Not got into medical school ? Not re applying what degree shall I do now . Nursing ?

I was rejected during year 13 and again during my gap year. I chose to start a pharmacy degree and am now part way through my pre-registration year. However I quickly realised that for me at least pharmacy was second best and am now applying to graduate entry medicine courses. I don't think I made the wrong decision as my A Level grades were not good enough (AAB with 2As at AS). If I had gained AAA I may have regretted not taking another gap year.

Have you applied and been rejected this year? (I don't want to make assumptions). I would advise if it is possible (I know for many people it isn't) that you take a gap year and reapply, you can broaden your experience, improve your application and think seriously about medicine and alternatives. I would definitely advise getting some work experience if you plan to apply for nursing, it will help with the application (don't expect to walk into nursing courses) and help make sure you're making the right decision.

It would be a good idea to get an insight into other healthcare professions by asking people (e.g. on TSR) or shadowing. Go to a bookstore and have a look at some of the textbooks you would be using and see if the material interests you. Most healthcare courses involve long terms and long hours so you will need to be committed to get through (pharmacy doesn't).

Overall I'd advise not giving up on medicine unnecessarily and thinking seriously about any alternative you consider. Best of luck

Has any got any advice or has any got any experience of following a different path from medicine after failing to get in

Good luck with your applications. Just from your grades and determination i can tell you deserve it a lot more than some medic students I met when I was at Newcastle.

Thanks Are you a medic or an medicine applicant?

Are you just awaiting interviews? Or have you been rejected from all 4?

I think it is far too early to be thinking like this if you are just waiting for interviews.

If this is your first year applying, why not give it another go. Family and society can influence our life decisions; Making you think that taking a year out to reapply is a waste of time and that you are better off picking another course.

If you truly want to do medicine, take a gap year and reapply. There is no rush to start a career. You'll be working for at least 40 years anyway and so it is better to do it in something you actually want to do.

Totally agree with this. It is too early to give up. You can improve your medicine application and learn about alternatives at the same time if you can get a job in a hospital. I did, I worked as a HCA during my gap year (which led to me choosing not to apply for nursing courses) and continued during university holidays (a great source of income and useful on the CV). Many re-applicants have done the same. See this thread http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1939831&page=103 and feel free to ask for advice as they are going through gap years now and may be of more help.

Feel free to PM me though if I can be of further help

I met several dumbos I hoped I'd never see in a hospital.

I did an alternative, but not because I was rejected, I just never thought I was good enough to do medicine. (I didn't even apply)

I don't regret doing this long detour of a route into medicine (if I'm eventually successful), but if you have the opportunity to do it early on, then take it.

Nope, I just studied at Newcastle. It has a large population of student medics and I met several dumbos I hoped I'd never see in a hospital.

I'm not doing medicine, but biomed is the usual alternative - I knew a few people who failed to get into medicine and did that instead. My mum is a doctor, and although she didn't take the biomed route, she said you can eventually become a doctor with a biomed degree, it just takes longer.

This is very misleading. The only way you'd do that is by doing Graduate Entry Medicine afterwards, which you can do after any degree.

Perhaps its the best way to get on to said postgrad degree...?

I'm not doing medicine, but biomed is the usual alternative - I knew a few people who failed to get into medicine and did that instead. My mum is a doctor, and although she didn't take the biomed route, she said you can eventually become a doctor with a biomed degree, it just takes longer.

This is very misleading. The only way you'd do that is by doing Graduate Entry Medicine afterwards, which you can do after any degree.

The OP doesn't want to do medicine any more so GEP isn't a sensible option, they're asking whether any one has changed career paths not took a different root to medicine.

(Incredible UKCAT score. Congrats!)