5th choice for uni

hi, I'm in year 12 now and considering medicine for uni, I've started my application process (personal statement, shortlisted my unis of interest, etc). But now I'm struggling to find a fifth choice that I could do in uni that I would like. I've tried researching for courses that have a very thin line difference between it and medicine . I've looked at biochem, Biomed, bioscience (i think every bio -haha not really but you get what I mean), and pharmacy. I thought of psychology too but my A-levels are maths, biology, and chem...it would have been good if I had taken psychology for sixth form -probably.
Many people say Biomed or most bio courses are completely different from medicine and I want to do something as close to medicine as possible then maybe in the later years if possible transfer. ( just in case I don't get straight in med school)
I don't mind a gate year as well but just for the application process I have to find a fifth choice (or else my teachers will be on my neck haha).Any advice?

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Reply 1

Diac

I have to choose a backup course, in case I don't get into medicine and then maybe transfer on the second year as I was told that there's this possibility. I was just wondering if anyone have any suggestions on which one I should choose, Pharmacy or Biomedicine?

Reply 2

AfricanDream

Original post by Diac

I wouldn't recommend relying on a transfer to medicine in 2nd year, this is a rare occurrence (and super competitive) and not an option at many universities. Also, some of the transfer programmes actually require you to complete your first degree and may guarantee an interview but not a position. You may also still have to complete the UCAT and other aspects of the application even if you are looking to transfer at a university that does offer that route. If you go and study something else, you are probably going to have to study the full 3/4 years, another thing to consider is can you afford to do 2 degrees and if you plan to then do graduate medicine, entry is super competitive. Would you consider taking a gap year if you don't get in first time round?

If you do decide to go study something else if you don't get into medicine (fingers crossed that you do), doing something relevant but also that you think you will actually enjoy is quite important. If you are thinking of pharmacy or biomedicine, are you particularly interested in either, do you think you would be able to spend 4 years at university studying it. Some people wouldn't recommend having a fifth option as it is possible that some med schools go into clearing.

any input on this?

(edited 1 year ago)

Reply 3

McGinger

Not a hope of graduate entry Medicine (GEM) - its insanely competitive and you wont get full funding for what is a second undergrad degree.
Not recommended as a career strategy. If you really want to do Medicine, keep applying for the standard 5 year degree until you either have a place or get fed up with trying.

Pharmacy has career possibilities beyond just the obvious - https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/what-can-i-do-with-my-degree/pharmacy but its also worth looking at Pharmacology / Drug Discovery, or Neuroscience, Genetics, Virology, Immunology, Cancer Biology etc.

Reply 4

Cyion

So I'm currently looking at unis and decided to look for other courses other than medicine as i think the 5th choice (which can't be medicine) needs to be something I enjoy and want to do. I've looked at doing an MChem in Medicinal and Pharmaceutical chemistry at Loughborough and an MChem in Chemistry for drug discovery at Bath.
Even though my predicted grades are A*A*A* with an A* in my EPQ these unis are highly selective and most likely use the personal statement to select students. But as my personal statement is around medicine would it put me at a disadvantage, so is there even any point in applying to these unis?

Reply 5

Cyion

Well i don't really have a choice as my parents won't let me take a gap year :frown:

Reply 6

McGinger

Original post by Cyion

MChem in Chemistry for drug discovery at Bath.
But as my personal statement is around medicine would it put me at a disadvantage, so is there even any point in applying

As Bath is a specialist STEM Uni, its courses are a common 5th choice for Medicine/Dentistry/Vet applicants.
They will just email you once they recieve your application and ask for a 2nd PS to be uploaded to their portal - and btw, Bath don't mind this and you have the same chance of an offer as anyone else.

Reply 7

Cyion

Original post by McGinger

Thank you very much I'm doing lots of work experience for medicine so is there any point in doing work experience specifically for the other PS

Reply 8

McGinger

Original post by Cyion

Thank you very much I'm doing lots of work experience for medicine so is there any point in doing work experience specifically for the other PS

No, not really - they are not as obviously 'vocational' subjects as Medicine, so dont need specific experience.
Just make sure you have done your research into what the other degree involves and have some examples of relevant extra reading / specific topics
to include.

Reply 9

Pritz00

Heyy 😄

I am planning on applying for medicine course- 2023 university intake. For my UCAS application, I am thinking of applying for courses such as biotechnology or biomedical engineering as my fifth backup option. Which one seems more realistic, with higher chance of getting an offer based on my personal statement written that is tailored more towards medicine. Which one would you guys advice applying for ? My main interest is medicine and apart from it, I am also passionate in learning about biomedical engineering and biotechnology.
Is there any other courses that you would highly recommended to consider as a fifth choice ? And which universities should I apply to as my fifth choice ?
I am puzzled about my fifth choice and would truly appreciate the help. Thanks!

