medicine

ok, so basically im definitely going uni to do pharmacy . I was wondering (pls only help if you have knowledge about medicine applications ect...) if in the next few months till september (of my gap yr) I do biology AS as people suggested on my previous post and apply for medicine in the first year of pharmacy.
This way I know its competitive,expensive ect... but at least if I dont get in I still have a degree under £9000 per yr.
So biology is the only thing that restricted me applying to universities like hull york ect.. and I will apply every year therefore improving my overall ukcat score till one day I can get it above 750.....

[again may i stress that you ONLY HELP IF YOU HAVE READ EVERYTHING CAREFULLY and KNOW ABOUT THE APPLICATION PROCESS.]

2 main questions:
a)can i do biology AS at a college in the next few months till september?
b)can i apply every year-is this possible?(intw wise?, i have alot of hospital exp so would i need more? story so far:

i got A*AB (Maths,Chem,Physics: 1 mark off after gap yr resit)

4A*s:Maths,Chem,R.e,Physics

3As: English Lit, Lan, Spanish

4Bs:I.T,I.T full,Business studies,Biology

1 yr hospital volunteering,6 months care home, taste of medicine course,football for school team,Christies hospital w/e with proffesor of oncology,passed O.U course molecules medicine and drugs,NHS scheme,ect...

i didnt take bio for A2 which killed my appl dramatically:2010

603 ukcat
keele intw rejection aft intw
Soton waiting list (happened to be massive list therefore unrealistic)
leeds rejection
Glasgow ''''

universites went up to 3A's suddenly which further killed my appl:

2011 ukcat:575
Bristol-no intw
Abdn-no intw
Soton-not even waiting list

(edited 13 years ago)

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Original post by winter_mute

please let other people give their advice...this is very important for me, im sure you have your offer, congrats. :smile:

But let me at least have my chance in choosing the right path.
Ive worked very hard but have been denied the right to study a course that Im truly passionate about.... :frown:

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 3

Ronove

Original post by winter_mute

^

I've been hanging around this subforum for two or three weeks at most and even I realised you'd already posted this stuff. From what I've read about other people's apps here I don't think Bio is what will have killed your application... guess you were just unlucky and/or your UKCAT was too low (for example)?

Edit: Also by the way, this puzzled me last time too, why do you list the Southampton waiting list if you say it turned out to be a fake list? In what way is it relevant or an achievement if so?

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 4

SteveCrain

Original post by winter_mute

why the facepalm?

Reply 5

thegodofgod

Medical schools (on the whole) really hate it when you apply without completing a degree (i.e. they hate it if you're still doing a degree and then drop out to apply for medicine) - they would always want you to complete a degree before applying as a graduate.

Reply 6

winter_mute

Original post by SteveCrain

why the facepalm?

Well now that he's edited your post to actually include information, instead of banging on about who you want to reply; he might get some advice now.

And yes I'm half Iranian OP.

Reply 7

richardd

Original post by Ronove

im being sarcastic it wasnt fake lol.
They only took the top people :A*A*AA ect... and i was cut off maybe.
Its an achievement in that they somewhat accepted my ps.
But you think of it as a failure if you want.

Reply 8

Ronove

Original post by richardd

I only thought of it as meaning zero because you said it was fake! :p:

Reply 9

richardd

Original post by Ronove

I only thought of it as meaning zero because you said it was fake! :p:

editted

Reply 10

richardd

Original post by thegodofgod

okay thanks but do they not still accept applications?if so is it not worth the try continously applying?
im asking because i want to know what other people have done as im only a gap yr student out of school so my knowledge is faint compared to some of you guys :smile:

Reply 11

thegodofgod

Original post by richardd

Not really worth wasting money on entrance tests + hassling your references as you'd probably be rejected outright (without interview)

But I suppose you could try to apply continuously (although I wouldn't advise it)

Good luck :smile:

Reply 12

richardd

Original post by thegodofgod

thanks

, who would you usually use for references at that stage?

Reply 13

thegodofgod

Original post by richardd

thanks

, who would you usually use for references at that stage?

Personally I wouldn't go for your pharmacy lecturers at that point (as they might feel that you're telling them that pharmacy's not good enough for you), but I'd try my head of sixth form college.

Or if you do any voluntary work / work experience regularly then ask someone in a senior position there.

Reply 14

dearyme

Plan of action:
Work ass of at Pharmacy aim for a 1st but at least a 2.1
Apply for graduate medicine..may take a few cycles but keep at it ( consider applying abroad also)
Get place
Rejoice
After about 13 years become a consultant
Meet spouse
Create offspring
Raise offspring
Pack offspring off to university
Retire at 65
Become obsessed with growing tomatoes in greenhouse and rhododendrons

Life sorted, no need to thank me :smile:

Reply 15

richardd

Original post by dearyme

ahhaaaaa sorry you are just amazing LMAO
i actually laughed so much..... :laugh:

lol are you a graduate?
also when you say a few cycles do you mean years?
may it not get extremely competitive till that time?

Reply 16

phill232

i think that you should at least do your pharmacy degree and then try as a graduate; you have already tried twice and unfortunately the competition is sick, you can only delay your life for so long but dont give up and hey biology as level might help your application.

Reply 17

richardd

Original post by phill232

do you think its even possible to do biology as up and till september at a college?
yeh competition is extreme,i hope it goes down with time.
tbh it wouldnt have been that bad if i had bio, 2 intws this yr and i wouldve been sorted.I still bang my head at the wall abt it sometimes :smile:

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 18

phill232

Original post by richardd

well i do think you can largely self teach it suring a summer if you had enough drive but the practicalities of coursework or ISA's and then the exam dates in January or June only are serious factors. Also they ask that all Alevels are completed with 2 years of study

Reply 19

dearyme

Original post by richardd

ahhaaaaa sorry you are just amazing LMAO
i actually laughed so much..... :laugh:

lol are you a graduate?
also when you say a few cycles do you mean years?
may it not get extremely competitive till that time?

Haha I aim to please. I'm not a graduate but i am a reapplicant so basically have spent the last year swotting up on medical school applications.

Graduate medicine is notoriously more competitive than undergrad admissions so it might be you don't get an offer first time round and will then have to reapply the year after, but if you spend the next three years working one's bottom off, doing lots of work related to medicine that demonstrate an ability to care, lots of work exp you will improve your chances.

I think that route is more likely to be successful for you as there are quite a few universities that don't accept applications from students already on an undergraduate course, and even fewer of those have entry requirements of below AAA.

Articles you may find of use

For graduate med
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Graduate_Entry_Medicine_-_a_guide

If you decide to apply whilst studying Pharmacy
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Medical_School_A_Level_Requirements
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Applying_for_Medicine_Whilst_on_a_Different_Course
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Medical_School_Resit_Policies
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Medical_School_GCSE_Requirements

Hope that helps in some way :smile: