Medicine without A2 biology?

Hey my stats are GCSE: 11 A*s, UKCAT: 660 and I just got my AS results: Chem A (88%), Art A (100%), Maths A (86%), Bio B (74%)
I think based on these results I may have to do Chemistry, Maths, Art, excluding A2 biology. Is this a good idea considering I want to do medicine at Sheffield, Leeds, Oxford, ICL? Which unis do you suggest I should apply to? and will I be disadvantaged in these 4 options?

While most medical schools require only chemistry and your choice of other science, most prefer biology in addition.
Personally as a medical student I would have been lost in some of my lectures this year without the knowledge basis from A2 biology.

Most med schools like 3 sciences even if they only require 2. If you really want Oxford or ICL you don't look as competitive as others with 3, which most applicants will have.

If you really think you have no chance of getting an A, then drop bio if studying a 4th will affect your other grades, as those 3 As are the most crucial thing!

Thanks! which med school do you go to? and hmm ok if that's the case I may need to reconsider, however, do ICL and Oxford really give advantage to those with Biology, I could get an A in it but cant do 4 and with my other subjects I could get a A*A*A prediction so I'm torn :/

Hi, I'm at St Andrews (pre-clinical, going to oxbridge or london for clinical).
The tutor I spoke to at the Oxford med school open day gave me the impression that while technically you aren't supposed to be at any disadvantage with 2 sciences, most applicants will have 3 and since they are so over-subscribed they can easily fill all their places with people with A*AA in 3 sciences. ICL I'm not so sure about, but they are quite competitive as well.

Bear in mind that ICL only requires AAA, and Oxford A*AA, so they will not care if you are predicted any more A*s than AAA and A*AA respectively to pass the first hurdle and get to interview; it's just a tick box/met minimum requirement situation. They will be very interested also in your BMAT score (especially Oxford, if you meet a certain minimum for BMAT you are guaranteed an interview, according to my friend who's there) and personal statement.

In the end it's up to you, you will not be preventing yourself from applying to these unis by dropping bio. Just make sure you are definitely only applying to unis that only require 2 sciences & aren't going to change your mind later!

Hey my stats are GCSE: 11 A*s, UKCAT: 660 and I just got my AS results: Chem A (88%), Art A (100%), Maths A (86%), Bio B (74%)
I think based on these results I may have to do Chemistry, Maths, Art, excluding A2 biology. Is this a good idea considering I want to do medicine at Sheffield, Leeds, Oxford, ICL? Which unis do you suggest I should apply to? and will I be disadvantaged in these 4 options?

If I was in your position I'd drop Art and continue with biology if you can't continue all 4. I personally got 70% exactly in AS and got an A* overall so it's perfectly possible to bring the grade up, AS biology is so much easier than A2 and there is continuation of some topics so it's not hard to retake also.

Thanks for replying, that's amazing but art is a subject I enjoy (a real de-stressing subject) and guess best at so I really don't want to drop it, I guess I'll have to consider it though

I know of someone who got into Leeds for medicine with bio, chem and art, but not sure about your options without biology. I know it's perfectly possible to get an offer with only 2 sciences but biology is usually preferred so I'd stick by that if I were you, especially as the course is so over subscribed. Just go with what you feel is right, I know a lot of courses only say they need chemistry and another science/maths so you might be alright