Applying for medical school
Hi, I am currently a 19yr old student who is resitting year 12 due to personal medical issues. I have finished yr 12 and at present am predicted BB for biology and chemistry.... I know that definately am eligible for extenuating circumstances when I apply. My question is do you think it is possible for me to bring me predicts up to AA by the 1st of October ? Or do you think it will be better for me to apply after I have completed my alevels and actually have my grades?. If I apply after I get my results summer 2022, does that mean if I get a place I won't be able to go until September 23 or will I be abe to go in September 22 as planned?
Thanks in advance
Thanks in advance
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Original post by Anaya2016
Hi, I am currently a 19yr old student who is resitting year 12 due to personal medical issues. I have finished yr 12 and at present am predicted BB for biology and chemistry.... I know that definately am eligible for extenuating circumstances when I apply. My question is do you think it is possible for me to bring me predicts up to AA by the 1st of October ? Or do you think it will be better for me to apply after I have completed my alevels and actually have my grades?. If I apply after I get my results summer 2022, does that mean if I get a place I won't be able to go until September 23 or will I be abe to go in September 22 as planned?
Thanks in advance
Thanks in advance
Hey! If you are eligible you could look at Foundation Medicine, which is Medicine but with 6 years with the first year being the foundation year. These usually have entry requirements of BBB-BBC.
You could ask your teachers to give you a mock in September to show them how much you have improved during the summer, which could result in an AAA prediction. If you are looking to apply this October for September 2022 entry you will need to sit the UCAT or BMAT this year as well so do keep that in mind.
If your prediction do not go up you will have to take a gap year and apply after you get your results in August 2022, which does mean you will be applying for September 2023 entry.
Let me know if you have got any more questions about medicine!
Have a look at this thread https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7055243 which may help and please ask if you have more questions 
Original post by SyedN
Hey! If you are eligible you could look at Foundation Medicine, which is Medicine but with 6 years with the first year being the foundation year. These usually have entry requirements of BBB-BBC.
You could ask your teachers to give you a mock in September to show them how much you have improved during the summer, which could result in an AAA prediction. If you are looking to apply this October for September 2022 entry you will need to sit the UCAT or BMAT this year as well so do keep that in mind.
If your prediction do not go up you will have to take a gap year and apply after you get your results in August 2022, which does mean you will be applying for September 2023 entry.
Let me know if you have got any more questions about medicine!
You could ask your teachers to give you a mock in September to show them how much you have improved during the summer, which could result in an AAA prediction. If you are looking to apply this October for September 2022 entry you will need to sit the UCAT or BMAT this year as well so do keep that in mind.
If your prediction do not go up you will have to take a gap year and apply after you get your results in August 2022, which does mean you will be applying for September 2023 entry.
Let me know if you have got any more questions about medicine!
So to clarify, what's the difference between medicine and foundation medicine?. Apart from the additional year, will doing foundation medicine prevent me from becoming e.g. consultant gastroenterologist ? In the future...
Original post by Anaya2016
So to clarify, what's the difference between medicine and foundation medicine?. Apart from the additional year, will doing foundation medicine prevent me from becoming e.g. consultant gastroenterologist ? In the future...
Literally the extra year and the WP entry requirements.
Once you graduate, no one knows that you had the Foundation year - specialty applications are totally blinded to where you studied.
Original post by becausethenight
Literally the extra year and the WP entry requirements.
Once you graduate, no one knows that you had the Foundation year - specialty applications are totally blinded to where you studied.
Once you graduate, no one knows that you had the Foundation year - specialty applications are totally blinded to where you studied.
Okay good,
What universities are offering this?
Original post by Anaya2016
Okay good,
What universities are offering this?
What universities are offering this?
Bristol
Dundee
Edge Hill
HYMS
KCL
Keele
Lancaster
Leeds
Leicester
Lincoln
Liverpool
Nottingham
Plymouth
Southampton
UEA
I think that's all of them excluding the Scottish Universities as they're only open to Scottish applicants (oh and excluding UCLan too)
But do check all the universities' eligibility criteria because they're not all the same!
