Apply For Med After Results

i never said anyone is better off with a first degree. i said that is one alternative route to enter medicine. it might be beneficial, maybe not. if you have the cash, do it. if not don't. just an opinion. no need to start flaming. its not like i'm forcing anyone or advising anyone that they MUST do a first degree first. ffs. i know many who can't get into med, and htey go into Biomed. after that they enter medicine. They have the cash and means...so they went ahead with the plan.

i don't know why everyone took what i said out of context and assume i am advicing the thread starter to do a first degree first because it WILL get you into MED school.
i said it might be of an advantage (doing biomed or biochem or whatever), more knowledge, more experience, greater maturity etc.
but do it if you money the money. if not don't.
why is everyone flaming around being moronic and sounding all condenscending about it.
ffs.

Reply 26

Medic11

Well, the point is I don't want to do Biomed. I'd like to go straight onto a med course. I was asking to try and find out if i'd be at any disadvantage applying the year after my A-level exams after already applying for a different course....

No disadvantage at all. Chances are, the med school won't know you applied for another course previously.

Reply 27

Co_incidence

your chances of getting into med school if you hold a first degree before applying is much higher than taking a gap year

Co_incidence

i never said anyone is better off with a first degree...it might be beneficial, maybe not

You're sort of contradicting yourself there.

Reply 28

THAN taking a gap year. i'm comparing doing a course in Biomed to taking a gap year. Its MY opinion.

however, i do apologize about the subjects because i was talking more about the IB course.
tehy want HL Chem, Bio or Phy and HL maths. for some uni.
so that is my apology to British Bulldog.

Reply 29

and when i said "it might be beneficial, maybe not"

beneficial in the sense that you gain more knowledge, etc
" maybe not" in the sense that it cost a whole lot more doing a 4 yr course as some correctly pointed out.

Reply 30

Revd. Mike

17

Co_incidence

and when i said "it might be beneficial, maybe not"

beneficial in the sense that you gain more knowledge, etc
" maybe not" in the sense that it cost a whole lot more doing a 4 yr course as some correctly pointed out.

But that's not what you said. You said:

but put it this way, your chances of getting into med school if you hold a first degree before applying is much higher than taking a gap year.

Which is not true.

Reply 31

you guys don't get it. arguing with no point at all. think whatever you want.

Reply 32

As an international student, you must be paying the full fees upfront so perhaps money is no object to you, but I think you underestimate how much of an influence money is in this situation.

Even aside from money...there is still no benefit in doing a first degree. Undergraduate medicine is geared towards students with A levels, not those with degrees. If you do a subject that's irrelevant to medicine, you're in the same position. If it is relevant and overlaps, you're going to be pretty bored having to go over the same stuff for a few years (and start to think...hold on...this is a complete waste of money)

To the OP...reapply reapply reapply!

Reply 33

money is not a problem to me? i'm an international student as well and i've asked around on alternative routes jsut to get into med because as you know, there is a quota on international student.
so if i don't get into my 4 choices, i have the other 2 that would still get me into med. i'll have to work my ass off part time to earn money for my tuition fee.
as an int'l student i not only narrow my chances to the UK. i apply else where like the US, Russia, Germany!.

i'm saying its alright and if not better if you do a first degree!. i'm not saying you MUST DO IT.

Reply 34

If it is relevant and overlaps, you're going to be pretty bored having to go over the same stuff for a few years (and start to think...hold on...this is a complete waste of money)

you obviously don't know challenging med course will be. So if you have prior knowledge, it will only work to your benefit. (cash-wise, it won't)

Reply 35

Philosoraptor

18

becca2389

No disadvantage at all. Chances are, the med school won't know you applied for another course previously.

They do, you have to show your UCAS number if you applied last year - they check this anyway afterwards to ensure you're not holding an offer for the current year (i.e. a gap year application). But it didn't seem to stop me getting interviews etc, so yes it's definitely a good idea to try, it's nicer to have a safety net for if you don't do so well at A level.

Reply 36

Co_incidence

money is not a problem to me? i'm an international student as well and i've asked around on alternative routes jsut to get into med because as you know, there is a quota on international student.
so if i don't get into my 4 choices, i have the other 2 that would still get me into med. i'll have to work my ass off part time to earn money for my tuition fee.
as an int'l student i not only narrow my chances to the UK. i apply else where like the US, Russia, Germany!.

i'm saying its alright and if not better if you do a first degree!. i'm not saying you MUST DO IT.

I'm not an international student. Why would you think that?

Personally, even if you are an international and have the cash, I can't see why you would rather spend x amount more doing a first degree rather than just taking a year out and reapplying. But it's your money and your life, so do what you will. Good luck with whatever you end up doing. :smile:

In the OP's case (as a UK student with appropriate A levels) taking a gap year is going to be more effective and appropriate than taking an alternative undergraduate degree. Good luck to him too.

you obviously don't know challenging med course will be. So if you have prior knowledge, it will only work to your benefit. (cash-wise, it won't)

How do you know how challenging a med course will be? My friends already at med school have all told me it isn't the difficulty of the work that they found challenging, it is the sheer volume of it. Some have even found first year at Belfast barely a step up from A2.

Reply 37