What Med schools accept GCSE re sits?

I will email them if no one has any knowledge on this but I don’t have specific med schools I’d like to apply to because I’m happy with applying to any that I have a chance of getting into.
Also do Med schools look at your education history that you put on your UCAS application?

Reply 1

macpatgh-Sheldon

20

Hi check this file [at-d] from another page on TSR - hope it helps you select best unis to apply to.

M [specialist biology tutor]

Medicine 2023 uni entry req-mts.xlsx46.1KB

Reply 2

username6384948

OP

9

Original post by macpatgh-Sheldon

Hi check this file [at-d] from another page on TSR - hope it helps you select best unis to apply to.

M [specialist biology tutor]

Hi, thank you!!!
Does this include GCSE re sits? :smile:

OP

Bump

Original post by futuremedgirl

Hi, thank you!!!
Does this include GCSE re sits? :smile:

Hi again,

GCSE resits specifically are not looked at by any uni. Most unis require a grade 6/B or better in English and/or in Maths [good literacy and numeracy skills are important for medical training - however, some unis will assess this skill from UCAT or BMAT exam results, too]. Some unis have a greater degree of requirements at GCSE e.g. minimum grades in Sciences or 6-8 A*/7 grades total.

For you, if your GCSE results were not brilliant and if you are resitting some of them, I would select unis that have less stringent or no [e.g. Newcastle] GCSE requirements, depending on your actual grades and subjects.

Please go through column C in the above Excel file to see detail of what various unis stiplulate. [I have had students with only mediocre GCSEs but compensated for by other admissions criteria get into medical school [a number of them are now practising physicians and surgeons]]. Also look at the other columns to try and capitalize on your relatively strong points.

@Reality Check [is your experience any different, sir? i.e. can you add anything? - thank you!]

M

(edited 7 months ago)

Reply 5

username6384948

OP

9

Original post by macpatgh-Sheldon

Hi again,

GCSE resits specifically are not looked at by any uni. Most unis require a grade 6/B or better in English and/or in Maths [good literacy and numeracy skills are important for medical training - however, some unis will assess this skill from UCAT or BMAT exam results, too]. Some unis have a greater degree of requirements at GCSE e.g. minimum grades in Sciences or 6-8 A*/7 grades total.

For you, if your GCSE results were not brilliant and if you are resitting some of them, I would select unis that have less stringent or no [e.g. Newcastle] GCSE requirements, depending on your actual grades and subjects.

Please go through column C in the above Excel file to see detail of what various unis stiplulate. [I have had students with only mediocre GCSEs but compensated for by other admissions criteria get into medical school [a number of them are now practising physicians and surgeons]]. Also look at the other columns to try and capitalize on your relatively strong points.

@Reality Check [is your experience any different, sir? i.e. can you add anything? - thank you!]

M

Hi, so universities don’t actually look at GCSE re-sits?
I’m going to try and aim for a 6/7 in maths and hopefully a 7/8 in english. Would love to achieve higher if possible too as I know med school is really competitive.
Also if I take GCSE science, should I take combined or triple? Also do Med schools accept IGCSEs instead of GCSE science as it would save me paying for practicals?
I’m hoping to achieve 8s/9s in the sciences as that’s important

Do med schools also care about college drop outs? Do they look closely into your education history?

Thank you , I’ll take a closer look into that! :smile:

I’m hoping to get a lot of work experience too. Once I can drive, I’ll probably get a job related like carehome or something like a zero hour contract in a hospital.
I really dream of being a gynaecologist!!
Thanks so much btw!!! :h:

(edited 7 months ago)

Reply 6

macpatgh-Sheldon

20

Original post by futuremedgirl

Hi, so universities don’t actually look at GCSE re-sits?
I’m going to try and aim for a 6/7 in maths and hopefully a 7/8 in english. Would love to achieve higher if possible too as I know med school is really competitive.
Also if I take GCSE science, should I take combined or triple? Also do Med schools accept IGCSEs instead of GCSE science as it would save me paying for practicals?
I’m hoping to achieve 8s/9s in the sciences as that’s important

Do med schools also care about college drop outs? Do they look closely into your education history?

Thank you , I’ll take a closer look into that! :smile:

I’m hoping to get a lot of work experience too. Once I can drive, I’ll probably get a job related like carehome or something like a zero hour contract in a hospital.
I really dream of being a gynaecologist!!
Thanks so much btw!!! :h:

Apologies: maybe I misphrased my first sentence - what I mean to say is that unis [those that care about GCSEs] do look at your GCSE results, either from initial exams or resits, but in my experience they are not too concerned whether these results were from a first attempt or a resit attempt. Yes oc when it comes to A levels, they certainly need to know whether grades achieved were first-time or resit results. Having said that, do bear in mind that it is the global picture of what they see you as that determines whether you are invited for interview [in addition to academic achievements]:

[list]
[*]clearly evident passion for medicine
[*]genuine reason : :

There are an increasing number of older students [graduates] taking up medicne in recent times [as has been the case in USA for ages], so previous education, esp if fruitful, might actually help. As for "dropouts" I have no personal experience, so cannot comment.

Best of luck! :colondollar:

M

Reply 7

GANFYD

18

Original post by futuremedgirl

Hi, so universities don’t actually look at GCSE re-sits?
I’m going to try and aim for a 6/7 in maths and hopefully a 7/8 in english. Would love to achieve higher if possible too as I know med school is really competitive.
Also if I take GCSE science, should I take combined or triple? Also do Med schools accept IGCSEs instead of GCSE science as it would save me paying for practicals?
I’m hoping to achieve 8s/9s in the sciences as that’s important

Do med schools also care about college drop outs? Do they look closely into your education history?

