Advice on Qualifictaions and general help!

[jaypownall]

I am 18 and have been considering a career in medicine for a few yaers. I've just completed a BTEC National in Sport at MMD and had previously done a BTEC First in Sport DD.

I have now obviously realised that in no-way are these qualifications relevant enough. I am thinking of doing a HE Access in Medicine and biology and chemistry at AS level. Would these be enough to get into a Medical school, along with my previous qulifications.

Also, should i re-take my Math GCSE as i only gained a C!?

Appreciate any help! Jay Pownall

[giella]

I think you could probably show that the courses you have done have some relevance and you could possibly indicate a natural progression of interest from sport science to medicine. If you decide to go for medicine however, your previous qualifications probably won't matter too much anyway, unless you go on to do something related to sports science in terms of work.
There are plenty of ways you could go from here. You could do something science related and try to convert to medicine, pivoting on key knowledge, skills and experiences gained from work in sport. Medical schools are coming to value students from a range of different backgrounds which colour their undergraduate classes with something more diverse than eager young school leavers ready to become the doctors of tomorrow. You could pepper an eventual application to medicine with work experience as well.
Alternatively, you could show a commitment to working in healthcare and become a health care assistant or possibly even a physical therapy assistant. Look at NHS jobs and you might find something you're qualified for. You could maybe add some volunteer work on the side of that, and show a continued interest in sport. I assume you're the sporty type and have all the team work stuff to wax about so don't view your education to date as a waste of time.
You're only 18. You've got plenty of time to decide what kind of academic route to take for medicine. Access to Medicine could be the route you're looking for [be discerning; ie. go for COWA!] but A levels could be just as useful to you. You might stand to benefit more from the structure and direction of an access course.
You will need to give yourself some time. Whatever you do. Retake your GCSE in maths and make sure you have a good set of at least 5 others including English and at least one science. Start making a plan. Make a goal of when you want to start medical school or an access course perhaps. Make sure it's a realistic one. It's probably unrealistic that you could start medicine in, say 2010. Then make a list of things you need to achieve in between now and then. Work experience, insight into medicine as a career, volunteering, development of particular skills, things you want to show off about to medical schools. Then set about getting them.
It can be frustrating. You want to get started now now now! I graduated in History last year and immediately wanted to make the jump. I got offered a place on access to medicine last year and it took all my will power to defer entry there for a year so I could work on improving my personal profile. Having applied speculatively to medical foundation programmes this year and having been unsuccessful, I know that I made the right decision back then. I'm coming back this time all guns blazing and with a much clearer idea of what I want to achieve through medicine and a stronger application. I've enjoyed this year as well. Take the time. It's worth it.