Oxford biomedical science

username5738755

6

Hi

(edited 1 year ago)

Reply 1

Shimmeringorbs

8

Original post by alanapang8

Hi after asking a lot about medicine at Oxford a few people have told me that it may be a good idea to look at a different course if I want to go there
-
I was thinking about doing the biomedical science course and then doing medicine after I finished
Despite both being extremely hard and competitive courses would I stand a bettter chance at getting in to Oxford biomedical science with my less then ideal GCSEs
I have

History 7
Drama 8
Dance 9
Food tech 7
Science 6,6
English lit
8
English Lang 8
Maths 7
PRS 7

I am also thinking of retaking my biology and chemistry GCSE as I’m taking the a level anyway so hopefully you could add
2 9s at the end of that list

I will hopefully end up with A*, A*, A*, A* in biology chemistry psychology history
And a A* EPQ

Do i stand a chance at Oxford if I have amazing BMAT and personal statement

You haven't thought this through properly. Retaking your GCSEs is a waste of time and money, if you have/will be predicted the A-levels then there's absolutely no point. It's like redoing your A-levels when you have a degree in that subject (pointless), you got what you got and you move on.

Why are you doing 4 A-levels? Neither of psychology or history adds anything especially productive to your application, and A*A*A* is better than ending up with A*BBB or whatever. Again this is a waste of time and you're spreading yourself too thin.

Reply 2

L-K

15

Original post by alanapang8

Hi after asking a lot about medicine at Oxford a few people have told me that it may be a good idea to look at a different course if I want to go there
-
I was thinking about doing the biomedical science course and then doing medicine after I finished
Despite both being extremely hard and competitive courses would I stand a bettter chance at getting in to Oxford biomedical science with my less then ideal GCSEs
I have

History 7
Drama 8
Dance 9
Food tech 7
Science 6,6
English lit
8
English Lang 8
Maths 7
PRS 7

I am also thinking of retaking my biology and chemistry GCSE as I’m taking the a level anyway so hopefully you could add
2 9s at the end of that list

I will hopefully end up with A*, A*, A*, A* in biology chemistry psychology history
And a A* EPQ

Do i stand a chance at Oxford if I have amazing BMAT and personal statement

Taking an undergraduate course with the aim of doing medicine as a second degree is never a good idea.
Graduate entry medicine course are even more competitive and are incredibly expensive as you don't get the same student loan support.

I think retaking GCSEs is a waste of time, you need to focus on your A level grades instead. Going from a grade 6 at GCSE to an A* at A level is a huge jump and will require a considerable amount of work.

Reply 3

L-K

15

Original post by alanapang8

Hi after asking a lot about medicine at Oxford a few people have told me that it may be a good idea to look at a different course if I want to go there
-
I was thinking about doing the biomedical science course and then doing medicine after I finished
Despite both being extremely hard and competitive courses would I stand a bettter chance at getting in to Oxford biomedical science with my less then ideal GCSEs
I have

History 7
Drama 8
Dance 9
Food tech 7
Science 6,6
English lit
8
English Lang 8
Maths 7
PRS 7

I am also thinking of retaking my biology and chemistry GCSE as I’m taking the a level anyway so hopefully you could add
2 9s at the end of that list

I will hopefully end up with A*, A*, A*, A* in biology chemistry psychology history
And a A* EPQ

Do i stand a chance at Oxford if I have amazing BMAT and personal statement

will likely be able to give you good advice on this.

Reply 4

username5738755

OP

6

Hi thank you there were some very bad decisions and circumstances that lead to that 6. The first was that I was undeniably horrible at physics which lowered my marks heavily. Second I was bored as critically vulnerable and under doctor observation was told to not come into school from January 2020 to May 2021. As a result I had about zero preparation for these exams and was not prepared. I am now caught up completely and am willing to put everything I’ve got into my a levels

Reply 5

Shimmeringorbs

8

Original post by alanapang8

Hi thank you there were some very bad decisions and circumstances that lead to that 6. The first was that I was undeniably horrible at physics which lowered my marks heavily. Second I was bored as critically vulnerable and under doctor observation was told to not come into school from January 2020 to May 2021. As a result I had about zero preparation for these exams and was not prepared. I am now caught up completely and am willing to put everything I’ve got into my a levels

Then you get whoever writes your reference to mention these circumstances, you don't waste time and money resitting your GCSEs (it would only be worth it if you didn't get passing grades, and even then if you didn't you wouldn't have been able to do the A-levels anyway, so you'd have to do the GCSEs again first). What's done is done.

