Applying for medicine with very polarised GCSEs

Medic here, also done admissions to a medical school.
The number of medical places has expanded ++++ in the past few years, and what is being looked for is not just academic brilliance. You don't need to be beyond 'bright' to be a doctor, but you do need to be very determined, hardworking and able to communicate well and be interested in people.

I think given your ds has dyslexia that those GCSEs will not be a particular issue. I would recommend:

• Focus on the english and bringing that up if possible.
• Approach the school and see if your ds can drop French. They should be able to be flexible and it frees up for him to focus on the english.
• Make sure the SEN are disclosed on an application so your ds is treated fairly
• Choose a-levels that don't involve lots of writing/english. None of the suggestions do, biology I guess would be the only one with a small amount.
• Don't get stressed about 4 subjects (or indeed number of GCSEs - no one cares), drop the 4th a level when possible or only take 3 to maximise grades.
• do some work experience
• work on advice, a course, practice interviews etc to help your ds with getting a place.

Think grade 9s will get him into any college to study any A level subject as 5/6s are needed. I also know some universities look at GCSE grades. Depending on where he wants to study medicine will depend on his A level grades that are needed.. oxbride look at A* AA grades in Math, Chemistry & Biology. I'm not sure he will have to take 4 A levels even though the BMAT test includes all four subjects.

My DD thoroughly disliked Eng Lit especially and improved her GSCE result with the help of Mr Bruff and also Mr Salles (both on YouTube) and got an 8 in the end,
She reckoned Mr Salles was better.
As she said 'I put the word nihilistic in an essay, I didn't even know what it meant before watching the YouTube vids'

I have no advise about medicine but DS is Year 10 too.

Like yours, mine is more of a Science/Maths person but he looks at English in a formulaic way. It's not going to get him the grade 9s, like those natural at essay subjects. But he's been taught to answer essays with a structure ISLO (Idea, Structure, Language, Opinion) ... He finds this really useful as he sees it as an equation that needs to be worked through (like in Maths) and he does this with every question. He's got it now and is working hard to fill out the structure. He's found Mr Bruff videos (free on YouTube) really handy as he's brilliant vocab to use in the exams. Not sure if it will help

I believe each medical school want something in the region of 2AAs & an A* at A level, definitely in science based subjects for 2 of them and maybe Maths, but could be different for each university. If you look at A100 UCAS code, this could give you a list of universities that hold this degree and what criteria they are looking for, for entry.
They can take GCSEs into consideration, looking at what your child is expected, if these are attained, I doubt they'd have a problem following a career in medicine.

Op, did you post the same thing in higher education?

Interesting to see very different answers.

BTW Sir Samuel is right. Get help with the weaker subjects. Dyslexic DD ended up with an A* In Eng Land with a lot of credit due to Justin Craig for coaching in exam technique/mark grubbing.

And yes biology was hardest. However DD took more than three A levels so the grade she got did not matter.

There are plenty at Med School who have been tutored to the eyeballs, and beyond, so I would not worry about a bit of extra support in more difficult subjects.

Just a note on the English GCSEs. While the dyslexia is always going to make it harder, if he's of a mathematical / sciencey bent, the formulaic nature of the new GCSEs works in his favour. If you can afford a tutor, find one who marks for the exam board he will be sitting the GCSE with and get them to just drill him in exam technique, mark scheme, timings. You can "paint by numbers" with the current English language GCSE especially. It's boring as hell to learn it this way but if he's set on medicine and this is a possible obstacle he ought to be able to suck it up for an hour a week. (Ex English teacher.)

.... Struggled with A level Biology. Just something to look out for.

As others have said, for A levels, dropping Biology narrows your options, but we have 2 friends with undiagnosed dyslexia who

Yes if he drops one it should be physics. You can get into a number of medical schools without biology but it does reduce your choice a bit. It’s also probably the best indicator of how he’ll find studying for medicine exams.

