Help with medicine preparation.

OP

Hi guys, I am really concerned wether i should do 3 or 4 A-level. I would like to apply to study medicine at Cambridge university but fear that doing only three A-levels (Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics) would put me at a disadvantage. Could you please shed some light on my dilemma as different posts have different views on this topic. And some stats about successfull medical applicants (i.e.number of A-levels taken) would be great.
I am currently doing Maths,Bio,Chem,Further Maths and could (being generous here) get 4 A*s but most likely 3 A*s. I plan to drop Further Maths in year 13 so that i concentrate on my other 3 A-levels.
King regards
Edit:
Thanks everyone for their replies.it's really helpfull :smile:

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 2

Livvvvxx

7

Yes it would look better if u had 4 but I wouldn’t say it puts you at a disadvantage because then you can focus even more on the three that you have, I know someone at Oxford who did those three, you only need 3 and 4 could potentially be too much work, depends if you think you could handle the extra work or not x

Reply 3

OP

Original post by Livvvvxx

Yes it would look better if u had 4 but I wouldn’t say it puts you at a disadvantage because then you can focus even more on the three that you have, I know someone at Oxford who did those three, you only need 3 and 4 could potentially be too much work, depends if you think you could handle the extra work or not x

In which way would it be better do 4? :smile:

Reply 4

OP

I do understand but most applicants especially on youtube seem to have 4 or more a levels.

Reply 5

Democracy

20

Original post by 13singhb

Hello aspiring medics !! I'm new to TSR so just bear with me. I am personally hoping to study medicine at Cambridge. I am in year 12 right now and am clueless about how to approach cambridge uni. My teacher told me to do research around biology so I'm looking into quantum biology. Is that relevant and do you believe it would be helpfull for me during application/interview. Could you please give me any more advice on applying for medicine at cambridge? Are there any books you would suggestme to read. And onefinal question, when do you reckon i should start practicing for my BMAT given that i will be applying the next academic year. Thanks in advance.

Surely if you're going to do some extra reading, it should be around medicine rather than biology?

You can start here:

https://www.theguardian.com/society/series/blood-sweat-and-tears

https://www.theguardian.com/healthcare-network

https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/university/courses/medicine/medicine-applications-further-reading

https://www.amazon.co.uk/This-Going-Hurt-Secret-Diaries/dp/1509858636/

Reply 6

OP

Original post by Democracy

Surely if you're going to do some extra reading, it should be around medicine rather than biology?

You can start here:

https://www.theguardian.com/society/series/blood-sweat-and-tears

https://www.theguardian.com/healthcare-network

https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/university/courses/medicine/medicine-applications-further-reading

https://www.amazon.co.uk/This-Going-Hurt-Secret-Diaries/dp/1509858636/

Sure, thanks. That was just silly of me. I have changed my topic of research a while ago.

Reply 7

Original post by 13singhb

Hi guys, I am really concerned wether i should do 3 or 4 A-level. I would like to apply to study medicine at Cambridge university but fear that doing only three A-levels (Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics) would put me at a disadvantage. Could you please shed some light on my dilemma as different posts have different views on this topic. And some stats about successfull medical applicants (i.e.number of A-levels taken) would be great.
I am currently doing Maths,Bio,Chem,Further Maths and could (being generous here) get 4 A*s but most likely 3 A*s. I plan to drop Further Maths in year 13 so that i concentrate on my other 3 A-levels.
King regards

Original post by 13singhb

I do understand but most applicants especially on youtube seem to have 4 or more a levels.

Most applicants aren't on Youtube...

Most STEM students, actually, do have 4 A-levels at Cambridge but they aren't required. Cambridge itself says:

"Number of A Levels
Our typical offers are based on students taking three A Levels together in Year 13, and most Cambridge applicants are studying three or four A Level subjects in Years 12 and 13. This is usually sufficient to show breadth of interests and ability to manage a range of differing academic tasks. We’d rather applicants develop broader and deeper knowledge of the subjects most relevant/closest to their chosen course than accumulate additional A Levels.
Applicants taking four subjects won't normally be at an advantage compared with those taking three, although competitive applicants for STEM courses often have Further Mathematics as a fourth subject."

https://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/applying/entrance-requirements

And FM is not that useful for Medicine anyway. So it's much better to do exceedingly well in 3 than spread yourself too thinly and drop a grade or two by doing 4.

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 8

Livvvvxx

7

Original post by 13singhb

In which way would it be better do 4? :smile:

I wouldn’t say it’d be better to do 4 because it could v likely bring your overall average grade down due to the extra work, I’m just saying that obviously, yes, 4 a levels would look better than 3, though you definitely do not need 4 at all x

Reply 9

MedicStudent1

7

If you're lazy like me, listen to podcasts whilst you're getting ready to sleep!

Reply 10

Dr.Medic?

12

I’m a med applicant got my offers 😊
My brothers also are med students so if I can’t answer anything I’ll ask them.
I think I’m quite clued up on the process as I mentor 15 year 12’s on their applications 😂
Feel free to ask me any questions.or PM me

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 11

Original post by Dr.Medic?

I’m a med applicant got my offers 😊
My brothers also are med students so if I can’t answer anything I’ll ask them.
I think I’m quite clued up on the process as I mentor 15 year 12’s on their applications 😂
Feel free to ask me any questions.or PM me

The OP has posed their questions already... so why not simply give them the benefit of your expertise now?

Reply 12

Dr.Medic?

12

Original post by Doonesbury

The OP has posed their questions already... so why not simply give them the benefit of your expertise now?

I will do, didn’t read through the full thread because it would simply take a lot of time and he question may already be answered

Reply 13

nexttime

22

Original post by 13singhb

In which way would it be better do 4? :smile:

Arguably, it gives you a chance to 'fail' [to get what you need] in one subject and still meet the conditions of a 3-A-level offer.

Obviously that is counterbalanced with the increased workload potentially making you more likely to 'fail' anyway. I think for most people taking 3 is the safer and better option.

I would not worry about how good it 'looks'. You can use the freed-up time to read around the subject, NHS, interview prep, BMAT prep, UKCAT prep, the list goes on. 62% of Oxford medicine applicants only have 3 A-levels - whilst I don't know of stats for Cambridge I'd wager its more than half.

Reply 14

Original post by nexttime

62% of Oxford medicine applicants only have 3 A-levels - whilst I don't know of stats for Cambridge I'd wager its more than half.

I had a look at this FOI from Cambridge.
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/a100_medicine_applicants_for_201_2
When you drill into the data there's about 600 applicants with 3 or more A-levels.
Of which 54% have 4+ A-levels.
Filtering for offer holders it increases slightly to 60% (although correlation =/= causation...).

So, OP, 46% of Cambridge Medicine applicants studying A-levels have "just" three. The average is 3.6.

Edit: it would be nice if Cambridge provided a similar analysis to Oxford though. :yy:

And for each subject...

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 15

nexttime

22

Original post by Doonesbury

Edit: it would be nice if Cambridge provided a similar analysis to Oxford though. :yy:

And for each subject...

Damn lost my wager.

I think it is [or was originally] a pet project by one tutor rather than centrally driven, but yes that would be amazing! It also seems to evolve according to the questions being asked on here (which i assume are the same as those asked elsewhere) pretty nicely so it's definitely being reviewed all the time!

Reply 16