Anyone considering 2016 entry for Medicine?

Original post by Candyflossss

Hey I'm really hoping to do medicine at uni!

Stats - GCSE - 7A* 3A 1B 1C (In English Language 😒)
A levels - Bio Chem Maths Geography
Unis I will to apply to- Durham/Newcastle, Plymouth, Leicester, Sheffield ( or maybe Aberdeen )
Work Experience/ extra curricular- DofE Silver, NCS, St John's ambulance cadets, weekly volunteer at hospital, badminton, 2 weeks at pharmacy, 2 days at care home, medicine lecture in feb at Cambridge and looking for some relevant work experience in GP/ hospital ( which is actually really difficult)

I'm so scared because I want to study medicine so much and some of the candidates in my school have amazing grades which makes me nervous. I have got the UKCAT book and should start using it by March (I hope). Yep, that's it for now :smile:

I would highly highly recommend trying to resit English language, as most universities for medicine require it at grade B or above, some even higher than that.

I would highly recommend not getting your heart set on any particular universities just yet as when you come to apply you may find out that you don't meet the criteria or your unlikely to get an interview at some you have initially chosen.

Good luck!!

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Reply 405

Candyflossss

Original post by Natalierm2707

I would highly highly recommend trying to resit English language, as most universities for medicine require it at grade B or above, some even higher than that.

I would highly recommend not getting your heart set on any particular universities just yet as when you come to apply you may find out that you don't meet the criteria or your unlikely to get an interview at some you have initially chosen.

Good luck!!

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Hi, yeah I've realised how important the English language grade is. I'll have to retake it not resit because my coursework was bad but my exam score was fine. I don't want it to affect my A level performance. The uni's I have chosen to consider accept a C in English language as a minimum but yeah, these aren't final by any means :smile:

Reply 406

Mutmit287

Original post by Candyflossss

Hi, yeah I've realised how important the English language grade is. I'll have to retake it not resit because my coursework was bad but my exam score was fine. I don't want it to affect my A level performance. The uni's I have chosen to consider accept a C in English language as a minimum but yeah, these aren't final by any means :smile:

It would be a great idea to retake it, the universities you have chosen are very different, I mean Durham/Newcastle require an incredibly high UKCAT score, Sheffield goes on amazing personal statements, Leicester also use a high UKCAT score, you would also be penalized for the C at GCSE English in their GCSE scoring system as English language must be included.

often the minimum requirements for university's for medicine are much lower than what will actually suffice to gain an interview, and sadly I learnt that the hard way this year, and I dont want anyone to fall into that trap.

Reply 407

Candyflossss

What would you suggest I do? I've been really confused about this.

Reply 408

Mutmit287

Original post by Candyflossss

What would you suggest I do? I've been really confused about this.

because you didnt quote Im unsure who this is too and what you want advice on.

If this is on the english I would advise you talk to your sixth form/college/school and see if they will let you redo some of the coursework or resit the whole of english because your worried about your grade affecting your chances of getting into medicine.

Reply 409

Candyflossss

Original post by Natalierm2707

because you didnt quote Im unsure who this is too and what you want advice on.

If this is on the english I would advise you talk to your sixth form/college/school and see if they will let you redo some of the coursework or resit the whole of english because your worried about your grade affecting your chances of getting into medicine.

Sorry I didn't quote but yeah it was for the English thing. Yeah I've booked an appointment with the careers adviser so I will talk to her about it then.
If you don't mind me asking, what were your stats and where did you apply? (You can PM me if you want)
Someone told me there were tests for English you could sit that substitute English language but aren't those only counted if you're an international applicant?

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 410

leaveyusufalone

Hey huys,
do you think this would be enough to get into Oxford or UCL medicine...
completed stuff:

GCSE:
3 A*'s 6 A's 1 B (2014)

Currently doing:
A Level:
Psychology - target A
Chemistry - tareget A*
Biology - target A*
Sociology - target A*

AS level:
Italian - target A

Done:
EXTRA:
NCS
EPQ ( The life, personality, work and experiences of Anuerin Bevan )
Hammersmith Hospital work expierience ( 2 weeks )
D of E silver award
Cambridge Global perspectives

Reply 411

Original post by leaveyusufalone

Hey huys,
do you think this would be enough to get into Oxford or UCL medicine...
completed stuff:

GCSE:
3 A*'s 6 A's 1 B (2014)

Currently doing:
A Level:
Psychology - target A
Chemistry - tareget A*
Biology - target A*
Sociology - target A*

