1 more year and finish biomed or jump into medicine now?

Hello guys,

I'm in a really big dilemma! Today I finally received an offer for an undergraduate medical course at Manchester after 3 years! I am currently studying biomedical sciences and will finish my second year in a few months. Now when I applied for this years medical cycle I didn't differ my entry. So this means that from this September I can either:

-Carry on with my final year of biomedical sciences and obtain a BSc degree. This route also means that I will be applying for post graduate medicine this coming summer which is a 4 year course. 1 + 4 means 5 years until I am a doctor this way. It also means that I will have a medical degree and a BSc.

-Go to Manchester and do the 5 year medical programme and at the end obtain a medical degree. This route means that I will leave my current university after 2 years of hard work of biomed and obtain no written proof (which is what really counts) that I have studied here.

Now my biggest problem is the UKCAT and oter medical entry exams. I suck at all of them big time! UKCAT scores of 3 consecutive years: 640, 600, 665. Because of this reason I really dont know which route to take.

I was also wondering if having an "extra" degree helps a doctor in any way in terms of getting a job or anything?

I'm so torn for choices and I want to make the right decision and make sure that I weigh all the pros and cons because I really don't want to regret this later on down the line.

What would you do?


Thanks for reading.

There is a third option - you could ask Manchester if you could defer your entry for a year. They don't have to agree, but there's no harm in asking.

Just to be clear, Manchester do know you're in the middle of a degree, right?

Having an extra degree does (at present, but may change in the future) give you extra points in job applications.

Hi, yes they do know that I am currently in the middle of a degree; I mentioned it explicitly in my interview and personal statement. I was thinking of that idea also but didn't think it would be a real option because I assumed that Manchester have already gave all their deffered entry offers by now?

Hi, yes they do know that I am currently in the middle of a degree; I mentioned it explicitly in my interview and personal statement. I was thinking of that idea also but didn't think it would be a real option because I assumed that Manchester have already gave all their deffered entry offers by now?

You will still have credits for the years you spent on your Biomed degree. You could potentially finish that off in a year at some point after your medical degree at Manchester. I don't know whether Manchester offers the chance to intercalate and get the extra degree in a year but that would be another way to get the 'extra degree' points as a junior doctor, without giving away your place and letting yourself in for the competition and risks of applying for Graduate Entry Medicine. If you drop out after your second year you may have to pay your tuition fees for a year (or more) at the start of the medical degree so you should check what the situation is with Student Finance before you make a decision.

I don't know of anywhere that has a quota of deferred offers. It's definitely not unheard of to ask to defer at this stage.

However as Ronove has pointed out, you need to think carefully about the financial implications of each option.

Manchester does offer the chance to intercalate, in fact they strongly recommend it. However, I am really not sure if I am allowed to take points from one course at a particular university and then resume it at another university which most likely has a different module specification?

Regarding the financial issues, I was assuming that if I drop out of second year I will have to pay for everything for the 2012-2013 cycle of student finance which includes the tuition fees etc. But I also thought that I would not have to pay for third year bills because I have not agreen any payments with student finance for the next academic year which is currently live and telling me to fill in the application for next year.

I have an even bigger dilemma now as earlier I had an email from Manchester university so I thought I got the offer. But now track has updated and it says that I have a conditional, the condition being that I need at least a 2:1 in my degree before I start the course! This is IMPOSSIBLE though because the medical course starts this September and my biomedical degree finishes next May! I really don't understand this!

Manchester does offer the chance to intercalate, in fact they strongly recommend it. However, I am really not sure if I am allowed to take points from one course at a particular university and then resume it at another university which most likely has a different module specification?

Regarding the financial issues, I was assuming that if I drop out of second year I will have to pay for everything for the 2012-2013 cycle of student finance which includes the tuition fees etc. But I also thought that I would not have to pay for third year bills because I have not agreen any payments with student finance for the next academic year which is currently live and telling me to fill in the application for next year.

I have an even bigger dilemma now as earlier I had an email from Manchester university so I thought I got the offer. But now track has updated and it says that I have a conditional, the condition being that I need at least a 2:1 in my degree before I start the course! This is IMPOSSIBLE though because the medical course starts this September and my biomedical degree finishes next May! I really don't understand this!

Phone them as soon as possible - maybe they were confused and thought you were in your final year, hence the conditional. Perhaps explain the situation, they may offer you the deferred entry place on the same condition.

Ask manc if they could defer you, if not I would just take the offer because (as you said) u suck at the UKCAT so if you decline this offer you have to remember the possibility of not getting another one.

OK since it would appear Manchester is confused this probably won't be too useful but anyway:

You can always go back to the same university and resume your degree (providing you left on good terms and they don't have anything against it). Also universities don't give a crap about modules being slightly different from uni to uni. What you would do is contact a university and ask them to consider giving you credit for your past study. They'll then ask for a detailed transcript so they can check that the course content was up to their standards and that you wouldn't be replicating any of it while studying at their institution (since it would be cheating to get credits for something twice). You could even do it at the Open University, though they may not be able to offer you the chance to graduate in BSc Biomed - it might end up as something more vague (I don't know what they offer as far as science degrees and which they'd consider fitting for your previous credits).

There is a third option - you could ask Manchester if you could defer your entry for a year. They don't have to agree, but there's no harm in asking.

Just to be clear, Manchester do know you're in the middle of a degree, right?

Having an extra degree does (at present, but may change in the future) give you extra points in job applications.

Hey! This idea worked I am now going to finish my biomedical sciences degree and start the medical course next September! Thanks for the input!

Congratulations!

You know what the financial situation is for a grad doing a 5-year course, though, right? Just thought I'd bring it to your attention in case you need to get your act together and get a job right now to start preparing.

Thanks! Yes I know pretty expensive. I will be sitting the UKCAT this summer again and if I score above 700 then I will apply for a postgraduate medical course as I know that's cheaper. If I don't get above 700 at least I know I have a place!

Hopefully money won't be too much of an issue I have been saving my whole life so far for my education and wedding so I do have a pleasant savings account. Also, my parents said they'll support me if I need any extra money anyway so I'm really fortunate for that!

'Above 700' isn't necessarily helpful. You won't get a Grad Entry place anywhere purely on the back of that because, to be honest, it's not very impressive. I got 727.5 and I wouldn't give up a place on the 5-year to risk it if I could feasibly afford it. To apply for Grad Entry you'd have to give up your deferred place at Manchester.

Good point. I'm not even going to do the UKCAT this year or ever again! I'm just grateful for everything I have! Because frankly speaking I don't think I will even get 700 on the UKCAT. I've tried everything those entrance exams are just not for me. Sometimes I forget how lucky I am to actually get the medicine offer in the first place and not only that but how I just don't need to stress so much! Are you currently studying then?