Too young for medical school?

Basically if I apply for 2017 entry I'll spend the entire first year as a 17 year old (DOB: 7 June 2000). I've read some where that you've got to be 18 to apply to medicine (mbbs) so what do I do now? Also if it matters I am an international student (I live in Saudi Arabia)

i would suggest perhaps take a gap year do some kind of work experience or internship at a hospital for a year and then apply in 2018 because it's true you can't apply for a degree unless you are 18
wait aren't you currently in college?

No, I'm not in college. I just finished grade 11 (year 12) and almost going to finish my AS papers. Thanks for replying!

Most universities will want you to be 18 when you start the course, or at least within the first term, not when you apply, especially for medicine. A few may be ok with you being younger, and Scottish unis may be more lenient than the rest of the UK as their school year system is slightly different, but really you need to check each university's policy and if there is nowhere you can realistically apply to, take a gap year.

Oxford were fine with being 17 for me. London universities were not. Scotland were all fine. I would email the universities themselves.

No, I'm not in college. I just finished grade 11 (year 12) and almost going to finish my AS papers. Thanks for replying!

Really am sorry for asking but could you please outline the whole taking a gap year process? Like do I send my application this year and apply for a deferred entry or do I just send it next year?

Really am sorry for asking but could you please outline the whole taking a gap year process? Like do I send my application this year and apply for a deferred entry or do I just send it next year?

So I live in Uk and i am the same age as you but 2 months older so we are allowed to start applying in 2017 October for 2018 October entry in universities.
Considering how difficult it is to get into medical school I would highly recommend you take a gap year, as in do a proper yearly based internship or work experience in a qualified hospital in Saudi Arabia for a year. This will not only benefit your application hugely it will give you an insight into whether you really want to choose medicine for your career. And then apply in October 2017 for the October 2018 entry because if you really want to go to Oxford they are not going to shortlist your application no matter how good it is if you are not 18.

https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/courses-listing/medicine?wssl=1

Here's what is said under the application requirements of Oxford medicine degree

"Students must be 18 years of age at the time they start this degree course. The clinical contact in our programme starts in the first term and means that younger students would not be able to take part in required elements of the course. Your application will not be shortlisted unless you will be at least 18 years old on the start of your first term (8 October 2017 or 7 October 2018)"

If you want to apply to Cambridge perhaps they have the same thing to say the only difference is that they give a flexibility if you turn 18 by the second term you can apply for 2017 entry but in your case you wouldn't be 18 by the second term

http://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/medicine

"Students under the age of 18 cannot undertake any clinical elements of the Medicine course, which start in the second term of first year at the latest. Therefore, students must have reached the age of 18 by the start of the second term of Year 1 to be eligible to apply for Medicine."

If you want to apply to neither of those try going to other university course websites and look for information that shows when you can apply. If you find a course that allows application during the age of 17 then it's up to you whether you want to apply this year or next year (although i do believe it will be most beneficial to do it next year you will have more options & bigger chance of getting in)

Following on from this it depends on the teaching style. Traditional courses with a clinical and preclinical split will be fine as there isn't patient contact in the beginning. Most universities (correct me if I'm wrong) don't do this anymore.

I may be wrong, but I think that the GMC actually mandates clinical contact within the first two terms, so they all do it yes. Certainly the two least willing universities, Oxford and Cambridge, are both forced to do it.

That's been the case for some time though. The reason a 17 year old can't have 'clinical contact' is for insurance purposes. Unfortunately as far as many insurance companies are concerned, having the best grades in your cohort and passing interviews which are specifically aimed at determining your professionalism and potential to be a doctor... isn't as important as the date on your birth certificate.

I know for Cambridge that instead of actual clinical contact they have classes on communication every so often. That's why they're able to take people that are slightly younger


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I did GP visits in my first year there over a decade ago, would be surprised if they'd stopped those. And while there were a few in my year who turned 18 in their first term, I also know at least one person who had to take a gap year because they were too young.

If OP wants to apply there, they must contact the relevant college to check their policy.

I know for Cambridge that instead of actual clinical contact they have classes on communicbyation every so often. That's why they're able to take people that are slightly younger