Official Thread: Graduate Entry Medicine 2024 Entry

GCSEs and BMAT are important in deciding whether a place is granted. I can make up for it in the admission exam. Also, Oxford has no formal GCSE requirements either. Having received an interview in the previous cycle, I know I am capable. My parents are willing to cover the costs in the A100 course, so I am not too worried about the money. I was wondering where you got the last stat from regarding the number of grads applying and only 1 being interviewed? I didn't know only 8 would apply, such a small number.

Reply 42

GANFYD

18

Original post by cutelilpapiclown

GCSEs and BMAT are important in deciding whether a place is granted. I can make up for it in the admission exam. Also, Oxford has no formal GCSE requirements either. Having received an interview in the previous cycle, I know I am capable. My parents are willing to cover the costs in the A100 course, so I am not too worried about the money. I was wondering where you got the last stat from regarding the number of grads applying and only 1 being interviewed? I didn't know only 8 would apply, such a small number.

The stats suggest that nobody with 7 A* equivalent GCSEs got an offer, even if interviewed, and that has been the case for several years (though I suspect it is not actually zero). Oxford contextualises GCSE results, so do you have contextual flags? As those with fewer A* GCSEs who are successful will pretty much all have WP flags.

Reply 43

big cauliflower

5

Oof thank god that I did not do IGCSE or GCSE. I didn't even know graduates can apply to the standard entry program. Can you apply to both a101 and a100?

Reply 44

cf18372

5

I asked a similar question a year ago and am still pretty certain that i want to do this so i have better questions. I'm currently doing a Criminology degree at University of Bristol and am going to be graduating in 2023. I've maintained a decent enough grade so far in 2nd year and on my study abroad that I'm on track for a 2:1/1st class honours so I will hit that application criteria.

My issue is with A-Levels. I'm of the generation of students past, where you still had to do AS for everything and you still got graded A-U at GCSE (OK so i'm only 23 but thats still old these days). I dropped out of school so i didn't get anything past AS (which were admittedly terrible due to personal circumstances) and Cambridge requires an A in A-Level Chemistry and AS/A-levels at a pass grade in Biology or Maths. I'm fairly confident i could reach the pass in Maths, as i did Maths at AS for 2 years, but I haven't touched Biology or Chemistry since GCSE when i was 16.

My main questions are:

- For those who have self taught A-levels, how quickly did you do it and how did you fit it around a busy school/work/uni timetable? (I graduate next summer and want to apply the same year so i can start in 2024)
- For Biology and Chemistry, which exam boards are the best to take for self taught students? (Including study resources etc)
- Anyone who has applied for GEP/GEM courses (with or without A-Level grades) how did you find the application process?

I'm asking purely with Cambridge in mind as its my reach school for my application, and its the school with the most requirements that I will be applying to.

Reply 45

Hi @ecolier!

I need some advice please. My GCSE's were 88877777665, with 6's in Maths and Geography and a 5 in German. My A-Level predicted grades were BBB and I had applied for Gateway Year Medicine programs however I had an awful stint with my health as well as huge family issues that meant not only were my mock grades the best but that because I didn't sit the finals I got those mock grades (this is 2021 TAGs) which were BDE, DE being chemistry and biology, y13 was both physically and mentally exhausting and traumatic for me that the thought of resitting almost gave me a nervous breakdown (literally)! I'm applying at UCLan with hopes to either transfer to Medicine after foundation entry (though I know this is VERY competitive and hard), and if not to try GEM following my Medical Sciences degree. I took an English degree at university after feeling very hopeless and not driven for Medicine, mostly due to mental health, but now having found that drive and motivation and attending therapy etc, I was wanting to know if the avenue I'm exploring is hopefully the best. Should I try GEM following the Medical Sciences degree or would it be best to apply for the standard course? What would you recommend or advise is my best course of action?

I look forward to your reply!

Reply 46

I am currently studying English Language & Linguistics and hoping to complete the year, but I have applied at UCLan for their Medical Sciences program to start Sept 2022 which would give me more options at GEM and build my foundation for medicine. Is that a good plan for me? I was advised by my dad to drop out as it would mean tuition fee for this year would be far less but a CertHE may be useful to my application no?

Also would SFE cover the tuition fees for transferring to Medicine after Medical Sciences at UCLAN, whether it be undergrad or GEM?

