Realistic for Medicine

Rumour has it that the average medical school applicant has at least 5a* at GCSE, so why are the minimum requirements for medical schools far less than this, surely if they don't generally accept someone without a string of a* then why don't the admission requirements reflect this?

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Competition

I have only about 2. :sad:

Anyway, I think it's because they don't want to scare potential students away, since some people mature later and achieve better grades during A-levels. Also, I highly doubt that every single candidate has at least 5 A*s.

Reply 3

limetang

Note AVERAGE. Meaning some will have more than 5a*'s and others will have less. Hence the entry requirements. Besides medicine is very much about PS and interviews, grades are very much an afterthought.

Reply 4

OllyD27

Because they only put on the minimum possible grades that they will accept , but to get in on the low GCSE grades , ud have to show a serious turn around in ur AS results and have an amazing personal statement and work experience ,

thing is theirs a lot of applicants who have the A2 grades they want so they have to find some way of seperating them , and the likeleness is the ones who did well at GCSE are the ones who are really commited to medicine ( not saying that people who didnt do well at GCSE arent commited to medicine )

End of the day is they need to kick out about 10- 15 applicants for every one they take , and if 2 people match at every other point , they take the ones who did better at GCSE

I only have 3 A* but im working seriously on my interview technique and personal statement cos even with few A* i still got 2 interviews this year

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 5

eva-joy

You are more likely to gain a place at medical school with a string of A*'s at GCSE, but the reason why they don't set their requirements at that is because a candidate could have amazing work experience, an amazing UKCAT or BMAT, great extracurriculars or all A*'s predicted at A level.

If you want to apply for medicine without at least 5A*'s at GCSE make sure you have an excellent application everywhere else (I'm not saying you have to get 5A*'s to be excellent but with the competition, its just the way it is!)

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 6

twelve

Original post by OllyD27

Committed to doing well academically, not necessarily to medicine then.

Same as everyone else said really - if you have better GCSE's, you have a better chance at getting in because you'll 'beat' other candidates in that one thing. But in theory, as long as you meet the minimum entry requirements you *could* get in, as long as everything else was outstanding.

But lets face it, you have to be outstanding at everything to get into medicine.

Reply 7

LadyRowena

Original post by eva-joy

Exactly this. People do look at your GCSEs but as long as they're pretty decent you don't need a lot of A*s if you have all those other things.

A friend of mine got 9 A*s at GCSE but got rejected from all her medical school because she didn't have enough experience and screwed up one of her interviews. GCSEs really aren't as important as A Levels, work experience and your UKCAT/BMAT scores (apart from at Birmingham where you apparently need 7 A*s or more to be considered :rolleyes:

Reply 8

G550NDH

I would say luck is a massive factor in getting into Med school

Getting 9A* and AAA prediction can mean jack all sometimes

Reply 9

slew

Original post by LadyRowena

People always say good A-levels balance out good GCSEs but surely everyone will have good A-levels i.e. AAA?

Reply 10

OllyD27

Original post by twelve

Obviously i meant in terms of medical candidates , if ur not commited to medicine then its not even worth applying cos they will find out at interview and will be given the boot

Reply 11

OllyD27

Original post by slew

People always say good A-levels balance out good GCSEs but surely everyone will have good A-levels i.e. AAA?

Yh if its a standard 5 year course practically everyone will have AAA predicted grades soo thats why they take gcse , a level grades are important cos even if ur predicted AAA you still have to get them

Reply 12

slew

Original post by OllyD27

Well what if you've already got AAA, as in your reapplying, will already having the A-levels superseed the importance of GCSEs?

Reply 13

cfc18

Hey people !

Basically I received a rejection from a particular university and it stated that I did not meet the grade requirements

However I achieved AAB + Wels back qualification before applying I was told that the welsh back was accepted as an A and That I met the requirements and that I was sure of an interview.
Mid march I received a rejection and I was shocked and surprised.

So I emailed them and also wrote to them.

2 weeks later today I received an email from their head of admissions requesting for me to send a copy of my welsh baccaelatte certificates and providing I did this I would get an interview.
They've also requested me to fax it as soon as possible which I will do however I am rather annoyed.

My qualifications were clearly stated on my ucas , had this been thoroughly examined I would of had an interview at an early date. This particular university have allocated most offers and the open day for new students was t

Reply 14

eva-joy

Original post by LadyRowena

I have 7A*'s Birmingham didn't even consider me haha!
If you apply to Birmingham to get an interview you need 9-10*'s if your a girl and 8A*'s if your a boy! Thats because they are trying to even their numbers of girls and boys out, as at the moment its like 75% girls!

Reply 15

OllyD27

Original post by slew

Well what if you've already got AAA, as in your reapplying, will already having the A-levels superseed the importance of GCSEs?

Having the grades already will be really appealing to the universities as ur a non risk bet , but ull still need a really good UKCAT and Work experience , these superseed your gcse grades more then ur a level grades do ,

Like i said i didnt do that well at gcse and i was rejected by cardiff for that , but i still got interviews at 2 other places , soo gcse arent everything , but i did my work experience and got decent ukcat , just need to get my interview technique right and apply to the right places next year

Reply 16

twelve

Original post by slew

Well what if you've already got AAA, as in your reapplying, will already having the A-levels superseed the importance of GCSEs?

Depends on the university - I know Leeds, for example, give a bit more weighting to people who have already achieved A-levels, regardless of the grades.

Whereas places like Birmingham would probably still want a gazillion A*'s at GCSE, no matter what your A level grades.

Reply 17

slew

Original post by OllyD27

If you don't mind me asking mate what was you UKCAT?

Reply 18

OllyD27

Original post by eva-joy

this is because at GCSE much like me , boys have a tendency of not trying and having other things they prefer doing girls have a tendency of trying harder then lads when things appear easy , especially ones capable of doing medicine , Examiners say there are different catagories for exam sitters , one of them is boys who are really smart but are lazy

Reply 19

OllyD27

Original post by slew

If you don't mind me asking mate what was you UKCAT?

My score was 680 average , and i think the highest cut off point published soo far was 670 , so anything in the high 600's and uve got a pretty decent chance , like they say on the website , the average scores are between 500 and 700 and its only really medical candidates that take this test

the people i was with at interview i only met one or two people who had scores higher then 700