changing course

**dcruz1309** · 16-01-2009, 03:20 PM

i want to change my biomedical sciences to medicine BM6....
am i like...too late for that now...???

**giella** · 16-01-2009, 04:04 PM

It's not a question of your being too late. The facts are that you can only apply to 4 medical schools, which you already have done, and that you're overqualified for the 6 year course anyway.
You just need to get all your information together, get your grades in and then decide whether to go for GEM or reapply.
You've been rejected by Southampton for medicine because they think you're unsuitable at present. People who apply for the 6 year course are judged on the same criteria that you were for the 5 year course, with the exception being that they have a different educational background to yourself. This just isn't an option for you. I would take the opportunity to reflect on this and think on how you can improve your application, or your interview answers if you apply again.

**latestarter** · 16-01-2009, 06:27 PM

I don't know the background to this but BM6 has screening criteria which must be met i.e. no family background of uni education. You have to fulfil 2 such criteria to be eligible.

It is too late to apply to BM6 as this year it had the same deadline as BM5, Oct 15th.

You cannot be overqualified for BM6, but generally applicants have mitigating circumstances for poorer results or come from a different background. There is nothing stopping a straight A student applying if they meet the screening criteria - you may have the 'wrong' A levels for example and top up with an access course.

**latestarter** · 16-01-2009, 06:30 PM

oh, and if you haven't already accepted the biomedical sciences then maybe seriously think about whether you want to take a gap year instead.
If you've started, then discuss with your tutor about applying next year and make sure you get top marks in the up-coming exams.

**Clarkey** · 17-01-2009, 06:07 PM

Maybe giella knows something we don't and so thats why she thinks the OP is overqualified?

You cannot just swap over to BM6. There aren't empty spaces waiting for randoms to come and start the course. It is very oversubscribed and difficult to get onto. They will not take kindly to you suggesting that you could just swap applications and thats on top of the fact that it is far too late for you to do that.

I do know of a friend who did her first year of biomed at soton who transferred into the first year of BM5. BUT she was very very lucky, I don't know anyone else it has happened to and I don't see it happening again because the current first years are at more than maximum capacity for some reason and they will not want to take people have have not applied for the normal route.

**latestarter** · 17-01-2009, 06:54 PM

Clarkey, I did meet a biochem student in the waiting room before my interview who had transfered - but as you say this is really the exception.
The only route I could see was applying after the first year - but you would have to start BM5 at year 1. Would BM6 still accept an application if you had started another degree?? I know grads can't apply to BM6.

**sd91** · 17-01-2009, 07:45 PM

Originally Posted by latestarter

Clarkey, I did meet a biochem student in the waiting room before my interview who had transfered - but as you say this is really the exception.
The only route I could see was applying after the first year - but you would have to start BM5 at year 1. Would BM6 still accept an application if you had started another degree?? I know grads can't apply to BM6.

im only an applicant to bm6 so i don't really know that much but i wouldn't have thought you could transfer to bm6 becuase the person would already have the skills and qualifications for higher education. i remember reading somewhere that the university will not except transfers into bm6 and bm4 but i may be wrong

**giella** · 17-01-2009, 11:10 PM

The OP has stated in another post that he/she has applied to BM5 and been rejected, although he/she has an offer for Biochemistry[?] from Southampton.
As I understand BM6, although only vaguely because I apparently didn't meet one of the criteria, if you've done science A levels, you're not eligible for BM6, although I could be wrong.
But the fact is, if you've been rejected from BM5, that's because they think you're an unsuitable candidate for medicine at present. Given that BM6 applicants are marked against the same criteria at interview as those for BM5, BM6 just isn't an option, and it's not just a back door into medicine where you have to do 6 years instead of 5 like some sort of punishment.

**Gizmo says -** · 17-01-2009, 11:14 PM

6 yrs? 7 yrs?

sounds like chinese torture to me, macca.

**latestarter** · 18-01-2009, 12:13 AM

Originally Posted by sd91

im only an applicant to bm6 so i don't really know that much but i wouldn't have thought you could transfer to bm6 becuase the person would already have the skills and qualifications for higher education. i remember reading somewhere that the university will not except transfers into bm6 and bm4 but i may be wrong

you're right, I should have said this was to BM5...