Medicine or radiography

Hi, I’m in year 13 now but in year 12 I was sure I was going to do medicine because I wanted to be a radiologist but then I heard about radiography. I kind of still wanted to do medicine but my predicted grades were AAB which isn’t good enough for medicine and my sixth form told me not to apply. Also I didn’t get to book my UCAT in time, and it was expensive to book and for revision materials like medify. I do like and am interested in radiography but I don’t know if I’m just settling because of the things last year or because it’s the course for me. Within medicine there are things that put me off a bit like the length and I think the process for even applying all seems a bit much. I applied for radiograph and have offers from Exeter, Leeds and Cardiff and the course seems great. Like from doing undergrad radiography I can do a post grad to be reporting radiographer which means I can analyse and interpret scans which very similar to what a radiologist does. So what I’m trying to say is in the back of my head I feel like I’m capable of doing medicine onto being a radiologist but radiography is also a way faster route so I’m a bit confused on how to proceed. Any advice would be appreciated

Hi, I’m in year 13 now but in year 12 I was sure I was going to do medicine because I wanted to be a radiologist but then I heard about radiography. I kind of still wanted to do medicine but my predicted grades were AAB which isn’t good enough for medicine and my sixth form told me not to apply. Also I didn’t get to book my UCAT in time, and it was expensive to book and for revision materials like medify. I do like and am interested in radiography but I don’t know if I’m just settling because of the things last year or because it’s the course for me. Within medicine there are things that put me off a bit like the length and I think the process for even applying all seems a bit much. I applied for radiograph and have offers from Exeter, Leeds and Cardiff and the course seems great. Like from doing undergrad radiography I can do a post grad to be reporting radiographer which means I can analyse and interpret scans which very similar to what a radiologist does. So what I’m trying to say is in the back of my head I feel like I’m capable of doing medicine onto being a radiologist but radiography is also a way faster route so I’m a bit confused on how to proceed. Any advice would be appreciated

If you meet a few contextual requirements (usually universities require two- and they aren’t even that inaccessible) you can apply for contextual offer where you’ll have a lower entry requirement when you firm it.
Ucat also offers bursary, where you can sit it for free, if you haven’t heard about that. But as for revision materials for ucat, you do not need to buy any thing, there is so so much revision you can access for free and I was constantly advised by my tutors to not buy any revision resource for ucat!
You are correct about medicine a longer course but you are going to spend that years anyway why not spend it doing something you enjoy but if you think you will enjoy radiography more than do radiography, and because you already have offers from amazing unis
Another option you have is to defer your entry year for your offer and take a gap year! Once you decide to firm your offer, you can ring the uni and ask them if they can differ it. This will allow you to get your grades in hand and they won’t be predicted, a chance to do ucat practice and an opportunity for you to do radiography and hospital/GP work experience which will give you a clear indication of which one you enjoy more.
I hope whatever you choose works out for you!

Thank you so much, so when UCAT dates get released do I book on this year or is it after results day?

Ucat booking is not open yet. It opens around the 18th june so before results day, you will sit it this year.
so if you do your ucat before results day, it means if you do get the grades for med and you do well in the ucat, you can take a gap year but if you think your ucat isn’t good enough, you wont even have to take a gap year. I don’t know if that makes sense
Sorry