Help with doing Medicine

[thundaboltz]

Basically, I am in year 12 at the moment. I'm doing History, Maths, English lit and Biology all at AS level. I took these subjects as I always enjoyed them and did well at them, and I wasn't sure what I wanted to do at university. I'm currently doing well in these subjects, well on my way to getting AAAA at AS.

But now I am certain Medicine is what I want to do with my life. I've tried to get English dropped for Chemistry, but my teachers say it is too far into the course to do it.

So here is my plan:

At the start of year 13 I'm going to apply for the 6 year foundation course at five different universities, the one which doesn't need Chemistry at A level. I'm going to volunteer and get experience during the summer before applying, to make my application look better and to reassure the idea that Medicine is what I want.

First of all, what do you think my chances are of getting onto a foundation course, if I applied to five different universities?

As there are so few places on these foundation courses I have a backup plan. If all five choices reject me I will take a gap year, where I would do a full A level in Chemistry. I'll either do it at my school or do it independently. During this gap year I'll also gain more experience volunteering.

Thing is, I've read some places that Universities only consider A Levels valid if they are carried out in the space of two years. Would they not accept my Chemistry A level as I had done it in a gap year?

If they wouldn't accept it I can take up AS Chem during my A2 year, meaning all my grades were gained in the space of two years. But that limits my options of Unis, as I wont have a full A level in chemistry.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[Keeley]

This isnt in regard to your foundation course question, but oh well.

I wouldnt say to completely write off studying medicine on a standard course yet. I see you havent taken Chemistry, but if you look here: Medschoolsonline - Medical Course Guide for School Leavers - Standard Courses you can see that there are a few uni's, such as UEA, which dont require chemistry at AS or A2. You could apply here, especially since you are one your way, as you say, to getting AAAA (which is awesome btw! )

I would say get more work experience either way, such as long term in a caring role (ie volunteering at a nursing home) and direct shadowing (if you can) of doctors in a hospital.

Hope that helps

[thundaboltz]

Thanks, I think when I start year 13 I will apply for a mixture of standard courses without chemistry and foundation courses. If only you could apply for more than five...

[thundaboltz]

Does anyone know which Universities would accept me if I gained a Chemistry A Level during a gap year? Meaning it took me three years to get the A Levels im applying with, rather than two. This is what I'll do if I don't get any offers from no chemistry courses/foundation courses.

I've been looking the site Keeley posted and it seems quite a few require you to have only spent two years doing A levels, but some don't mention it.

Anyone know anything?

[House Jr.]

It's not so much that you'll have the A level grades you need in 3 years but that you wouldn't have sat all your A level courses in one sitting and it seems as though some unis do not like that. It shouldnt limit your choices that much if you do chemistry in thegap year but just in case contact the unis you are interested in and see if they will accept you if you don't do your A level subjects in one sitting.

[thundaboltz]

Thanks mate, I'm sure I can put a positive spin on it as well in my personal statement.

How much experience would everyone recommend and try and get before applying? I'm definitely going to try and get something during the next half term. During the summer would numerous 1 week stints or one long one be better?

Anyone reading who already got accepted for Medicine, how much experience did you have?

[Rippy]

Surely you should just do chemistry A Level? You could drop a subject NEXT year, freeing up time to study the AS and A2 in one year?

[thundaboltz]

Rippy I would have to drop two subjects, as I planned on dropping a subject next year anyway, seeing as having four full A levels doesn't seem to be much of an advantage. I don't think I'd want to do Four A2 and one AS.

I could drop Maths and English (enjoy history and bio too much) and take up Chem A2 and AS. Then during year 13 i would be doing Three A2 and one AS, which is a little more than most (Three A2) and less than some (Four A2).

I'll definitely look into it next year. Thanks for the help everyone.

How much experience do you think I would need to get offered an interview. I'm a pretty good writer, so I think I can write a decent personal statement, just need relevant to medicine stuff to put in it.

[House Jr.]

for work experience, its more of a case of quality rather than quantity so if you only gain a 1 week work experience placement in a hospital, but can talk at length about it, it'll benefit you much more than if you collectively have 1/2 months work experience but didn't learn anything from it

[thundaboltz]

I'll definitely do my best at getting some sort of medical work experience.

Anything else I can do to help my chances? Dunno if its relevant, but at GCSE I got A*AAAAAABC. A* RE, AAAAAA Lit, Lang, Bio, Chem, Maths, History. B Physics and C in Art.