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!!Dropping out of uni for medicine!!?? - Please help

Hey guys,

My situation is such a mess. I am currently studying biomedical science at manchester university in my first year (started September 2014). I have always really wanted to study medicine but never had enough confidence in myself and told myself I would never get accepted. But I have finally realised, if that it what I want to do for the rest of my life I should really do everything I can to try and get in to medical school.

At GCSE I achieved 6A*s, 3As and a C (in English literature). I studied chemistry, biology, maths and physics at AS and achieved straight As. I dropped physics after AS level and achieved an A* (in biology), A (in chemistry) and A (in maths).

Now the question is: Do I drop out of my current course and apply for medicine in September 2015 in hope for a place in September 2016? Or do I carry on with my course and then apply for graduate medicine? I've been told that graduate medicine is much more competitive. On the other hand, I would only be studying it a year later than if I dropped now since I wouldn't get a place until at least September 2016.

What is really making this a hard choice is the fact that there is no guarantee I would get an offer. I would hate to drop out of uni now and then end up coming back doing the same course, wasting time (years) and money.

Do I drop out now and do everything I can for the rest of the year to ensure an offer? Or carry on with my course and worry about it later on in life?

Thanks for the help.
You should finish this year of your course first instead of dropping out and then go for it!xx
you have no guarantee of an offer for September 2016, my advice would be to work hard and be in the running for a grad med place.
Check if any universities actually accept someone who has commenced a course and then not finished it. I have a feeling most don't.
Original post by JessicaLucy09
You should finish this year of your course first instead of dropping out and then go for it!xx


Why would finishing the first year benefit me? Thanks for the reply :smile:
Original post by TattyBoJangles
Check if any universities actually accept someone who has commenced a course and then not finished it. I have a feeling most don't.


Oh I wasn't even aware of this :frown:
Original post by Tarn Williamson
Oh I wasn't even aware of this :frown:


To find out, you'll have to contact the universities directly - but it's something you should definitely do before committing.
Original post by Tarn Williamson
Oh I wasn't even aware of this :frown:


Also check if Student Finance will cover it, as although you do have your 1 year gift year which would be biomedical science, medicine is a longer course so they may not cover the entire period so you may have to pay a year of fees.
Reply 8
Avatar for Ronove
Ronove
18
Original post by lyrical_lie
Also check if Student Finance will cover it, as although you do have your 1 year gift year which would be biomedical science, medicine is a longer course so they may not cover the entire period so you may have to pay a year of fees.

That's not how it works. They cover all courses + one year. So Medicine's five or six years + the one year spent on Biomedical Science.
Reply 9
Avatar for ceciafb
ceciafb
5
Original post by Tarn Williamson
Hey guys,

My situation is such a mess. I am currently studying biomedical science at manchester university in my first year (started September 2014). I have always really wanted to study medicine but never had enough confidence in myself and told myself I would never get accepted. But I have finally realised, if that it what I want to do for the rest of my life I should really do everything I can to try and get in to medical school.

At GCSE I achieved 6A*s, 3As and a C (in English literature). I studied chemistry, biology, maths and physics at AS and achieved straight As. I dropped physics after AS level and achieved an A* (in biology), A (in chemistry) and A (in maths).

Now the question is: Do I drop out of my current course and apply for medicine in September 2015 in hope for a place in September 2016? Or do I carry on with my course and then apply for graduate medicine? I've been told that graduate medicine is much more competitive. On the other hand, I would only be studying it a year later than if I dropped now since I wouldn't get a place until at least September 2016.

What is really making this a hard choice is the fact that there is no guarantee I would get an offer. I would hate to drop out of uni now and then end up coming back doing the same course, wasting time (years) and money.

Do I drop out now and do everything I can for the rest of the year to ensure an offer? Or carry on with my course and worry about it later on in life?

Thanks for the help.


I definitely wouldn't drop out now, you can 100% do all the relevant things needed for an application to medicine including studying for entrance exams and work experience alongside your degree, particularly with a first year workload.

I'd concentrate on getting really involved in societies at the university, manchester uni has loads of great things to get involved with which will make you stand out. things like the life sciences society will look great, and with being in FLS, especially doing biomed you'll have some great links to useful contacts.

I'd also speak to manchester medical school directly, asking them their advice - maybe admissions? they're great with current manchester students and will be quite understanding about your situation.

