Is EPQ Essential For Medicine ?

I'm thinking of dropping EPQ because I feel like I'm gonna get a bad grade, and I've not done much. I want to apply to Kings College London Imperial, UCL, and Queen Mary's.
Here are my questions:
Will it significantly hinder my application's competitiveness for medicine?
Is an "unspoken rule" that says it is basically essential for applicants to have good EPQ grades ?
If I have good predicted grades, a good UCAT score, and a good personal statement, BUT NO EPQ, would I be massively disadvantaged ?
Thank you all for your guidance 🙏 🙌 😊

To put it simply, nope the EPQ is not at all essential for a med application and it’s not an unspoken rule either ! Most uni websites state on their med pages that they do not consider the EPQ in the application process, so it’s just an extra, the same as when you talk about work experience or volunteering etc.
It basically just gives u a little extra to talk about at interview/ personal statement but you definitely don’t need it to well or secure a place. It won’t impact your application much unless you wanted to apply to Sheffield where they reduce the med offer from AAA to AAB if you achieve an A/A* in your EPQ. Not many unis offer the alternative grade requirement, I think Keele reduce the A*AA to AAA but if you’re not interested in applying there then dropping the EPQ won’t impact your application negatively dont worry !!

I'm thinking of dropping EPQ because I feel like I'm gonna get a bad grade, and I've not done much. I want to apply to Kings College London Imperial, UCL, and Queen Mary's.
Here are my questions:
Will it significantly hinder my application's competitiveness for medicine?
Is an "unspoken rule" that says it is basically essential for applicants to have good EPQ grades ?
If I have good predicted grades, a good UCAT score, and a good personal statement, BUT NO EPQ, would I be massively disadvantaged ?
Thank you all for your guidance 🙏 🙌 😊

"Is an "unspoken rule" that says it is basically essential for applicants to have good EPQ grades ?"
No
"If I have good predicted grades, a good UCAT score, and a good personal statement, BUT NO EPQ, would I be massively disadvantaged ?"
Not disadvantaged at all for a majority of universities
Most shortlist for interview based on all or a combination of A-levels, UCAT/BMAT & GCSEs. No other factors are considered.
Will it significantly hinder my application's competitiveness for medicine?
Not even in the slightest.
I highly recommend you begin researching about medical schools' admissions & interview shortlisting criteria because it's clear that you haven't. You should've researched beforehand so you don't end up making A-level choices thinking they have clear merit for admissions when at best it's inconclusive.

I'm thinking of dropping EPQ because I feel like I'm gonna get a bad grade, and I've not done much. I want to apply to Kings College London Imperial, UCL, and Queen Mary's.
Here are my questions:
Will it significantly hinder my application's competitiveness for medicine?
Is an "unspoken rule" that says it is basically essential for applicants to have good EPQ grades ?
If I have good predicted grades, a good UCAT score, and a good personal statement, BUT NO EPQ, would I be massively disadvantaged ?
Thank you all for your guidance 🙏 🙌 😊

I'm thinking of dropping EPQ because I feel like I'm gonna get a bad grade, and I've not done much. I want to apply to Kings College London Imperial, UCL, and Queen Mary's.
Here are my questions:
Will it significantly hinder my application's competitiveness for medicine?
Is an "unspoken rule" that says it is basically essential for applicants to have good EPQ grades ?
If I have good predicted grades, a good UCAT score, and a good personal statement, BUT NO EPQ, would I be massively disadvantaged ?
Thank you all for your guidance 🙏 🙌 😊

I'm thinking of dropping EPQ because I feel like I'm gonna get a bad grade, and I've not done much. I want to apply to Kings College London Imperial, UCL, and Queen Mary's.
Here are my questions:
Will it significantly hinder my application's competitiveness for medicine?
Is an "unspoken rule" that says it is basically essential for applicants to have good EPQ grades ?
If I have good predicted grades, a good UCAT score, and a good personal statement, BUT NO EPQ, would I be massively disadvantaged ?
Thank you all for your guidance 🙏 🙌 😊

Thanks for the detailed reply 🙏🙏.
Our school forced us to take epq 🙄.
I haven't made good progress so im trying to drop it. I was just worried that if I drop it, my application would be less competitive than the people who git a good grade in it.

Also dropped the EPQ for the same reason and it deffo didn't hinder my application (also got an offer from qmul). Like others said the most important thing to work on is UCAT as most schools place a large emphasis on that for deciding interview invites. Overall I'm don't regret dropping EPQ as it gave me more time to focus on A levels and I only took it thinking it would be a make or break for my application.

So I'm in a vaguely similar situation, but the thing is I really want to do an epq - my application was rejected due to my poor punctuality. Which medical schools actually look at EPQs and use them to place offers? Does it count as part of your academic grades? I dropped further maths because I believed the time would be better spent doing an EPQ, but now that I'm not doing either I feel like I'm not doing enough for my medical application.
I apologise for the bombarding of questions - I recognise that I should be doing my own research on this, but due to time constraints (I'm debating whether I should ask my EPQ application to be reconsidered for about the 5th time or so in person), any top-of-the-head advice is something I would be really thankful for.