A-levels and Medicine HELP

Hi, for A-levels is there any way for a medicine course to accept lower grades due to extenuating circumstances?

I'm being tested for ADHD, and am recieving help for severe anxiety, which has obviously impacted my working. I am also recieving treatment for a cardiac condition, which causes fatigue.

I can show evidence that I was reaching the grades needed in year 12, and have only dropped due to my health.

Would there be a way about this? I have a St Andrews AAB offer and think I'm on track for ABC. Would they be able to hold my offer for next year, could I resit once I have medication and get in if I get the grades, without having to resit the UCAT? What ways can I go about this?

I have emailed saint andrews and read their policy on it, about borderline acceptance, and asked about what counts as borderline for the AAB offer, but I was wondering also if there is anything I could do beforehand?

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 1

becausethenight

19

I have to say I've never really heard of this before and I don't know - you might just have to wait to hear back from them.
They certainly should count these issues as mitigating circumstances but I don't know what kind of accomodation they can then make. might have more of an idea, as he works in admissions?

Reply 2

GANFYD

18

Original post by CatInTheCorner

Hi, for A-levels is there any way for a medicine course to accept lower grades due to extenuating circumstances?

I'm being tested for ADHD, and am recieving help for severe anxiety, which has obviously impacted my working. I am also recieving treatment for a cardiac condition, which causes fatigue.

I can show evidence that I was reaching the grades needed in year 12, and have only dropped due to my health.

Would there be a way about this? I have a St Andrews AAB offer and think I'm on track for ABC. Would they be able to hold my offer for next year, could I resit once I have medication and get in if I get the grades, without having to resit the UCAT? What ways can I go about this?

I have emailed saint andrews and read their policy on it, about borderline acceptance, and asked about what counts as borderline for the AAB offer, but I was wondering also if there is anything I could do beforehand?

I don't know about St Andrews specifically, but most med schools say it is down to the exam boards to make any required allowances when they are marking A levels.
You need to get together your evidence, and your school can apply for special consideration, which means an adjustment will be made to the marks you get, which varies dependent on the category the determine it falls into.
https://www.jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/A-guide-to-the-spec-con-process-202021-Website-version.pdf

It may be possible that St Andrews will make their own adjustment, but unis on the whole tend not to get involved in this type of judgement, but you have nothing to lose by contacting them in advance and asking if it is worth putting in a PEC form (or whatever they use) and how they would treat things in your situation.

Generally, the rule is, that if you present yourself for an exam, you are saying you are fit to sit it, and if you don't think you are, you should apply to delay it - med schools can be pretty strict about this. So another option is to ask them whether they would be happy with you taking an extra year to achieve your grades, given your health difficulties - this is often something they are more likely to look at, but they may not let you do them this year "to see", it is possible it would be either do them this year or delay until next

Reply 3

Medic's Mother

8

Original post by CatInTheCorner

Hi, for A-levels is there any way for a medicine course to accept lower grades due to extenuating circumstances?

I'm being tested for ADHD, and am recieving help for severe anxiety, which has obviously impacted my working. I am also recieving treatment for a cardiac condition, which causes fatigue.

I can show evidence that I was reaching the grades needed in year 12, and have only dropped due to my health.

Would there be a way about this? I have a St Andrews AAB offer and think I'm on track for ABC. Would they be able to hold my offer for next year, could I resit once I have medication and get in if I get the grades, without having to resit the UCAT? What ways can I go about this?

I have emailed saint andrews and read their policy on it, about borderline acceptance, and asked about what counts as borderline for the AAB offer, but I was wondering also if there is anything I could do beforehand?

Have you spoken to your school? You need to get them to look at what special considerations they can apply for from the exam board.

Reply 4

CatInTheCorner

OP

19

Original post by Medic's Mother

Have you spoken to your school? You need to get them to look at what special considerations they can apply for from the exam board.

Thanks for replying! I'm speaking to my SENCO soon. Thanks so much

Reply 5

Medic's Mother

8

Original post by CatInTheCorner

Thanks for replying! I'm speaking to my SENCO soon. Thanks so much

They should certainly be able to put in place rest breaks for you during the exams yourself. It would also be worth asking them if you meet the criteria for special considerations from the exam board due to your anxiety and cardiac condition. You may need to get a letter from your GP or consultant that references this. Good Luck.

Reply 6

CatInTheCorner

OP

19

Original post by Medic's Mother

They should certainly be able to put in place rest breaks for you during the exams yourself. It would also be worth asking them if you meet the criteria for special considerations from the exam board due to your anxiety and cardiac condition. You may need to get a letter from your GP or consultant that references this. Good Luck.

Thanks! I also wanted to ask, for special considerations ( my exam boards are aqa and Edexcel ) I can only find info about what happens if you break your hand, per say, not about something ongoing. And even then it's maximum 5%. Saint Andrews has said I can drop a grade, and if they and the exam board accept it can still get in, so ABB or AAC. So that's good.

Reply 7

Medic's Mother

8

Original post by CatInTheCorner

Thanks! I also wanted to ask, for special considerations ( my exam boards are aqa and Edexcel ) I can only find info about what happens if you break your hand, per say, not about something ongoing. And even then it's maximum 5%. Saint Andrews has said I can drop a grade, and if they and the exam board accept it can still get in, so ABB or AAC. So that's good.

There are special consideration criteria for those who have ongoing conditions- my daughter had a cardiac condition and was awaiting surgery straight after A Levels. 5% can make a difference for gradings.
Good news about St Andrews I'll keep everything crossed for you

Reply 8

GANFYD

18

Original post by CatInTheCorner

Thanks! I also wanted to ask, for special considerations ( my exam boards are aqa and Edexcel ) I can only find info about what happens if you break your hand, per say, not about something ongoing. And even then it's maximum 5%. Saint Andrews has said I can drop a grade, and if they and the exam board accept it can still get in, so ABB or AAC. So that's good.

Yes, it is a weird set up, as you have to be directly affected during the exams for special consideration to kick in (see the JCQ link I posted above, which applies to all exam boards). As I said earlier - if you present yourself for the exam, they consider you are saying you are fit and prepared to sit it. So you can be ill all year, eg in a coma, but recover the week before and the rules are not designed to apply in the same way they would if you broke your hand - they simply expect you to delay sitting the exam, so really not helpful for most people, in real life situations! Most long term conditions are likely to affect people during the exam, too, but you would not get extra consideration for the impact a problem has had throughout the year.
Good news that St Andrews are applying ExCircs, and hopefully that takes a little bit of pressure off. Good luck!

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