I want to do diagnostic radiography at uni instead of medicine.

Hi so basically, I initially wanted to do medicine and I applied for 4/5 of my courses for uni being medicine in october last year. However, for a long time now, I realised I want to do diagnosyic radiography. I found I enjoy what the carreer entails more however, I only applied to one uni for diagnostic radiography (exeter). I completed an intervirw and havent heard back yet (been about a month) and now I'm wondering what do I do if I don't get into exeter for radiography? Do I have to create an entirely new personal statement and apply via UCAS extra or placements?

I'm rlly lost and any help would be appreciated. If need be, I can take a gap year as well but I want to know all the options available rn but idk where to start :smile:

Reply 1

Lucyyyyyyyyyyyyy

Original post

by Lucyyyyyyyyyyyyy

Hi so basically, I initially wanted to do medicine and I applied for 4/5 of my courses for uni being medicine in october last year. However, for a long time now, I realised I want to do diagnosyic radiography. I found I enjoy what the carreer entails more however, I only applied to one uni for diagnostic radiography (exeter). I completed an intervirw and havent heard back yet (been about a month) and now I'm wondering what do I do if I don't get into exeter for radiography? Do I have to create an entirely new personal statement and apply via UCAS extra or placements?
I'm rlly lost and any help would be appreciated. If need be, I can take a gap year as well but I want to know all the options available rn but idk where to start :smile:

Meant to say clearing instead of placements, apologies

Reply 2

Constell

Original post

by Lucyyyyyyyyyyyyy

Meant to say clearing instead of placements, apologies

Defo try for clearing

Reply 3

LSBU

Official Rep

Original post

by Lucyyyyyyyyyyyyy

Hi so basically, I initially wanted to do medicine and I applied for 4/5 of my courses for uni being medicine in october last year. However, for a long time now, I realised I want to do diagnosyic radiography. I found I enjoy what the carreer entails more however, I only applied to one uni for diagnostic radiography (exeter). I completed an intervirw and havent heard back yet (been about a month) and now I'm wondering what do I do if I don't get into exeter for radiography? Do I have to create an entirely new personal statement and apply via UCAS extra or placements?
I'm rlly lost and any help would be appreciated. If need be, I can take a gap year as well but I want to know all the options available rn but idk where to start :smile:

Hi, I can completely understand why you feel unsure, but you still have options and it is not too late.

If Diagnostic Radiography is definitely the course you now want to do, I would suggest looking at LSBU and either applying now if spaces are available, or keeping Clearing in mind as a backup. Applying earlier is usually better because it gives you more time and a bit more peace of mind, rather than leaving everything until results day.

You may not need to start everything again from scratch either. You can usually adapt your personal statement so it reflects your interest in Diagnostic Radiography, your motivation for choosing it, and any relevant experience or understanding of the role.

It may also be a good idea to contact LSBU Admissions directly and ask whether there are still spaces on the course and what they would advise as the best next step. That way, you can get clear guidance and feel more confident about what to do next.

In the meantime, you are very welcome to come to a Southwark Open Day on Saturday 4th July where you can meet lecturers, explore the facilities, and get clear answers about courses and support (https://www.lsbu.ac.uk/study/study-at-lsbu/open-days). If you cannot make it for an open day, you can book a campus tour on a day that suits you (https://www.lsbu.ac.uk/study/study-at-lsbu/open-days). You can also chat with our current students on Unibuddy to hear their experiences and ask your questions directly (https://www.lsbu.ac.uk/student-life/chat).

LSBU Admissions Ambassador

Reply 4

LSBU

Official Rep

Original post

by Lucyyyyyyyyyyyyy

Hi so basically, I initially wanted to do medicine and I applied for 4/5 of my courses for uni being medicine in october last year. However, for a long time now, I realised I want to do diagnosyic radiography. I found I enjoy what the carreer entails more however, I only applied to one uni for diagnostic radiography (exeter). I completed an intervirw and havent heard back yet (been about a month) and now I'm wondering what do I do if I don't get into exeter for radiography? Do I have to create an entirely new personal statement and apply via UCAS extra or placements?
I'm rlly lost and any help would be appreciated. If need be, I can take a gap year as well but I want to know all the options available rn but idk where to start :smile:

You still have options, so do not panic. If you decide that Diagnostic Radiography is the course you really want, you would not necessarily need to take a gap year straight away. If you are not holding any university offers, you may be able to use UCAS Extra, which runs until 1 July 2026, to add another course choice. After that, Clearing opens on 2 July 2026 for eligible applicants.

If you were looking at LSBU as an option, BSc (Hons) Diagnostic Radiography is a strong choice. The course is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and accredited by the Society and College of Radiographers, and successful completion makes you eligible to apply for HCPC registration as a Diagnostic Radiographer. LSBU also highlights that the course won Diagnostic Radiographer Course of the Year 2022 at the Radiology Awards.

In terms of ranking, LSBU highlights on its health-professions pages that it is ranked 2nd in London overall for Health Professions in the Guardian University Guide. I did not find a separate current published ranking specifically for the Diagnostic Radiography course itself on the main course page, so I would keep the wording to LSBU’s wider Health Professions ranking rather than claim a course-specific rank.

You also do not need to completely panic about writing a brand-new application from scratch. For 2026 entry, UCAS uses the new structured personal statement format with three questions, so if you switch from Medicine to Diagnostic Radiography, you would need to make sure your answers clearly explain your interest in radiography, how your studies prepare you, and what experience outside school has helped you prepare. That means you may need to adapt your application so it fits Diagnostic Radiography properly, rather than keeping it medicine-focused.

If you want to explore LSBU further, you can also speak directly with current students through the official Unibuddy platform, which is a good way to ask what placements, teaching and student life are really like. LSBU also has an Open Day on Saturday 4 July 2026, which would be a good chance to ask about late application routes and course availability.

Unibuddy platform: Chat with our students.
Southwark Campus: Saturday 4 July 2026 - 9:30 to 15:00

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