Official Thread: (Undergraduate) Medicine 2019 Entry

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Reply 80

Snxn

Original post by propagation

Anyone happen to know if the GAMSAT is a requirement for all Universities for graduate entry medicine?
Thanks!

For graduate entry, unis like st. George and Nottingham want gamsat.

Reply 81

GrandMedic

Original post by hamza.shah24

Thanks!!

I have this really stupid question ..
I got 7A* 4As 1B in my O Levels.. Got an A in Bio and Physics. Now people in my school are discouraging me from even applying since I am an international applicant and its gonna hurt my chances or something..

Whats ur take on this?

I don't know much about international entry, but I know it's a lot more competitive- but not impossible!

Reply 82

Siasmf

Got 6A*s, 5As at GCSE and doing chemistry, biology, geography and psychology at AS. I don’t have much extra curricular activities - I don’t play an instrument or sports but I do volunteer at a carehome and hospital as well as job shadowing a medical ward.I wanted to apply for UEA, St George’s, Leicester and Anglia Ruskin but I’m still not sure if I’m a strong applicant. (I didn’t take maths or physics so debating if I should do 4 a levels and/ or an EPQ). I’m very worried for the UKCAT/BMAT. I believe I should still try to apply but always wonder if I’m worth it.

Reply 83

gomgossa

Original post by Siasmf

your gcses are very good for most unis, other than gcse heavy ones (ie. birmingham). Your volunteering is great and extra curricular activities don't matter much; however, you should try to get at least 1 or 2 hobbies to show you're a well rounded person and also to relieve stress. I didn't have many extra curricular stuff, so I've taken up learning the violin, editing for my school's medical journal and public speaking- all of which I'm very much enjoying. Remember: you don't have to be a pro at any!
Not doing maths/ physics will not disadvantage you at any of those unis (none other than cambridge) so don't do 4 a levels- it's just not worth it when it won't help your application. However, I think EPQs may be looked upon favourably as evidence of self-study and a teacher from my school suggested that a few people who missed their offer last year got in on the account of the fact they also had a good EPQ grade. Not sure how true that is, or if an EPQ will really make a difference, but I think it's something to definitely consider, especially since it's only short term.

Reply 84

denaturedenzyme

hey! I am also a fellow hopeful, and its scary how close I am to applying! I am a Cambridge hopeful but I need to nail my bmat because my GCSEs are no where near Cambridge level...
I bought the books for bmat an ukcat, but I haven't done any actual work for them.

Reply 85

GrandMedic

Original post by denaturedenzyme

Are you in yr 12? It is far too early for you to be thinking about admissions test. Concentrate on your subjects at college and get the grades to apply. You don't need that much time to prepare for the UKCAT/BMAT (maximum of a month for each is plenty- a lot of people do less).

Also Cambridge don't really weigh GCSEs that much. They care more about your first year exams so another reason why you should be concentrating on them.

Reply 86

Jessyoltay

I’m hoping to apply for medicine too but I’m not very hopeful. I got 6 A’s and 3 B’s at GCSEs and I’m currently in year 12 studying biology, chemistry and economics. I hope to get 3 A’s.

Reply 87

HateOCR

Original post by _HopefulMedic_

I am fully aware that there is still over a year till we apply, but I just wanted to see if there are any like-minded people that will be hopefully applying to Med School next year for 2019 entry? :smile:

Im going to reapply. Almost at 4 rejections so likely to take a gap year.

Reply 88

harrrrryyy06

Fellow hopeful here. Graduated with a 2:1 physiotherapy degree in 2016, and have worked as rotational physiotherapist for the past 18 months. I'm about to start an 18 month contract as a rotational paediatric physio, and have decided I want to try and do medicine as it was something I set my sights on prior to studying physiotherapy. The end of my 18 month contract leads quite nicely to September 2019.

I didn't do chemistry at A Level so would be looking at the normal undergraduate courses. Obviously got the advantage of being quite well experienced in the less academic side of applying to medicine. Will just have to get my studying head back on for UKCAT/BMAT in the summer/autumn! Currently live in Manchester so would be looking at the Northern universities that I would be able to commute to and from.

Reply 89

harrrrryyy06

Original post by Volibear

Just to tell you, if you're excluding GEM courses because of Chemistry A-level, some medical schools don't consider your A-levels at all.

Thanks! I have looked at a few, but I want to try and stay as close to Manchester as I can if possible and Liverpool require it. Unfortunately there's no other unis that close.

