Would I be able to get into Medicine or Biomedical science without science A Levels?

[thnkhppythghts]

Hello!!!
I'm new to this so sorry if this question is in the wrong section :O
Basically, since year 12 I have been going back and forth trying to figure out what career path I want to get into. However, by the time I decided that I wanted to get into medicine, I had already chosen my AS's and it's a bit too late to go back. My question is, is there any possible way for me whatsoever to be able to get into Medicine/Biomedical science without any science A levels?
My chosen subjects are History, Psychology(sort of considered as a science but not really), English Lit and ICT.
I know there's other stuff required like volunteering and work experience, and the UKCAT test. I'm already volunteering and willing to do the other two.
But will the fact that I took no maths or science pretty much mean I'll be rejected right away?

Additional info:
My predicted grades for A levels are ABBC
GCSE's: 7A's 2B's 4C's
I'm 17.

[Martigan]

THT

A good start it to look at Medschool's online. While it is aimed at graduate entry and hasn't been well maintained it provides a great summary, which can act as a starting point.

From this you can create a short list of schools that you appear to fit, and got to their sites and do more detailed research.

When you have your short list, it is important to attend the open days. There are two good reasons for this. a) It can help you a lot on how to pitch your PS and b) it will help you better understand their selection criteria, so you can fine tune your top 4 to maximise your chances. Also you may hate the place, and you need to be happy in the environment to succeed - 5 (or 6) years is a long time to be in a place that doesn't suit you...

Also chat to people on here. There is a wealth of information locked away in the users on here, and in the old threads. Reviewing old threads for advice is very important as you will get a lot of good will from the members if you have clearly read up first - asking questions that are easily answered with a quick google will just annoy people.

Anyway. Good luck!

[House Jr.]

Since you don't have the right A Levels, your options are quite limited, but you do still have a chance.

Firstly, you can look into foundation courses. These are courses which are geared towards those who do not have the right A levels or get below AAB. You do an extra year in the beginning before joining the standard 5 year medicine course. However, be warned that getting into these courses is very difficult given the extreme shortage of places even when compared to the standard medicine course which is already competitive. Martigan already linked you to a great site, but this page outlines the foundation courses available, although it doesn't seem to have been updated for a while.

Another option is graduate entry. You can do a degree in a subject which you are interested in and which fit your A levels. After you graduate you can apply for graduate entry medicine which, although still more competitive than the standard course, is less competitive than the foundation courses. However, obviously it would require you to do a 3 year degree in something which you may have no intention of going into and there is the financial constraints.

Finally, you can try contacting the universities you are interested in and explaining your situation. You can ask them if they would reject you if you retake the lower sixth year and start A-levels in biology and chemistry, you may be lucky and they may be lenient.

Hope this helps. Bear in mind that this info is mainly concerning entry into medicine, someone else may be able to help you with regards to your situation with biomed

[thnkhppythghts]

I searched for few sites for you. But couldn't find any alternative. Following are few links, hope these would help you in clarifying your doubts.

Harvard Medical School: Requirements
Admissions Requirements | Admissions | NYU School of Medicine | New York, NY

Thanks so much for searching those links for me. However, I can't help but notice that Harvard and NYU are in the US (I'm in Europe)? Doesn't that make a difference or is admission to medicine the same everywhere? O.o

[thnkhppythghts]

THT

A good start it to look at Medschool's online. While it is aimed at graduate entry and hasn't been well maintained it provides a great summary, which can act as a starting point.

From this you can create a short list of schools that you appear to fit, and got to their sites and do more detailed research.

Wow, that's a good link lol Thank you! But I'm not really aiming at getting into the actual basic Medicine course because I know it's almost impossible for me, but rather alternative routes. For example, I heard from a pre-medicine friend of mine that KCL offer an Extended Medical Degree Program (or in her words 'medicine for us stupid people' lol). It has a lower entry requirement, which can be further lowered if you go to a crappy school. The catch is that it lasts for 6 years rather than 5 and is very competitive as there are only 50 places. I wouldn't be able to apply because they want both chemistry and biology but you get what I mean, courses like that

[dr.rose]

The course I will be starting at Dundee in September allows non-standard A levels/mitigating circumstances. It is 6 years, but I personally think it's worth it. My application was slightly different to yours, I have science A levels but an arts degree - Dundee are quite flexible. They gave me that impression anyway. Here is some info to start with.

