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Can I do biological sciences without the required subjects?

Currently at A level i am doing Biology, History and German as well as a biology-related EPQ. I would have picked chem, except I didn’t do it for GCSE. I don’t see myself doing my other of my subjects at uni, so would they consider me with only biology as a science? I may want to do postgrad medicine afterwards. Thanks In advance :smile:

Reply 1

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

Some may accept you for direct entry. However there are plenty even that require A-level Chemistry who offer the course with a foundation year for those without the correct subjects, so you have lots of options anyway.

In terms of medicine note that Newcastle has no subject requirements, and if your goal is medicine then your best bet is to take a gap year and do A-level Chemistry then (this may be expensive though) and apply directly as a school leaver. Graduate entry medicine is much more competitive than standard entry medicine. Also note you don't need to do a bioscience degree for graduate entry medicine, quite a few just require any science degree, and a fair number will accept any degree (although they tend to require either A-level Biology/Chemistry or the GAMSAT).

When you say you didn't do chemistry at GCSE, what do you mean? That you only did the double award combined science (covering all three sciences) or that you only took the single award GCSEs in physics and/or biology? Normally UK GCSE students do the combined science double award or each science as an individual subject (often referred to as "triple science"). Note that the A-level only assumes material from the double award though, no need to have done the individual award subjects for the corresponding A-level subject unless a specific school asks for it because of how they teach it.

Reply 2

Vercos1

Yeah I did the single award GCSEs in physics and biology. At my school they required us to pick minimum 1 science. At the time of choosing, I disliked chem and bio but things changed. My school required gcse chem to do it at a level. Unfortunately, medicine being the final goal, doing chemistry a level with no help from GCSE in a year is difficult enough, and finding a place to do practicals is more of a nightmare. I also don’t fit into the category of people foundation courses in medicine are targeting. I also think about dropping these hopes and doing something else at probably a better uni but that I enjoy less. Thanks for the help!