Becoming a Doctor has soon been taken away from childhood dreams :-( help!

going from CDE to AAA is near impossible. Your best option is to not apply this year then take a gap year and apply with AAA.

retake ALL of your AS exams, gonna be costly though but its the only viable option. I would do nothing but revise this year.

Aren't most subjects linear though so what's the point of retaking unless it's not a reformed subject?

Posted from TSR Mobile

Do i still do A2 exams next year may with AS exams as well or??

Sorry since I was the last year not to do linear A levels I don't think you can resit AS exams anymore.
I'd still say plan for a gap year and not apply this year then work hard to get the A's it's still posisble

Guys, so do i do all my AS exams again? then when do i do my A2 exams?? and do i need to go school with the year below?? or can i ring the examboard they will arrange the date for me?

Basically with the A level reforms there are two options your school can choose:
1. Do AS exams at end of year 12 then the full A level in year 13 so basically yes your AS and A2 in one sittting to get the final A level grade so basicallly your grades this year for linear subjects (I think only maths and geography are still non linear) don't count to your grade.
2. Have no AS exams in year 12 and do all exams in year 13

Your school appears to have chosen option 1

For my AS, i'm predicted 3 CCC, my dream job is to become a doctor, but i soon realised that, i couldn't reach my dream job because of my target grades. What can i do? which university should i apply for? and what course should i apply for? with this course that i should apply with, would i be able to become a doctor?

Hi, I'm a current medical student who went through something vaguely similar during A-Level.


First of all, ignore predicted grades. They mean nothing. Ideally you should be aiming for AAA or AAB at a push for AS-Level. Sixth form is the time to buckle down and focus on your studies, especially if you're planning to get into a competitive course.

Use this year wisely- do all your homework on the night it was set, read around the subjects, prepare for each class by reading about the topic before going in.

Do not be afraid to ask staff for help with explaining difficult concepts- most would be happy to remain behind after class for a few minutes to help with your concerns.

Use online resources. I remember finding some really amazing, concise notes for chemistry on the TSR sister site before they changed it. A quick google search should suffice.

On the weekends, try to find some voluntary experience, like volunteering in a care home for the elderly or at the local hospital (very important if you haven't done this already). Try to arrange some hospital or GP work experience in either your xmas, Easter or summer holidays before you make your ucas application. If I were you, I would start writing letters and emails to your local hospitals from now in order to secure this.

Your social life may suffer, but don't worry about that - you need to prioritise your studies if you're serious about medicine now. Your real friends will be the ones who stick with you through this.

Don't think about what courses or uni to apply to until you get through your AS exams and see your results - it's a waste of time at this stage, especially medicine.


If you end up getting low grades at AS, don't bother applying for uni in year 13. Do the same again that year - focus in getting your grades up back to standard and do not think about anything else.

On results day if your grades are a success, then call up all the medical schools to see if they have spare places. If not, then take a gap year to apply for medical school and get a hca job to save money etc

If your A Level results end up too low for medicine, then I recommend applying through clearing for a biological sciences degree (biomedicine, biochemistry, anatomy & physiology, pharmacology, genetics, pharmacy etc) and focusing on getting into graduate entry medicine afterwards

Good luck!

I'm still confused, what do i do to take a gap year from what? what do i say to the school? and what examination do i take as or a2??

For my AS, i'm predicted 3 CCC, my dream job is to become a doctor, but i soon realised that, i couldn't reach my dream job because of my target grades. What can i do? which university should i apply for? and what course should i apply for? with this course that i should apply with, would i be able to become a doctor?

Hi, I'm a current medical student who went through something vaguely similar during A-Level.


First of all, ignore predicted grades. They mean nothing. Ideally you should be aiming for AAA or AAB at a push for AS-Level. Sixth form is the time to buckle down and focus on your studies, especially if you're planning to get into a competitive course.

Use this year wisely- do all your homework on the night it was set, read around the subjects, prepare for each class by reading about the topic before going in.

Do not be afraid to ask staff for help with explaining difficult concepts- most would be happy to remain behind after class for a few minutes to help with your concerns.

Use online resources. I remember finding some really amazing, concise notes for chemistry on the TSR sister site before they changed it. A quick google search should suffice.

On the weekends, try to find some voluntary experience, like volunteering in a care home for the elderly or at the local hospital (very important if you haven't done this already). Try to arrange some hospital or GP work experience in either your xmas, Easter or summer holidays before you make your ucas application. If I were you, I would start writing letters and emails to your local hospitals from now in order to secure this.

Your social life may suffer, but don't worry about that - you need to prioritise your studies if you're serious about medicine now. Your real friends will be the ones who stick with you through this.

Don't think about what courses or uni to apply to until you get through your AS exams and see your results - it's a waste of time at this stage, especially medicine.


If you end up getting low grades at AS, don't bother applying for uni in year 13. Do the same again that year - focus in getting your grades up back to standard and do not think about anything else.

On results day if your grades are a success, then call up all the medical schools to see if they have spare places. If not, then take a gap year to apply for medical school and get a hca job to save money etc

If your A Level results end up too low for medicine, then I recommend applying through clearing for a biological sciences degree (biomedicine, biochemistry, anatomy & physiology, pharmacology, genetics, pharmacy etc) and focusing on getting into graduate entry medicine afterwards

Good luck!

Your school can't stop you from taking a gap year. A gap year basically means you take a year out when majority decide to go to uni. This means you're less likely to get 4 rejections because of your AS grades as a lot of med schools don't allow people to reapply the of they were previously rejected so is the safest option.
It appears like you dint really know about your scheme of doing A levels I suggest you research it or ask your teachers to explain exactly.

Don't beat yourself up because of your results. Remember that wanting to be a doctor because it's a dream is not the best way forward. My best advice would be to investigate what being a doctor is like - for example learning about what doctors actually do. What you'll find is that the nursing profession is just as important and some things can cross over. But anyway just get some experience as that will clear things up for you. If you still don't meet the grades their are loads and loads of specialists doctors refer patients to - physiotherapists, counsellors, dieticians, etc.

It is very late in the day to be considering a medicine application (about a month left before they are due in) particularly as you don't seem to know much about it. Concentrate on getting 3 As or better this year, then over the summer practise for your UKCAT and get some work experience and then apply next year with grades in hand.