Aspiring medics…

makemineadecaf · 2025-05-04T15:56:30+00:00

What alevels did your kids take? Dd is only year 10 but we have a level options evening in September and choices need to be in by February. She wants to do medicine so is currently focusing on biology, chemistry and maths alevels which research suggests these are staples. interested to hear if others successful into med school chose other alevels?

KnickerFolder · 04/05/2025 17:28

You need to head to the medicine threads on the Higher Education board for answers to everything you need to know about applying to med school 😂

My top tip is sign up for St John Ambulance asap as there is usually a long waiting list and it is excellent work experience for med school applications.

To answer your question, here are the entry requirements for all the UK med schools:

https://www.medschools.ac.uk/studying-medicine/how-to-apply-to-medical-school-in-the-uk/entry-requirements#:~:text=On%20entry%2C%20applicants%20must%20have,A%20in%20a%20single%20sitting.

One of mine chose IB instead of A levels and took biology, chemistry and history at Higher Level.

Biology, chemistry and maths are probably the most useful combination in terms of subjects she will actually use.

Maths is a tricky one though. Not everyone is a natural mathematician, you need to be sure she can easily achieve a high enough grade for med school, especially as medics have all the extra work and stress of getting work experience, taking aptitude tests and multiple (hopefully) interviews. Schools usually recommend only taking maths if you get the highest grades in GCSE. If you can’t get the grades in biology or chemistry, you won’t cope with med school. The same doesn’t apply to maths. If she isn’t achieving an 8/9 in maths, she might find it easier to get an A or A* at A level in a different subject that is just as acceptable for medicine. Apart from a bit of stats, you don’t need maths for medicine.

Entry requirements | Medical Schools Council

https://www.medschools.ac.uk/studying-medicine/how-to-apply-to-medical-school-in-the-uk/entry-requirements#:~:text=On%20entry%2C%20applicants%20must%20have,A%20in%20a%20single%20sitting.

MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 04/05/2025 17:28

My dd did Chemistry, Biology and Maths. Plus an EPQ.

Original poster

makemineadecaf · 04/05/2025 19:20

KnickerFolder · 04/05/2025 17:28

You need to head to the medicine threads on the Higher Education board for answers to everything you need to know about applying to med school 😂

My top tip is sign up for St John Ambulance asap as there is usually a long waiting list and it is excellent work experience for med school applications.

To answer your question, here are the entry requirements for all the UK med schools:

https://www.medschools.ac.uk/studying-medicine/how-to-apply-to-medical-school-in-the-uk/entry-requirements#:~:text=On%20entry%2C%20applicants%20must%20have,A%20in%20a%20single%20sitting.

One of mine chose IB instead of A levels and took biology, chemistry and history at Higher Level.

Biology, chemistry and maths are probably the most useful combination in terms of subjects she will actually use.

Maths is a tricky one though. Not everyone is a natural mathematician, you need to be sure she can easily achieve a high enough grade for med school, especially as medics have all the extra work and stress of getting work experience, taking aptitude tests and multiple (hopefully) interviews. Schools usually recommend only taking maths if you get the highest grades in GCSE. If you can’t get the grades in biology or chemistry, you won’t cope with med school. The same doesn’t apply to maths. If she isn’t achieving an 8/9 in maths, she might find it easier to get an A or A* at A level in a different subject that is just as acceptable for medicine. Apart from a bit of stats, you don’t need maths for medicine.

Thank you very helpful. Maths / further maths are actually her strongest subjects but she also loves Spanish so was querying chemistry / biology / Spanish but I think this combo is less useful.

OP posts:

KnickerFolder · 04/05/2025 20:08

Definitely not Spanish! There are lots native/bilingual speakers taking MFL A levels so it is harder to get the top grades.

If you join the medicine threads, you will soon learn that it is all about applying strategically to med schools 😂 The same applies to choosing A levels to an extent. If you’re aiming for 2 A* and an A, pick the easiest way to get the grades 😂

My DC who did the IB slightly regretted it as there was so much coursework due at the same time as the UCAT/BMAT exams (they did both but the BMAT has been scrapped now) plus interviews. Although the med school workload was a breeze after that!

She can always continue learning Spanish outside of school and there will be opportunities to continue classes at most universities.

Original poster

makemineadecaf · 04/05/2025 21:18

Thank you! So basically chemistry plus another science and other subject as a confident top grade?! Biology, chemistry and maths I think it is then.

OP posts:

whiteaglex · 14/06/2025 15:48

KnickerFolder · 04/05/2025 17:28

You need to head to the medicine threads on the Higher Education board for answers to everything you need to know about applying to med school 😂

My top tip is sign up for St John Ambulance asap as there is usually a long waiting list and it is excellent work experience for med school applications.

To answer your question, here are the entry requirements for all the UK med schools:

https://www.medschools.ac.uk/studying-medicine/how-to-apply-to-medical-school-in-the-uk/entry-requirements#:~:text=On%20entry%2C%20applicants%20must%20have,A%20in%20a%20single%20sitting.

One of mine chose IB instead of A levels and took biology, chemistry and history at Higher Level.

Biology, chemistry and maths are probably the most useful combination in terms of subjects she will actually use.

Maths is a tricky one though. Not everyone is a natural mathematician, you need to be sure she can easily achieve a high enough grade for med school, especially as medics have all the extra work and stress of getting work experience, taking aptitude tests and multiple (hopefully) interviews. Schools usually recommend only taking maths if you get the highest grades in GCSE. If you can’t get the grades in biology or chemistry, you won’t cope with med school. The same doesn’t apply to maths. If she isn’t achieving an 8/9 in maths, she might find it easier to get an A or A* at A level in a different subject that is just as acceptable for medicine. Apart from a bit of stats, you don’t need maths for medicine.

Is that the NHS Cadets? in St John's Ambulance.

KnickerFolder · 14/06/2025 17:17

Either of their youth programmes, @whiteaglex.