(edited 2 years ago)
I was looking at kings college EDMP. I don't meet the entry criteria. I would have been a definate applicant for the realising opportunities programme, but due to health complications I missed the deadline. I know you can only apply in yr 12 and I'll be going into yr13 in September. I definitely do qualify for extenuating circumstances as well. But don't know if it's worth applying for kings EDMP as I don't know what my chances of getting in are, since I missed the RO deadline
Original post by Anaya2016
I was looking at kings college EDMP. I don't meet the entry criteria. I would have been a definate applicant for the realising opportunities programme, but due to health complications I missed the deadline. I know you can only apply in yr 12 and I'll be going into yr13 in September. I definitely do qualify for extenuating circumstances as well. But don't know if it's worth applying for kings EDMP as I don't know what my chances of getting in are, since I missed the RO deadline
And the reason, I really liked this course. Is BC it's a medicine course, which is spread out not a foundation yr which I have to pass in order to get into medicine
Original post by Anaya2016
I was looking at kings college EDMP. I don't meet the entry criteria. I would have been a definate applicant for the realising opportunities programme, but due to health complications I missed the deadline. I know you can only apply in yr 12 and I'll be going into yr13 in September. I definitely do qualify for extenuating circumstances as well. But don't know if it's worth applying for kings EDMP as I don't know what my chances of getting in are, since I missed the RO deadline
I'm guessing the problem is getting an A in Biology or Chemistry. As said above, most of the med schools that offer a foundation year have their entry requirements at BBB or BBC (with a B in Biology or/and Chemistry etc.) so KCL's entry requirements are on the higher end of this scale
I get what you mean about the course though - you're right, it doesn't look like there's a 'pass mark' in order to progress onto the first year. I feel like however, a lot of these courses have this in place to see if students are capable enough/ will cope well in the first year, which is nothing bad at all! It's not like they want you to fail so if you ever feel like you're drowning a bit, they should be there to help you be the best you can be
Also, don't panic about the realising opportunities programme! Reading the eligibility criteria, there are also other things that they take into account (and remember these are not compulsory) like POLAR4, schools with low attainment scores (not sure if they include both GCSEs and A-Levels for that) and 'other widening participation backgrounds' (which I can't say for sure, but that might include your circumstances). I don't know so I can't say whether they look at applicants who have done the programme more than others, but do note your circumstances down because that should be taken into consideration.
Overall, I'd imagine you'll have to be predicted an A in either Biology or Chemistry to apply to KCL. Also, you have a maximum of 4 med schools to apply for (these can all be at foundation) so still have a read round of the others and what thet offer in their courses. Can I ask, excluding the pass mark stuff, are there any other med schools which you're interested in?
I am a year 13 student looking to apply to medicine. due to extenuating circumstances in which I have had 5 emergency surgeries under prolonged admission in hospital as results are left something to be desired as they were D B B by now I'm wondering if it's worth applying to any medical schools for entry in 20-22 or you just apply through clearing or whether just give up I've always wanted to be a doctor but lately just seems like a lot of signs that should give up and do something else and I'm feeling really lost and almost as if I shouldn't bother putting in any hard work
Original post by Googley_eyes
Bump
There is literally no reason to bump a post within 12 minutes of it being made.
Original post by Anaya2016
I am a year 13 student looking to apply to medicine. due to extenuating circumstances in which I have had 5 emergency surgeries under prolonged admission in hospital as results are left something to be desired as they were D B B by now I'm wondering if it's worth applying to any medical schools for entry in 20-22 or you just apply through clearing or whether just give up I've always wanted to be a doctor but lately just seems like a lot of signs that should give up and do something else and I'm feeling really lost and almost as if I shouldn't bother putting in any hard work
You would need to resit but with the extenuating circumstances I think it's possible that won't be held against you (the fact you were resitting that is). I'd recommend not aiming to apply through clearing, because there is never a guarantee any medicine courses will be in there and often the cutoffs to be invited to interview in clearing are higher than they are in the normal cycle. You will also still need to take the UCAT (I don't think any BMAT unis participate in clearing) in the usual timeline anyway.
Whether you still want to apply to medicine or not is of course a very personal choice and up to you. There are definitely reasons for and against and we don't know your full situation (nor do we have to!). But the possibility of being able to apply successfully to medicine is certainly there, if your health issues have been resolved and you still want to apply, which would require you resit to reapply this year (or next).
Also I've moved your thread to the medicine forum, hopefully some of the helpful people in this forum will see it and be able to provide further advice
(edited 2 years ago)
Original post by Anaya2016
I am a year 13 student looking to apply to medicine. due to extenuating circumstances in which I have had 5 emergency surgeries under prolonged admission in hospital as results are left something to be desired as they were D B B by now I'm wondering if it's worth applying to any medical schools for entry in 20-22 or you just apply through clearing or whether just give up I've always wanted to be a doctor but lately just seems like a lot of signs that should give up and do something else and I'm feeling really lost and almost as if I shouldn't bother putting in any hard work
So you got DBB in your Alevels this summer and you are retaking this year?
Have you done the other things you need for a med school application like work experience and UCAT?
Have you looked at other healthcare degrees to see if they would interest you - nursing? radiography?
no, I took my English alevel early last year and got a B, I only went to college for 5wks and then was readmitted. I am starting yr13 from tomorrow and am feeling somewhat discouraged as my as predictions for biology and chemistry are B B. so now I'm wondering if I should applu to unis for medicine this October or whether I should just apply after I've got the grades via adjustment ?
Original post by Anaya2016
no, I took my English alevel early last year and got a B, I only went to college for 5wks and then was readmitted. I am starting yr13 from tomorrow and am feeling somewhat discouraged as my as predictions for biology and chemistry are B B. so now I'm wondering if I should applu to unis for medicine this October or whether I should just apply after I've got the grades via adjustment ?
Well you won't get any interviews for A100 courses with one B achieved and two Bs predicted.
Are your predictions likely to change, are you retaking English?
Would you consider a foundation course?
What's your UCAT score?
