Medicine with no science background

[AruMyron]

Hi,

I'm currently in Year 13 and I've applied for English Literature at University via UCAS. I've currently got offers from Exeter/Nottingham but I've had a change of heart.

It's always been a dream job of mine but due to a number of circumstances I've not been able to pursue a science-y background, which I'll explain now. In Years 7, 8 and 9 I was off ill completely attending no school due to a combination of anxiety and a string of health problems that are both now completely fine. In Years 10 and 11 I was still off school; I was unable to return due to the time missed off and so had to 'fight' to get a mere 5 hours per week tuition for my teaching. Through a combination of independence and hard work I still managed to do my GCSE's despite missing essentially my entire secondary-school years. I achieved A*A*A*ABBC in the end. I was only able to take single science [school said no double/triple due to time off and therefore wanting results to be good] and achieved straight A*'s [almost 100%] in every module but was unable to do the 'coursework' which thus brought my overall grade down to a B. Disheartened, unable to take sciences at AS level due to only having singular gcse, I did Maths, English Literature, History and Psychology at AS Level, achieving AAAB.

I've had a string of unfortunate circumstances, with my mother also passing away a month after my GCSE exams. Throughout my AS year, living with my grandparents, they both suffered strokes [plus one's disabled] but luckily not fatal, so I was under quite a lot of stress. I applied for English this year and have offers like I've already said, and got to the interview stage at Oxford.

I recently discovered to my amazement that it was still possible to study medicine without a science-y background. I applied to English because I believed I'd have no chance at all without Chem/Bio/Phys, and don't get me wrong; I thoroughly enjoy reading and essays but it's more of a hobby realistically with no viable career etc.

I'd like to know the chances of me being able to get on a medicine course with my circumstances/as-levels etc, because it's a big decision to turn down offers from very reputable universities for the chance to apply. I'm currently doing part-time work in a nursing home and would like to attain some work experience over the summer shadowing a GP or something similar.

It probably appears that I'm thinking all of this on 'the whim', but it's always been an aspiration since a child. It probably also sounds pretentious in my reasons for wanting to eventually become a doctor, but seeing the brilliant work doctors have done for family members I've always wanted to be able to do the same and help others - the job satisfaction would be phenomenal.

I'm also aware that perhaps I could always do it after an undergrad degree in Eng Lit, but a) it seems silly to spend the next god knows how many years studying for it when I could reduce it by 3 by doing now b) the costs.

Thanks to anyone who's took the time to read this massive wall of text :P

[Nua]

I think that you would make a good candidate, if you manage to get onto a good Access course and gain some more work experience. You have good academics despite not being able to take the sciences further, but you can make up for this now - that's what Access courses are for; to get people up to speed in their sciences. As long as you can back up your difficult circumstances medical schools should understand but I would suggest getting in touch with the admissions departments and explaining your situation to them. They are the only people who can really tell you whether you have a shot and what you need to do in order to fulfil their requirements. If your heart lies in doing medicine then I would say go for it! One last point, work shadowing is really important for you to obtain for two reasons: a) it gives you the opportunity to observe first-hand what being a doctor actually entails so you can see whether this is something you are willing to give up your university offers for (as you are kind of on the fence at the moment). b) shadowing looks really good on your application, especially if you can demonstrate that you have learnt from it. Quantity doesn't matter too much, it's the quality and conveying this on your personal statement that admissions tutors are looking for. Good luck!

[snakefisch]

Sorry I don't have much time to write a full proper response, but to add something briefly, you could consider taking up Chemistry AS/A Level by evening course. It might be a bit late, but you could continue this and take a gap year applying for 2013. You would then also have so many A levels they'd be like wow! Also maths will be useful, so hopefully you didn't drop that one!
My advice is take a gap year and apply for medicine this autumn. Not all schools require the biology A Level as well. But if you do the Chem as I said this would definitely help.
I know it will be a lot of hard work, but it will be worth it, and I would say it is better to get straight into it as your undergrad degree as 1. it's way less competitive than graduate entry and 2. it's much cheaper and you'll have more funding options available!
Also after you finish your summer exams you have a massive long summer, I would try to organise some really good placements in hospitals/general practice and also get some volunteering experience. Ideally start volunteering in a hospital/care home now to see what it's like from a different perspective and because medschools like demonstration of long term commitment.
Good luck and let me know what you think of this quick brief advice!
Edit: I don't know much about access, but I know a lot of people do it so doing something different might give you the edge. Maybe even do both? I'm not sure how highly regarded it is and if they have a limit on the amount of people they accept with it..

[new2newmedia]

Hello AruMyron,

As long as you get 3 As in you’re a levels you will be in a strong position to apply for the 6 year courses – these are for people like yourself and those who meet certain socio-economic criteria. Best to double check which you are eligible for but off hand I think Cardiff, Keele, Manchester, Sheffield, Bristol, Liverpool and Dundee would all consider you. These courses are for those with arts/humanities A levels. You learn the necessary science in “year 0” and as long as you pass, you go straight into year 1. From what I’ve heard those who have done year 0 often do very well as they’ve been taught science tailor made for the medical degree. If I were in your shoes I’d go for these over an access course as there is much more certainty.

Obviously, this would mean turning down your places at Nottingham/Exeter and taking a gap year. Even though you have very understandable reasons for not doing better at GCSE (and the grades you got are by any objective standard very good) without having you’re A levels completed it might have been difficult to compete with the A* GCSE brigade so applying post A level could be best regardless. GCSEs are really only a predictor of A levels so once you have then their importance dramatically drops.

Shadowing is great but IMHO I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Long term volunteering shows that you are committed, reliable, not precious about getting stuck in and will perhaps give you a better quality of patient contact because, depending on what you’re doing, it’s often you engaging with them rather than trailing around after a consultant. Don’t get me wrong I’m sure shadowing is good for learning what doctors get up to day to day but I think volunteering shows the connection that you can make with patients and that’s why we’re all making this otherwise totally irrational decision right?

Putting my aside aside, the other thing to have in mind but by no means worry about too early is the UKCAT. Do you know about this? Not such a problem in your case (Liverpool and Bristol are two of the unusual ones that don’t use it at all) but a really good score would enable an application to Sheffield and if you pass their strict UKCAT cut-off then you stand a very, very good chance (their interviewffer ratio is very good). I’d focus on the A levels, have a good break after then get into UKCAT fun.

Finally, I have lots of friends who studied English Lit at uni and were thoroughly p*ssed off with it. Like you they liked reading books and talking about them. They found an excess of their time spent reading books about other books and forcing an unnecessary layer of academia on something that used to be fun. English is probably the easiest degree to take the bits you like and incorporate into your real life e.g. reading and book groups. I’m absolutely not trivialising it as a subject just suggesting that an English degree may not contain as much of the bits you like about it nor do you need it to pursue those interests. It’s a similar deal with friends who did languages. They spent years studying literature that they didn’t understand whilst their practical skills slid away.

Sorry, I’ve rambled. Hopefully you get the message though. Research the 6 year courses, get decent A levels and you’ll be fine.

Good luck with it all.