Medicine - Without Alevel Chemistry?

Hi all,

From September I'll be taking 4 Alevels in: Biology, Physics, Psychology and Sociology. As far as I know, having two Sciences will fufil most Uni requirements, but a lot of them state that they want Chemistry or say that Chemistry is preferred. The problem is I'm not going to college/6th form, I'm home-studying and Chemistry won't be available. I'm just worried that I'll have less chance of getting onto Medicine because of a lack of Chemistry. I'm predicted A's/A*'s for my GCSE Science, so do you think that my GCSE results will make up for the lack of Chemistry at Alevel?

I'm hoping to go to Liverpool (My hometown Uni) and they've told me that 2 Sciences are required, they want Biology and say that Chemistry is preferred, but not obligatory. I want to be in the best possible position to get onto the course, but I understand that competition is high.

Any help will be appriciated :smile:

Reply 1

cipapfatso

Ideally just call up the Uni's you're applying to and find out what they think and whether you meet their criteria.
Most demand chemistry to at least AS level but some simply "prefer" it, I think East Anglia is an example of this. Some unis e.g. imperial, cambridge, UCl, oxford etc insist on A2 chemistry AFAIK.
To be honest I would advise you do pursue chemistry to at least AS-level if not A-level, possibly ask if you can use a college's resources for practical/couresworks?

Either way best bet is to call up the unis! Good luck!

Reply 2

p8224

1

you'd need chemistry AT LEAST at AS level if i can remember!
or you could apply for foundation courses...?
maybe you should e-mail the unis and ask them whether physics and biology is sufficient...?

edit: whoops! didnt read cipapfatso's reply! its more or less the same..

Reply 3

Fluffy

15

Most medicine courses specify Chemistry to A level and biol to AS.

My advice is to look through the individual schools requirements and e-mail those that are vague in their prefered subject matter or are open to you...

http://search.ucas.co.uk/cgi-bin/hsrun/search/search/StateId/CTWzV34ZRR3RDrZjcroJouEvVbomI-3y5T/HAHTpage/search.HsKeywordSuggestion.whereNext?query=427&word=MEDICINE&single=Y

Reply 4

FallenSpirit

OP

Ah, thanks for that :smile:

I'll email the Uni and a local College to see what subjects are acceptable and whether the College can help me out in any way.

Reply 5

neha p

FallenSpirit

Hi all,

From September I'll be taking 4 Alevels in: Biology, Physics, Psychology and Sociology. As far as I know, having two Sciences will fufil most Uni requirements, but a lot of them state that they want Chemistry or say that Chemistry is preferred. The problem is I'm not going to college/6th form, I'm home-studying and Chemistry won't be available. I'm just worried that I'll have less chance of getting onto Medicine because of a lack of Chemistry. I'm predicted A's/A*'s for my GCSE Science, so do you think that my GCSE results will make up for the lack of Chemistry at Alevel?

I'm hoping to go to Liverpool (My hometown Uni) and they've told me that 2 Sciences are required, they want Biology and say that Chemistry is preferred, but not obligatory. I want to be in the best possible position to get onto the course, but I understand that competition is high.

Any help will be appriciated :smile:

The majority of the uni's require chemistry at least to AS, so as fluffy advised, i would pursue in trying to take it. I think you should re-think your options, remember maths is counted as a science at A levels. For that 'better chance' i would recommend you widen the subjects you have got. most of the ones are closely related, and incase you don't get into the applied uni's, other's might be keen to take you on. definately check out Liverpool Uni's website, and call up if necessary. Im hoping to do medicine and have chosen bio, chem, maths and eng as they are all academic, yet i have the option to go into other fields with english.
Good Luck! :smile:

xx

Reply 6

FallenSpirit

OP

Thanks

I'm trying not to take Maths unless it's essential. I may take Maths to AS, depending on what GCSE grade I get.

Reply 7

shiny

12

FallenSpirit

Thanks

I'm trying not to take Maths unless it's essential. I may take Maths to AS, depending on what GCSE grade I get.

There used to be these things called foundation years are people to catch up if they didn't have the right A-Levels. Don't know whether they still have them?

Reply 8

Unregistered

FallenSpirit

Thanks

I'm trying not to take Maths unless it's essential. I may take Maths to AS, depending on what GCSE grade I get.

or depending how you found the AS level and if you like it or not :P

Reply 9

Fluffy

15

shiny

There used to be these things called foundation years are people to catch up if they didn't have the right A-Levels. Don't know whether they still have them?

yes they do, but for medicine linked places you either have to be over 21 or from a disadvantaged back ground.