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 6

username5706823

20

Mate those A levels are rather hard... you can't say that you'll get 4A*s with that much certainty.... why don't you drop one or at least drop the EPQ? so you'll get 3A*s as that would be better.

Also you know even with amazing grades, there's no guarantee that you'll get into Oxford, so you'll have to bear that in mind and try not to get your hopes too high...

Reply 7

username5706823

20

Original post by alanapang8

Hi after asking a lot about medicine at Oxford a few people have told me that it may be a good idea to look at a different course if I want to go there
-
I was thinking about doing the biomedical science course and then doing medicine after I finished
Despite both being extremely hard and competitive courses would I stand a bettter chance at getting in to Oxford biomedical science with my less then ideal GCSEs
I have

History 7
Drama 8
Dance 9
Food tech 7
Science 6,6
English lit
8
English Lang 8
Maths 7
PRS 7

I am also thinking of retaking my biology and chemistry GCSE as I’m taking the a level anyway so hopefully you could add
2 9s at the end of that list

I will hopefully end up with A*, A*, A*, A* in biology chemistry psychology history
And a A* EPQ

Do i stand a chance at Oxford if I have amazing BMAT and personal statement

Also if you're that keen on Oxbridge, why don't you apply to Cambridge? as they supposedly care less about GCSEs than Oxford?

Reply 8

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

21

Doing another degree first when your plan is to do medicine anyway is a huge waste of time and money. Also, medicine for graduates (either standard entry medicine or graduate entry medicine) is considerably more competitive than for school leavers. Just forget about Oxford and apply to medicine if your aim is to be a doctor. It would be truly absurd to apply to another degree at Oxford, to do medicine later, just so you can say you went to Oxford. Moreover, it will actually hurt your chances of ultimately qualifying as a doctor because as noted, for graduates medicine is much more competitive. Just apply to medical schools that don't emphasise GCSEs as much.

Doing medicine at Oxford makes no difference whatsoever compared to doing it anywhere else. Likewise doing your first degree at Oxford then medicine (anywhere) makes no difference in your career as a doctor. Medical recruitment does not consider where you went to medical school - it is not factored into the algorithm for foundation post allocation, and for specialty recruitment they are barred from discriminating against applicants (positively or negatively) based on where they did medicine and usually your application is processed "blind" so that the people interviewing you and/or making the decision do not know where you went to medical school anyway.

Your repeated posts on this matter will not change the answer you will get on this. Accept that you need to make a decision between medicine and Oxbridge at this point - noting as above that going to Oxbridge will make no direct difference in a medical career whatsoever. Don't do something else in order to do medicine later. Also Oxford considers GCSEs for all courses (to varying extends) and biomedical science is extremely competitive there as well due to it being such a small course. Additionally Oxford BMS does not consider applicants with a medicine personal statement.

Also, repeatedly making threads which are more or less thinly veiled ways to get people to validate your prioritising Oxbridge over medicine, but still wanting to do medicine, is not constructive for anyone involved and wastes peoples time answering you in good faith when if you don't get the answer you want evidently you will just make a new, slightly different thread with the same ultimate goal.

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 9

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

21

Original post by summerbirdreads

Also if you're that keen on Oxbridge, why don't you apply to Cambridge? as they supposedly care less about GCSEs than Oxford?

They only have two STEM subjects at A-level so wouldn't be competitive for medicine or natural sciences at Cambridge, is why. They made a thread on that same question earlier...after another thread about applying to Oxford for medicine originally...they obviously care more about the perceived prestige of Oxbridge than any practical benefit to their planned vocation. Also that prestige chasing suggests they have somewhat disingenuous reasons for wishing to pursue medicine as well...

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 10

username5706823

20

Original post by artful_lounger

They only have two STEM subjects at A-level so wouldn't be competitive for medicine or natural sciences at Cambridge, is why. They made a thread on that same question earlier...after another thread about applying to Oxford for medicine originally...they obviously care more about the perceived prestige of Oxbridge than any practical benefit to their planned vocation. Also that prestige chasing suggests they have somewhat disingenuous reasons for wishing to pursue medicine as well...

Oh, I haven't really noticed the psychology lol.. I have seen the other threads though, seems like they want to go because all their family went...
Since they have the right mindset for medicine, I'm sure they'll make a good doctor and definitely love their career in the future.

Reply 11

Mpho47

7

Hello could you please award my CAS for the D Phil in Biomedical Sciences in 2023 on my name ;Mpho;Tshoagong on email address [email protected] on Balliol or Merton as my IPP address was redeemed accordingly, thank you, sincerely yours:Mpho:Tshoagong

Oxford biomedical science

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