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Advice for applying Medicine after 4 years of academic idleness?

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(edited 1 year ago)
It doesn't mater how academically capable you believe you are, your current grades have gotten you stuck on the slow path. Chemistry is so important for medicine and with an E placing all your bets on a single uni that doesn't mind resits makes your chances of success even slimmer man (there will be people in the same boat applying to that uni, competition will be high). Sorry this seems discouraging, but it's better being cautious and not using another 2 years of your life to find you're actually will have to take GEM anyway. Take an access course and chemistry a level at the same time, then go into a biological science. Also next yeah you'll be on the 'new system' for a-levels all 4 exams in one go, it's such a dangerous system to even place hope into.
If you really do want to do a-levels, biology, chemistry and physics and maths at AS.
Again sorry man, all the best with what you choose.
Original post by lalafellsareevil
Hello.

I'm 23 years old and a few years ago, I found out I was illegally in the UK. This was hidden from me by my parents, who ignorantly thought that 'everything would be fine' after I finished University, naively thinking my qualifications would become some sort of tether for the UK to 'want' me.

I'd been in the UK from the age of 9. I had no idea anything was amiss.

I found out the truth after my sixth form asked for my passport in order to apply to UCAS, a step my mother did not anticipate, and she had to come clean. Needless to say, I was unable to apply to University, and my dreams - I had thought, were shattered.

In the last week I finally won my lengthy case and I have been granted leave to remain. :smile: I am ecstatic, honestly, beyond words, and now I need some advice into getting back on the road to education. :smile:

I got straight A's for my GCSEs, so I know I am academically capable for Medicine (with a LOT of hard work, of course), but unfortunately, finding out about my situation caused me to lose focus, in addition to re-igniting teenage issues with depression, and as a result, my A2 results were not satisfactory, to say the least.

My AS results were okay: an A for Biology, a B for Chemistry, a B for Psychology and a C for Mathematics.

I know that for some people, dreams are only meant to be dreams, especially with the competitiveness in my subject of choice and I am asking advice from you all humbly: I want to at least give it a try. The damned hardest try I've ever given!

But I don't know what my next step should be.

There is only one University in the UK which accepts Medicine applicants who re-take without any need for an explanation, so long as the applicant meets the grades.

My current Plan A is to re-take my A-Levels, apply to the aforementioned University and at the same time, apply to other Universities' far-less-competitive courses such as Biomedical Science (or any other course that will help land me in the healthcare sector - I haven't fully done my research). That way, in the highly likely chance I am rejected for Medicine, the option to take it up as a postgraduate is still open to me in the future once I finish my undergraduate in whatever course I end up choosing.

Does this plan sound viable? Could there be any other possible route for me to take?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all.

Edit:
I guess since I've already bore it all here, my final A-Level grades are: B for Psychology, B for Biology, E for Chemistry and E for Maths. Would I be able to take on any science-based undergraduate courses that could lead towards Medicine in the future with these results and save myself a couple of years? Or would re-takes be absolutely necessary?


Find an Access to Medicine course. If you feel capable do A-level chemistry at the same time to try to improve your grade. Don't put all your eggs in one basket, and biomed has pretty poor career prospects, unless you get into medicine so try to get into the degree straight off. With graduate entry there'll be a degree of self funding too so you'd need the money to do it.
Doing an Access to Medicine course will probably be the easiest route for you. (You will probably need to get distinctions in all units). If you don't manage to secure a place on a medicine degree course, you will probably be able to do a degree in some other health-related area. You could then look into the possibility of graduate entry into medicine, if that's still what you want to do.

This site shows which medical schools currently offer graduate courses:

http://www.medschools.ac.uk/Students/Courses/Pages/Graduate.aspx
Reply 4
[QUOTE=lalafellsareevil;56826621



There is only one University in the UK which accepts Medicine applicants who re-take without any need for an explanation, so long as the applicant meets the grades.



I think you have a good reason for re-takes. You had good GCSEs and reasonable AS results so why not contact some of the Unis you would like to attend and see whether you can get conditional offers? Contact them direct and talk to admissions teams, although they might refer you to subject staff. Be honest with them and explain your situation. You might end up with a few more options. It also gives you the opportunity to ask their advice on alternative routes into Medicine if they won't accept retakes, but it's worth a try.
(edited 8 years ago)

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