Manchester also do a premed course, I think, but you will need to research this yourself I'm afraid! There are also one year foundation/access courses which have already been mentioned. However, I would suggest speaking to your school about retaking your AS year, and asking every med school if they would accept this. As you wouldn't be retaking individual subjects, I would imagine most might consider you. This would certainly open you up to more courses: improving your chances of getting in initially, you would graduate the same time as if you had done a foundation course, and you don't have to go down the longer, more expensive graduate route.

[Profanius]

Wow, that's a good link lol Thank you! But I'm not really aiming at getting into the actual basic Medicine course because I know it's almost impossible for me, but rather alternative routes. For example, I heard from a pre-medicine friend of mine that KCL offer an Extended Medical Degree Program (or in her words 'medicine for us stupid people' lol). It has a lower entry requirement, which can be further lowered if you go to a crappy school. The catch is that it lasts for 6 years rather than 5 and is very competitive as there are only 50 places. I wouldn't be able to apply because they want both chemistry and biology but you get what I mean, courses like that

You might want to check out that link again. Although it lists 5 year medicine courses two links to the left hand side provide a list of Access course and foundation year programs - and these are what you want to be looking at. These types of course are aimed at apllicants who show academic ability but didn't chose the right A-levels etc.

The EMDP at KCL is a medical degree program aimed applicants from economically depressed areas or under-represented ethnic minority groups rather then people who picked the wrong subjects at A-level.

It's already been mentioned in this thread but your best bet is to look at access and foundation year courses which be found by following the same link.

[thnkhppythghts]

The EMDP at KCL is a medical degree program aimed applicants from economically depressed areas or under-represented ethnic minority groups rather then people who picked the wrong subjects at A-level.

Not that it makes a difference, but I do happen to fall into that category lol Hence why my friend is applying, we go to a very bad 6th form college in a rough area. But anyway, I did look at the Access and Foundation ones too but the website hasn't been updated in a while, so the information isn't too reliable :/

[kiz2312]

Hi there
So i was in the same position as you I am currently studying biomed, and applying this october for 2014 entry to medicine. I have always known i wanted to do medicine, but was basicly an idiot during my alevels, and let circumstance get in the way but... its fine on track now.
Anyway, I had to do a foundation science year, which gets you up to speed with chem and biology and physics and maths to alevel standard in one year then you go straight onto the biomed degree. I have shocking a levels, but all the med schools i want to apply to dont look at my alevel grades providing i get the degree class required. University of Hull - Biomedical Science (with foundation year) BC9Y this is the course im talking about, the only negative i would say for me is that in the foundation year i did have to do some (very little) plant and animal biology...which i HATE.....BUT saying that i would rather do this then spend another two years doing alevels in the sciences again
The foundation medicine courses are a good route IF you can get a place, I loved UEA's course. I met all the requirements, interviewed well and in the end they said it came down to just too many good candidates and not enough spaces so was a bit of pot luck...and very dissapointing knowing i was godd enough and the final selection had been a little randomised. Look at lancasters pre medical route, i got a place on this however I hated the campus as its too far from home and really inaccessible for me - everybody is different though and it may be perfect for you As suggested previousley you could redo your alevels in sciences, but speak to prospective uni's as this may be classed as doing them over a longer period. I was told that i wouldnt be able to take my science alevels seperate to my others as it would be classed as a "seperate sitting" so wouldnt count. x

[Fateemah]

Hello,

I was reading this thread and found it interesting, I'm probably asking this in the wrong section, but does anyone know that are there any courses that allow transfer into medicine?

Many thanks.