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Medical School Without A-Level In Chemistry and Biology

I am currently sitting my A-Levels (Physics, Maths, Chemistry, Computer Science) I am not going to do chemistry in A-Level because it to difficult to memorize everything. Can I get into medical school with a undergraduate degree in physics or computer science?

Reply 1

RDB1826

Hate to break it to you but you've got to be willing to memorise a lot of stuff at university let alone A-Level Chemistry. Not pursuing A-Level Chemistry may severely limit your choice of medical schools. I'm assuming you're already thinking about the graduate route, let alone the normal undergraduate entry. If you're adamant you want to pursue medicine then perhaps it might be better to choice a degree that is allied to medicine, for example biomedical science, anatomy or something similar to show you're interested in that field. I'm not saying that you definitely shouldn't do physics or computer science, but those that have gotten into medical school with those degrees generally didn't decide on medicine until later in their degree (I assume).

Have you not thought of applying for undergraduate entry with A-Levels in Biology and Chemistry (You could pick up AS Biology)? Bear in mind that graduate entry medicine is on the whole much more competitive given the smaller number of places, than undergraduate entry.

Good luck with your decision, I'm sure you won't find A-Level Chemistry as bad as you think!

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 2

meranamenahiaata

Thanks for the quick reply.
I actually don't want to get into medical school right now because i am more interested in computer science and physics, but that being said i wanted to know if i had the option of getting into medical school after i graduated in physics or computer science. I wanted to know if i can get into medical school as a backup plan. I also don't want to do biology because there are many topics that aren't necessary to become a doctor. If i take chemistry in A2 i feel that my other grades will suffer

Reply 3

RDB1826

Original post by meranamenahiaata

No problem. It will all depend on the specific requirements of the university, some graduate schools will still take your A-Level grades and subjects into consideration for selection. So first thing you should do is have a scout round the different websites of medical schools and see whether they take into account your A-Levels or just your degree classification. I'm not entirely sure on whether your degree subject has a bearing on selection on most schools (I call other users to fill me in on this below).

Also check out this TSR article I found on the basis of graduate entry medicine.

EDIT: The article does contain information on the relevance of your degree subject. Some schools allow a degree in any subject, others only sciences (so physics I assume will be sufficient).

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 4

troubadour.

Original post by meranamenahiaata

I actually don't want to get into medical school right now because i am more interested in computer science and physics, but that being said i wanted to know if i had the option of getting into medical school after i graduated in physics or computer science.

If you were graduating with a 2:1 or better today, you would have that option in the form of graduate entry medicine, though you would be limited to applying to those medical schools that don't require that your first degree be in a life sciences subject.

However, these things aren't guaranteed three or four years from now. The number of places available on GEM courses nationally is generally falling; Bristol won't be running the course after the 2016 intake, and St. George's recently cut the number of places on theirs by half. That's before one considers potential changes to funding and the proposal (the last time I checked was) being considered by the GMC to grant full licences to doctors in foundation training, which could potentially be the end of four-year GEM courses (which is all of them, with the exception of Imperial College).

In short: these things can't be guaranteed, so if you really want to go for medicine, it's better to go through the standard route.

I wanted to know if i can get into medical school as a backup plan.

I wouldn't say it's wise to have something like medicine as backup plan, considering how competitive it is and how much weight is placed on motivation and commitment to medicine. Thinking of it as a backup plan is a clear sign that you're not all that motivated to become a doctor.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 5

RDB1826

@Hydeman makes a good point about the future of graduate entry medicine - so there's a few things to take into consideration before making your decisions. But indeed showing your commitment and interest in medicine has got to be at the top of your priority list along with your education.

I'll just tag in ForestCat, she has some good insight into the graduate entry side of things.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 6

soLit

Graduate entry (GEM) so much more competitive than undergraduate. Be warned, always try to get into med initially!

You can not not apply with out Chemistry, I believe all universities ask for chemistry. Most ask for two sciences, so you can get away without biology.

If you are finding it hard to memerize things at A level, it is only going to get harder staying medicine at Uni, so either try to tackle this issue and stick with chemistry, or is medicine the right option for you?

Looking back at it, I am currently sitting my A2's in chemistry. I would recommend you stick with chemistry. There is a lot to remember (Stupid aqua ion colours in chem 5), but it gets so much easier with you finish A2, and you look back at Chem 1 and 2, they are much more simple, and you can resit.

If you are doing the new spec, it is the same deal, except you don't even have to resit, you get 2 years anyway!

Reply 7

o.k

Hey,

I have a friend who studied theology as a first degree, and now is doing medicine. Out of the two, physics/computer science pick which one your more interested in as an A is needed in either.

Alternatively if you have in mind which uni's you want to apply too call them up and ask :-)

- O.K

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