The Student Room Group

Applied to medicine 3 times - when should I give up!

Hi,
I'm not sure if there is a thread like this already but I'd just like some advice about what I should do next - whether your in the same situation or not.

I'll give you my stats first.
GCSE: 7A's, 3A*
A LEVELS: ABBB (Art, maths, biology, chemistry)
Degree: Medical Engineering 2:1

2007: Ukcat 570 rejected from all 4 w/o interview (king's, brighton, ucl, imperial)
2011:u:kcat 620, gamsat 51
rejected w/o interview from leeds, rejected after interview (leicester, uea, swansea)
2012: ukcat 635 (need to improve on this!)
rejected w/o interview from (swansea,southampton bm4, cambridge grad), waiting list after interview uea

I have wanted to study medicine since I was about 15 and since then everything I have done has been leading up to getting into medical school. I have gained hospital wrk experince every year since 2007, volunteer scout leader (4yr), carer for disabled young people(4yr), HCA(1yr), mentor (4yr), had several part-time jobs, play 2 instruments, won awards for uni projects, presented at medical/engineering conferences, published abstract, worked for two med engineering research companies during summer and more.

You may think i'm kidding but i'm not. a part of me thinks that maybe the med schools think it's too good to be true. but if they googled me, its all there and my reference backs everything I said in my statement!

so i can't understand why i keep getting rejected! i've had interview practice and asked people to read my statement.

so my question is - should I try keep trying (redo A levels maybe) or give up. I thought maybe the third time round i'd be lucky but doubt uea will fall through. Anyway, i know this is a long thread but i just feel hopeless right now and confused!

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Reply 1
NEVER!

Apply again. :yes:
Reply 2
Give up when you believe you have tried your utmost to get in and you are satisfied by your effort, when you think any further attempt will be in vain and medicine seems too much of a compromise to attempt.
Reply 3
Have you contacted universities to find out why you were rejected?

It's all well and good saying 'Never give up!' and all that, but there has to come a point when a reality check is needed. I'm not saying you should give up, but take a look at your personal circumstances, can you afford to keep putting your life on hold for something which may never happen? Or maybe you should consider living your life and having another look at applying a few years down the line, there are plenty of people on my course who will be in their late 30s or early 40s when they graduate, so you have plenty of time.
Reply 4
learn to play the system. thats the only way. work on the UKCAT, get some interview experience, get help with personal statement... this is my first application to medicine and I think warwick are about to reject me so I'm going to take some time out do another job and apply again in a year or so
Reply 5
Original post by saachi
First of all, I'm really sorry :console:

It's your A-levels, not just the UKCAT and GCSE's... they're just not good enough for a med student. People may tell you to not stop until you get what you want, but honestly you've missed out on 3 years already.

You could always go in for a medicine related degree, like biochem, or biological sciences at a good university and then do medicine for postgraduate, right? Even if you don't end up becoming a doctor, you'd still be doing what you want to do, and most medicine- related jobs are really well- paying.

And, if money's not a problem, you could apply overseas. There's plenty of good places in the US, Canada, etc.

But I think it's time to get to uni. Don't waste another year out, you've missed out on too much already and if I was you I'd start looking into biochem courses in Extra at a decent university and then just plunge into university life.

Good luck :smile:



Read the original post very carefully and pay attention to detail. :smile:
keep on persuing your ambitions because with hard work, YOU WILL BE REWARDED!

You go girl!
Reply 7
Original post by skyishigh
Read the original post very carefully and pay attention to detail. :smile:


Well, OP considered redoing A-levels, and why would anyone do that if they were perfect? I was just advising against another year out of uni, that's all :smile:
Original post by honeybeeangel
Hi,
I'm not sure if there is a thread like this already but I'd just like some advice about what I should do next - whether your in the same situation or not.

I'll give you my stats first.
GCSE: 7A's, 3A*
A LEVELS: ABBB (Art, maths, biology, chemistry)
Degree: Medical Engineering 2:1

2007: Ukcat 570 rejected from all 4 w/o interview (king's, brighton, ucl, imperial)
2011:u:kcat 620, gamsat 51
rejected w/o interview from leeds, rejected after interview (leicester, uea, swansea)
2012: ukcat 635 (need to improve on this!)
rejected w/o interview from (swansea,southampton bm4, cambridge grad), waiting list after interview uea

I have wanted to study medicine since I was about 15 and since then everything I have done has been leading up to getting into medical school. I have gained hospital wrk experince every year since 2007, volunteer scout leader (4yr), carer for disabled young people(4yr), HCA(1yr), mentor (4yr), had several part-time jobs, play 2 instruments, won awards for uni projects, presented at medical/engineering conferences, published abstract, worked for two med engineering research companies during summer and more.

