2012 Applicants

**gh70** · 23-05-2011, 03:25 AM

Hi all,

Just thought I would start a thread for all of those applying for 2012 entry. I booked my UKCAT for August, actually quite excited at the prospect (NOT!). I cant believe how quickly my third year at Uni has gone by (Im a grad applicant) so it litterally is feeling like just round the corner before the UCAS gets sent off! Good luck to all those doing their UKCAT's this summer and for the application process begining in September!

**kaodeve** · 23-05-2011, 06:56 PM

Good luck with it all!

**Johura** · 25-05-2011, 06:04 PM

Hi, I just wanted to ask, what did you study at Uni?

**gh70** · 30-05-2011, 12:56 AM

Currently doing a BSC Microbiology - I didn't get the grades at higher (4xA; 1xC (Chemistry)) so doing it the long and winding way!

**In N Out** · 30-05-2011, 02:35 AM

good luck to everyone applying!

**vibin** · 04-06-2011, 03:31 PM

Hello all,

I am just about to finish my secondary school here in The Netherlands, and I wanted to pursue a career in Medicine so I applied to the University of Glasgow for Medicine and Biomedical Sciences last October, but as you know, Biomedical Sciences shut down, so I chose Physiology and got an offer from it. For Medicine I was denied since I had a low UKCAT score (2300).
So what I am planning to do is do one year of Physiology and then try and transfer to Medicine, within the University and also try re-applying in the UK.
So my question is, what is the likelihood of a student transferring from Physiology to Medicine after one year?
Is it possible at all ?
And what would I need to do to get the transfer?

And any other advice that could help me get to my final destination?

Thank you very much.

**MyNameIsImi** · 14-06-2011, 06:27 PM

Hi Vibin,

I and a couple of friends I know had a go at transferring, but it is very, very difficult. Out of the four of us, only one managed to get a transfer, but that was at the end of her second year and she had straight As through both years. Even more, she originally got told that she would not be offered a place (I think she was told that mid-summer or so), and when she phoned up to ask why, she was told "Oh, well, someone actually just dropped out for this year, so you would now be eligible for entry if you would like?", so she was extremely lucky. She was beginning her studies in medicinal biochemistry, but I think any biology- or chemistry-based degree is accepted as a transferable degree.

So long story short, it is VERY difficult. Transfer students are at the bottom of the pile, with places being offered initially to school leavers, then to graduate students, and finally to transfer students. So even if you match their criteria, you'll still need a good helping of luck. I heard someone once mention they rarely take on more than 2 transfer students a year.

I'm not trying to discourage you, just give you the realistic facts. If you start a degree in physiology, I would say expect to do an absolute minimum of two years. But do not do it if it's just purely your route to get into medicine - do it because you enjoy it, because you may end up having to do the whole 4-year degree. Of course, you only need to specialise when going into 3rd year, so if you get fed up of physiology, as long as you pick the right 2nd year subjects, you could swap to anatomy, neuroscience, pharamacology, immunology.. There's quite a choice =].

In my humble opinion, I would definitely go for it! It's worth a try and someone needs to be offered those positions so why not you? Otherwise you could apply as a graduate student, or if you really genuinely don't want to do a degree in anything other than medicine, take a year out and spend it strengthening your application for next year!

EDIT; Oops, I also forgot to mention that if you do manage to get a transfer, you would be starting right back at the beginning of first year anyway, because of the PBL system Glasgow has set up!

I hope I've helped a bit =]

**MyNameIsImi** · 14-06-2011, 06:30 PM

I should probably mention, I'm hoping to apply to Glasgow as one of my medicine applications for 2012 entry too =] wooo!

**vibin** · 14-06-2011, 06:38 PM

WOW

Thank you very much for the elaborate answer!
It cleared up quite a lot!
And yes, I think I am going for it!

**MyNameIsImi** · 14-06-2011, 06:58 PM

Awesome! I'm glad =] you'll really enjoy it, regardless of the outcome. I started off wanting to transfer, and ended up "having" to stay on a chemistry degree because I didn't get the transfer. No regrets at all! I've loved every second of it =].

Just registered with UCAS! It's quite exciting, really =] I want to register for UKCAT, but I can't yet =[ I may be eligible for the extended exam, but I need to wait until I hear back from all of my unis before registering!