I am only studying 4 gcses can i still become a doctor?
okay so recently i had to drop out of year 11 due to severe anxiety / social anxiety. i really want to become a doctor it's my dream and i'm working so hard to get good grades, but i can only take 4 (maths, english, all three sciences (which is dual award) and sociology)
- also im taking igcses!! is it the same concept with the english lang and english lit?
- also im taking igcses!! is it the same concept with the english lang and english lit?
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by ultraviolets
okay so recently i had to drop out of year 11 due to severe anxiety / social anxiety. i really want to become a doctor it's my dream and i'm working so hard to get good grades, but i can only take 4 (maths, english, all three sciences and sociology)
thats 6
Ngl it will be hard. There are multiple factors to a medicine application: GCSEs, AS/A levels, how many repeats you're doing, UKCAT/BMAT scores, personal statement, work experience, interview performance etc. Usually you can compensate by making the other factors stellar if one of these is weak. Problem is GCSEs are the very first of these. So you'll be putting yourself under immense pressure to do well in the other things. That's as well as you need A*/As in all 6 GCSEs.
And also, you'll be closing yourself to many unis which strongly consider GCSEs so your choices will be reduced. You will have to choose your unis very carefully when the time comes.
Saying that, it's not impossible. And of course, keep a doctors letter and a letter from your school about your mitigating circumstances. That will help too.
Just one question, if you can't cope with more than 6 GCSEs, will you be fit to do 3 A levels? Because there is a LOT of work at a level, it is a huge step up. And not only do you need to do three hard a levels (chem and bio, many choose maths and physics as a third) you have to do well in them. At least As in all. All this comes with a good reason too, med school and the life of a doctor is very demanding. This is their way of testing if you're cut out for a life like that. Do you think you'll be ok to pull that off?
And also, you'll be closing yourself to many unis which strongly consider GCSEs so your choices will be reduced. You will have to choose your unis very carefully when the time comes.
Saying that, it's not impossible. And of course, keep a doctors letter and a letter from your school about your mitigating circumstances. That will help too.
Just one question, if you can't cope with more than 6 GCSEs, will you be fit to do 3 A levels? Because there is a LOT of work at a level, it is a huge step up. And not only do you need to do three hard a levels (chem and bio, many choose maths and physics as a third) you have to do well in them. At least As in all. All this comes with a good reason too, med school and the life of a doctor is very demanding. This is their way of testing if you're cut out for a life like that. Do you think you'll be ok to pull that off?
(edited 7 years ago)
Well I know a lot of unis mainly focus on the A Level grades but in all honesty to get into a good college/sixthform you need to get 5 A*-C's.. Maybe try and fight for one more GCSE as if you can cope with 4 I'm sure you'll be able to cope with just 1 more. At the end of the day you want to get the best possible chance in achieving your dream so you need to fight right now for another GCSE and you need to fight your anxiety. I do realise I of all people probably don't have a clue what it feels like but just stay strong and when you become a doctor you'll be very proud of yourself.
By the way a lot of universities also require 5 A*-C's so you need to say that to whoever you will be asking to take another GCSE as if they don't allow you to take another one they could potentially ruin your future.
Good luck and stay strong!
By the way a lot of universities also require 5 A*-C's so you need to say that to whoever you will be asking to take another GCSE as if they don't allow you to take another one they could potentially ruin your future.
Good luck and stay strong!
I'm no expert, but if you get good grades, get plenty of experience and you do well in your A levels I can't see why they wouldn't consider you. You might want to consider if you are already struggling with anxiety the fact that studying medicine is a very demanding course and the career is also incredibly tough on your mental health. Have you considered going into one of the Allied health professions instead?
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by citibankrec
thats 6
oHHH OKAY THANK YOU
Original post by Millie-3
Ngl it will be hard. There are multiple factors to a medicine application: GCSEs, AS/A levels, how many repeats you're doing, UKCAT/BMAT scores, personal statement, work experience, interview performance etc. Usually you can compensate by making the other factors stellar if one of these is weak. Problem is GCSEs are the very first of these. So you'll be putting yourself under immense pressure to do well in the other things. That's as well as you need A*/As in all 6 GCSEs.
And also, you'll be closing yourself to many unis which strongly consider GCSEs so your choices will be reduced. You will have to choose your unis very carefully when the time comes.
Saying that, it's not impossible. And of course, keep a doctors letter and a letter from your school about your mitigating circumstances. That will help too.
Just one question, if you can't cope with more than 6 GCSEs, will you be fit to do 3 A levels? Because there is a LOT of work at a level, it is a huge step up. And not only do you need to do three hard a levels (chem and bio, many choose maths and physics as a third) you have to do well in them. At least As in all. All this comes with a good reason too, med school and the life of a doctor is very demanding. This is their way of testing if you're cut out for a life like that. Do you think you'll be ok to pull that off?
And also, you'll be closing yourself to many unis which strongly consider GCSEs so your choices will be reduced. You will have to choose your unis very carefully when the time comes.
Saying that, it's not impossible. And of course, keep a doctors letter and a letter from your school about your mitigating circumstances. That will help too.
