Are medical school exams really that hard?

Do the top scoring people who got like straight A*s at school find it hard to cope at all?

I know that a lot of people who get in have far lower grades than straight A*s at a2 and gcse - so how these people cope? Are the students who find the exams hard, the students who previously didn't score that great at a2/gcse? Because I can understand that.

I mean I have always been in the top of my class academically (getting straight A*s at gcse and a2), I feel I can manage the medical school exams and I find it pretty annoying when friends (who are medics) say that the exams are hard - who are almost assuming that I will find them hard myself.

People always say that the exams are hard and are different to a-levels and gcses.

Do the top scoring people who got like straight A*s at school find it hard to cope at all?

I know that a lot of people who get in have far lower grades than straight A*s at a2 and gcse - so how these people cope?

Are the students who find the exams hard, the students who previously didn't score that great at a2/gcse? Because I can understand that.

I mean I have always been in the top of my class academically (getting straight A*s at gcse and a2), I feel I can manage the medical school exams and I find it pretty annoying when friends (who are medics) say that the exams are hard - who are almost assuming that I will find them hard myself.

[I was lucky enough to get an offer from barts this year (may or may not firm as I am waiting for KCL).]

Everyone who got in got at least AAA , yet a large minority will have to retake at least one exam, and some fail entirely. Go figure.

Considering the minimum offer is now AAA, everyone* in medical school will have been near the top of their class in sixth form. So your point that "the students who previously didn't score that great at a2/gcse" will be the ones who find med school exams hard doesn't really make sense. This is medicine - everyone who gets in nowadays in will have gotten great grades, a competitive UKCAT/BMAT score, written an amazing personal statement, and no doubt burnt their pyjamas with their chemistry set along the way too.

So don't go in assuming that you can predict how people will do (including yourself) based on school grades; this is a very different ball game. Some people find it fine, others will struggle at first. The overwhelming majority will pass, one way or another. The exams themselves are not awful so long as you've done the necessary preparation for them. It is not the sort of thing you can cram overnight, no matter what anyone tells you.

You** are no longer the big fish in the little pond - students who accept this early on will spend less time agonising about why they're no longer automatically top of the class.

The all important thing to remember is this: what do you call the student who graduates bottom of their class in med school?



*Assuming we're just talking about school leavers here.

**Not you personally.

Depends really on what your definition of "hard" is. At Cambridge at least, the exams are "not hard" in the sense that most people pass (ie: get above 40%). However, only the top 15% or so get a mark above 70% and a mark in the 80s puts you in the top 1 or 2 in the whole year, out of 300.

Chances are, you won't find the exams at Barts hard. You'll have to work for them sure, and if you want to rank top 10 in the year then that'll involve a hell of a lot of work, but if you just want to do reasonably okay then medical school exams are fairly straightforward.

Just my two cents

Sometimes, it depends on the person...it's a different type of learning. Some people who got all A*s will have lots of trouble, some will have no difficulty at all. The same is true for people who came into Medicine from alternative routes....some will have no difficulty and some will struggle.

Learning for Medicine is very different to learning for GCSEs/A levels, neither is easier/harder really as it depends what type of person you are and how you take on and use information. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses and these come to surface in this course. I would suggest most people (regardless of A level performance) could succeed in Medicine with the right motivation and determination. Some people will have to work harder, some people less hard.



See above. Also, everyone got around AAA or equivalent so I don't really think anyone has been someone who "didn't score that great at a2/gcse" I really haven't read the research on correlation between A level grades and success in Medical School but personal experience would suggest it would be (at best) weak.



Well done on your GCSEs and A-levels, you should be proud of them. However, they mean very little once you actually get in to Medicine as everyone has done pretty well/people have other/better things to chat about.

I would suggest that with the right attitude, determination and focus that you will manage the exams, however, it is alright to struggle. Maybe your friends are just saying they found it harder than they thought when they went in to it.

As a final point, it varies between Medical Schools as to what the exams are like and therefore it becomes finding what suits you best. For example, I used past papers religiously in school/sixth form and when I got to Leicester they were like "We don't do past papers". Therefore, it was difficult finding and learning a new way to learn initially, but, you get there eventually.


Note: I said learning Medicine is not necessarily any harder than learning for GCSEs/A-levels, not discussing the actual subject/content of those courses.

Thanks for the replies.

So I guess it depends on the individual.

Also no offence but I don't really regard AAA at A2 as that great (even in the sciences), our school had an average of A*AA (most were in sciences as well). I would have thought that AAA is more or less the absolutely minimum you were expected to get; and my friends who are not really regarded as being that clever managed AAA fairly comfortably (in sciences).

Thanks for the replies.

So I guess it depends on the individual.

Also no offence but I don't really regard AAA at A2 as that great (even in the sciences), our school had an average of A*AA (most were in sciences as well). I would have thought that AAA is more or less the absolutely minimum you were expected to get; and my friends who are not really regarded as being that clever managed AAA fairly comfortably (in sciences).

Stop trying to put people down. That's probably why you didn't get in first time round, no offence.

It's easier than not colouring outside the lines...

nah i didn't get in first time round because of the subjectivity of the process....

but what happens when the line is the same colour as the paper?

Thanks for the replies.

So I guess it depends on the individual.

Also no offence but I don't really regard AAA at A2 as that great (even in the sciences), our school had an average of A*AA (most were in sciences as well). I would have thought that AAA is more or less the absolutely minimum you were expected to get; and my friends who are not really regarded as being that clever managed AAA fairly comfortably (in sciences).

Yeah of course... thats what they all say

Honestly, you sound really arrogant and up-yourself and I'm guessing the reason you didn't get in first year is that it came across at interview.
Stop bringing other people down. "'AAA' isn't good" pffft ok. Keep feeding your own ego.

A doctor is meant to be pleasant, caring and humble and be nice to people, not bring them down and imply that you are 'cleverer than everyone else'. Get over yourself.

PS before you say I'm bitter, I'm a first year applicant with four medicine offers so...

did u create a tsr account just to say this? because I checked u out and u joined tsr like 10mins ago. LOL

edit: I doubt ur legit purely on the basis that u created a new account 12 mins ago

I do actually have another TSR account but didn't fancy starting any fights on it especially seeing as I know people from here