Reply 10

McGinger

Biomed and Biochem are the most common 5th choice and consequently they are mega-competitive. I'd always advise Med applicants to look at subjects like Natural Sciences, Pharmacology/Drug Discovery, Pharmacy, Neuroscience, immunology, Cancer Biology - and BioTech and BioEng- instead.

Uni understand about 5th choices - and they will either ignore the PS and just look at grades, or they ask you for a 2nd PS to be sent direcbtly to them once you have applied.

For Biotechnology, look at Manchester, Nottingham, York and Bristol.
For Bioengineering, look at Sheffiled, Southampton, Cardiff, Keele, Loughborough.
Always pick a 'with placement' course if you can - it will make a bog difference to your graduate job chances.
But - 'which Uni' and 'which' couse is a very personal thing, there is no 'better' Uni - just the one that is right for you.

Reply 11

McGinger

Its up to you if you have a 5th choice - or not - but you do need to be realistic about your chances of getting an offer for Med.
Thousands, yes thousands, of Med apps had 4 straight rejections this year, and next year isnt likely to be any different - https://www.theguardian.com/education/2022/jun/22/2022-hardest-year-in-living-memory-to-enter-uk-medical-school
Having a 5th choice gives you another option if this happens and you decide to give up on Med - or if your 2nd A level year doesnt go as well as you hoped and those A/A* grades seem less obtainable.

Reply 12

McGinger

We still have potential applicants with inflated grades from the last two years, and this year's A level grades will also not be 'normal' results because of advanced info' so also likely to be high again. 'Grade creep' was an issue before the pandemic and its just been exacerbated by these factors.

Reply 13

McGinger

Not that I'm aware of.

Reply 14

Admit-One

Universities Forum Helper

I think they’ll still be a fair sized rollover of credible candidates from the last 2 years though. So even if the 2023 results are a normal spread, the candidate pool might not be.

Depends how many unsuccessful candidates are following your advice to take a gap year though :smile:

Reply 15

Admit-One

Universities Forum Helper

We’re also in the midst of a demographic shift as well, (increase in the number of 18 year olds). My gut feeling is that we won’t go back to pre-COVID offer rates for a good while.

Reply 16

123ken

I was wondering if I could apply for a completely different subject - not at all related to medicine. I am aspiring for Cambridge and as far as I know, they ask you to write a mini personal statement for every course that you apply for. Do you think it is worth doing something completely different- I definitely have the passion for it (and work experience!)? Or should I stick to the more traditional stuff even though I probably wouldn't pursue a course in say biomedical sciences? Has anyone else been in the same boat?

Reply 17

Turning_A_Corner

Original post by 123ken

Comes down to whether it’s going to be something you’re potentially happy doing for the rest of your life. If you genuinely want to have a plan B and throw yourself into it wholeheartedly, nothing wrong with this. I applied for Oxford as a fifth a few years ago and yes I did get an offer, although I didn’t take it. This is absolutely an option.
If you’re doing it as a way to defer an application for medicine for a few years after only one attempt, I’d say you’re probably better off leaving your fifth option blank and just reapplying, especially if you have the grades for medicine. If you’re doing it to boost your ego after two or three rounds of rejections and from a need to get away from medicine and give yourself other options in life, I’d say consider it. But you have to be able to say to yourself, I would be happy doing this for the rest of my life, potentially. Otherwise it’s not going to be an effective use of your time or a good use of your money.
My friend’s son got rejected from medicine and he did biology as a back up. He’s never looked back and he’s got quite a few job offers in different fields now. Really happy with his decision and he’s an example of someone pragmatically moving on from medicine and making the best of a situation. I also know someone who qualified as an AHP at the same time as me who always wanted to do her course and yet didn’t get the grades the first time around. Unlike the other mature students on our course (many of whom did it on a bit of a whim and because it was free, let’s be honest) she spent and undergrad and a master’s always just wanting to do this and you have to wonder why she didn’t just get on with doing it to begin with. She now often finds herself frustrated at not being further on with her career now than she should be. Four years (and a few more besides) is a long time to spend doing one thing and wishing you were doing another. And whilst she ultimately only had to pay £3k for her degree back then, she probably wouldn’t make the same decision now.
Only do it if you think you could be happy potentially binning medicine altogether and doing something else entirely.