Can I contact unis to get a place into medicine?

Zigi

I've just been rejected from 3 of my 4 universities without interview. I suspect my 4th uni will also reject me. I applied at Manchester (rejected), Leeds (waiting for reply), Sheffield (rejected) and Liverpool (rejected). Should I personally go to the university and tell them to reconsider and try to give me at least an interview? What do any of you suppose I should do. I really don't want to take a gap year.

Well, you've nothing to lose by trying to get them to reconsider so give it a go. Other options include calling places up on result days and asking if they have spare places.

Why don't you want to take a gap year? They're awesome. Is it just that you haven't really considered it before?

Doing a different degree, then applying to medicine as a graduate is a much more expensive, time-consuming and less enjoyable experience than taking a year out....

Stay positive about Leeds tho, it's not over yet :smile:

Reply 2

OP

Thanks Johnny, has anyone ever got into medicine even though theyve been rejected via ucas??? I'll contact all 4 on monday. The only reason why I don't wish to take a gap year is that its going to take ages for time to go by and I probably lose a bit of my academic knowledge too. Its mega hard to get into medicine, even when you have the required predicted grades, work experience etc.

Reply 3

Zigi

Thanks Johnny, has anyone ever got into medicine even though theyve been rejected via ucas??? I'll contact all 4 on monday. The only reason why I don't wish to take a gap year is that its going to take ages for time to go by and I probably lose a bit of my academic knowledge too. Its mega hard to get into medicine, even when you have the required predicted grades, work experience etc.

I'm on my second gap year right now applying to medicine, and I have an offer. I don't feel it's been any harder for me, in fact I think its been easier because I've had loads of time to research unis, write a good PS, prepare for interviews.

Sure I've forgotten some of the stuff I knew when I left school, but I bought myself some revision aids just before my interviews and it all came back to me quite easily.

As for gap years, if you stay at home all day and do nothing then they go slowly, but if you get a full-time job, join some sports teams, go travelling etc... the time will fly by and you'll almost certainly enjoy it. I really can't recommend taking a gap year enough!!!!

Reply 4

mortderire

10

I'm on my second gap year right now applying to medicine

wow
u r pretty dedicated

Reply 5

Lost_Cause

7

But its not that easy to take a gap year. I really hope to get into med school this year because i cant really afford to pay for a gap year, and nor can my parents so taking one isnt really much of an option. I suppose i could get a job for the year but then i wouldnt have improved my application in any way, when there are people who jet off to poor countries and do charity work etc...

Reply 6

mortderire

wow
u r pretty dedicated

lol, well I didn't decide to apply for medicine until I was on my first gap year, by which time I had already missed the October 15 deadline.... so I had to wait and take a second gap year to apply.

Still, had I applied to medicine when I was in year 13 and not got in, I would have taken a gap year and tried again for sure....

This is the way I see it... If you know for sure you want to become a doctor and you don't get into med school - there's two things you can do:

1. Do a different degree then apply again to medicine postgrad.

2. Wait a year and apply again.

Option 1 costs about £25,000, takes 3 years and means you actually have to study, go to lectures etc.......

Option 2 will allow you to earn money, only takes a year and you'll get to do the kind of stuff like travelling etc... that you may never have the chance to do again in your life....

So, it's a no-brainer really :smile:

Reply 7

OP

A gap year does sound like a good way to recuperate and re-apply to unis but there has to be other ways. There has to be a way of getting them to give you an interview even when theyve rejected you. What about Ucas Extra or clearing? Is it possible to get into medicine through those roots or is it impossible?

Reply 8

Lost_Cause

But its not that easy to take a gap year. I really hope to get into med school this year because i cant really afford to pay for a gap year, and nor can my parents so taking one isnt really much of an option. I suppose i could get a job for the year but then i wouldnt have improved my application in any way, when there are people who jet off to poor countries and do charity work etc...

Can't afford to take a gap year?!!!!!

Why can't you get a job and do some voluntary work at the same time. You save up money for a few months, then go travelling and do your charity work etc overseas....