No med schools take candidates via adjustment as far as I know (apart from Cambridge's very specific scheme)
Original post by artful_lounger
You would need to resit but with the extenuating circumstances I think it's possible that won't be held against you (the fact you were resitting that is). I'd recommend not aiming to apply through clearing, because there is never a guarantee any medicine courses will be in there and often the cutoffs to be invited to interview in clearing are higher than they are in the normal cycle. You will also still need to take the UCAT (I don't think any BMAT unis participate in clearing) in the usual timeline anyway.
Whether you still want to apply to medicine or not is of course a very personal choice and up to you. There are definitely reasons for and against and we don't know your full situation (nor do we have to!). But the possibility of being able to apply successfully to medicine is certainly there, if your health issues have been resolved and you still want to apply, which would require you resit to reapply this year (or next).
Also I've moved your thread to the medicine forum, hopefully some of the helpful people in this forum will see it and be able to provide further advice
Whether you still want to apply to medicine or not is of course a very personal choice and up to you. There are definitely reasons for and against and we don't know your full situation (nor do we have to!). But the possibility of being able to apply successfully to medicine is certainly there, if your health issues have been resolved and you still want to apply, which would require you resit to reapply this year (or next).
Also I've moved your thread to the medicine forum, hopefully some of the helpful people in this forum will see it and be able to provide further advice
I was trying to be helpful. I wanted to help but didn’t have much useful advice.
my predictions may change but it's unlikely that they will change by October which is when applications are due. I'm not going to retake english. I was hoping to be able to get in with AAB.
Im hoping to avoid taking a foundation course, as there is no guarantee that ill be able to progress onto the MBBS course . I haven't done my ucat yet, I'm doing it in October
Im hoping to avoid taking a foundation course, as there is no guarantee that ill be able to progress onto the MBBS course . I haven't done my ucat yet, I'm doing it in October
Original post by Anaya2016
my predictions may change but it's unlikely that they will change by October which is when applications are due. I'm not going to retake english. I was hoping to be able to get in with AAB.
Im hoping to avoid taking a foundation course, as there is no guarantee that ill be able to progress onto the MBBS course . I haven't done my ucat yet, I'm doing it in October
Im hoping to avoid taking a foundation course, as there is no guarantee that ill be able to progress onto the MBBS course . I haven't done my ucat yet, I'm doing it in October
Can I respectfully suggest you do a bit more research so you can properly plan this?
This is the place to start https://www.medschools.ac.uk/studying-medicine/making-an-application/entry-requirement. If you don't resit your B and just doing 2 Alevels at a time will mean your options are very limited. You'll need to look in detail at which widening participation criteria you might meet - they are different for each uni.
It would also be worth your looking properly at the UCAT as it's pretty clear you haven't yet (29 Sept is the last date you can sit it) - the summary info is here https://www.ucat.ac.uk/about-ucat/key-dates/
None of this means you need to give up your medicine dream, but you are probably looking at applying post-Alevels for 2023 entry. That gives you plenty of time to look properly at what you need to do to get an offer.
Or do consider allied healthcare professions, which are just as important in the profession.
These are both great routes but they do need you to put time in now to work out what your options really are and then work carefully towards them.
I am currently a 19-year-old yr 13 student. I am studying A-level biology, chemistry and English literature. I sat my English A-level 2020 while I was in yr12 and only got a B due to not sitting the exam due to covid. I am now in the process of attempting to apply to medical school for entry in September 2022 and feel like I am not going to get accepted anywhere due to this B. I have a backup plan to do a Bsc in BioMed and then apply as a graduate entry applicant, but I would rather not have to resort to this, as I know that GEM is much harder to get into.
Additionally, I am already two years behind schedule due to unforeseeable medical circumstances, which means I have had to start the sixth form all over again. I have recently discovered that medical schools do offer lower offers for those with extenuating circumstances... Due to these medical circumstances, my current predictions are also not perfect, as I am predicted a B and another B for biology and chemistry. However, I do believe that I can achieve A's in both of these subjects by the end of the year. I am feeling defeated at the idea that I will probably have to apply as a GEM which means I will be 27 by the time I graduate. Is there any hope for me to get into medical school in September 2022? I am sitting my UCAT next Wednesday and am also doing the BMAT in November. I keep having moments when I think it's not worth putting in all this work, as I will probably not get a place anyway next year.
Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated
Marihah
Additionally, I am already two years behind schedule due to unforeseeable medical circumstances, which means I have had to start the sixth form all over again. I have recently discovered that medical schools do offer lower offers for those with extenuating circumstances... Due to these medical circumstances, my current predictions are also not perfect, as I am predicted a B and another B for biology and chemistry. However, I do believe that I can achieve A's in both of these subjects by the end of the year. I am feeling defeated at the idea that I will probably have to apply as a GEM which means I will be 27 by the time I graduate. Is there any hope for me to get into medical school in September 2022? I am sitting my UCAT next Wednesday and am also doing the BMAT in November. I keep having moments when I think it's not worth putting in all this work, as I will probably not get a place anyway next year.
Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated
Marihah
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