Are my GCSE grades good enough for medicine or dentistry? (2017 entry)

Hey guys, I'm currently in year 12 and considering applying to medicine or dentistry next year but I don't know if my gcse grades are good enough. I don't feel like I've done good enough for medicine because theres people at my school who got 7A*'s and thought medicine would be too hard for them to get into. So I really don't know if I'm an ideal candidate.

I got:
Eng lit: A
eng lang: A
core science: A
additional science: A
Maths: B
French: A
History: A
RE: A*
Health and social: A

I'm doing A levels in Chemistry, Biology, Eng lit and History. I've been applying to work experience and volunteering.

(edited 8 years ago)

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Reply 1

username1967813

They look pretty good, especially with your A levels and work experience/volunteering, but if you're considering places like Cambridge, you might be a bit hard pushed because the average applicant has a very strong, almost flawless GCSE profile.

Reply 2

ccity99

Original post by connieiscrazy

Thank you! Yeah I wasn't considering anything Oxbridge or in London, I was thinking of going for a uni that's not really gcse focused but is still Russell group

Reply 3

troubadour.

Original post by ccity99

Hey guys, I'm currently in year 12 and considering applying to medicine or dentistry next year but I don't know if my gcse grades are good enough.
I got:
Eng lit: A
eng lang: A
core science: A
additional science: A
Maths: B
French: A
History: A
RE: A*
Health and social: A

I'm doing A levels in Chemistry, Biology, Eng lit and History. I've been applying to work experience and volunteering.

You'll need to make your mind up; it's either dentistry or medicine, not both. You can only send one UCAS personal statement to all your universities and if it suggests that you want to do anything other than what you've applied for, they'll reject you. Both those courses are too competitive for them to consider taking anybody who's unsure about what they're doing.

If you go for medicine, you'll have to avoid places like Cardiff, QUB (unless you apply with achieved grades AAAa), and Oxford because there's no chance of you getting in any of these places with one A* at GCSE in an irrelevant subject.

Reply 4

ccity99

Original post by Hydeman

Thank you so much. I'm going on work experience next month so I can make my mind up about which one because there's no way I'll get accepted if I'm unsure. I was never really considering Oxbridge, just places like Manchester or liverpool. Thanks for the help!

Reply 5

troubadour.

Original post by ccity99

Oxbridge don't even do dentistry so if you go for dentistry, you won't have to worry about them. :smile:

Reply 6

ccity99

Original post by Hydeman

Oxbridge don't even do dentistry so if you go for dentistry, you won't have to worry about them. :smile:

I know, I'm just unsure about dentistry because there's less unis that offer the course so there's probably more competition right?

Reply 7

swanseajack1

to be honest I don't think those grades will get you into Medicine or Dentistry in many places. Check the entry requirements on Ucas and I think you will find most places want x amount of a*. These courses are really competitive and whilst your grades are commendable I do not think you will meet the entry requirements or get offers in the face of the competition

Reply 8

troubadour.

Original post by ccity99

I know, I'm just unsure about dentistry because there's less unis that offer the course so there's probably more competition right?

Yes, it's definitely more competitive. It's not just the fact that fewer universities offer it but also the fact that the universities that do offer it have fewer places on their dentistry courses than on their medicine courses. It's stupidly competitive -- in medicine, you don't really get applicant to place ratios of 20:1 or higher unless you do graduate entry. In dentistry, however, it's commonplace to get that.

Reply 9

troubadour.

Original post by swanseajack1

I can't speak for dentistry but medical schools, at least, usually focus on certain parts of your application instead of looking at it holistically. If the OP avoids places that use GCSEs to shortlist for interview, there's no reason he/she can't get in. :tongue:

Also, there isn't a single medical or dental school in the UK that states that a certain number of A*s is a prerequisite to eligibility. They might specify certain grades in certain subjects, but even then the only medical school that specifically asks for A*s at GCSE in certain subjects is Birmingham.

Reply 10

swanseajack1

General information on subjects/grades required for entry:GCSE results are an important factor in consideration of an application. Results in English (Language and Literature), Mathematics and science (either, both of Biology and Chemistry, or Double award science) are especially important, though results in two additional GCSEs will be taken into account. A mix of A*/A grades should be offered.
this is an example from Birmingham

Reply 11

Swagio

I think the grades may be good enough, except maths, I know when I looked at medicine most places said they wanted an A in math even though I had A *A* in science.
Are you planning going 2016 or 2017? I believe this year's application for medicine and dentistry has closed?

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Reply 12

troubadour.

Original post by swanseajack1

That's not really a fair example, given that Birmingham is the only medical school in the country that requires A*s in anything at GCSE. It's undoubtedly true that medical and dental applicants tend to have better GCSE grades than the OP but the fact of the matter is that different universities focus on different aspects of the application. For some it's the UKCAT, for others it's GCSEs, for yet others it's the personal statement.

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/content.php?r=15897-medical-school-gcse-requirements
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/content.php?r=15907-dentistry-entry-requirements

Reply 13

troubadour.

Original post by Swagio

It says 2017 in the title...

Reply 14

ccity99

Original post by swanseajack1

okay then thanks :smile:

Reply 15

ccity99

Original post by Hydeman

I'm definitely avoiding gcse heavy unis. You have to consider that my year were the first year to do fully linear gcses with no resists and fully linear A-Levels. My chemistry teacher was telling me that exam boards will be more lenient towards 2017 entry and she's an aqa marker.

Reply 16

Swagio

Original post by Hydeman

It says 2017 in the title...

Can you tell why I didn't get into medicine? :wink:

Hahaha jokes, working in a hospital put me offer big time!!

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Reply 17

poppy77

Birmingham med school are brutal - they straight-up told me not to even bother applying last year because I didn't have an A* in GCSE Biology. I think for this year they have a different scoring system though (4 : 2 : 1 A*-B in maths, English, sciences + 2 other subjects).

Reply 18

parentlurker

entry requirements can and do change - e.g. Birmingham haven't been asking for A* grades in specific subjects for long, some change what entrance exam they use, Sheffield dropped its high UKCAT requirement. Cardiff are modifying their previous insistence on high GCSEs. So no-one can give you exact advice on 2017. However you will have a more limited choice of medical school when you apply than someone with a lot of A* GCSEs.

Look at the current wiki and start from there.

There are plenty of other science carers that don't involve working for a government that does not value doctors. Medicine involves life-long study and a disrupted personal life, don't apply unless you can't imagine doing anything else.