You may think i'm kidding but i'm not. a part of me thinks that maybe the med schools think it's too good to be true. but if they googled me, its all there and my reference backs everything I said in my statement!

so i can't understand why i keep getting rejected! i've had interview practice and asked people to read my statement.

so my question is - should I try keep trying (redo A levels maybe) or give up. I thought maybe the third time round i'd be lucky but doubt uea will fall through. Anyway, i know this is a long thread but i just feel hopeless right now and confused!


I'd say give it another go. Try and apply more strategically perhaps? For instance, I remember reading you really need to have AAA at A level to make a competitive application for the 4 year course at Cambridge (source http://www.societies.cam.ac.uk/cgcm/ProspectiveStudents.html). Practice the ukcat until it becomes 2nd nature, a good score will open up plenty of other opportunities in terms of the med schools you can apply to.
Good luck! :smile:
Reply 9
Original post by saachi
Well, OP considered redoing A-levels, and why would anyone do that if they were perfect? I was just advising against another year out of uni, that's all :smile:


She's done her BSc degree though, it's not as if she's been trying for 3 years after Alevels. She could retake her Alevels during her gap year if she wanted to.
Reply 10
I cant comment on whether to try again or not because I have not seen your ps and I dont know your interview performance.

I maybe wrong but I dont think it is wise for you to apply to GEP if you were unsuccessful for the 5 years as they are more competitive.

I saw in another earlier post that Univeristies like Malta in Europe may have a lower academic entry requirement... maybe they can give you more options?
Reply 11
Thanks for your comments everyone! :smile:

Saachi: I have done a 4 year Meng degree in medical engineering after I didn't get in the first time. I thought applying for grad would be better. I know now that I should have retaken my alevels and done a gap year.
however, back when i applied many unis did not take retake students, it's all changed now tho.
Reply 12
Original post by honeybeeangel
Thanks for your comments everyone! :smile:

Saachi: I have done a 4 year Meng degree in medical engineering after I didn't get in the first time. I thought applying for grad would be better. I know now that I should have retaken my alevels and done a gap year.
however, back when i applied many unis did not take retake students, it's all changed now tho.


Oh right sorry :tongue:

So what have you decided then? Your application sounds perfect. I think universities were stupid not to take you, you even got a 2:1
Reply 13
Original post by saachi
Oh right sorry :tongue:

So what have you decided then? Your application sounds perfect. I think universities were stupid not to take you, you even got a 2:1


:wink::rolleyes:
Have you considered applying abroad for medicine?

Try this place: http://www.valuemd.com/oradea.php
Reply 15
Original post by skyishigh
:wink::rolleyes:


God how smug. Get over yourself :rolleyes:
Original post by Akbar2k7
Give up when you believe you have tried your utmost to get in and you are satisfied by your effort, when you think any further attempt will be in vain and medicine seems too much of a compromise to attempt.


This


btw ''please rate some other members before rating this member again'' lol
Original post by honeybeeangel
Hi,
I'm not sure if there is a thread like this already but I'd just like some advice about what I should do next - whether your in the same situation or not.

I'll give you my stats first.
GCSE: 7A's, 3A*
A LEVELS: ABBB (Art, maths, biology, chemistry)
Degree: Medical Engineering 2:1

2007: Ukcat 570 rejected from all 4 w/o interview (king's, brighton, ucl, imperial)
2011:u:kcat 620, gamsat 51
rejected w/o interview from leeds, rejected after interview (leicester, uea, swansea)
2012: ukcat 635 (need to improve on this!)
rejected w/o interview from (swansea,southampton bm4, cambridge grad), waiting list after interview uea

I have wanted to study medicine since I was about 15 and since then everything I have done has been leading up to getting into medical school. I have gained hospital wrk experince every year since 2007, volunteer scout leader (4yr), carer for disabled young people(4yr), HCA(1yr), mentor (4yr), had several part-time jobs, play 2 instruments, won awards for uni projects, presented at medical/engineering conferences, published abstract, worked for two med engineering research companies during summer and more.

You may think i'm kidding but i'm not. a part of me thinks that maybe the med schools think it's too good to be true. but if they googled me, its all there and my reference backs everything I said in my statement!

so i can't understand why i keep getting rejected! i've had interview practice and asked people to read my statement.

so my question is - should I try keep trying (redo A levels maybe) or give up. I thought maybe the third time round i'd be lucky but doubt uea will fall through. Anyway, i know this is a long thread but i just feel hopeless right now and confused!


Have you considered applying abroad?
If I'm honest? And if I was in your shoes? Now.
Reply 19
You have a 2.1 in a good science related subject, so its pretty much the GAMSAT,UKCAT and interview holding you back. When you feel as though you can't improve those anymore, then would be a good place to give up.