Want to do medicine but flopped my A levels

This is my situation, I have my mind and heart set to medicine. I had very good gcse's grades (got 8 A*-A and 2 B) but flopped with my A levels. I got 1 C and 3 D. Now I'm gonna start biomedical course in a week and I'm super unhappy. It's just not what I set my heart to and I'm just lost. I am obviously aware that I can't do medicine with these grades (especially in the UK). I mean they are very bad but I had my reasons. I just want to know if there's any possibility for me to do medicine abroad with these grades. I will be retaking these exams while going uni cos I know without doubt that I can definitely get couple As. I'm totally happy paying a fee to do medicine abroad. Any help will be deeply appreciated! :redface:

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Reply 1

ubisoft

Why are you starting your biomed course? Call ucas and cancel your place, no point wasting time/money on it.

Reply 2

Sarahpwincess197

You can always do postgraduate medicine. Also, there are foundation medicine courses that some universities offer, maybe have a look into those? The other option is to take a gap year and resit exams, which means you will reapply to university now.

I'm not entirely sure, but I think it is also possible to switch from biomedical science to medicine if you do really well.

Stay positive, because you might end up really enjoying biomedical science. Everything happens for a reason :smile:

You can also go on to do a phd and become a doctor, there are so many options x

Reply 3

Gabriellameow

Original post by Jessicaa2

Did you work hard and revise your hardest for your a levels ? If not Take a gap year and retake !!! However some unis want a levels to be sat within two years , also , I'm pretty sure they have a minimum grade which you had to get in the first sitting. However uni abroad may be different , do some research. Quite a lot of people go to Romania

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Reply 4

troubadour.

Original post by Jessicaa2

Under the circumstances, here are your options:

1. Retake your A-levels and get at least A*AA this time around. While there are a handful of medical schools that accept resit applicants without extenuating circumstances, most of them want ABB/AAB at the first attempt, which disqualifies you from those. The only one you could apply to in the UK is Exeter, which doesn't mind how many resits you do or for what reason so long as the final grades aren't more than two years old. See http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Medical_School_Resit_Policies.

2. Retake, get at least A*AA, and go abroad. Even some of the universities that people often go to if they don't have the grades for a UK medical school aren't going to consider you with these grades, if I'm honest. Especially given that more and more UK students are applying there with better grades each year because they're being squeezed out of UK medical schools and their rising entry requirements and tightening resit policies.

3. Do another degree, preferably a science degree to maximise the number of places you can apply to, and do graduate entry medicine (GEM). You're already on the path to doing this with your current degree but here's the rub: GEM is even more competitive than regular medicine. There are fewer places for GEM than for A100 medicine at every medical school that runs the course and far more applicants than for A100 because almost everybody who cannot make it through the conventional route due to poor grades goes through this route. The only real pro of this option is that, if you're successful, you end up becoming a doctor. However, the cons are: longer time, higher cost, higher competition, uncertain future of funding. Go for this one if you want but just bear in mind how risky it is. Also, most places require you to hold or be predicted to hold a 2:1 or better in a previous degree (which, given the competition, more likely means you need a first), which might be difficult to do if you hate your degree less than one month in.

Other people have suggested foundation year medicine but this isn't really an option because almost every foundation course in the country is directed towards people who don't have science A-levels; they're still required to get the same grades in those non-science A-levels as would be required for the normal A100 course. The only exception to this is Durham and theirs is targeted specifically at mature students because they require that you be out of education for a minimum of three years prior to applying to be eligible.

P.S. Unlike what others have said, GEM is not 'postgraduate' medicine. Postgraduate medicine is what qualified doctors do; GEM is still an undergraduate degree, it's just your second undergraduate degree. Sorry for the pedantry. :3

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 5

Jessicaa2

Thank you all so much for the response! Honestly has helped me a lot! I the thing with the foundation course is that it will take me longer than the 2 years to compete my a levels and then still not get into the course. So then at the end i would of wasted another year. I'm gonna research into Romania universities and see if I can get into the medical course. Otherwise I'm just gonna do biomedicine at uni and then do a postgraduate course to medicine.

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Reply 6

Raman9

Original post by Jessicaa2

There are biomedical science courses that allow you to transfer to medicine in your second year, check them out. Off top of my head I remember the following:
-Clinical Sciences at Bradford----->Medicine at Leeds
-St George's
-Newcastle
-QMUL?
-Sheffield?

Reply 7

alex248

Original post by Jessicaa2

The medical university in Cluj is perhaps the best one in Romania, I know that for romanian students they don't care about your baccalaureate grades but have their own written exams in biology and chemistry which are quite difficult.

Reply 8

AreebWithaHat

Original post by Jessicaa2

I would seriously consider the eastern european med schools. I have a friend studying there. GEM is very competitive and even with a transfer course chances are you won't get in.

Reply 9

Jessicaa2

Original post by Summit

I had no clue that was possible! I'm enrolled to start uni next week? So in order to apply to those I need to take a year out isn't it? And I can't apply to those with the grades I've got either? But thank you so much for the help! 😊

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Reply 10

Jessicaa2

Original post by AreebWithaHat

I would seriously consider the eastern european med schools. I have a friend studying there. GEM is very competitive and even with a transfer course chances are you won't get in.

Oh thank you! That's the what I'm researching because I have like 5 days to make a decision before starting uni. Where is your friend studying? And what did your friend get for a levels?

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Reply 11

Jessicaa2

Original post by alex248

So if I were to apply for cluj I need to take a year out anyway since I will have to the test and can't be going uni at the same time!

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Reply 12

troubadour.

It's not postgraduate medicine. :facepalm:

The pedant in me is dying... xD

Reply 13

AreebWithaHat

Original post by Jessicaa2

Just checked it's actually Slovakia, not sure what the uni is. And he got BBB I think.

Reply 14

returnmigrant

Re-take your A levels and look at Medical Sciences - these are the people who find a cure for cancer, win Nobel Prizes- and don't have to do hospital night shifts. Shorter courses, less debt. And with none of the 'no-retakes' obstacles.

Bristol : http://www.bristol.ac.uk/cellmolmed/study/undergraduate/

Newcastle : http://www.ncl.ac.uk/undergraduate/degrees/b900/courseoverview/

Reply 15

Raman9

Original post by Jessicaa2

Well, Bradford Clinical Sciences is still in clearing and if you don't meet the requirements they might offer you Clinical Sciences with a foundation year, it might be worth calling them.

Reply 16

Jessicaa2

Original post by Summit

Well, Bradford Clinical Sciences is still in clearing and if you don't meet the requirements they might offer you Clinical Sciences with a foundation year, it might be worth calling them.

In just checked its in clearing just to do the clinical science course, however if I want to transfer into medicine for the second year that's no longer in clearing 😓. Thank you I'm gonna call and talk to them!

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Reply 17

Jessicaa2

Original post by AreebWithaHat

Just checked it's actually Slovakia, not sure what the uni is. And he got BBB I think.

Ah that's great! Thank you! I'm gonna do some research and find what's available for me there!

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Reply 18

woopwoop1

In places like bulgaria they take you in with 2 B grades for bio and chem. You should research more into that.

Original post by Jessicaa2

Reply 19

Jessicaa2

Original post by woopwoop1

In places like bulgaria they take you in with 2 B grades for bio and chem. You should research more into that.

Yes you are right because I contacted them but because of the grades I got (1 C & 3 D) they said the grades weren't enough. Thank you though!

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