*MEGATHREAD* - The Ultimate 'Am I Good Enough For Medicine?' Angst Thread MK III

if you have to ask whether you're good enough for medicine you probably aren't. a true Jedi master doesn't think he knows.

I am currently doing btec level 3 extended diploma in applied science (which is equivalent to 3 a-levels). can I apply to medicine but do foundation year first or is there another way to get into med school ??
help would be appreciated xx

I am currently doing btec level 3 extended diploma in applied science (which is equivalent to 3 a-levels). can I apply to medicine but do foundation year first or is there another way to get into med school ??
help would be appreciated xx

This year I am applying to sixth form but after I want to go to medical school. Is it true you need 6 A* at GCSE to apply for it? I am predicted to get all A*-B grades and am worried this isn't good enough.

GCSE requirements vary from medical school to medical school. Generally you need a B in maths and English language. Aside from that, obviously the more A*s you have the better, but if your grades are all A*-Bs then that should still be fine. You don't need a minimum of 6 A*s to apply. More info here:

https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/results/gcse/medical-school-gcse-requirements

https://www.medschools.ac.uk/media/2357/msc-entry-requirements-for-uk-medical-schools.pdf

i’ve applied already to bristol birmingham cardiff liverpool. i just want to know my chances compared to people who have gone through the process. My stats are 9,8,8,A*,A*,A*,A*,A,A,A GCSE, A*AA predicted , 650 ukcat band 2.

I’ve been rejected by cardiff and put on hold by bristol. How much of a chance do i have for other unis?

I have a biomed offer as well

I recently moved back from Spain after living and studying there for 10 years. This June I self-studied my A-levels and sat Biology and Spanish as a private candidate. I achieved AB in the end. Due to the cost to sit the exams and practical assignments, the fact I studied them without support and the shift from one educational system to another meant I only took 2.

I am now in the process of studying chemistry and am weighing up my options and chances of getting a place for medicine including a foundation year. I'm also hoping to get some healthcare experience while I study my chemistry as a healthcare assistant in a hospital.

With all of this in mind, including the fact I would have sat all my exams over multiple periods, is it worth waiting a year and trying to apply for medicine next September? If this route is infeasible would my next best option be to apply as a graduate after I finish an undergraduate degree such as biomedical sciences?

I would very much appreciate guidance.

Unfortunately, Bristol and Cardiff are not really med schools that suit your stats, as neither your A*/9 count nor your UKCAT are high enough for their specialist criteria.
Somewhere like Leicester, QUB, UEA, SGUL, Plymouth, Aston, ARU even HYMS, Nottingham, Lincoln or Southampton would have suited your stats better.
I suspect you will be OK with Liverpool and Birmingham will depend what your As are in at GCSE.
Good luck!

my A’s in GCSE are in business , core science and geography

cardiff views 8’s as A’s even tho technically they’re A* so i understand why i was rejected

i’ve applied already to bristol birmingham cardiff liverpool. i just want to know my chances compared to people who have gone through the process. My stats are 9,8,8,A*,A*,A*,A*,A,A,A GCSE, A*AA predicted , 650 ukcat band 2.

I’ve been rejected by cardiff and put on hold by bristol. How much of a chance do i have for other unis?

I have a biomed offer as well

8s are not “technically” A*s, they are 8s.

Cardiff chose to score a 9 higher than an 8 to separate those who do exceptionally well and give them credit for that. With the previous system lots of people got A*s but with the new system fewer get 9s (and much fewer get all 9s) so it makes sense to separate them.

As i keep saying to people on the Cardiff thread these GCSE grading systems are not comparable. They created the new grading system to make it harder (and also to differentiate between) to get the top top grade (unlike before when an A* was much more accessible). I personally think rather than saying an 8 is a low A* and a 9 is a high A* (some people say above A* which is ridiculous) it is better to say a 9 is over x% UMS as then you can actually quantify what these grades are worth.

Hopefully medical schools will learn to adapt to the new system of grading, but its very new and most people dont really know what impact it will have on applications.

Best of luck with your other two choices. Sadly cardiff and bristol do not suit your stats and probably were risky applications.

But then i don’t understand how cardiff/ other unis are comparing our gcses to the applicants who reapplied and did the old gcses. Their A* were much more accessible than the year i did the my gcses with the new grading system. i don’t really understand how it’s fair.

But then i don’t understand how cardiff/ other unis are comparing our gcses to the applicants who reapplied and did the old gcses. Their A* were much more accessible than the year i did the my gcses with the new grading system. i don’t really understand how it’s fair.

The implication is this policy favours Welsh GCSE applicants as they don't have numbered grades.

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