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Reply 20
Original post by Llamageddon
Two ways, really. Either contact universities directly requesting information, look for alternatives or both.

There are plenty of alternatives where you'll be in a respected profession, making a good wage doing things that make a measurable difference to peoples lives. In your position I'd probably take a shot at dentistry, optometry, physio etc. I know it's a hard truth to be told, but your chances at medicine are very slim indeed. Your chances of a successful, fulfilling career however are much better.

best of luck

I had the feeling dentistry wouldn't want me to as I failed medicine. Might consider it, but to be frank I had my heart set on Medicine.

Thanks anyway. One of the reasons I'm thinking of doing a degree here anyway, then applying straight for abroad medicine is that. At least even if I don't get into medicine, I'll have a good degree.

Thanks for the response.
Reply 21
If I were you I would seriously give another university course some thought. Having been through the process once, the second time will be much harder for you I think (because this isn't a simple reapplication) and if you get onto a course I personally have doubts as to how you would fare in the long, long process of medical training. Any way, thats my opinion; there's no doubt you're a committed person so I wish you good luck.
(edited 13 years ago)
Reply 22
Original post by dfjr
I had the feeling dentistry wouldn't want me to as I failed medicine. Might consider it, but to be frank I had my heart set on Medicine.

Thanks anyway. One of the reasons I'm thinking of doing a degree here anyway, then applying straight for abroad medicine is that. At least even if I don't get into medicine, I'll have a good degree.

Thanks for the response.


i have similar-ish experiences to you, except the **** hit the fan for me during my ALevels so I missed my grades and never actually became a medical student, which makes things less problematic for me. As i'm sure you know, most medical schools are unwilling to consider an applicant if they have previously failed medical school. All of these comments about you not working hard enough or whatever are complete rubbish because when you have personal problems, it is obviously going to affect the way you are working. half the people on this forum think doctors possess some sort of god complex and i'd be more worried if your problems didn't affect you AT ALL in one way or another - you're only human. With medicine admissions you need to think carefully about the future. There is the case of a student who failed medicine 1st year, did a degree and then returned and did GEP med at SGUL. However in the future, it is debatable about whether or not students in this case will be readmitted - on one hand fees are increasing, but then competition is fierce for GEP and we are competing against people with very strong academic backgrounds and those with years' of experience. Off the top of my head I know peninsula are willing to or at least used to consider applicants in your position but then with the fees increase god knows what will happen - med will cost £36K in tuition fees after being in debt from a first degree so finances are something to be considered too.

If you go abroad, you will need to sit PLAB if you choose a non EU uni when you come back to the UK to practice. There is the argument that those trained abroad get the rubbish/spare F1 posts after most english grads get their choices - i don't know the truth in this tbh. If you choose an EU uni, the preclin syllabus is even harder than the UK - they do lots of biophysics and chemistry and exams are harder. Also by clinical years you have to be fluent in the native language and if you are not, you get kicked off after spending X amount on fees. These med schools are in it for the money IMO - it costs something like £10k per year.

Like someone else said I think the best thing for you to consider at the moment is a vocational degree (if you still want to work in health) - pharmacy, optometry, orthoptics, audiology etc. Something that guarantees you a job because there is absolutely no guarantee that you will get back in medicine. Don't choose biomed or any of the other science degrees unless you want to work in them. I myself am about to start pharmacy and even though medicine is where my heart lies, I don't know about the surprises that lie ahead now - it is about making the best of the situation you find yourself in and you may even find a few years down the line that medicine isn't what will suit your lifestyle/what you want anymore.
Reply 23
Original post by elsa10

Original post by elsa10
i have similar-ish experiences to you, except the **** hit the fan for me during my ALevels so I missed my grades and never actually became a medical student, which makes things less problematic for me. As i'm sure you know, most medical schools are unwilling to consider an applicant if they have previously failed medical school. All of these comments about you not working hard enough or whatever are complete rubbish because when you have personal problems, it is obviously going to affect the way you are working. half the people on this forum think doctors possess some sort of god complex and i'd be more worried if your problems didn't affect you AT ALL in one way or another - you're only human. With medicine admissions you need to think carefully about the future. There is the case of a student who failed medicine 1st year, did a degree and then returned and did GEP med at SGUL. However in the future, it is debatable about whether or not students in this case will be readmitted - on one hand fees are increasing, but then competition is fierce for GEP and we are competing against people with very strong academic backgrounds and those with years' of experience. Off the top of my head I know peninsula are willing to or at least used to consider applicants in your position but then with the fees increase god knows what will happen - med will cost £36K in tuition fees after being in debt from a first degree so finances are something to be considered too.