Thank you , I’ll take a closer look into that! :smile:

I’m hoping to get a lot of work experience too. Once I can drive, I’ll probably get a job related like carehome or something like a zero hour contract in a hospital.
I really dream of being a gynaecologist!!
Thanks so much btw!!! :h:

Some med schools do allow GCSE resits and some don't, like most other things for medicine, it varies from uni to uni, so check with any you are particularly interested in.

[quote="macpatgh-Sheldon;98813469"]Apologies: maybe I misphrased my first sentence - what I mean to say is that unis [those that care about GCSEs] do look at your GCSE results, either from initial exams or resits, but in my experience they are not too concerned whether these results were from a first attempt or a resit attempt. Yes oc when it comes to A levels, they certainly need to know whether grades achieved were first-time or resit results. Having said that, do bear in mind that it is the global picture of what they see you as that determines whether you are invited for interview [in addition to academic achievements]:

•

clearly evident passion for medicine

•

genuine reason :undefined: for taking up medicine

•

v good unique PS showing your passion and describing what you gained from work experience

•

great school/headmaster report

•

v good UCAT/BMAT result

There are an increasing number of older students [graduates] taking up medicne in recent times [as has been the case in USA for ages], so previous education, esp if fruitful, might actually help. As for "dropouts" I have no personal experience, so cannot comment.

Best of luck! :colondollar:

M

There are very, very few med schools that take an holistic approach to applications now, and PS is very rarely scored and often not even read.
Most med schools use a ranking system based on admission test scores +/- academics

Reply 8

username6384948

OP

9

[quote="macpatgh-Sheldon;98813469"]Apologies: maybe I misphrased my first sentence - what I mean to say is that unis [those that care about GCSEs] do look at your GCSE results, either from initial exams or resits, but in my experience they are not too concerned whether these results were from a first attempt or a resit attempt. Yes oc when it comes to A levels, they certainly need to know whether grades achieved were first-time or resit results. Having said that, do bear in mind that it is the global picture of what they see you as that determines whether you are invited for interview [in addition to academic achievements]:

•

clearly evident passion for medicine

•

genuine reason :undefined: for taking up medicine

•

v good unique PS showing your passion and describing what you gained from work experience

•

great school/headmaster report

•

v good UCAT/BMAT result

There are an increasing number of older students [graduates] taking up medicne in recent times [as has been the case in USA for ages], so previous education, esp if fruitful, might actually help. As for "dropouts" I have no personal experience, so cannot comment.

Best of luck! :colondollar:

M

That is understandable. It’s good to know that GCSES could be re sat dependent on the university :smile:

. I can definitely share work experience when I find some and will try my best to get good GCSE grades. I’m very nervous in case I’m not smart enough and if all the effort I’ll put in won’t be good enough and I could get low grades.
If I start this week, can I achieve 7-9s by summer?… I may actually take my maths and english exams in november next year to then have more time. Do they still do autumn re sits for English and Maths?

I’ll be 19 studying for GCSEs, 20 for A-Levels and 22 when(if accepted) go to Med school. Would I be classed as a mature student? I feel sk behind and old compared to friends and peers around me☹️

I could also look at the link again and see if Access courses are any use as it’s cheaper but then I’m probably very restricted.

Thanks ever so much :smile:

Reply 9

username6384948

OP

9

Original post by GANFYD

Some med schools do allow GCSE resits and some don't, like most other things for medicine, it varies from uni to uni, so check with any you are particularly interested in.

There are very, very few med schools that take an holistic approach to applications now, and PS is very rarely scored and often not even read.
Most med schools use a ranking system based on admission test scores +/- academics

I’ve looked at a couple of med schools and can’t actually find any info about GCSE re-sits. Does this mean I’d need to email? I will definitely keep looking to see too :smile:

Do you know if ARU is good with GCSEs?
Edit: Have found some info about Gcses :smile:

I’m not actually bothered about where I go, however, I don’t want to be too far away from home so the nearest one is UEA (Norwich) which says :
Applicants who do not meet the GCSE requirement MUST be resitting GCSE’s and predicted to achieve the required grade. This should be evident from their UCAS application.
I don’t meet any requirements really so I do need to re-take!! I’m so happy with that :smile:

. You also need AAA or A* in one subject if you need to re-take and technically, I have taken psychology before at A-Level (self teaching) and didn’t finish the qualification due to my change in career (from nursing to medicine) and I was going to do A -Level Biology, chemistry and psychology or even sociology (so would need an A*) but that may not be allowed in other med schools so will keep looking and if not, I’ll probably find another subject but not physics or maths so something relatively easy to get an A in. I feel more motivated now but still a big decision as no one around me is aware of my idea 😭😭
With Newcastle too, I’m slightly confused maybe overthinking about what this means : Once the academic criteria have been met, academic achievement is not considered further in subsequent parts of the application process eg additional A Levels or A* results or additional GCSE results are not considered.

Does this mean I can’t add new GCSEs or re-sit, or does this mean that once I achieve the GCSEs i need I can’t add any new ones?

Thanks for your help

(edited 7 months ago)

What Med schools accept GCSE re sits?

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