Optometry to graduate entry medicine?

Hi..
would you be able to list the 18 med schools please? #
- these med schools accept resits?

Hello there!
As a university who offers transfer to Medicine we wanted to just clarify a couple of things

So yes, there is a limited opportunity to transfer to Year 1 of Medicine after the successful completion of Year 1 Optometry here at ARU. Optom is in Cambridge and then you'd need to move to our Chelmsford Campus for Medicine but there is plenty of accommodation at both of these sites for you.

If you are not successful in a transfer, it is important to bear in mind your next options. If you don't want to be an optometrist and you are using this purely as a route into Medicine, we would actually recommend the route via our Biomedical or Medical Science degrees - as these leave you open for Graduate medicine afterwards. Optom would not leave you with this same option.

I hope that makes sense. We are updating web pages shortly so I will post them here as soon as I can to help give you more information.
Any questions, please do ask!

Best wishes,
Megan
#TeamARU

Hello, thank you for the reply, it has been helpful.
Also, after successful completion of an optometry degree(3 years) and getting a 2.1/ 1st, why would the optometry graduate not be able to move into graduate entry medicine, and why is the biomedical sciences preferred instead?
What grades would be needed to transfer onto medicine after the first year of the optometry degree, and is there a process needed to be carried out in order to do so?
If I achieve a degree in optometry would that mean I won’t be able to transfer to any university for graduate entry medicine or just Anglia Ruskin University?
Overall, my main goal is to get into graduate entry medicine but I do like the prospects and career into optometry. Thank you for the helpful advice.

Hi
@ecolier we do not offer a graduate entry programme in regards to we do not allow students to fast-track ahead and enter straight into year 2 for example, however, graduates can and do apply to us for Medicine. This, as with all other institutions, is another highly competitive route.

As for the specifics of transferring from an optom degree in Y1, you will need an average of 75% across the year and with no less than 65% in any of your modules. You can read more about our internal transfers here.

I cannot speak for other universities but I know that completing an optometry degree is not enough to apply for Medicine at ARU. You would need a minimum 2:1 honours degree awarded within the last five years and that degree must be in a biological, biomedical, chemistry or health science subject. At ARU, this is our Biomedical or Medical Science degrees only. This is why I stress that if you don't wish to go into Optometry and you're using this purely as a route into Medicine, it may not be the best idea and I'd recommend the two degrees mentioned above instead.

All graduate applicants must also provide their transcripts which will be evaluated and put to a panel decision, where factors mentioned in their personal statement, such as work experience in healthcare, will be considered. The minimum requirement for GCSEs will also have to be met. The UCAT will also have to be completed by graduate applicants; GAMSAT will not be accepted.

I hope this is helping. Please do keep asking me questions and I will do my best to answer them as quickly as possible.

Best
Megan
#TeamARU

Hello, sorry for the late reply. I just wanted to ask if optometry is not classed as a health science degree at all universities or just anglia ruskin university. Also what is normally the success rate of transferring into medicine after first year of doing an optometry degree at anglia ruskin university? I really appreciate the help and thank you.

@Azotic

Hi there, I need to mention something that might help (or actually might make the factors relevant to your decision more complex - sorry!).

I know a couple of consultant ophthalmologists (doctors who later trained in ophthalmic surgery after qualifying in medicine) whose first degree was actually optometry - they took up medicine after optometry (one of them used to write articles for a journal I wrote for, too, so might be contactable for info - let me know if that would help - [PM me]).

I do appreciate that these guys would have done their medical degree a few years ago, and medical school requirements oc change with time, but I thought I would give you this input as evidence that it is/was possible.

One other point I would make is to ask if you have considered pharmacy as a first degree before doing medicine. Once again, I know at least two people personally who have done this.

Best of luck with your decision and be safe!
M (clinical pharmacologist)