[Peridot_1234]

Hi all

I had all right GCSE grades. 6 A's 1 B and 2 C's and want to apply for medicine to start in September 2009.

This year my AS levels have gone all right, i think i have done well. I am taking Biology, Chemistry, Further Maths (Maths to A2 in one year then Further Maths AS next year) and History.

I plan to drop History but obviously depends on my grades. What i want to know is where do i draw the line before stop going on to do medicine and apply for a feeder course such as Biological Sciences?

[_bonnie]

If you want to do Medicine go for it. But you will need work experience and volunteer work so show commitment and a caring side to go with the academics.

Biological Sciences is not a feeder course, it is a degree in its own right. If your talking about doing this degree and then entering by graduate entry, i personally wouldn't advise it unless your really sure. It is very competitive, more than undergraduate. Its longer and your basically doing a degree which you don't really want to do.

I would say, work on your a levels, get some experience so you know if it is what you want to do, maybe take a gap year during which time work as a HCA or something similar? If you don't get in this year, just take a gap year and reapply... its better than putting yourself through a degree your as keen on to then compete again for a place at medical school.

[isi333]

If you know that Medicine is what you want to do, then concentrate on doing everything you can to improve your application, rather than letting your circumstances dictate what subject you apply for. Statistically, you have the best chance when applying for undergraduate courses. (Biological sciences is not a feeder course!)

Your GCSEs are fine, but not ideal. Just be careful not to apply to unis with a minimum A* requirement.

Voluntary work is essential (if you're not already doing some, start ASAP) and work experience a very good idea.

After that there is UKCAT, possibly BMAT, personal statement, interviews and reapplying after a gap year if unsuccessful. People on this forum will be able to give you advice about those when the time comes.

Good luck! Definitely get down to writing some letters for voluntary or work experience.

Isi xxx

[Peridot_1234]

thanks to both of you for your help, i am doing some voluntary work with a nursing home and ive booked a two week medical work experience in India over the summer holidays. The reason i thought biological sciences was a feeder course was because i went to a lecture at imperial and they told me they accept biological science graduates and fast track them to third year medicine providing they do well enough and have everything needed

[isi333]

^Well, you sound very on-track then.

Yes, there are graduate entry programmes, but these have very different requirements from medical school to medical school and overall accept people with a range of different first degrees, from biomedical sciences to chemistry to arts subjects. There are also very rare cases of people who do very well on first year biomed and succeed at an interview being allowed to transfer into their uni's med school.

But both these routes are hard and not what the majority end up doing. So it's not really accurate to describe biological sciences as a feeder. What about all those people who do biology for its own sake, anyway?

[_bonnie]

Originally Posted by Peridot_1234

two week medical work experience in India over the summer holidays.

Unless you live in India, i would strongly suggest gaining some work experience here too. They are different systems and you need to be aware of how the NHS works.

[Peridot_1234]

i have... i am doing voluntary work in a hospital and am planning to shadow my cousin who is a doctor in Scotland in the Christmas Holidays