The Student Room Group

Medicine with Low GCSEs

So my grades are as follows:

GCSE: AAABBBBBCC (Maths and science at A grade, English lang and lit at B (AAABB))
AS: ABBC (Bio chem math pscyh)
A2 pred: A*AA-AAA (Need confirmation)
UKCAT: 1st oct

So those are my statistics. I have been stressed out and cant stop thinking about uni. Can anyone offer me some advice, which universities should i be looking at, i am not doing BMAT as i dont want to apply to any bmat universities. And what UKCAT score should i be aiming for to have a good chance. I will be retaking a unit of psychology to push my AS grade for it up to an A (hopefully) and also two units of maths (C1,C2).

Thank you for your response and help. i greatly appreciate your response, and if you're also applying i do hope the best for you.

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Reply 1
Help plzzz
With those current grades, I wouldn't hold your hopes up. I say take a gap year and apply next year. If you choose to apply this year, be very prepared for straight rejections unless you had extenuating circumstances.
Reply 3
Original post by FireFreak
Help plzzz


This is a difficult one-
Most of the top medical schools like Birmingham, Oxford and Cambridge will be looking for a very high number of A*s at GCSE, which may put you at a considerable disadvantage. Also your AS results are very likely too low for Oxbridge, but of course there are plenty of other great medical schools out there. Besides, if you do end up getting those A-level grades you were predicted, and you have a passion for the subject, I don't see why you couldn't go to a good medical school :smile:
Original post by TheECY98
This is a difficult one-
Most of the top medical schools like Birmingham, Oxford and Cambridge will be looking for a very high number of A*s at GCSE, which may put you at a considerable disadvantage. Also your AS results are very likely too low for Oxbridge, but of course there are plenty of other great medical schools out there. Besides, if you do end up getting those A-level grades you were predicted, and you have a passion for the subject, I don't see why you couldn't go to a good medical school :smile:

Hmm...I got 3A*s, 5As, 3Bs and 2Cs at GCSE and that was because I had severe anaemia which prevented me from revision as I was in and out of hospital and the symptoms were unbearably mad! I'm doing AS now and I want to apply to Birmingham, I've also done 7 days of work experience at a dental surgery and obviously I'm going to do more. Is there a chance of me getting into Birmingham uni for medicine or dentistry as it's my first option like on top of the list? Thanks.
Original post by TheECY98
This is a difficult one-
Most of the top medical schools like Birmingham, Oxford and Cambridge will be looking for a very high number of A*s at GCSE, which may put you at a considerable disadvantage. Also your AS results are very likely too low for Oxbridge, but of course there are plenty of other great medical schools out there. Besides, if you do end up getting those A-level grades you were predicted, and you have a passion for the subject, I don't see why you couldn't go to a good medical school :smile:


You're right about Birmingham looking for a lot of A*s (preferably in Eng Lit/Lang, Maths and Sciences) but OP has already said he isn't doing BMAT so Oxbridge is irrelevant anyway.

All OP needs to look at...
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Medical_School_GCSE_Requirements
(edited 9 years ago)
Reply 6
Original post by KittyRe-play
Hmm...I got 3A*s, 5As, 3Bs and 2Cs at GCSE and that was because I had severe anaemia which prevented me from revision as I was in and out of hospital and the symptoms were unbearably mad! I'm doing AS now and I want to apply to Birmingham, I've also done 7 days of work experience at a dental surgery and obviously I'm going to do more. Is there a chance of me getting into Birmingham uni for medicine or dentistry as it's my first option like on top of the list? Thanks.


