DSS' medical school ambitions

[Guyropes]

Hi there,

I'm wondering if anyone can give any advice.

My bf's son wants to study medicine, and is now in year 12. He chose 2 science, maths and a humanity for AS level, which he is taking at the local FE college. I don't think he realised how much harder A level maths is than gcse, so despite the grade A at gcse, he is not managing to keep up with the work and is considering giving up maths now. He is doing well in all other subjects.

I feel he has been badly advised, and that his school should have emphasised the importance of doing further maths gcse if you want to go On to do A level.

If he gives up maths now, will be be significantly narrowing the medical schools he will be able to apply for? Our nearest one asks for AAA, with no consideration given ( in the admissions criteria) to AS results. Is this standard?

Also he has not yet started to do the volunteering he plans to do in support of his application.

Neither of his parents seem to be well informed about the level of competition, and the level of work each candidate needs to put in to be succesful. I want to be supportive to my bf, as he supports his ds through this process. While I don't want to be unnecessarily negative, I worry that there is going to be a crushing disappointment further down the line unless everyone is better informed about the process and requirements.

I would really appreciate any words of advice and any links to sources of information.

TIA

OP, I don't know where your DSS lives or how viable it is for him to come to Windsor this summer on Saturday, 20th June for the Medical Careers Day, a one day conference organised by The Royal Society of Medicine in association with Eton College to help young prospective medics in their applications to medical schools.

Experts from some of the leading British medical schools will be on hand to give a clear insight into the medical profession and to provide invaluable guidance and advice on the tricky business of applying to medical schools including how best to tackle the UKCAT and/or the BMAT, the ideal way in writing that all important and crucial Personal Statement and including a mock interview, etc. Past students who had attended the conference before (they came from the length and breadth of the country) all said how very tremendous and helpful the conference was and they went away with boosted confidence and new ideas never before imagined!

Oh, and the first thing one girl told me last year was, "The lunch was fantastic! Simply the best lunch I ever had".