Where and how likely am I to get into medicine?

I’m currently studying Alevels and have just taken my Ucat which didn’t go as planned. I’ve recently been diagnosed with dyslexia and possibly adhd (tbc) and had to sit my GCSEs and Ucat without any access arrangements. Is it possible for me to get in this year? I’m really holding out for UCL and QMUL although ik I’m a bit short on the Ucat.

Ucat: 2550 band 2
GCSEs: 98776666
Alevel pred: A* (bio) A* (drama) chem (A)
Extracurricular:
- volunteered with the ambulance service and at a mental hospital for over 6 months.
- wrote and published a research paper in a junior scientific journal
- worked a part time job in a restaurant for 2 years
- won a national public speaking award
- undertook a medical society at a university for 3 years
Work experience at a thoracic surgery ward for 1 and a half weeks
- head girl
- director at a theatre company I help run to raise money for charity

Any feedback or ways for me to improve my application are welcomed.

(edited 3 months ago)

Reply 1

Dianajustino

Original post by Kidgesmidge

I’m currently studying Alevels and have just taken my Ucat which didn’t go as planned. I’ve recently been diagnosed with dyslexia and possibly adhd (tbc) and had to sit my GCSEs and Ucat without any access arrangements. Is it possible for me to get in this year? I’m really holding out for UCL and QMUL although ik I’m a bit short on the Ucat.
Ucat: 2550 band 2
GCSEs: 98776666
Alevel pred: A* (bio) A* (drama) chem (A)
Extracurricular:
- volunteered with the ambulance service and at a mental hospital for over 6 months.
- wrote and published a research paper in a junior scientific journal
- worked a part time job in a restaurant for 2 years
- won a national public speaking award
- undertook a medical society at a university for 3 years
Work experience at a thoracic surgery ward for 1 and a half weeks
- head girl
- director at a theatre company I help run to raise money for charity
Any feedback or ways for me to improve my application are welcomed.

Hello. Your predicted grades look very good and so does your extracurriculars. You should defo apply to med school. But maybe try and apply to med schools where they don't look too much at the ucat and more on gcses.
I have a question, I also have a part time job should I include that on my personal statement?

Reply 2

Scarybook

You can get into unis but your UCAT is holding u back. So if you really want to go into med this year then you can. But I’d take a gap year to get a better UCAT and then into a uni you like better

Reply 3

purpleflamingo77

Hiya, you have a strong application and stand a good chance of getting a place if you apply tactically. With your UCAT, I would recommend Cardiff, Belfast, Plymouth and maybe Oxford (you sit a different admissions test) as these places don't mind much about a low UCAT. Bear in mind, many unis look at contextual data so the UCAT cut off might be different if this applies to you.

Reply 4

Dianajustino

Original post by purpleflamingo77

Does contextual offer helps with ucat score?

Reply 5

GANFYD

Original post by purpleflamingo77

Cardiff, QUB and Oxford all shortlist using GCSEs heavily, and have pretty much needed all 8/9s in recent years to be shortlisted.
Oxford is using UCAT this year.

Reply 6

purpleflamingo77

Original post by Dianajustino

Does contextual offer helps with ucat score?

Look at the individual unis' requirements, but when I applied this year I saw that many considered contextual info.

Reply 7

GANFYD

Original post by purpleflamingo77

Ah, my bad about Oxford, i thought they replaced BMAT with BMSAT. But regarding the uni choices, I think that depending on OP's contextual info, they have a good chance with those GCSEs to get interviews at these unis

No, they do not.
They score 14 in Cardiff's scoring matrix and cut off, even for contextuals, has been 25/26 for years.
They score 25 on QUB's scoring matrix, cut off has been 36/37 in recent years.

Plymouth is a possibility, though cut off has been around 2600 in recent years

Reply 8

ricky joe

Original post by Kidgesmidge

I’m currently studying Alevels and have just taken my Ucat which didn’t go as planned. I’ve recently been diagnosed with dyslexia and possibly adhd (tbc) and had to sit my GCSEs and Ucat without any access arrangements. Is it possible for me to get in this year? I’m really holding out for UCL and QMUL although ik I’m a bit short on the Ucat.
Ucat: 2550 band 2
GCSEs: 98776666
Alevel pred: A* (bio) A* (drama) chem (A)
Extracurricular:
- volunteered with the ambulance service and at a mental hospital for over 6 months.
- wrote and published a research paper in a junior scientific journal
- worked a part time job in a restaurant for 2 years
- won a national public speaking award
- undertook a medical society at a university for 3 years
Work experience at a thoracic surgery ward for 1 and a half weeks
- head girl
- director at a theatre company I help run to raise money for charity
Any feedback or ways for me to improve my application are welcomed.

Next Step Bristol | Study at Bristol | University of Bristol
if you are contextual and meet this programme you could try applying that would give you a guaranteed interview they tell you right before the deadline if you got in so you would need to look out for that.
Also need at least a 7 in maths.

Im not too sure but maybe look at brunel or UCLAN IDK there cutoff scores but supposedly its on the lower side Sorry if I am wrong maybe check out the 2024 thread to see other peoples ucats and compare.

Reply 9

Arden University

Official Rep

Original post by Kidgesmidge

I’m currently studying Alevels and have just taken my Ucat which didn’t go as planned. I’ve recently been diagnosed with dyslexia and possibly adhd (tbc) and had to sit my GCSEs and Ucat without any access arrangements. Is it possible for me to get in this year? I’m really holding out for UCL and QMUL although ik I’m a bit short on the Ucat.
Ucat: 2550 band 2
GCSEs: 98776666
Alevel pred: A* (bio) A* (drama) chem (A)
Extracurricular:
- volunteered with the ambulance service and at a mental hospital for over 6 months.
- wrote and published a research paper in a junior scientific journal
- worked a part time job in a restaurant for 2 years
- won a national public speaking award
- undertook a medical society at a university for 3 years
Work experience at a thoracic surgery ward for 1 and a half weeks
- head girl
- director at a theatre company I help run to raise money for charity
Any feedback or ways for me to improve my application are welcomed.

@Kidgesmidge

There is some fantastic advice here already. I am a qualified SENDco so I can give you some additional advice. When you apply for Student Finance through Student Finance England, make sure you apply for something called DSA (Disability Support Allowance) for when you go onto Uni. You can submit evidence of your dyslexia and you will get access to a laptop with supportive software and potentially 1 2 1 academic support for an hour a week. As your ADHD is not formally diagnosed you would not be able to claim anything for that, you would need a formal diagnosis from a qualified medical practitioner for that - dyslexia is different and comes under educational psychology

Marc
Arden University Student Ambassador