Reply 90

hamsh24

Original post by milalihan

I just got my O Level results because I lived in Pakistan for the last 3 years. Back in Manchester now. I got 2A*5A1B. A* in English Lang and Maths and A in sciences and compsci and Pakistan Studies. I'm giving 2 other subjects in October since 8 subjects is nowhere near enough for medicine here and I'll be resitting Islamiat which I got a B in. Hopefully will bring my stats up to 3A*7A. Do you think I'd have a chance with those grades?

Hi. I am in an opposite situation as you LOL. I returned to Pakistan before O Levels.. Got 7A* 4As 1B in O levels.. Now in A Levels. Are u applying on home or international seat? Cuz i heard u need to spend 3 years in UK prior to medical school entry..

Also u can apply to UKCAT and A Level heavy unis tho ur O Level grades are v good.

Reply 91

username3709976

Original post by _HopefulMedic_

OMG YES. I am so nervous ahaha, especially since i am aiming for oxbridge. but idk anymore it is soooo competitive

Reply 92

daliah248

so yep another hoping to do medicine AS student here, and thanks for this thread
pretty sure that I'm not doing anywhere enough like my grades so far won't get me anywhere.
Am I meant to be going to medical lectures or visiting unis now? should I have done hospital experience by now?
anyone on the same page as this clueless but really wants to medicine kid?

Reply 93

username3370502

It’s refreshing to find someone who has done a lot of research on getting into Medicine! Make sure you revise for ukcat. People say that you can’t but practice definitely helps. I wish I had worked harder for it but regardless I managed to get in! Check out my blog for advice and to see my experience through medical school!
https://stilettos-and-stethoscopes.com/
www.instagram.com/stilettos.and.stethoscopes

Reply 94

msproject

Guys just to make it clear it really doesn't matter which uni you go to it's simply to just inflate your ego. It's like being favoured because u had the same results as someone else in your school but the other person went to a better school.

Reply 95

Mikethewildling

Hi! Im a student from Scandinavia and as a non-native English speaker very concerned about the ukcat. I was wondering whether its really too early to start prepping for the test already (emphasizing the fact that English is only my second language)? I mean could it have so little benefit or nothing at all (or even negative effect) to start rehearsing this early around..? Obviously I still gotta improve my English, especially for the verbal reasoning part since I believe my reading speed is quite a lot of slower than that of native speakers.. 🤔

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 96

ghost_rebel

Hi guys ! I'm hoping to apply for GEM 2019 entry too. I dont think I will be prepared enough for the GAMSAT test on March and I am planning on taking it in september instead. Is this reasonable/possible?

Reply 97

Steph E

Original post by daliah248

Hi Daliah - hope I can help you with some of those questions!
What are your grades like? Most UK medical schools are looking for AAA at university. Some also have specific requirements for GCSE grades, but not all.
If you’re applying for 2019 admission I’m assuming you’re in Year 12? Most medical schools will do their open days in the spring/ summer but it would be sensible to check out their websites to get the dates and book into them as soon as they are available. You can definitely start looking at their websites and prospectuses to give you an idea of which Medical Schools you might be interested in.
Work experience doesn’t have to be in a hospital - it could be in a GP practice, at an elderly care home, in a pharmacy, working with children with disabilities etc. There’s still time to organise this sort of work experience but I’d recommend organising it soon - it can take weeks/ months to organise and you will need to have done it by September because that is when you will be writing your personal statement. Have you done any work experience yet? Or any voluntary work or employment?

I hope this helps but feel free to ask any other questions - I’m an F1 (first year doctor) and am very happy to help :smile:

Reply 98

Steph E

Original post by Mikethewildling

Hi Mike!
It’s quite early to start going through practice UKCAT questions now. However, the time limit is the biggest problem for lots of people so if you know that you read slower than native speakers, I would really recommend spending the next couple of months working on your English reading skills. Then start preparing for the UKCAT using practice questions 2-3 months before your test.

Reply 99

daliah248

Original post by Steph E

Hi Daliah - hope I can help you with some of those questions!

Thank you so much, I honestly needed a little motivation after getting not so great mock grades that even my teachers think ill need to improve on (c for bio, chem and maths). yeah I've asked a couple of places for volunteering and that's being processed, and I've asked for a week in the hospital for the summer holidays too. just wanted to ask do you know if unis ask for predicted grades or actual as grades when you apply through UCAS.

But thank you for the help, very much appreciated!