If you go abroad, you will need to sit PLAB if you choose a non EU uni when you come back to the UK to practice. There is the argument that those trained abroad get the rubbish/spare F1 posts after most english grads get their choices - i don't know the truth in this tbh. If you choose an EU uni, the preclin syllabus is even harder than the UK - they do lots of biophysics and chemistry and exams are harder. Also by clinical years you have to be fluent in the native language and if you are not, you get kicked off after spending X amount on fees. These med schools are in it for the money IMO - it costs something like £10k per year.

Like someone else said I think the best thing for you to consider at the moment is a vocational degree (if you still want to work in health) - pharmacy, optometry, orthoptics, audiology etc. Something that guarantees you a job because there is absolutely no guarantee that you will get back in medicine. Don't choose biomed or any of the other science degrees unless you want to work in them. I myself am about to start pharmacy and even though medicine is where my heart lies, I don't know about the surprises that lie ahead now - it is about making the best of the situation you find yourself in and you may even find a few years down the line that medicine isn't what will suit your lifestyle/what you want anymore.


Thank you for your reply.

St george's is one of the ones who haven't contacted me back actually. also peninsula. So if those two are willing, that's another 2 choices. so 6 unis in total. And considering you'll be able to apply to both grad and undergrad, that might be enough choices. So that's useful to hear. Maybe I'll get a bit more on the back of these two unis to respond if that's the case. They will be a bit unhappy if I don't do medicine to be honest.

Honestly Money isn't so much of a problem. My parents have a lot of money and are willing to pay if needed (I know this for a fact, and they don't even have a mortgage either). I'm willing to pay off this money when I graduate, or maybe I'll take some loans. I may not do it as I might feel guilty blowing my parents' money, but they have told me they don't care. If anything, they actually would rather me do medicine than other course. even if it's a good one, at a good university. But my parents are pretty well off to put it bluntly.

Basically for F1 it's very hard to get your choice job. You're thrown all over the country. I don't mind working or whatever department I'm put in.

They're are a few unis where basically it's taught in english, and the students are mostly international. So if I were going to study abroad, I'd go to one of those.

Part of the reason perhaps these personal problems affected me as they came in one big go that year. I didn't have experience with dealing with those sort of problems. Hence it was a bit of a shock. I still don't know whether perhaps I'm up to it, or that it might happen again. But the fact is I still want to do medicine. Hence I've decided to still go for it.


Thanks for your post, it was very useful and gave me a lot to think about. Hope everything works out with you too.
Reply 24
Original post by dfjr
Thank you for your reply.

St george's is one of the ones who haven't contacted me back actually. also peninsula. So if those two are willing, that's another 2 choices. so 6 unis in total. And considering you'll be able to apply to both grad and undergrad, that might be enough choices. So that's useful to hear. Maybe I'll get a bit more on the back of these two unis to respond if that's the case. They will be a bit unhappy if I don't do medicine to be honest.

Honestly Money isn't so much of a problem. My parents have a lot of money and are willing to pay if needed (I know this for a fact, and they don't even have a mortgage either). I'm willing to pay off this money when I graduate, or maybe I'll take some loans. I may not do it as I might feel guilty blowing my parents' money, but they have told me they don't care. If anything, they actually would rather me do medicine than other course. even if it's a good one, at a good university. But my parents are pretty well off to put it bluntly.

Basically for F1 it's very hard to get your choice job. You're thrown all over the country. I don't mind working or whatever department I'm put in.

They're are a few unis where basically it's taught in english, and the students are mostly international. So if I were going to study abroad, I'd go to one of those.

Part of the reason perhaps these personal problems affected me as they came in one big go that year. I didn't have experience with dealing with those sort of problems. Hence it was a bit of a shock. I still don't know whether perhaps I'm up to it, or that it might happen again. But the fact is I still want to do medicine. Hence I've decided to still go for it.