If you tell the universities that your results were due to extenuating circumstances, then they will understand and you will not be ruled out as easily as if you hadn't had your anaemia. May I ask what subjects your GCSE grades were in, specifically the A* ones? Additionally, Birmingham has a very highly regarded medical school, and I think they ask for A*AA (I may be wrong, but I think that's right) and it might make you less stressed if you contact an admissions officer at Birmingham Uni and tell them your situation. Hope this helped :smile:
Original post by TheECY98
If you tell the universities that your results were due to extenuating circumstances, then they will understand and you will not be ruled out as easily as if you hadn't had your anaemia. May I ask what subjects your GCSE grades were in, specifically the A* ones? Additionally, Birmingham has a very highly regarded medical school, and I think they ask for A*AA (I may be wrong, but I think that's right) and it might make you less stressed if you contact an admissions officer at Birmingham Uni and tell them your situation. Hope this helped :smile:

I called up the dentistry department at Birmingham and they said they will consider me if I smash my a levels. The A* was in Bio, R.S., and Urdu. As in Chem, Phy, Maths, English language and English literature. For dentistry they ask for AAB (yep I have topped up my knowledge on these things before hand lol).
Reply 8
Original post by KittyRe-play
I called up the dentistry department at Birmingham and they said they will consider me if I smash my a levels. The A* was in Bio, R.S., and Urdu. As in Chem, Phy, Maths, English language and English literature. For dentistry they ask for AAB (yep I have topped up my knowledge on these things before hand lol).


Does one of the As need to be in Chemistry?
I agree that you really do need to smash those A-levels, and I hope you do- All the best :biggrin:
The good thing is you did well in biology. You did okay in chemistry in maths. You did bad in psychology. I would say your GCSEs are kind of irrelevant.

At the moment I think your best shot of medicine is if you drop psychology for A2, get A*AB / AAB in your A2 levels, and apply the year after.

However I think you should go ahead and give it your best shot in the UKCAT. If you get a great score in that there is a window of hope. Do loads of preparation for the UKCAT -a good textbook helps
Original post by TheECY98
Does one of the As need to be in Chemistry?
I agree that you really do need to smash those A-levels, and I hope you do- All the best :biggrin:


They ask for an A* in Chemistry and I didn't get that so that was the only requirement I didn't meet. So I don't know what to do as they don't accept retakes either?!?!?
Original post by FireFreak
So my grades are as follows:

GCSE: AAABBBBBCC (Maths and science at A grade, English lang and lit at B (AAABB))
AS: ABBC (Bio chem math pscyh)
A2 pred: A*AA-AAA (Need confirmation)
UKCAT: 1st oct

So those are my statistics. I have been stressed out and cant stop thinking about uni. Can anyone offer me some advice, which universities should i be looking at, i am not doing BMAT as i dont want to apply to any bmat universities. And what UKCAT score should i be aiming for to have a good chance. I will be retaking a unit of psychology to push my AS grade for it up to an A (hopefully) and also two units of maths (C1,C2).

Thank you for your response and help. i greatly appreciate your response, and if you're also applying i do hope the best for you.

You need to smash your a levels and get loads of work experience and you'll be sorted. Good luck! :smile:
Original post by KittyRe-play
They ask for an A* in Chemistry and I didn't get that so that was the only requirement I didn't meet. So I don't know what to do as they don't accept retakes either?!?!?


hmmm… that is bothersome, I agree, however if you really REALLY want to go there, I'd just do as many extra-curricular medical related stuff at school as possible (personally I want to do biology, and so I write for my schools medical, biomedical and biological magazine to show my interest)- WORK EXPERIENCE! I almost forgot, for those applying for medicine, my school highly recommends doing more than one work experience, as it will be be INCREDIBLY useful, just make sure that you don't fall behind at school otherwise you're done for. As long as you do well in chemistry and maths, you are on the right track. :smile:
Original post by TheECY98
hmmm… that is bothersome, I agree, however if you really REALLY want to go there, I'd just do as many extra-curricular medical related stuff at school as possible (personally I want to do biology, and so I write for my schools medical, biomedical and biological magazine to show my interest)- WORK EXPERIENCE! I almost forgot, for those applying for medicine, my school highly recommends doing more than one work experience, as it will be be INCREDIBLY useful, just make sure that you don't fall behind at school otherwise you're done for. As long as you do well in chemistry and maths, you are on the right track. :smile:


Okay thanks I will take that advice on board. I really appreciate your help and advice, I wish you all the best for the future and good luck, I hope you get into your first choice uni to do to your desired Biology course. Thanks again. :smile:
Original post by KittyRe-play
Okay thanks I will take that advice on board. I really appreciate your help and advice, I wish you all the best for the future and good luck, I hope you get into your first choice uni to do to your desired Biology course. Thanks again. :smile:


Thanks- I think it's truly fantastic that of all things, you want to study medicine, and I hope you get into Birmingham Uni :biggrin:
Reply 15
Original post by Paralove
With those current grades, I wouldn't hold your hopes up. I say take a gap year and apply next year. If you choose to apply this year, be very prepared for straight rejections unless you had extenuating circumstances.