AS level:
Italian - target A

Done:
EXTRA:
NCS
EPQ ( The life, personality, work and experiences of Anuerin Bevan )
Hammersmith Hospital work expierience ( 2 weeks )
D of E silver award
Cambridge Global perspectives

Those grades should be ok. For Oxford University, they look at both GCSE and BMAT; you can compensate for one another. If you get poor GCSE, you can compensate it by doing excellent at BMAT, or vice versa. Have a look at this site: http://www.medsci.ox.ac.uk/study/medicine/pre-clinical/faqs/bmat-gcses-and-short-listing/i-performed-badly-at-gcses-am-i-eligible-to-apply

For UCL, you need a minimum of grade B in both mathematics and english language. They also require a grade C in a foreign language, e.g. Spanish.

I got poor GCSE (2A* 2A 6B 1C), but now working hard to achieve top AS grades. Most universities I research do not look strongly at GCSE - the entry test (BMAT or UKCAT), interview and A-Levels are better indicators. The University of Cambridge say that GCSE is a school performance indicator and the A-Levels are better indicators.

Good luck!

The key to success is hard work.

Reply 412

username1533709

5

Original post by SaadMuhammad

Those grades should be ok. For Oxford University, they look at both GCSE and BMAT; you can compensate for one another. If you get poor GCSE, you can compensate it by doing excellent at BMAT, or vice versa. Have a look at this site: http://www.medsci.ox.ac.uk/study/medicine/pre-clinical/faqs/bmat-gcses-and-short-listing/i-performed-badly-at-gcses-am-i-eligible-to-apply

For UCL, you need a minimum of grade B in both mathematics and english language. They also require a grade C in a foreign language, e.g. Spanish.

I got poor GCSE (2A* 2A 6B 1C), but now working hard to achieve top AS grades. Most universities I research do not look strongly at GCSE - the entry test (BMAT or UKCAT), interview and A-Levels are better indicators. The University of Cambridge say that GCSE is a school performance indicator and the A-Levels are better indicators.

Good luck!

The key to success is hard work.

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Wow you give me hope, what unis are you looking at? I also have poor GCSEs and I am now studying hard and doing loads of volunteering to make up for it.

Reply 413

lulagirl15

Original post by Stone101

I don't think there's any point in studying right now, I'm gonna wait till exams are over
And I think some time in August after I get my results so I know if I can even apply. Where are planning on applying to?

I'm applying for 2015 entry and did quite well on my UKCAT this year - I started prep about a month before with 2 weeks solidly before my test which I took in th end of August. No point even looking at it when you're busy with exams

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Reply 414

Original post by Kadak

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Wow you give me hope, what unis are you looking at? I also have poor GCSEs and I am now studying hard and doing loads of volunteering to make up for it.

I am looking at UCL, KCL, maybe Cambridge or Oxford and Queen's Mary. I will only select these universities if I get excellent AS and top A2.

Like you are doing, I am doing many volunteering to compensate for the GCSE.

Also remember, as long as you are passionate about medicine, you will get the admission - if not in UK then Europe.

Reply 415

nexttime

Original post by leaveyusufalone

Hey huys,
do you think this would be enough to get into Oxford or UCL medicine...
completed stuff:

GCSE:
3 A*'s 6 A's 1 B (2014)

Original post by SaadMuhammad

I am looking at UCL, KCL, maybe Cambridge or Oxford and Queen's Mary. I will only select these universities if I get excellent AS and top A2.

You will not get into Oxford medicine with those GCSEs. See here.

There are plenty of universities for which your application will be fine though.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 416

Original post by nexttime

You will not get into Oxford medicine with those GCSEs. See here.

There are plenty of universities for which your application will be fine though.

Oxford University have equal weighting on BMAT and GCSE. They use a sliding scale - if you get low GCSE and high BMAT, you still stand chance of being interviewed, or vice versa.

Reply 417

(Patrick)

Original post by SaadMuhammad

Oxford University have equal weighting on BMAT and GCSE. They use a sliding scale - if you get low GCSE and high BMAT, you still stand chance of being interviewed, or vice versa.

It's very difficult to do very well in the BMAT; I'd say it'd be a struggle applying with 3A*s when there are other universities that just look at AS grades and A2 prediciton and UKCAT that are more likely to favour those stats

Reply 418

True. For example, University of Cambridge only look at BMAT and AS - so that University would be preferred with poor GCSE.

Reply 419

nexttime