Medicine with No Biology qualification

hazzypants

Please leave comments with any of the following information:

1) Yourself, of people you know getting into med school with no biology to A2

2) Or getting into medicine with only AS Biology, or AS Biology taken in the second year.

Places like Manchester and Imperial say they only want "chemistry and a Science" But I want to know if there are actually people that exist that got in with Chemistry, Maths and German A2 or Chemistry, Maths and English A2 or whatever...

Thank you!

I took Chem, Maths, RS and German for AS and A2 so haven't done Biology since GCSE Science Double Award. I've just started at Manchester and also got an offer from Glasgow. I know someone else who has just started at Manchester without Biology at AS or A2.
You really don't need biology past GCSE to get offers from places where it isn't a requirement but it looks like its going to take quite a bit more effort to catch up with everyone else, especially if you end up with graduates or other people with experience beyond A-level.

Reply 21

hazzypants

OP

16

Suspect

I took Chem, Maths, RS and German for AS and A2 so haven't done Biology since GCSE Science Double Award. I've just started at Manchester and also got an offer from Glasgow. I know someone else who has just started at Manchester without Biology at AS or A2.
You really don't need biology past GCSE to get offers from places where it isn't a requirement but it looks like its going to take quite a bit more effort to catch up with everyone else, especially if you end up with graduates or other people with experience beyond A-level.

wow that's reallty nice to hear! i'm coming to the open day this weekend at manc :smile:

could you do some investigating and find out if theyre are many non biology peol eat manchester???

cheers x

Reply 22

Naveed

1

hazzypants

do you didnt have any biology at all??

what did you have?? as in a levels, work exp etc;;

thnak you so much :smile:

hey sorry for the late reply! thats what happens when you're a random bastard like me who does all his work on a friday night (and also has to wait a month for his internet connection!) anyway i had A level Maths Chemistry and Physics. I had AS Economics too. I had 1 week work exp in a hospital and 1 week in a GP did some voluntary stuff and extra curricular too. Quite a standard application i'd say, aside from the biology thing. I was sceptical too when I was applying because everyone else had biology, but the med schools that don't require it really don't look at you any differently.

Reply 23

tami

i would recommend you get at least biology AS because otherwise you will find your first term really tough.

Reply 24

No Future

17

crazyhelicopter

a level biology is virtually irrelevant to the actual study of medicine, you are taught all the bits you need to know again

Then surely it's not irrelevant?

Reply 25

crazyhelicopter

11

No Future

Then surely it's not irrelevant?

Blimey, thats an old post...

I think my point was that you don't actually need A-level biology to be able to understand the course, as all the relevant stuff is retaught

Reply 26

Huw Davies

11

If medical schools that don't say they require Biology actually do prefer candidates who study it, why wouldn't they say so?

I didn't do Biology either to AS or A2 and didn't find it to be a problem at Oxford. We had one lecture on "biology for non-biologists" (and one on "physics for non-physicists). I think the figure is about 7% of intake who haven't taken it.

Reply 27

hazzypants

OP

16

Huw Davies

If medical schools that don't say they require Biology actually do prefer candidates who study it, why wouldn't they say so?

I didn't do Biology either to AS or A2 and didn't find it to be a problem at Oxford. We had one lecture on "biology for non-biologists" (and one on "physics for non-physicists). I think the figure is about 7% of intake who haven't taken it.