A-levels for Medicine

My DS has just graduated from his medicine degree and did Chemistry, Biology and Geography at full A level with maths at AS. He says that biology was actually the most useful subject to have studied to help with his medicine degree.

(Sorry for any errors on my posts. I have an issue with my eyes and can barely see the screen today!)

https://instagram.com/wearemedics?utmmedium=copyy_link

Here is a good place for her to look for information. Most universities also run outreach/widening participation programmes.

The Royal college of GPs and also Brighton and Sussex Medical School both have online work experience courses that is recognised by the medical schools for reflection.

Also, any community, voluntary, or paid work can also offer experiences to reflect on for personal statements and interviews. As well as hobbies, sports, etc. It's really not as daunting as it seems if you have the right advice to start with.

Biology and Chemistry. Then whichever she’ll more safely get at least an A in. Maths is harder…

DS does medicine. He says the A levels he's found most useful in terms of subject matter are maths and biology (not surprisingly). The one which is almost essential for entrance is chemistry.

There's no point doing 4 because medical schools only look at grades for 3. They don't look at your choices to see if you're well-rounded. They simply look to see if you've met their criteria.

Frankly, if you are well-rounded you'll be playing music, doing your sport or drama or speaking your foreign languages anyway without needing an A level in it to prove your interest.

Can she not do bio/chem/maths a level and history as level?

He does sound like a copper-bottomed, ocean-going, gold-plated, weapons-grade tosser. I’m sorry she was blind-sided like that. Oh for a 17-yr old to have the confidence of a 45-yr old and respond “How is that any of your business, or relevant to my curriculum, exactly?”

My advice still stands - check the A Level requirements for the degree courses she wants to do and stick to them, don’t do irrelevant ones to be well rounded - you can do whatever you like in addition to your necessary courses to be that.

And she didn’t have triple science igcse either. She did have AS level maths, which probably helped.

DH does admissions for a uni. One of his pet peeves is schools which encourage a mixed-bag of A Levels (eg one art, one science, one language) to seem “rounded”.

All it means to him is “we would have liked to take your child, they seem bright and enthusiastic, but unfortunately they only have two relevant A Levels and the third in some random irrelevant crap, so we can’t.

Well rounded is not what specialist degrees are looking for.

It hasn’t been a problem at all. The drama has aided her writing and communication skills. She is expecting to graduate in one of the top deciles.

The woman who did the interviews for my Access Science course did not want to let me on, said I was too old (31!) and wouldn’t get enough to go to even a crap Uni.

I got excellent grades, offers from 3RG Unis and a top 20.

It felt nice when she had to ring me to go back and do a talk to the following years cohort as I was the most successful from that year

Chemistry, biology and maths is the best combination, and will be the best foundation for the medical course. I did medicine without biology A level years ago, and there were topics in biochemistry and physiology which I was coming across for the first time , which had been covered in biology. Maths will be helpful for chemistry A level, and for the statistics modules of the medicine course. And if she doesn’t get into medicine or changes her mind and opts for a different science course, the same applies.
There isn’t any point doing history as well, as others have said the offer will be on 3 A levels and she needs to concentrate on those. The jump between GCSE and science A levels is huge and there will be a lot more work compared to GCSEs.
Hope she succeeds!

Hi, I have just searched my log in details as you are receiving such bad advice here.
Having gone through this successfully the last two years, my best advice would be to contact the admissions departments directly. Each course and requirements are slightly different but all of them apart from Oxbridge only require 3 A levels. Of these, Chemistry is essential for most schools. Some require Biology. Maths is NOT a requirement.
So, to give the best range of options, it is advised that you take Chemistry and Biology.
The third A level is entirely the students choice and the advice is to choose something they enjoy and will achieve the highest grade. Traditionally applicants have felt, or been advised by schools they need biology, chemistry, and maths. The medical schools are trying to change this perception as it just isn't necessary.
Psychology is popular and History would be a great choice too, if she enjoys it. Most courses now have a humanities element and social and ethical aspects of medicine. Essays are part of some medical schools curriculum too.
You really need to get the information from the medical schools you are interested in as there is so much misinformation out there.
When you are closer to applying, also look at applying strategically based on her admissions test scores too. Good luck!

It’s not misinformation…….it’s my experience having been involved in helping students apply for medicine for nearly 20 years.

The original post asked for recommendations, and I was simply offering mine given that this is my ACTUAL job. I hope you have a lovely evening!

medicine is competitive, so if she can genuinely cope, having four subjects will give her an edge over others.

No it won't. At various points a very small number of medical schools have made adjusted offers for people doing four A-Levels (e.g. AABB rather than AAA), but I'm not sure any are doing it at present. In the vast majority of cases, offers are based on three A-Levels and no account is taken of a fourth.

Dd did 4, it's quite possible if they are driven. Schools don't like it because they have to pay for the extra costs!

I would ignore them and keep 4 including history. No I'm not a teacher or a uni academic. Medicine is a hard road for application but there is no harm in keeping an A level for sheer love. If she struggles she can always drop it.

My son is doing 4 hard a levels and what I have done is not worry about him getting paid work as well.

*don’t and go on

Apologies for my typing errors!! 🙈

Also wanted to say there’s no real advantage in doing more than 3 A levels, because universities only make offers based on 3 subjects. Students are much better off putting their efforts into achieving 3 excellent grades IF university is their ultimate goal. So the college has advised her correctly with that. Again, I hope that helps!!

If she's up to it, do the four. Obv math, chemistry and biology are the best of the four, but medicine is competitive, so if she can genuinely cope, having four subjects will give her an edge over others.

Btw I'm fairly young - of an age where the "norm" had indeed dropped to three - but everyone who I know went to medical school did a fourth (one person did his maths PT in college cause his sixth form wouldn't let him do the fourth subject - he's a consultant neurologist now)

Even if universities say they don’t require certain subjects, they will still use it as part of the selection process.

No they won't. Please stop spreading misinformation.

I am a Science teacher and can tell you that she will need chemistry, biology and either physics or maths. There are a small handful of universities that do not require maths or physics but they are in the minority.

This is also incorrect.

No medical school requires maths or physics. The only one that comes close is Cambridge, where it is very difficult to get in without three from biology/chemistry/maths/physics.

See www.medschools.ac.uk/media/2877/entry-requirements-document-2022-digital.pdf

Hi! I’m a senior sixth form tutor (and a biol and chem teacher). Many students in my school goon to study medicine and/or apply to oxbridge (I don work in a private or selective school before anyone makes assumptions!!) I would strongly recommend dropping history. Even if universities say they don’t require certain subjects, they will still use it as part of the selection process. Chem + either biol/maths will definitely be required, but most medical schools will look more favourably on students having both Biol and Maths over History in my experience. I hope that helps!! 😊