You can do a standard access course, but be careful - most schools are very specific as to which ones they will and will not accept.

To be honest and IMHO you woul dbe better off just tackling the A-level you need.

Reply 10

ben87uk

Hi, most med schools now require both biology and chemistry at least to AS level, and then one of those to full A level, so full A level chemistry isnt necessarily compulsory - as long as you take biology to A2. However, I know that UEA (Norwich) and Peninsula don't require it at all - check out the websites for them. Newcastle university requires chemistry OR biology at AS OR A level, whichever one you don't have at A or AS level then you need it at grade A GCSE. So you should be fine for those three unis. If not, you could always apply to one of the unis that offer a foundation year, kings does it, so does sheffield, bristol, dundee, edinburgh and manchester, i think.
good luck.

Reply 11

Fluffy

15

ben87uk

Hi, most med schools now require both biology and chemistry at least to AS level, and then one of those to full A level, so full A level chemistry isnt necessarily compulsory - as long as you take biology to A2. However, I know that UEA (Norwich) and Peninsula don't require it at all - check out the websites for them. Newcastle university requires chemistry OR biology at AS OR A level, whichever one you don't have at A or AS level then you need it at grade A GCSE. So you should be fine for those three unis. If not, you could always apply to one of the unis that offer a foundation year, kings does it, so does sheffield, bristol, dundee, edinburgh and manchester, i think.
good luck.

With science A-Levels, you couldn't apply to Kings Foundation course. You could if you go to a bad school though, as GKT have 2 foundation courses - 1 is a traditional foundation course the other is a WA course. Soton also do a WA course. for more info onthe WA courses e-mail Sarky - she has offers at GKT and Soton (Soton firm GKT insurance).

Manchesters foundation course involves taking an entrance exam (the MCAT? Manchester Collage Admissions Test?). Dundee don't do a foundation course as far as I am aware.

Ba aware that these 'linked' places are few and far between and usually have more applicants than the traditional 5 year (/6 year intercal) courses.

SGHMS have a good foundation course (the foundation year is taught at Kingston) but I think you have to be over 21.

Cardiff's foundation course is supposed to be very good.

But as I said. Your best bet in terms of applicants per place, and therefore likelihood of getting accepted is to tackle your A-Level 'problem'.

Reply 12

ben87uk

Fluffy

With science A-Levels, you couldn't apply to Kings Foundation course. You could if you go to a bad school though, as GKT have 2 foundation courses - 1 is a traditional foundation course the other is a WA course. Soton also do a WA course. for more info onthe WA courses e-mail Sarky - she has offers at GKT and Soton (Soton firm GKT insurance).

Manchesters foundation course involves taking an entrance exam (the MCAT? Manchester Collage Admissions Test?). Dundee don't do a foundation course as far as I am aware.

Ba aware that these 'linked' places are few and far between and usually have more applicants than the traditional 5 year (/6 year intercal) courses.

SGHMS have a good foundation course (the foundation year is taught at Kingston) but I think you have to be over 21.

Cardiff's foundation course is supposed to be very good.

But as I said. Your best bet in terms of applicants per place, and therefore likelihood of getting accepted is to tackle your A-Level 'problem'.

I'm sure Dundee has a premedical year, check the website: http://www.dundee.ac.uk/prospectus/undergrad/courses/medicine.htm

Reply 13

Fluffy

15

ben87uk

I'm sure Dundee has a premedical year, check the website: http://www.dundee.ac.uk/prospectus/undergrad/courses/medicine.htm

Coola! It's not listed with the other med foundation years on UCAS.

They aren't eligable for it anyway though:

www.dundee.ac.uk

Premedical Year EntrySQA - 348 points

SQA Highers at AAAAB including not more than one Science
GCE - 340 points including
Either GCE A-Levels at AAB or AB (A2) plus AA at AS Level including not more than one Science

Reply 14

ben87uk

i was thinking of applying to the kings premed, biology is my only science - are they much harder to get onto than the normal 5 yr course?

Reply 15

Fluffy

15

ben87uk

i was thinking of applying to the kings premed, biology is my only science - are they much harder to get onto than the normal 5 yr course?

Sometimes they can be (from what I've heard from peeps applying to these courses) as they don't usually have many places - around 20 seems to be the norm.

You have a real diverse candidate pool for foundation courses too from school leavers with the 'wrong' a-levels through to mature, non-traditional students. GKT also take arts graduates on their foundation course, with a certain number of 'linked places' for those not accepted onto the GEP, but without the A-level or degree requirements to take up a 5 year place.

Medicine - Without Alevel Chemistry?

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