I've remarked my chemistry and psychology grade. Psychology was a shocker, thought i done well when i left the exam, but the examiners didn't take it that way i guess lol. I have already dropped psychology. If my grades went up from my remarks to AAAB-AABB, would that be any help?.. Also do you know how a gap year works? Can i go straight into taking a gap year and then applying with achieved grades. OR does it work a different way? Anyone who can help me with this is fantastic!

Also my GCSEs were low due to hanging around people who were of negative influence to me, and living in a area where crime is high and drugs are normal, i was also help with a lot of responsibility since my mum was going through rough times. Are the extenuating circumstances? If so how do i let the university know of my extenuating circumstance (if it is)?
Reply 16
Original post by sunnydespair
The good thing is you did well in biology. You did okay in chemistry in maths. You did bad in psychology. I would say your GCSEs are kind of irrelevant.

At the moment I think your best shot of medicine is if you drop psychology for A2, get A*AB / AAB in your A2 levels, and apply the year after.

However I think you should go ahead and give it your best shot in the UKCAT. If you get a great score in that there is a window of hope. Do loads of preparation for the UKCAT -a good textbook helps


Posted this above but i just re-posted so you could get a notification and possibly reply.

I've remarked my chemistry and psychology grade. Psychology was a shocker, thought i done well when i left the exam, but the examiners didn't take it that way i guess lol. I have already dropped psychology. If my grades went up from my remarks to AAAB-AABB, would that be any help?.. Also do you know how a gap year works? Can i go straight into taking a gap year and then applying with achieved grades. OR does it work a different way? Anyone who can help me with this is fantastic!
Original post by FireFreak
Posted this above but i just re-posted so you could get a notification and possibly reply.

I've remarked my chemistry and psychology grade. Psychology was a shocker, thought i done well when i left the exam, but the examiners didn't take it that way i guess lol. I have already dropped psychology. If my grades went up from my remarks to AAAB-AABB, would that be any help?.. Also do you know how a gap year works? Can i go straight into taking a gap year and then applying with achieved grades. OR does it work a different way? Anyone who can help me with this is fantastic!


I wouldn't worry about it at this stage. I wouldl just give it your absolute best shot with the UKCAT, see what happens, then make a decision
GCSE:a*a*aaaaaabbb
(I'm awaiting a remark in my history, hoping for an a*)

I was disappointed with my grades, but having looked at grade boundaries, I'm more confident in my abilities (I was under 5 ums marks away from a*s in history, maths, chemistry, biology, English lit)

How much do university's look at gcses? How much will this affect my chances?




Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by chloe1507
GCSE:a*a*aaaaaabbb
(I'm awaiting a remark in my history, hoping for an a*)

I was disappointed with my grades, but having looked at grade boundaries, I'm more confident in my abilities (I was under 5 ums marks away from a*s in history, maths, chemistry, biology, English lit)

How much do university's look at gcses? How much will this affect my chances?


Posted from TSR Mobile


Honestly, it depends on what universities you are aiming for. Most of the highly regarded medical schools in the country such as Birmingham, UCL, Oxford and Warwick will almost definitely look at your GCSEs as they will show your work ethic, and certainly at places like Oxbridge and Birmingham will be trying to get the best applicants they can; most applicants to these sorts of unit on average will have 7A*s (average, not the minimum!!!). Furthermore, you really needed those top grades in chemistry and maths. Unfortunately, it doesn't look that great at the moment, however if you perform really well at A-levels and have a REALLY burning passion for medicine, then you may stand a good chance.
Hope this helped:smile:

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