Universities can be quite put off by a student who quit in the middle of a degree, especially for medicine where so much commitment is required. I'm worried that I dropped out of one uni but I did then complete a separate course (neuroscience at manchester) so it all seems ok.

Be aware that the funding situation is changing and there may not be graduate entry courses on offer when you apply in a couple of years, like the others said you're also not guaranteed a place.

I wanted to do medicine since I left school too and for me it was definitely a confidence issue (plus not taking the right a levels..idiot). for me, after doing an undergraduate degree and a masters degree in clinical psychology I'm really glad that I pursued other options and was 100% sure medicine was for me before applying.

My advice would be to contact the medical schools you are interested in and see what their policies are regarding this. In the meantime concentrate on your work this year and getting as much extra curriculars as you can, med schools love that. I definitely would advise finishing the year if you can, your opinions may change and there will still be that option of medical school, plus from my opinion (I did a year at glasgow first) I'm really glad I left but I'm also really glad I finished the academic year and didn't quit halfway through (though I wanted to leave my course from october!) additionally manchester made it a requirement that I finished the whole academic year first so you dont want to mess up your chances by not checking first.

Manchester is an amazing place to study and I loved it, plus having a degree will put something extra on your application for a course which is so competitive. But at the end of the day its about what is right for you really, just make sure you have explored your options and come to a reasoned decision you are 100% happy with!

As a manchester FLS alumni and grad entry medicine applicant feel free to ask me any questions if you need to!
Original post by Ronove
That's not how it works. They cover all courses + one year. So Medicine's five or six years + the one year spent on Biomedical Science.


I used to work at Student Loans company, I know medicine could sometimes cause hassles with payments. So it's always best to check.
Original post by Tarn Williamson
Hey guys,

My situation is such a mess. I am currently studying biomedical science at manchester university in my first year (started September 2014). I have always really wanted to study medicine but never had enough confidence in myself and told myself I would never get accepted. But I have finally realised, if that it what I want to do for the rest of my life I should really do everything I can to try and get in to medical school.

At GCSE I achieved 6A*s, 3As and a C (in English literature). I studied chemistry, biology, maths and physics at AS and achieved straight As. I dropped physics after AS level and achieved an A* (in biology), A (in chemistry) and A (in maths).

Now the question is: Do I drop out of my current course and apply for medicine in September 2015 in hope for a place in September 2016? Or do I carry on with my course and then apply for graduate medicine? I've been told that graduate medicine is much more competitive. On the other hand, I would only be studying it a year later than if I dropped now since I wouldn't get a place until at least September 2016.

What is really making this a hard choice is the fact that there is no guarantee I would get an offer. I would hate to drop out of uni now and then end up coming back doing the same course, wasting time (years) and money.

Do I drop out now and do everything I can for the rest of the year to ensure an offer? Or carry on with my course and worry about it later on in life?

Thanks for the help.


Do not drop out. Some medical schools have a policy where they do not consider applications from those who have discontinued a course. Talk to an academic adviser and find out how to make the best of this situation.
Original post by Tarn Williamson
Hey guys,

My situation is such a mess. I am currently studying biomedical science at manchester university in my first year (started September 2014). I have always really wanted to study medicine but never had enough confidence in myself and told myself I would never get accepted. But I have finally realised, if that it what I want to do for the rest of my life I should really do everything I can to try and get in to medical school.

At GCSE I achieved 6A*s, 3As and a C (in English literature). I studied chemistry, biology, maths and physics at AS and achieved straight As. I dropped physics after AS level and achieved an A* (in biology), A (in chemistry) and A (in maths).

Now the question is: Do I drop out of my current course and apply for medicine in September 2015 in hope for a place in September 2016? Or do I carry on with my course and then apply for graduate medicine? I've been told that graduate medicine is much more competitive. On the other hand, I would only be studying it a year later than if I dropped now since I wouldn't get a place until at least September 2016.

What is really making this a hard choice is the fact that there is no guarantee I would get an offer. I would hate to drop out of uni now and then end up coming back doing the same course, wasting time (years) and money.

Do I drop out now and do everything I can for the rest of the year to ensure an offer? Or carry on with my course and worry about it later on in life?

Thanks for the help.


