[skaran]

Hi, I am considering a career in medicine and I will be starting my a levels in september, taking biology, chemistry, maths and geography. I know medicine is extremely competitive and was wondering if there are any "back up" degrees in case I dont get the necessary grades for medicine.

Thanks.

[HeavyTeddy]

If you don't get the grades, I'd apply to the foundation courses at UEA, Southampton, Nottingham, and a few others (can't remember off the top of my head). They're basically medicine, but they have lower grade requirements and you do an extra 0 year. However, they're much more competitive than normal medicine (A100), so your chances would decrease. That being said, if you plan to do a degree and apply postgraduate medicine, it's also more competitive, so if I was you I'd try extremely hard during your A levels to get the AAA you need.

Word of advice: If you want to do medicine, start researching now! Know exactly how med school admissions work as they are different for different medical schools and to really have a chance you need to apply tactically. Arrange work experience and voluntary work now! Once A levels start to pick up your going to have a very hard time managing that and work exp and voluntary work. Apply for any schemes around your area that might benefit you. Finally, just constantly revise for your A levels, even if you don't have any exams.

[Vulpes]

(Original post by skaran)
Hi, I am considering a career in medicine and I will be starting my a levels in september, taking biology, chemistry, maths and geography. I know medicine is extremely competitive and was wondering if there are any "back up" degrees in case I dont get the necessary grades for medicine.

Thanks.

A lot of people I know have applied for a Biomedical Sciences degree as their 5th UCAS option (as you can only apply to four medical schools). There are many routes into medicine.

- You can either study an undergraduate degree and apply to study medicine via the Graduate-Entry route. However, this is extremely competitive in comparison to the other options.
- You can take a gap year to resit and improve your application (not all medical schools accept resits so your options will be limited)
- Only very few foundation courses will accept you if you did not achieve the necessary grades for medicine as they are generally aimed at applicants who have no studied Biology or Chemistry at A level.

You may hear people saying that you can be transferred into medicine after one year of biomedical sciences. Although this is true in a few universities, the places are extremely limited and you SHOULD NOT depend on taking that route into medicine.

Hope that helps

[skaran]

(Original post by HeavyTeddy)
If you don't get the grades, I'd apply to the foundation courses at UEA, Southampton, Nottingham, and a few others (can't remember off the top of my head). They're basically medicine, but they have lower grade requirements and you do an extra 0 year. However, they're much more competitive than normal medicine (A100), so your chances would decrease. That being said, if you plan to do a degree and apply postgraduate medicine, it's also more competitive, so if I was you I'd try extremely hard during your A levels to get the AAA you need.

Word of advice: If you want to do medicine, start researching now! Know exactly how med school admissions work as they are different for different medical schools and to really have a chance you need to apply tactically. Arrange work experience and voluntary work now! Once A levels start to pick up your going to have a very hard time managing that and work exp and voluntary work. Apply for any schemes around your area that might benefit you. Finally, just constantly revise for your A levels, even if you don't have any exams.

Thank you so much!!!! I will start my research now but I was just wondering what you mean by applying tactically to a med school.

[HeavyTeddy]

(Original post by skaran)
Thank you so much!!!! I will start my research now but I was just wondering what you mean by applying tactically to a med school.

No problem.

Med schools have different criteria they base their admissions on, so where one might favour GCSE's (e.g Birmingham) another doesn't take them into account as much and relies on other methods to give interviews (e.g Newcastle and Durham use the UKCAT to pick who gets the interview). Don't be phased by this now though, just look around TSR (on the medicine sub-forum), there is plenty of information and you have plenty of time, so you should be absolutely fine.

[Maxiinee]

(Original post by skaran)
Hi, I am considering a career in medicine and I will be starting my a levels in september, taking biology, chemistry, maths and geography. I know medicine is extremely competitive and was wondering if there are any "back up" degrees in case I dont get the necessary grades for medicine.

Thanks.

masters in medicine