Can I get into a medical school?

Hi, my name’s Luke. I’m 15, almost 16 and I’m currently doing 5 Highers in S5 (Human Bio, Chem, Physics, Maths, and French). Last year I was awarded 5 A band 1s and 2 A band 2s for my Nat 5s. I hope to get all As this year, and I’ve been accepted for a day of NHS work experience in the near future. I play the trumpet (But I’m embarrassingly bad at it), but other than that I don’t do that much outside of school. For this I’m scared that I won’t be accepted into a med school. I’m afraid that interviewers may see me as socially inept or something because I don’t take part in team sports, but I hope this is something that can be overlooked. I’ve set up volunteering with a local old people’s home and I’m going to finish my bronze DofE this year. Can someone tell me if any university will take me? I’m keen on going to either Dundee, Glasgow, Edinburgh, or even Queens, as I’ve seen they have a high acceptance rate. Thanks!

Reply 1

_Rusty_

Volunteer Team

22

Original post by aiwhabab

Hi, my name’s Luke. I’m 15, almost 16 and I’m currently doing 5 Highers in S5 (Human Bio, Chem, Physics, Maths, and French). Last year I was awarded 5 A band 1s and 2 A band 2s for my Nat 5s. I hope to get all As this year, and I’ve been accepted for a day of NHS work experience in the near future. I play the trumpet (But I’m embarrassingly bad at it), but other than that I don’t do that much outside of school. For this I’m scared that I won’t be accepted into a med school. I’m afraid that interviewers may see me as socially inept or something because I don’t take part in team sports, but I hope this is something that can be overlooked. I’ve set up volunteering with a local old people’s home and I’m going to finish my bronze DofE this year. Can someone tell me if any university will take me? I’m keen on going to either Dundee, Glasgow, Edinburgh, or even Queens, as I’ve seen they have a high acceptance rate. Thanks!

Hey,

You're only 15 try not to worry so much :smile:

Med Schools don't require you to do sports (I didn't!) or be graded on an instrument (I play the guitar but am not graded).

Unis may offer you a place (I say may because there isn't much to be affirmative about in the application process, no other reason) but that's down to your Post-16 grades, pre-16 grades, UCAT, BMAT, interviews, contextual data etc. and the way that each med school weights this data or does the process is completely different from one another.

At the moment focus on your post-16 qualifications. Also start to think about work experience - when you get some think about what you have learnt, the med schools only care about that, not what you've done.

All the best

R

Reply 2

Tinhinane

2

Original post by aiwhabab

Hi, my name’s Luke. I’m 15, almost 16 and I’m currently doing 5 Highers in S5 (Human Bio, Chem, Physics, Maths, and French). Last year I was awarded 5 A band 1s and 2 A band 2s for my Nat 5s. I hope to get all As this year, and I’ve been accepted for a day of NHS work experience in the near future. I play the trumpet (But I’m embarrassingly bad at it), but other than that I don’t do that much outside of school. For this I’m scared that I won’t be accepted into a med school. I’m afraid that interviewers may see me as socially inept or something because I don’t take part in team sports, but I hope this is something that can be overlooked. I’ve set up volunteering with a local old people’s home and I’m going to finish my bronze DofE this year. Can someone tell me if any university will take me? I’m keen on going to either Dundee, Glasgow, Edinburgh, or even Queens, as I’ve seen they have a high acceptance rate. Thanks!

Where are you from

Reply 3

ash210

12

Original post by aiwhabab

Hi, my name’s Luke. I’m 15, almost 16 and I’m currently doing 5 Highers in S5 (Human Bio, Chem, Physics, Maths, and French). Last year I was awarded 5 A band 1s and 2 A band 2s for my Nat 5s. I hope to get all As this year, and I’ve been accepted for a day of NHS work experience in the near future. I play the trumpet (But I’m embarrassingly bad at it), but other than that I don’t do that much outside of school. For this I’m scared that I won’t be accepted into a med school. I’m afraid that interviewers may see me as socially inept or something because I don’t take part in team sports, but I hope this is something that can be overlooked. I’ve set up volunteering with a local old people’s home and I’m going to finish my bronze DofE this year. Can someone tell me if any university will take me? I’m keen on going to either Dundee, Glasgow, Edinburgh, or even Queens, as I’ve seen they have a high acceptance rate. Thanks!

All those things account for maybe 5% of selection, concentrate on GCSE's then UCAT and then A-levels.
UCAT is the most important of all, try to aim for 3000+

Reply 4

hiii343

1

Original post by aiwhabab

Hi, my name’s Luke. I’m 15, almost 16 and I’m currently doing 5 Highers in S5 (Human Bio, Chem, Physics, Maths, and French). Last year I was awarded 5 A band 1s and 2 A band 2s for my Nat 5s. I hope to get all As this year, and I’ve been accepted for a day of NHS work experience in the near future. I play the trumpet (But I’m embarrassingly bad at it), but other than that I don’t do that much outside of school. For this I’m scared that I won’t be accepted into a med school. I’m afraid that interviewers may see me as socially inept or something because I don’t take part in team sports, but I hope this is something that can be overlooked. I’ve set up volunteering with a local old people’s home and I’m going to finish my bronze DofE this year. Can someone tell me if any university will take me? I’m keen on going to either Dundee, Glasgow, Edinburgh, or even Queens, as I’ve seen they have a high acceptance rate. Thanks!

Hiii,

So with your Nat 5 results it is clear that you are definitely academically capable to do medicine and I actually got those exact results too haha. I also got 5 As at Highers and now I'm doing 3 Advanced Highers. As for extracurriculars I'd say its mainly the teamwork aspect of them that helps when it comes to interviews. Definitely get work experience as much as possible it is incredibly difficult to do so without connections but since you've already got one placement that's already really good. DofE is also really good because of how much navigation and teamwork it requires. I don't do any sports either but the fact you've done DofE already can cover up that aspect of teamwork and leadership so I wouldn't worry too much. Try and gain as much insight into the realities of medicine if you can as this will be really helpful when it comes to interviews. Lastly, start UCAT prep in the summer and try to sit it before school starts (this is something I really wish I did), but make sure you don't do it hours on end because that will only stress you out and it might even reverse your progress. For scottish applicants to scottish unis anything above 2650 and at least a band 2 will guarantee an interview (maybe higher for Edinburgh). Also read books relevant to medicine so that you can show interviewers you've actually done your research and you know what your getting yourself into. Good Luck!!

Reply 5

Admit-One

Universities Forum Helper

21

Folks, you are replying to a 2 year old post.

Can I get into a medical school?

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