What I would suggest is that you continue your degree. If you study BMS where they also teach medicine then sometimes eg St George's, the highest BMS graduates get fast tracked onto the 2nd or 3rd year of the graduate entry medicine course meaning you only have about a year or two extra over direct medicine anyway.
Otherwise, BMS will be an appropriate degree to apply for Grad medicine, but as someone says here there may not be funding when that rolls around. You'd also have to foot the bill for most of the tuition fees in your first year (unless it has changed).
I went through all of this, I did BMS, I applied for graduate entry medicine and didn't get in (failed at interview) and now i'm in my final year of a PhD. There are many other careers out there that are like doctor if you want to help people, Clinical Scientist for example.
Try to get as much experience in a healthcare setting as possible during your BMS degree, work as a HCA, volunteer at a nursing home, really understand what it means to be a person of authority over someone's health and then, if you still wish to be a doctor then do it and know you're as good as the next person. :smile:
Thanks everyone for the replies.

As i have heard, grad medicine is even more competitive than undergrad medicine. However, if i apply to undergrad medicine after biomed (despite having a degree and spending an extra year in medicine by not doing the fast-track grad medicine) will the competition be less fierce? In addition to this, will i be at any advantage as i have a degree already?
Reply 14
Avatar for Ronove
Ronove
18
Original post by Tarn Williamson
Thanks everyone for the replies.

As i have heard, grad medicine is even more competitive than undergrad medicine. However, if i apply to undergrad medicine after biomed (despite having a degree and spending an extra year in medicine by not doing the fast-track grad medicine) will the competition be less fierce? In addition to this, will i be at any advantage as i have a degree already?

The competition is less fierce for regular Medicine than it is for Grad Entry, yes. You won't be at an advantage over school-leavers competing for the same places, though (I gather there may be a quota of places on many of these courses for grads as well so that they don't take all the places off school-leavers, so that may mean the competition is greater than if you were applying as a school-leaver still).

The issue is: will you have any hope of affording it?
Original post by Tarn Williamson
Thanks everyone for the replies.

As i have heard, grad medicine is even more competitive than undergrad medicine. However, if i apply to undergrad medicine after biomed (despite having a degree and spending an extra year in medicine by not doing the fast-track grad medicine) will the competition be less fierce? In addition to this, will i be at any advantage as i have a degree already?


Unfortunately, graduate entry medicine is still an undergraduate MBBS or similar. I don't know if completing a degree makes you ineligible to apply for UG medicine with A levels. But if you can apply post-degree, I have a feeling that student finance will not fund your second undergrad degree. Competition may be less fierce in that you are more qualified but assessors may think you're trying to get around the competition for GEM by applying straight for UG. GEM comes down to how well you do in the UKCAT and/or GAMSAT and how much volunteering you've done. The competition can be fought off with a hardy application. I'm sorry you've not enjoyed biomed though :frown:
Original post by Tarn Williamson
Hey guys,

My situation is such a mess. I am currently studying biomedical science at manchester university in my first year (started September 2014). I have always really wanted to study medicine but never had enough confidence in myself and told myself I would never get accepted. But I have finally realised, if that it what I want to do for the rest of my life I should really do everything I can to try and get in to medical school.

At GCSE I achieved 6A*s, 3As and a C (in English literature). I studied chemistry, biology, maths and physics at AS and achieved straight As. I dropped physics after AS level and achieved an A* (in biology), A (in chemistry) and A (in maths).

Now the question is: Do I drop out of my current course and apply for medicine in September 2015 in hope for a place in September 2016? Or do I carry on with my course and then apply for graduate medicine? I've been told that graduate medicine is much more competitive. On the other hand, I would only be studying it a year later than if I dropped now since I wouldn't get a place until at least September 2016.

What is really making this a hard choice is the fact that there is no guarantee I would get an offer. I would hate to drop out of uni now and then end up coming back doing the same course, wasting time (years) and money.

Do I drop out now and do everything I can for the rest of the year to ensure an offer? Or carry on with my course and worry about it later on in life?

Thanks for the help.


you're more likely to get a place for medicine if you finish your biomedical degree. not to mention, you'll be very likely to get a place @ manchester medical school since you would have already studied a biomedical degree there, you will be made a priority applicant and they would already know you @ the university.

Dont forget that you may think graduate medicine is competitive but its no where near the competition you face if you drop out and apply for undergrad medicine. you will be competiting with undergrads fresh out of A levels with grades, they will be given priority. Dropping out of uni also wont be impressive to unis as it shows indecisiveness and inconsistent.
much of what you learn, practically all the modules in a biomedical degree are the same as the first 2/3 years of a medical degree. so even if you drop out and switch to medicine, you'll be practically doing the same topics for the next 2 years before clinical years.
as a graduate, the course is fast tracked 4 years instead of 5 years. you'll be more mature by then and will know what you want to do.