But as the pp says, now I’ve read properly and realised he’s year 10, you’ve got lots of time! And he can almost certainly increase his non-science grades significantly by next summer if he puts his mind to it. Focus on that for now and then he can start all the medic extra-curricular stuff once his GCSEs are out of the way

He is only year 10! Good to be looking ahead though.

Plenty of time to increase his grades for English Lit/Lang. There are lots of videos on YouTube to help with English GCSE, he has the whole of this summer to pull those grades up and his French, there are apps he can do every day such as Duolingo or Memorise (usually set up by the school as a GCSE pack) that may help him.

For future ref, only 3 A levels are needed, better to ace those than risk a slightly lower grade on a 4th. Most 4th A level subjects are Further Maths usually alongside Maths. Oxbridge only require 3 A levels.

Look at the medical schools and see what they want A level wise and GCSE.

Just for info, DS is a 5th year medical student and says his biology A level has been the most useful to him so far more so than Chemistry or Maths.

Whilst work experience is going to be difficult to do at the moment he could engage in some MOOC online course to boost his application they are free online mini courses offered by universities here and abroad

The subject he drops depends on where he wants to go. DS1 did 3 sciences and maths in Y12, did AS in Biology and Physics as he had not decided which to drop (school only let them do 3). As none of the ones he wanted to apply to required Biology if you had chem and maths, he decided to drop Biology. He did not get in for a 2019 start, but that was because he was shy and not a natural at interviews, not doing Bio made no difference. Got 3 offers this year. Subject requirements are in the document I linked above.

If your son was inclined to get a Saturday job, I have observed that the DCs who have worked and interacted with the public more tend to do better in interviews as they are used to talking to adults.

Those GCSEs would not hold him back at the majority of medical schools. The main thing when applying for medicine is to be strategic and apply to the medical schools which value your strengths.

Some are not worth considering with the GCSE grades you have mentioned as they score GCSEs when shortlisting (Cardiff, Oxford, Leeds, Edinburgh would be out and he would have to be careful about Birmingham, Nottingham, Lincoln, Leicester).

Cambridge look holistically at an application and interview the majority of Home applicants. GCSE results are a minor factor.

Many just require applicants to meet the entry requirements (Sheffield 5 x 7+, Manchester 7 x 7+, St Andrews) then select for interview on UKCAT (Clinical Aptitude Test). Some just require you to have English and Maths, but a thing to be aware of is that most require 6 in English, so if that grade is marginal he should make it as secure as possible.

In summary, he has loads of options, but will need to be strategic!

See www.medschools.ac.uk/media/2701/msc-entry-requirements-for-uk-medical-schools-2021.pdf

sounds like he is perfect for medicine. If he gets top A level grades I cannot see why not (family of medics here all who were weaker in English)

Not the question that OP is asking, but I'm very surprised that OP's teachers are predicting future A Level results in Year 10!! Surely they can't tell at this point and OP should take this with a pinch of salt?

There’s no reason why those grades should stop him applying for medicine. I’ve had candidates with lower average point score at gcse get places. It would probably be sensible to look at the weighting given to each element of the application by the medical schools he is interested in and focus on those who don’t as much weight on GCSEs but if he has a good enough UCAT score (the medical entrance exam you sit July/August end of yr12) he’ll be fine. This might set his mind at rest: www.themedicportal.com/application-guide/choosing-a-medical-school/gcse-requirements-for-medicine/

He can do 4 A levels if he really wants to but it’s more important to get 3 very high grades (Plus extra-curricular for medicine) than 4 slightly less good grades. Also, don’t worry too much about work experience. Volunteering with children, the elderly, as a befriender in your local hospital etc all good. All the universities now say that they are more interested in the quality of your reflection on what you’ve read/seen/done than on an impressive list of contacts allowing you access to hospitals.

Have a look on the Higher Education board rather than Further Education, there are a couple of threads going on there with good links. The unis all prioritise on different aspects so you just need to apply accordingly . Good luck to him