The Student Room Group

Official Thread: (Undergraduate) Medicine 2021 Entry

Scroll to see replies

Original post by NanaAma02
Could you apply for dentistry as your 5th choice?

You could but your personal statement would be a bit of a giveaway. You would be facing rejection as it’s a competitive course.
Reply 1561
Original post by sophie1213
I wish BMAT didn't have an essay sectionnnn!!!!!

They all use it differently, but it is very easy to get a 2.5. Cambridge ignore the essay, some ignore the language score, most weight S1 and S2 more heavily.
Original post by sophie1213
I wish BMAT didn't have an essay sectionnnn!!!!!

ahahah this made me laugh
Hey there!

I can't decide whether to take the UCAT and BMAT or just take the BMAT. I got 10 grade 9's at GCSE, an A at AS and predicted 3 A* at a level...
Any suggestions? thanks!!
Just taking the BMAT would be highly highly risky. All it takes is one mediocre result - easily possible even for AAA students - and all choices are out and you're either doing a gap year or changing your whole career path.

Two at most, is my general recommendation.
Original post by nexttime
Just taking the BMAT would be highly highly risky. All it takes is one mediocre result - easily possible even for AAA students - and all choices are out and you're either doing a gap year or changing your whole career path.

Two at most, is my general recommendation.

Ah ok thanks... do you think the risk is worth it if I only really want to go to BMAt unis though?
Original post by arunayyar28
So I’ve been predicted A*AA but my school (thankfully) has given people who are OMDVs, the chance to write an exam in 1 subject to increase their predicted grades. I’m doing biology to get an A*A*A to apply to Cambridge but I’ve seen that out of 270 offers only 100 odd go to people with 2A*s (and insane BMAT scores). All the others have either 3 or 4 A*s. Ik this means that my BMAT score would need to be unreal (im prepared for it as I began last summer but only done 600 Qs so far), so what BMAT score would I need to make my application more appealing than the people with 3/4 A*s?

Any advice would be welcome Thanks

Most Cambridge applicants tend to receive an offer but please bear in mind that most applicants don't meet the offer requirements. Out of all the medical schools, Cambridge has the highest entry requirements 2A*A. My advice to you is don't get hang up with universities and its reputations i.e ranking as it does not mean anything. To get into any medical school is difficult and you need to optimise your chances of at least getting interviews so consider your strengths, UCAT scores etc. My son, at this stage last year had drawn a list of 12 universities that he wanted to apply to, after his UCAT he could not apply to any. He received a UCAT score of 3150 but a band 4 in SJT. He had to draw a new list. He applied to Imperial (BMAT a risk as he had not sat BMAT at the time of application), Bristol, Glasgow and Exeter. He received 4 interviews and 3 offers. As long as the course is recognised by GMC which all medical schools in the UK are then you will be fine.
Original post by Wtf//AS
Ah ok thanks... do you think the risk is worth it if I only really want to go to BMAt unis though?

If you would literally decline an offer from a UCAT uni then I guess so?

Your preferences would have to be irrationally strong to do this. Do you want to go to university, or do you want to be a doctor? Because if the answer is the former, you shouldn't be doing medicine. If the answer is the latter, you should recognise that getting in is by far the most important thing.

You could potentially make an argument it was worth the 'risk' if the risk was small too. It isn't though - 60% of applicants get no offers at all. Yes your chances are higher with your GCSEs and predicted A-levels, but still substantial chance of failure.

Its up to you though.
Anyone thinking of applying to Oxford/Cambridge? I don't think I will get in but I feel it may be worth a shot?
Reply 1569
Original post by farahkhan92
You can apply to anywhere who will accept the degree you’ve done, as long as you have the minimum A Level/ GSCEs requirements they want :smile:

For example, I am applying to Queen Mary for dentistry. 5 year course. They asked me to have a 2.1 in my degree and a CC in AS Biology and Chemistry :smile:

ah fab news thank you :smile:
Reply 1570
I’m a year 13 student who is planning to take the autumn exams, however also I also want to take medicine and I’m unsure on how is going to work seeing as the application deadline for medicine are in October and the exams are also in October
Some guidance please. What are the best books to read to get ready for UCAT and the the interviews . Also any other recommendations for general pre medicine books are welcome. Thank you!
Original post by DesyD
I’m a year 13 student who is planning to take the autumn exams, however also I also want to take medicine and I’m unsure on how is going to work seeing as the application deadline for medicine are in October and the exams are also in October

Email the Admissions team of medical schools. They'll reply quickly.
Original post by Zachary H
Anyone reapplying for medicine 2021? My school messed up and wasn't able to apply for 2020 entry. My UCAT was 622 average, predicted grades are AAB, have 4 summers working in hospitals/clinics and loads of extracurriculars under my belt. Already firmed plymouth for biomed but thinking about reapplying to plymouth, sheffield, keele and somewhere else for Medicine

I think you have really good chance of getting in. Maybe re-take the UCAT if you can - that score is quiet average or you could apply to less UCAT heavy med schools.
Is it possible/be a bad idea to apply for medicine and biomed at the same uni?
Original post by Yazomi
Is it possible/be a bad idea to apply for medicine and biomed at the same uni?

Totally possible - I applied for medicine and 5th choice psychology at QMUL. The uni might not even realise if the applications are handled by different faculties, and it won’t disadvantage you, AFAIK.
Original post by Yazomi
Is it possible/be a bad idea to apply for medicine and biomed at the same uni?

just to add to @becausethenight I also applied to medicine and 5th choice of biomed engineering at Glasgow, so you'll be ok :smile:
Original post by Yazomi
Is it possible/be a bad idea to apply for medicine and biomed at the same uni?

Biomed and Med are closely related, especially as first semester the university may teach lectures to the same groups. Most likely, they will see you have applied to the different courses
Reply 1578
Original post by Anita Faraz
Some guidance please. What are the best books to read to get ready for UCAT and the the interviews . Also any other recommendations for general pre medicine books are welcome. Thank you!

For UCAT, I would say that don't rely on books but spend your money on online resources especially question banks. I suggest Medify and Kaplan and if I had to pick between one I would say Medify. You can also purchase the 1250 Qs book by ISC MEDICAL but however the quantitative section of that book is much harder than the actual test. Kaplan book is also good but as I said online resources are much better. Hope that helped.
p.s. Don't forget the UCAT official website practice questions and mock tests.
I'm in a complicated situation. I'm Year 13 but I want to do the autumn exams and apply for medicine for 2021. It's so important to me, as I've been revising and actually feel like I could get the grades in Autumn. However, the exams are in October as well as deadline for Medicine? And I know my actual summer results won't be good enough. Is it a good idea to come in into my school and do the same mocks as the year 12 in my school will do in September for predicted grades so they can use the results of them? Other than that, I have my personal statement and everything already prepared. I just need a chance to apply. It's all so confusing and I'm so stressed :frown:

Quick Reply

Latest