Medicine entry 2021

I am in a similar situation to you. In my mocks I got 99998888877 but I feel like my GCSEs will be more around straight 8s. I have read somewhere that Oxbridge consider grades 8 and 9 with equal merit and do not differentiate students on them (however I do not know how true this is). Providing your GCSEs are all 8 and 9 grades I would assume you have a fairly good chance at getting interviewed (providing your PS and BMAT are excellent). If you interview well then it is likely you would receive a place. I don’t really know what else to say

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 2

OP

Original post by PanickedPangolin

I am in a similar situation to you. In my mocks I got 99998888877 but I feel like my GCSEs will be more around straight 8s. I have read somewhere that Oxbridge consider grades 8 and 9 with equal merit and do not differentiate students on them (however I do not know how true this is). Providing your GCSEs are all 8 and 9 grades I would assume you have a fairly good chance at getting interviewed (providing your PS and BMAT are excellent). If you interview well then it is likely you would receive a place. I don’t really know what else to say

Thank you for that advice . If you are aiming for medicine , do you know when you are going to start preparing for ucat or bmat exams ?

Reply 3

helloiambored

when you get your results can you share them please?

Reply 4

OP

Original post by helloiambored

when you get your results can you share them please?

Yeah sure

Reply 5

I’m going to start researching what the BMAT and UCAT entail when I get back to school, my school has a BMAT/UCAT training course so I will probably just attend that and start properly preparing next summer. Dy know what other med schools you are thinking of applying to?

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 6

OP

Original post by PanickedPangolin

I’m going to start researching what the BMAT and UCAT entail when I get back to school, my school has a BMAT/UCAT training course so I will probably just attend that and start properly preparing next summer. Dy know what other med schools you are thinking of applying to?

Okay thank you for sharing your plan . Med schools wise , if I feel very confident then maybe Cambridge and if my results say I could . Otherwise I’m mainly aiming for imperial , kings , barts, Bristol I guess . Just a vague idea atm

Reply 7

Cool. Tbh i’m trying not to fixate too much on Cambridge because even if I get my predicted grades (9 grade 9s and 2 grade 8s) I still wouldn’t like my chances because it is SO competitive. I’m going to a couple of open days in September such as UCL and Bristol to get a feel for the places.

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 8

OP

Original post by PanickedPangolin

Cool. Tbh i’m trying not to fixate too much on Cambridge because even if I get my predicted grades (9 grade 9s and 2 grade 8s) I still wouldn’t like my chances because it is SO competitive. I’m going to a couple of open days in September such as UCL and Bristol to get a feel for the places.

Lol my grades are no where that good ... but the thing with Cambridge is that you need decent GCSEs but good experience mainly , as I know a couple of medics there atm who only got in last year with not the best grades (Bs As couple of A*s) but they had tons of exp with carehomes hospitals etc... so tbh I think if you got those kinda grades you would have a great chance alongside exp. ofc ... Cambridge is one of not many that actually sees you as an individual , hence you get a fair chance . But we will see how it goes in two weeks I guess 😂.

Btw , would you mind saying what grades you get ?

Reply 9

Yeah I know there are some medics that get in on relatively “poor” grades (for Cambridge standards) but that is because Cambridge look at the context in which the grades were achieved. For example, someone coming from a low income family in a comprehensive school who is first generation going to uni who gets all 7s would be more likely to get an offer than someone who goes to a renowned private school who gets 8s and 9s. I go to a state grammar school so I doubt my grades will look that impressive because I defo wont achieve my predicted grade and will probably get around straight 8s. But yeah I am happy to share my grades.

Reply 10

returnmigrant

21

There is a big section of TSR all about Applying for Medicine : https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Medicine and it includes info about GCSEs and A levels.

Reply 11

pipthesqueak

16

i just got an opportunity to volunteer at a hospital, but i was wondering what else i should do? i havé a weeks worth of work experience in a hospital next week and one week in a pharmacy, but i’m kinda stuck with the whole extra-curricular activities as i really don’t do much ): any advice...?

Reply 12

returnmigrant

21

Original post by pipthesqueak

i just got an opportunity to volunteer at a hospital, but i was wondering what else i should do? i havé a weeks worth of work experience in a hospital next week and one week in a pharmacy, but i’m kinda stuck with the whole extra-curricular activities as i really don’t do much ): any advice...?

There is a big section of TSR all about Applying for Medicine : https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Medicine and it includes info about Work Experience.

Reply 13

pipthesqueak

16

Original post by returnmigrant

There is a big section of TSR all about Applying for Medicine : https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Medicine and it includes info about Work Experience.

thank you!

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 14

OP

Original post by PanickedPangolin

Yeah I know there are some medics that get in on relatively “poor” grades (for Cambridge standards) but that is because Cambridge look at the context in which the grades were achieved. For example, someone coming from a low income family in a comprehensive school who is first generation going to uni who gets all 7s would be more likely to get an offer than someone who goes to a renowned private school who gets 8s and 9s. I go to a state grammar school so I doubt my grades will look that impressive because I defo wont achieve my predicted grade and will probably get around straight 8s. But yeah I am happy to share my grades.

Ahhh okay that makes a lot of sense . I go to a state grammar school too but I think they look at the schools performance in general too relative to the gardes we achieved . Idk I guess we will just have to see . But thank you for the advice and sharing ur grades

Reply 15

OP

Original post by returnmigrant

There is a big section of TSR all about Applying for Medicine : https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Medicine and it includes info about GCSEs and A levels.

Thank you!

Reply 16

OP

Original post by pipthesqueak

i just got an opportunity to volunteer at a hospital, but i was wondering what else i should do? i havé a weeks worth of work experience in a hospital next week and one week in a pharmacy, but i’m kinda stuck with the whole extra-curricular activities as i really don’t do much ): any advice...?

I don’t think extra curricular activities is taken much into account , but more interest and hobbies, I guess use your grades , work exp, volunteering and a hobby.

Reply 17

Original post by chicken_123_

Ahhh okay that makes a lot of sense . I go to a state grammar school too but I think they look at the schools performance in general too relative to the gardes we achieved . Idk I guess we will just have to see . But thank you for the advice and sharing ur grades

Hi, received my GCSE results today and as promised I will share them.
Maths - 9
English Literature - 8 (Three marks off a 9 so I will get a remark)
English Language - 9
Biology - 9
Chemistry - 9
Physics - 9
RS - 9
History - 9
Classics - 9
Spanish - 9
DT - 9
Further Maths - A

Reply 18

OP

Okay guys, I got my gcses today . I got no 9s but five 8 , four 7s and two 6s . For medicine I these results are definitely not the greatest , but I have another problem . I got 8 in both chem and maths but shockingly a 6 in biology ( went down from a 9 in mocks ) . I cant take bio anymore as the schools I have applied to do not consider any a level subjects below a 7 .

So now instead of bio, chem and maths I am going to take physics chem and maths .

Is it possible to still get into medicine doing physics instead of biology ? I know it does meet some university ‘s requirements but has anyone heard or know successful students in my situation?

I did send biology for remarks as I was only 4off but tbh I do not think I can get 4more in biology . I really need help !

Reply 19