Reply 47

1) Would changing over to Medical Sciences not be a good idea?

2) Oh right so with GEM, my tuition fees cost would be covered but with standard undergrad I'd have to pay for the whole course myself and no loans from SFE?

Reply 48

1) That's true. So with Medical Sciences would you suggest it's a good course to use if you want to get on to a MSc Pre-Registration AHP course rather than Medicine or are those even competitive?

2) Yep I've taken a look, it looks like in the first year you'd pay towards it but following that you wouldn't, right?

Reply 49

In that case it would be better to study abroad for Medicine at something like Georgia! Do you know anything about that at all?

Reply 50

Oh wow is it not good at all??! How can I find out about if it's worthwhile to do, I know that it is GMC Maybe.

Reply 51

Haha I will do, thanks! What course for Medicine abroad would you suggest is the best to study at if one couldn't do so in the UK?

Reply 52

Original post by naanybready

1) That's true. So with Medical Sciences would you suggest it's a good course to use if you want to get on to a MSc Pre-Registration AHP course rather than Medicine or are those even competitive?

Undergrad AHP courses are generally considered competitive, although it does vary course to course. An MSc pre-reg course is very likely to be more competitive than that as there will be fewer places. They're not as competitive as medicine, but certainly more than most undergraduate degrees but a fair way.
Ultimately, if you want to be an AHP, go and be an AHP! Don't pay for two degrees to get there.

Reply 53

Is that because of the organisation or the course structure or the accreditation?

Reply 54

Original post by PAR2MED

Undergrad AHP courses are generally considered competitive, although it does vary course to course. An MSc pre-reg course is very likely to be more competitive than that as there will be fewer places. They're not as competitive as medicine, but certainly more than most undergraduate degrees but a fair way.
Ultimately, if you want to be an AHP, go and be an AHP! Don't pay for two degrees to get there.

As my A-levels aren't the best most courses wouldn't take me on. B in English, D in Chemistry and E in Biology.

Reply 55

Original post by naanybready

Is that because of the organisation or the course structure or the accreditation?

probably because it just makes it harder to bring your qualification over to the UK!

There are a number of reasons to aim to study in the country you want to work in. I met a couple of doctors only a few weeks ago that had come to practice in the UK. One was a consultant endocrinologists in his own country, but had to go back to registrar level on arrival in the UK. I'm not sure about the other, but I'm sure a similar experience!

Reply 56

Original post by naanybready

As my A-levels aren't the best most courses wouldn't take me on. B in English, D in Chemistry and E in Biology.

I think you need to decide what you want to do - medicine or AHP. They're different jobs (and there's lots of different AHP roles!), and going into a interview as an AHP and telling them it's your "backup for medicine" won't get you very far.

Reply 57

Original post by PAR2MED

I think you need to decide what you want to do - medicine or AHP. They're different jobs (and there's lots of different AHP roles!), and going into a interview as an AHP and telling them it's your "backup for medicine" won't get you very far.

It's not that it's a backup really, so for me I'm very divisive between Diagnostic Radiography and Medicine. Medicine appeals to me that much more because of the job security around the world and that Medicine is absolutely vital and will need a workforce in the years to come. But with Diagnostic Radiography I just don't know if technology could replace the need for radiographers! Secondly, Medicine has the scope of being emphasized on patient care and interaction more so than DR. That's why I also thought - @PAR2MED - that Medical Sciences at UCLan would help me also choose properly by allowing me the options. I do lean a lot more towards Medicine than DR I think but I have both in my mind as really strong passions of mine!

Reply 58

Original post by naanybready

It's not that it's a backup really, so for me I'm very divisive between Diagnostic Radiography and Medicine. Medicine appeals to me that much more because of the job security around the world and that Medicine is absolutely vital and will need a workforce in the years to come. But with Diagnostic Radiography I just don't know if technology could replace the need for radiographers! Secondly, Medicine has the scope of being emphasized on patient care and interaction more so than DR. That's why I also thought - @ecolier @PAR2MED - that Medical Sciences at UCLan would help me also choose properly by allowing me the options. I do lean a lot more towards Medicine than DR I think but I have both in my mind as really strong passions of mine!

I understand being torn, but a medical sciences degree is an expensive way to decide between the two! I don't know much about radiography, but I'm not so sure myself how quickly radiographers are likely to be replaced...

Reply 59