Come on, stop being so negative about gap years. Just use a bit of imagination.... :smile:

Reply 9

mortderire

10

A gap year does sound like a good way to recuperate and re-apply to unis but there has to be other ways. There has to be a way of getting them to give you an interview even when theyve rejected you. What about Ucas Extra or clearing? Is it possible to get into medicine through those roots or is it impossible?

i wouldnt say its impossible..but im nt sure
for example with dentistry

a guy from our school- got rejected from his unis...on results day got 3 As...foned up bham and now goes there

another girl..didn get the results she wanted, foned up one of her unis and they sed theyd take her if she retook one of her subjects and got the grade

Reply 10

Zigi

A gap year does sound like a good way to recuperate and re-apply to unis but there has to be other ways. There has to be a way of getting them to give you an interview even when theyve rejected you. What about Ucas Extra or clearing? Is it possible to get into medicine through those roots or is it impossible?

Impossible through UCAS extra and I don;t think any medicine places are advertised officially thru clearing, however as I said earlier... if u phone up med schools when a-level results come out, there is often a few places across the country which need to be filled.

Maybe, if u got your school to write a letter to your med schools explaining that you haven't had any interviews, maybe somewhere will be understanding and give you an interview - tbh I think it's a long shot

Reply 11

OP

Johnny C.

Impossible through UCAS extra and I don;t think any medicine places are advertised officially thru clearing, however as I said earlier... if u phone up med schools when a-level results come out, there is often a few places across the country which need to be filled.

Maybe, if u got your school to write a letter to your med schools explaining that you haven't had any interviews, maybe somewhere will be understanding and give you an interview - tbh I think it's a long shot

thanks for the advice. Btw, what happens if during the gap year you still get rejected from all the unis. You would be left in a very tight spot then wouldnt you?

Reply 12

Zigi

thanks for the advice. Btw, what happens if during the gap year you still get rejected from all the unis. You would be left in a very tight spot then wouldnt you?

Well, you either take another gap year and reapply or go with one of your non-medicine choices....

If it was me, I'd take another gap year and try again.

Btw, I only know 4 people who took gap years and reapplied to medicine and all of them have got offers this year.... You'll be so much better prepared next time you apply.... get feedback from unis and learn from it :smile:

Reply 13

MaryKay

8

You have little chance of picking up a place post results day even if you get top grades unless you have previously been interviewed by the med school. PMS was one exception last year; some applicants who had previously been rejected without interview were called for belated interviews in late August, a number being offered places.

Should you find yourself with 4 rejections - and don't give up hope yet, you've still to hear from your final choice - follow Johnny C's advice. Work hard, get top grades and take a gap year! If you use it productively to boost your work experience and write a great PS, you stand every chance of getting in second time round - much cheaper and less risky than the GEP route.

Reply 14

Zafda

8

Zigi

I've just been rejected from 3 of my 4 universities without interview. I suspect my 4th uni will also reject me. I applied at Manchester (rejected), Leeds (waiting for reply), Sheffield (rejected) and Liverpool (rejected). Should I personally go to the university and tell them to reconsider and try to give me at least an interview? What do any of you suppose I should do. I really don't want to take a gap year.

i'm in the same place as you, applied to 3 of the same unis as you (manchester, sheffield and liverpool) but i had an interview with liverpool so i'm still hoping i may get an offer there.

otherwise i'm gapping the next yr, this year has been one of the hardest years of my life but i'm determined to hold on to it for one more year, if all fails i'll do something else.

i'd defo recommend a gap year, you still have a chance so maybe there is hope, but doing another degree will be 3 years worth of money and the chances of you getting in as a graduate are very very slim.. if competition begins to rise as it is now maybe then it'd be even harder to get a place.

i really hope it works out for you :[ x

Reply 15

tomk121

2

zigi what are predicted a level results and what GCSE's did you get ?
thanks

Reply 16

OP

Thank for the help ppl, I might just take a gap year if Leeds were to also reject me.

tomk121

zigi what are predicted a level results and what GCSE's did you get ?
thanks

In GCSE I got A*A* (double award science), A (RS, Geography), B (French, History, English Lit and Lang, IT, Maths), coming from a secondary school which is bottom out of 23 schools for my area.
AS - Maths (A), Chemistry (A), Physics (B) and Biology (B)
Carrying on all 4 into A2 and predicted all A's. Done work experience in nursing home, schools and hospital.

Reply 17