Thanks for your post, it was very useful and gave me a lot to think about. Hope everything works out with you too.


I would advise you to search for info or ring SGUL and PMS because what i have written above is about people who entered a couple of years now so it's best to get the most up to date info. Their policies may/may not have changed.

The courses abroad may well be taught in english - in fact a fair few are BUT the patients you see in clinical years do not speak english and you will not be able to get enough info for a medical history from them which is why you need to learn the language so you can communicate to them. Learning a foreign language is very difficult alongside medicine and I don't really think it is a good route.

I know what you're getting at by people not getting their 1st choice for F1 but what I mean by spare F1 places is the posts at places like district general hospitals or places where there aren't loads of other F1s for support and structure and places that people ranked very low on their foundation forms. The atmosphere and where you are studying can have an impact on your performance, especially if you know you could have gone somewhere better and it can alter the way you view medicine and your clinical practice if you are stuck somewhere that isn't right for you. In a way it is similar to being at a uni that wasn't right for you and you don't want to go through life making things more difficult and unbearable than they really need to be, especially at an important stage such as F1 where you are making the transition from student to dr.

My parents are the same as yours it seems - they have money and they want me to be happy - if that is medicine, then they are willing to pay. I don't want that debt hanging over me and i don't want to rely on them. Even though you say your parents want you to do medicine, I guess you have to take a step back and look at the bigger picture now and see if there is anything else out there that enables you to have the life you want because this isn't a simple reapplication and you have to be mentally and emotionally prepared for the reality. I realy do hope things work out for you but there is a lot you need to think about.
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 25
Original post by dfjr
I had the feeling dentistry wouldn't want me to as I failed medicine. Might consider it, but to be frank I had my heart set on Medicine.

Thanks anyway. One of the reasons I'm thinking of doing a degree here anyway, then applying straight for abroad medicine is that. At least even if I don't get into medicine, I'll have a good degree.

Thanks for the response.


Look into dentistry a bit more. Many people dismiss it too quickly.

Also I'm not sure you can apply as a graduate since you didn't...em....graduate.
Original post by dfjr
I had the feeling dentistry wouldn't want me to as I failed medicine. Might consider it, but to be frank I had my heart set on Medicine.

Thanks anyway. One of the reasons I'm thinking of doing a degree here anyway, then applying straight for abroad medicine is that. At least even if I don't get into medicine, I'll have a good degree.

Thanks for the response.
If you do that then make sure you're also interested in the degree. Even for straight A students biology degrees require a lot of dedication.
Reply 27
Original post by navarre
If there were more medical places, then he definetly deserves another chance.

But there are so many of us who wouldn't make that mistake in th first place- so the medical schools have the right policy.

We have enough competition as it is, without having to compete with people who didn't take it seriously the first time.


TOTALLY MY OPINION. But I disagree. No one is perfect and sometimes life happens and you cant help it.

Also if you cant make the mistakes at medschool then where can you make the mistakes? If you were perfect enough to be a doctor in yr 1 of med school then a medial course would only be 1 year long.

Dont judge something so quickly that you have not experienced yourself.

Medicine should not be for those who work the hardest but rather for those who would make the best doctors.
If OP has the potential to be an amazing doctor then why shouldnt he be given the chance.




OP - if some med school say they will reconsider you then you should give it a go. No point doing GEM because they will ask if you attended a med school before as well.
Did you fail by a lot? could not have re-sat in the summer?

You have a hard journey ahead of you. I wish you luck.
Original post by navarre
Hmm, I have to say, I think the university's policy of not accepting failed medical students is a good one. There's a lot of us out there who would take the course very seriously and work very hard, and undoubtedly we are more deserving of a place.


You sound like a bitter reject...

...amiirite?
Original post by dfjr
I had the feeling dentistry wouldn't want me to as I failed medicine. Might consider it, but to be frank I had my heart set on Medicine.

Thanks anyway. One of the reasons I'm thinking of doing a degree here anyway, then applying straight for abroad medicine is that. At least even if I don't get into medicine, I'll have a good degree.

Thanks for the response.


Do what you have your heart set on if at all possible.

