Tips to get into medicine

I would like to get into medicine but I do not think that I have the most sufficient grades needed to get in but I was wondering if there was a way to get into medicine by doing a medicine related course. I have also seen that medicine allow graduate entry, would that mean I had to finish the 3-4 years of a current course before I could apply to graduate course. One last thing, my teachers, and UCAS tutor at my school as well as some teachers say it is unlikely for me to get in to do medicine but I really, passionately want to do it, should I quit while I am ahead or pull through and wait for my AS grades to come through?

Sorry for the long essay, I just need some positive advice.

Well firstly how do your gcse's look?
If you haven't even got AS grades yet then calm, make decisions once you know the facts of those grades.
If you can get a good ukcat and/or bmat you'd stand a chance plenty of places regardless.
It's about you and how much work you're prepared to put into your a levels to achieve AAA no one else can tell you that!
Graduate medicine after a sciencey degree is an option but it's at least 4x more competitive than the most competitive undergrad med school and around 10x more than the least competitive so not the ideal back up plan.
If when you finally get a2 grades next summer if they arent good enough and you still desperately want to work in healthcare perhaps you should consider other health progressions. Eg nursing, midwifery, radiology etc. These professions are well respected, caring, options with very good pay prospects if you work hard and obviously crucially that healthcare environment.
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Thank you for the advice. I am choosing my universities carefully. I am only worried because my GCSE's are 6A's, 5B's and 1C. However, if I improve and get AAABB in my AS levels, won't the universities consider the fact that I have improved which showed how dedicated I am to the subject of medicine.

That really depends on the uni, not that many seem to focus on AS grades which I do find odd. If I were you I'd go smash the ukcat and get the work experience and apply to places where they focus on ps and ukcat and only have a basic minimum cut off foe academics. Eg not somewhere which will score or rank your academics.
Also remember with AAABB you're still behind many if not the majority of applicants who'll have AAAA at AS

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Are there any universities that focus more on ps and UKCAT rather than academics?

Newcastle huge ukcat, Southampton again big on ukcat.
Sheffield are quite into ps but check the min academic requirements and sAme for bristol.
Once exams are done sit yourself down and research every single medschool in turn and make your own decision on which suits your strengths! That's what I'm doing for my reapplication so I don't miss anything.
Leeds accept as instead of gcse's for ranking

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I had chosen Kings, Imperial, Sheffield and Leicester. However, I will wait for the AS grades to come through before I make definite decisions. I like the look of Southampton and Leeds so I might have a look there. Thank you, can I ask what universities are you applying to and what were your GCSEs. Also how come you are reapplying this year?

I had chosen Kings, Imperial, Sheffield and Leicester. However, I will wait for the AS grades to come through before I make definite decisions. I like the look of Southampton and Leeds so I might have a look there. Thank you, can I ask what universities are you applying to and what were your GCSEs. Also how come you are reapplying this year?

- Do NOT apply to Leicester - You will surely be rejected with 6 x A at GCSE
- Do apply for Leeds if you get 3 x A at AS - you will be in the top for academics
- Do apply for Sheffield if you get 4 x A at AS - you will be in the top for academics

- Do NOT apply to Leicester - You will surely be rejected with 6 x A at GCSE
- Do apply for Leeds if you get 3 x A at AS - you will be in the top for academics
- Do apply for Sheffield if you get 4 x A at AS - you will be in the top for academics

Hi Missmoniika,
You really need to research the different universities you are interested in and apply to your strenghs. This is a really useful article http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Applying_to_Medical_School_using_your_Strengths that compares the different criteria universities are looking for. What kind of work experience have you got already?

This is true definitely avoid Leicester as you would only have a maximum of 27 academic points meaning your only small chance at an interview would be getting over 3000 in the ukcat which isn't impossible but not a safe bet.

Though upon reading more of sheffields admissions and my own experience of Sheffield this year they do not rank academics etc they purely use them as a cut off with ukcat do remove those who dnot meet the minimum before proceeding to PS reading. Therefore as you meet the gcse requirements strong as grades won't make a difference there.

Also note that Leeds will be using bmat this year.

Just a quick question, when you mean universities ranking the as grades is it what you got or what you're going to be predicted in terms of A2 as I'm worried I might end up withh a B in biology and wondering if that's a hinderance to my uni as I think I can hopefully get predicted and achieve an A at the end of Alevels ?

If when you finally get a2 grades next summer if they arent good enough and you still desperately want to work in healthcare perhaps you should consider other health progressions. Eg nursing, midwifery, radiology etc. These professions are well respected, caring, options with very good pay prospects if you work hard and obviously crucially that healthcare environment.
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Radiology is a medical specialty. Do you perhaps mean radiography?



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Thank you for the advice. I am currently doing work experience in a dementia care home and I will carrying that out fora total of 4 - 5 months. I have 2 weeks in a pharmacy in the summer holidays, I am also trying to get work experience to shadow a Doctor but I think that I would have to be 18 to do that.