Access to Medicine question

**robin12** · 02-08-2011, 12:48 AM

looking at the Access to Medicine forum, I have a little question sorry if this seems pointless

some of the these courses take grads?
but only if they have a 2.1 or higher?
it sort of seems those with 2.2s where better off not having a degree

why would they only take a 2.1 person and not a 2.2?

thank you

**stephen88** · 02-08-2011, 06:44 PM

It's a pretty bad flaw in the system. Access courses are for people who are potentially very capable, dedicated and suitable for their desired career choice but wouldn't be able to get into medicine or dentistry any other way.

It's pretty mystifying when people who already have 5 (recent) A's at Higher or A2, or 1st class / 2:1 degress and are already eligible for entry into their chosen career are doing Access courses. I think the colleges need to be more sensible and remember who Access courses are intended for.

I think the 2:2 rule is ridiculous, it might not be the highest grade of degree but it's still shows commitment and determination in that you've stuck through 3/4 years of your life to achieve it. And a lot of people who have a 2:2 have various reasons for it, whether it's finding their feet while entering adulthood, not getting the best out of themselves during university, adapting to the challenges they're faced with, extenuating circumstances, illness, or even doing a degree which turned out not to be the best one for them and not being where their strengths as a person lied.

It's sad that having no degree at all is better than having a 2:2 degree in the eyes of academic circles. I knew someone who was doing Access to Medicine, had a 2:2 degree from over 20 years ago and had spent over 20 years working in the NHS as a nurse but the medical schools were rejecting her application as she had a 2:2 even though she was achieving the same results and even better on the Access course as others who had 2:1s.

It seems to be a bit of snobbery in the attitude of "you never worked hard enough to get a better grade / you're not capable enough since you have a 2:2 in the past."

**robin12** · 03-08-2011, 05:14 AM

Hey thank for that detailed post
I can see in the case of a 1/2.1 grad outside of the science degree, but even than they have a few more options than a 2.2 grad
it seems people with 2.2s do get looked down on across all fields, but meh, I have seem people say it would have been better for them to have no degree instead of a 2.2, personal I think thats a little be silly, I dunno

did that person ever get into med school in the end, I have heard of people getting 2.2 and getting in

thank you for that post

**star_sparkles** · 08-08-2011, 07:21 PM

Hi robin12,

I dont know a lot about access courses but i know that you can get on an access course with a 2.2. I certainly have anyway. To be honest i think they are designed for people who havent got whatever the universities are asking for and it can be used as an alternative way to try and get onto a medical degree.

There have also been a few people i know of who have been accepted onto medicine in Glasgow with 2.2 degrees after doing access courses. And if you look around this forum there are a number of students studying medicine who had a 2.2 from a previous degree. So it is possible!