can be guaranteed an A/A* given you started preparing for it now; #

i have literally spent weeks revising for the exam fearing i would actually fail. i couldnt imagine i have gotten to a C. I find it impossible to go back to those poems again :frown:

Reply 9

splendidsun

Original post by alhasan

i have literally spent weeks revising for the exam fearing i would actually fail. i couldnt imagine i have gotten to a C. I find it impossible to go back to those poems again :frown:

I know what you mean- they can get seriously dull
But the secret is in having the right structure/terminology

I hated english haha but got an A following several weeks of revision- our teacher helped us to fully annotate the poems with corresponding justifications so that when it came to practising it was just down to getting the structure right

Reply 10

Angelmail

Original post by alhasan

i have literally spent weeks revising for the exam fearing i would actually fail. i couldnt imagine i have gotten to a C. I find it impossible to go back to those poems again :frown:

you could look into doing english as a foreign language gcse, if they'd allow that, it'd be more suited to you- analysing a metaphor in a poem doesn't prove you can speak english confidently! and yeah look into those other tests too :smile:

but ring/email now, so your getting it sorted early and have time to make the necesarry preparations. good luck!! x