Just one question, if you can't cope with more than 6 GCSEs, will you be fit to do 3 A levels? Because there is a LOT of work at a level, it is a huge step up. And not only do you need to do three hard a levels (chem and bio, many choose maths and physics as a third) you have to do well in them. At least As in all. All this comes with a good reason too, med school and the life of a doctor is very demanding. This is their way of testing if you're cut out for a life like that. Do you think you'll be ok to pull that off?
i will be okay im getting professional help for my mental health and will probably go onto medication for a bit so i should be able to pull it off!! thank you for your help
Original post by alevelssuck_
Well I know a lot of unis mainly focus on the A Level grades but in all honesty to get into a good college/sixthform you need to get 5 A*-C's.. Maybe try and fight for one more GCSE as if you can cope with 4 I'm sure you'll be able to cope with just 1 more. At the end of the day you want to get the best possible chance in achieving your dream so you need to fight right now for another GCSE and you need to fight your anxiety. I do realise I of all people probably don't have a clue what it feels like but just stay strong and when you become a doctor you'll be very proud of yourself.
By the way a lot of universities also require 5 A*-C's so you need to say that to whoever you will be asking to take another GCSE as if they don't allow you to take another one they could potentially ruin your future.
Good luck and stay strong!
By the way a lot of universities also require 5 A*-C's so you need to say that to whoever you will be asking to take another GCSE as if they don't allow you to take another one they could potentially ruin your future.
Good luck and stay strong!
i realised im taking 6 gcses (i didn't notice) so i think i should be okay! thank you so much for your advice/help !!
Original post by citibankrec
thats 6
How is it 6? Biology, Chemistry and Physics count as 1 GCSE in the end, English Lang = 1, English Lit = 1, Maths = 1 and Sociology = 1
Therefore you will have 5 at the end. Just make sure you do well in them.
Original post by ultraviolets
i will be okay im getting professional help for my mental health and will probably go onto medication for a bit so i should be able to pull it off!! thank you for your help
That's no problem. I'm going through it all for the second time, so feel free to PM me if you have an questions
Original post by alevelssuck_
How is it 6? Biology, Chemistry and Physics count as 1 GCSE in the end, English Lang = 1, English Lit = 1, Maths = 1 and Sociology = 1
Therefore you will have 5 at the end. Just make sure you do well in them.
Therefore you will have 5 at the end. Just make sure you do well in them.
Not true. You either take Double Science (Core and Additional Science, both separate grades) or Triple Science (all 3 sciences separate; each 2 exams) therefore 3 grades.
Original post by alevelssuck_
How is it 6? Biology, Chemistry and Physics count as 1 GCSE in the end, English Lang = 1, English Lit = 1, Maths = 1 and Sociology = 1
Therefore you will have 5 at the end. Just make sure you do well in them.
Therefore you will have 5 at the end. Just make sure you do well in them.
I did my GCSEs 5 years ago so this may not be relevant, but when I did my GCSEs, you either did Double Science or Triple Science.
I did Double Science and that counted as 2 GCSEs, Core Science and Additional Science. If people chose to do triple science then they had 3 GCSEs, one each for Bio, Chem and Physics.
Original post by beccagood95
I did my GCSEs 5 years ago so this may not be relevant, but when I did my GCSEs, you either did Double Science or Triple Science.
I did Double Science and that counted as 2 GCSEs, Core Science and Additional Science. If people chose to do triple science then they had 3 GCSEs, one each for Bio, Chem and Physics.
I did Double Science and that counted as 2 GCSEs, Core Science and Additional Science. If people chose to do triple science then they had 3 GCSEs, one each for Bio, Chem and Physics.
Yeah I done mine three years ago so that applied to me also. But she said she does 3 sciences so what does that mean.. Is it just normal bio, chem and physics or is she doing triple. Hence me thinking that it just counts as one.
Original post by alevelssuck_
How is it 6? Biology, Chemistry and Physics count as 1 GCSE in the end, English Lang = 1, English Lit = 1, Maths = 1 and Sociology = 1
Therefore you will have 5 at the end. Just make sure you do well in them.
Therefore you will have 5 at the end. Just make sure you do well in them.
Lol nope. Biology, Chemistry and Physics are different GCSE's. Each counting as one.
Original post by citibankrec
Lol nope. Biology, Chemistry and Physics are different GCSE's. Each counting as one.
Well when I done my GCSE's the combination of them counted as one and for additional science they also counted as one.
Original post by alevelssuck_
Yeah I done mine three years ago so that applied to me also. But she said she does 3 sciences so what does that mean.. Is it just normal bio, chem and physics or is she doing triple. Hence me thinking that it just counts as one.
I doubt it, they don't seem to quite know what the GCSEs involve, like they said they were just doing English but that will count 2 rather than 1 GCSE. So it's most likely OP is doing either double or triple science, maybe double science if they're struggling with personal issues
Original post by alevelssuck_
How is it 6? Biology, Chemistry and Physics count as 1 GCSE in the end, English Lang = 1, English Lit = 1, Maths = 1 and Sociology = 1
Therefore you will have 5 at the end. Just make sure you do well in them.
Therefore you will have 5 at the end. Just make sure you do well in them.
are igcses the same? because i'm doing IGCES so is it just the same in english?
Original post by ultraviolets
are igcses the same? because i'm doing IGCES so is it just the same in english?
I don't really know the full difference between IGCSE and GCSE. I know IGCSE offers some of the old elements of GCSE but I can't really tell you much else since it probably won't be accurate. I suggest you speak to one of your teachers or a head of year and they'll give you the right facts.
Original post by ultraviolets
are igcses the same? because i'm doing IGCES so is it just the same in english?
Yes they are the same - universities will accept them as standard GCSE's
Original post by epage
Yes they are the same - universities will accept them as standard GCSE's
thank you !!
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