Good luck OP.
Original post by navarre
Hmm, I have to say, I think the university's policy of not accepting failed medical students is a good one. There's a lot of us out there who would take the course very seriously and work very hard, and undoubtedly we are more deserving of a place.


Fortunately, it's not you that decides who gets a place or not.
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 31
Original post by anon2010

Original post by anon2010
TOTALLY MY OPINION. But I disagree. No one is perfect and sometimes life happens and you cant help it.

Also if you cant make the mistakes at medschool then where can you make the mistakes? If you were perfect enough to be a doctor in yr 1 of med school then a medial course would only be 1 year long.

Dont judge something so quickly that you have not experienced yourself.

Medicine should not be for those who work the hardest but rather for those who would make the best doctors.
If OP has the potential to be an amazing doctor then why shouldnt he be given the chance.




OP - if some med school say they will reconsider you then you should give it a go. No point doing GEM because they will ask if you attended a med school before as well.
Did you fail by a lot? could not have re-sat in the summer?

You have a hard journey ahead of you. I wish you luck.


Well I don't think any medical school will accept people who simply just apply again. Graduate medicine really is the only way to go if you've previously failed a course.

I had one shot at resitting. I failed. Not by so much, but it still constituted as a fail.

thanks for the post.
i think you deserve a second chance, because i'm sure you'll be more determined and headstrong 2nd time round. don't feel like you're alone struggling through a medical degree though, i don't think there's a single student that doesn't have his or her's year of hell from what i hear; for you it was just unlucky tht u failed the first year. that said, you're allowed to apply to 4 unis for undergrad medicine, and you've found 4 unis, so it will be just like a normal medicine application. i don't think they have the right to discriminate against you if they say they accept applications from people in your circumstances. good luck to you :smile:
Reply 33
I have no idea whether or not the OP deserves a second chance, nor am I sure how the poster above thinks they know. I will make some general observations though;
1. You are not expected to be a doctor at medical school, however you are expected to demonstrate most of the fundamentally required character traits (or at least not get caught).
2. Academic failure is academic failure and the OP would have been given plenty of warning and plenty of opportunity to fix the problems before they were ejected.
3. The OP can apply for five year courses, there's nothing to say that graduate entry is the only route.
4. Getting onto either a five-year or graduate entry course will be exceptionally difficult, even if they do have genuine, convincing and significant special circumstances.
5. The OP would be best advised to discuss this with the medical schools that they are interested in applying to, however, they may be told to apply as per normal where they can expect several years worth of rejections.
well of course i don't know that he does, but i think it's important to be sympathetic if he had personal problems in his first year and not write him off straight away. he says he's got his head together and he wants to be a doctor, why not trust him?
Original post by navarre
Hmm, I have to say, I think the university's policy of not accepting failed medical students is a good one. There's a lot of us out there who would take the course very seriously and work very hard, and undoubtedly we are more deserving of a place.


That's a very parochial point of view as you have not considered other factors which may have contributed to his failing the first year, such as his parents going through a messy divorce.
Did you actually appeal the result of them asking you to leave?
If your circumstances were genuine and justified enough then they would have let you resit the exam or the whole year.
I know that one from experience.
Reply 37
Original post by fairy spangles

Original post by fairy spangles
Did you actually appeal the result of them asking you to leave?
If your circumstances were genuine and justified enough then they would have let you resit the exam or the whole year.
I know that one from experience.


I did appeal. Just wasn't a good enough reason for them.

I was allowed to resit the exams once just like everyone else. I failed the resit.
Original post by dfjr
I did appeal. Just wasn't a good enough reason for them.

I was allowed to resit the exams once just like everyone else. I failed the resit.


Technically its the university thats asked you to leave not the medical school - did you know that? Did you appeal directly to the university or did you just have a quick meeting with the medical school?
If the second one is true then you did the wrong thing. How long has it been since they asked you to leave? Did you follow the university regulations? Did you go and get the support of your personal/pastoral tutor? Did you go and speak to student services? They dont have this information readily avaliable unless you go actively looking for it.

Theres a millon and one ways to appeal against the decision when they asked you to leave. If you explored all of them or gave up (you know where im going). If you really really have wanted to get back in then you would have done it.
Reply 39
All I can say is that you shouldn't give up. Keep trying.