Think of it this way. lets say you drop out and start medicine course in 2016. it'll be 5 years so you'll graduate it 2021
if you stay and do grad medicine, you'll start the course in 2017 and also graduate in 2021

regardless of which option you choose, you'll graduate the same year. So really what will you gain by dropping out?

Alternatively, there's always the possibility of switching to the medical degree within manchester. Some universities are flexible and if you'v had very good grades up to this point in your biomedical degree, speaking to admission tutors in both departments they may allow you to just transfer/switch to the medical course now or at the end of this term. Cardiff uni are quite flexible in allowing their high achieving biomedical students to transfer to the medicine course after 1st year so some other unis may be the same.
Manchester is a very good medical school, so don't rule them out.
(edited 9 years ago)
Reply 17
Avatar for ceciafb
ceciafb
5
Original post by insert-username
you're more likely to get a place for medicine if you finish your biomedical degree. not to mention, you'll be very likely to get a place @ manchester medical school since you would have already studied a biomedical degree there, you will be made a priority applicant and they would already know you @ the university.

Dont forget that you may think graduate medicine is competitive but its no where near the competition you face if you drop out and apply for undergrad medicine. you will be competiting with undergrads fresh out of A levels with grades, they will be given priority. Dropping out of uni also wont be impressive to unis as it shows indecisiveness and inconsistent.
much of what you learn, practically all the modules in a biomedical degree are the same as the first 2/3 years of a medical degree. so even if you drop out and switch to medicine, you'll be practically doing the same topics for the next 2 years before clinical years.
as a graduate, the course is fast tracked 4 years instead of 5 years. you'll be more mature by then and will know what you want to do.

Think of it this way. lets say you drop out and start medicine course in 2016. it'll be 5 years so you'll graduate it 2021
if you stay and do grad medicine, you'll start the course in 2017 and also graduate in 2021

regardless of which option you choose, you'll graduate the same year. So really what will you gain by dropping out?

Alternatively, there's always the possibility of switching to the medical degree within manchester. Some universities are flexible and if you'v had very good grades up to this point in your biomedical degree, speaking to admission tutors in both departments they may allow you to just transfer/switch to the medical course now or at the end of this term. Cardiff uni are quite flexible in allowing their high achieving biomedical students to transfer to the medicine course after 1st year so some other unis may be the same.
Manchester is a very good medical school, so don't rule them out.


Manchester definitely don't offer this option, but as a manchester alumni you will be seen very favourably by them, and your academics put you in great stead for graduate entry medicine at other unis
Reply 18
Avatar for Zorg
Zorg
18
I'd contact uni's asap and ask about dropping out. You've yet to complete a single semester. Some certainly do accept students who left another course and a very select few accept students who are currently on a course. The only caveat to this is if you were already on a medical course, which you're not so it's a moot point.

I'd advocate this because you have the grades to get yourself to interview, the only other aspects are work experience, volunteering and entrance exams which can definitely be built on significantly in a years time. Also, the competition is far lower for the A100 courses than the grad courses; there are twice as many A100 courses as GEM and cohort sizes are much larger. Not to mention the chance that the grad entry course may be scrapped.

When you get to GEM your A levels matter little and your GCSEs even less so. You'd be at no advantage going the GEM route as far as I can see, excepting a potentially wider/different choice of medical schools, but if you do go that route then aim for a 2i classification minimum in your BSc.

I'd be more concerned for SF graduate entry wise than dropping out and getting on an A100 course. Finance is a nightmare for most GEM students. There is funding currently but not even 2016 entry students know if they'll be funded or not.
Not to mention if you do get on the A100 as a graduate you only get maintenance loans, so even if you lived frugally you would need to find £36,000 in fees.

In my opinion there are too many unknowns in GEM to pin your hopes on it now when you have a good set of grades to apply for the A100, just find out who will accept an application from you. Not all uni's see it as being inconsistent and indecisive. Indeed to drop out of uni because you've decided it's not the course you thought it was would show some courage, no? Just depends on who views it that way.

Also ignore the moron saying grad entry is less competitive than A100. School leavers with grades are not given priority, that defeats the purpose of a unified and fair application system. What utter *******s.
(edited 9 years ago)

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