urgent advice please- extenuating circumstances

**baljitsingh** · 14-04-2006, 07:23 AM

hi, i need urgent advice regarding extenuating circumstances. Basically, i have been made a conditional offer for undergradate medicine course. I am a mature student (22) and did my A-levels (not resit) last year and got AAA. Therefore my conditional offer is subject to me achieving a Grade B or above in the GCSE Mathematics. I already have a grade C.

I am having few problems lately (health related) and probably will not be able to resit my GCSE exam in june due to surgery. I do have valid extenuating circumstances and can get a medical note from the hospital/GP but i am scared that if i bought those to the attention of medical school they will take away my offer or defer my entry to 2007. I would also like to point out that my health problem will not compromise my studies in september or effect my ability to be a doctor. It's just temporary and needs to be addressed sooner rather then later.

My question is, what does a medical school do if due to extenuating circumstances someone misses an exam? Do they still let her/him on the course (especially with something as pedestrian as GCSEs)? I am really scared, in fact terrified at the thought of losing a medical place so weighing my options very carefully.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated? Anyone in the past who missed their A-level/GCSE exams due to genuine problems? What happened?

Thanks

**WAMS** · 14-04-2006, 08:02 AM

It sounds like this is a decision for the medical school. Things like these are done on a case by case basis.

If a grade B GCSE is a condition to you entering the degree course in Sept, then they will notice if a result doesn't come through. So you will have to tell them your cirmcumstances. If you can't do the exam you won't meet the conditions (the same as if you don't meet CRB or health requirements etc.).

The medical school have given you an offer so they do want you to do medicine at their university!

The way I see it is it could go four ways:
1) They say it doesn't matter and change to unconditional
2) They make you do GCSE maths as a resit in Nov (they used to do GCSEs in Nov in anyway)
3) They defer your entry until next year
4) They refuse you a place and you have to reapply next year.

Could you move the surgery to before or after the exams?

You need to tell them the situation - best of luck!

**baljitsingh** · 14-04-2006, 01:11 PM

Thank you for your reply. i am going to discuss this matter with the medical admissions office within the next few days but i am just so stressed over this whole issue especially after going through this whole medical admissions rollarcoaster ride.

The problem is that the operation date i've been given (after being on 6months waiting list) is 3days before my GCSE exam, which means i will most definetley miss the exam as the physical recovery usually takes atleast few weeks. I can get the surgery date moved but the next date available is in november which means my studies would be severly disrupted (at least for good 4weeks) and i do not want to fail my 1st year either.

In your 2nd option, you said that i could do a resit exam in november but can i do my 1st year medicine and do GCSE resit at the same time? I won't mind but has this ever happened?

Has anyone else in this big wide world suffered such rotten luck as i am and then were allowed on the medical course for missing an exam due to extenuating circumstances?

It's such a dilemma and i really am losing my sleep over it!

I know that the most sensible thing to do would be to contant admissions asap but i just keep thinking what if they just refused me admission (my biggest nightmare). Thanks again for your reply and if anyone have had similar situation, please please please share them with me. It would be most appreciated

**WAMS** · 15-04-2006, 12:03 AM

Originally Posted by baljitsingh

In your 2nd option, you said that i could do a resit exam in november but can i do my 1st year medicine and do GCSE resit at the same time? I won't mind but has this ever happened?

I don't know whether it's ever happened... they may let you, they may not. I don't even know if GCSE resits happen in Nov anymore!

Can you not put pressure on the hospital to get a more reasonoble surgery date? If you explain your circumstances they may be more leanient. If you're speaking to the secretary on the phone and he/she isn't budging, then write a personal letter to the surgeon yourself, explaining your circumstances.

**FruitcakeLiz** · 15-04-2006, 12:16 AM

Originally Posted by WAMS

Can you not put pressure on the hospital to get a more reasonoble surgery date? If you explain your circumstances they may be more leanient. If you're speaking to the secretary on the phone and he/she isn't budging, then write a personal letter to the surgeon yourself, explaining your circumstances.

Yep i've been waiting for some oral surgery and when i had the appointment with my surgeon the other day i explained i had A levels coming up etc and he pulled a few strings and let me have it yesterday instead of mid may! It's worth a try esp if you tell the surgeon it's medicine you're going to do

**baljitsingh** · 16-04-2006, 05:22 AM

Thank you both for replying. i have spoken to the secretary couple of times but he isn't willing to give me an inch, nevermind be more understanding. Male secretaries are the worst. We women are much more understanding and caring.

Anyway, i am going to try to convince my doctor and see what he says. If not, i guess i have to speak to the medical admission. But no way in hell i am giving my medical place. Thank you again WAMS and FruitcakeLiz.

**FruitcakeLiz** · 16-04-2006, 10:15 PM

No worries. Isn't it liverpool admissions? Cos they're usually really nice about stuff like this. Yes def keep pestering the doctor- i got moved up to the top of the list and mine was only my wisdom teeth coming out!!!
Good luck!
Liz x

**DR06** · 17-04-2006, 01:23 AM

hi
Usually if a student is unable to sit an exam due to illness/health reasons. The school/exam boards will take in to account the predicited grades.
I remeba Some1 in my skool was unable to take his A-LEVEL exams because he had a medical procedure....so the school sent his predicted grades.....and he did get a place at uni.