Med school requirements

Hey,
So I’m in Year 12 and really, really want to do medicine, but my grades aren’t as high as I had hoped (99999887775 😅). I’ve seen that competitive applicants, especially for Oxbridge, usually have at least 9s and 8s. Would this put me at a disadvantage? Also, is it normal not to be getting top grades at the beginning of Year 12 exams? I’m mainly getting B’s (I was just 1 mark away from an A in Biology).

Hi, it depends on the university! my GCSEs are 999888876 yet i was still able to apply to some really good medical schools e.g bristol. As for year 12 exams : I got a C in my december year 12 biology exam and came out with an A*, granted I had missed quite a bit of school around that time, but still! I also got AAB in my year 12 summer mocks and came out with A*A*A (went from a consistent B to an A* in chem) it is most definitely possible to change your grades so don’t stress to much yet - i’ve also seen people get A*s in year 12 and end up with As and Bs

Thank you so much! Both your a levels and GCSE are really good tho so thats good. If you dont mind me asking do u go uni nwo for medicine?

Hey,
So I’m in Year 12 and really, really want to do medicine, but my grades aren’t as high as I had hoped (99999887775 😅). I’ve seen that competitive applicants, especially for Oxbridge, usually have at least 9s and 8s. Would this put me at a disadvantage? Also, is it normal not to be getting top grades at the beginning of Year 12 exams? I’m mainly getting B’s (I was just 1 mark away from an A in Biology).

https://www.medsci.ox.ac.uk/study/medicine/pre-clinical/statistics
The vast majority of Oxford medicine candidates with seven 8s/9s and 60-69% 8s/9s don't get invited to interview. Make of that what you will.

I didn’t apply last year as I missed a lot of year12 due to illness so wanted to spend my summer catching up instead of worrying about ucat and interviews! I am currently on a gap year and have applied to start in september so I’ve got interviews this month!

so is medicine already not an option for me because of my gsce?

It doesn't matter where you train as a doctor - all Med degree courses are accredited as equal by the GMC, they all have the same syllabus and lead to exactly the same professional qualification. The NHS will not care where you trained, and your future patients won't ask.
2026 entry requirements for each UK Med School - UK medical school entry requirements - Medical Schools Council

Hi,
Thank you for your reply. I’ve been told this before, but the thing is, I don’t want to study at Oxbridge for the sake of prestige, titles, or external recognition. I want to study there because I genuinely feel that it is an environment where I could thrive, and where academic curiosity and hard work are valued. If I’m willing to put in the effort, I believe it’s a place where I could develop both intellectually and personally, which is why I feel motivated to apply.