Help - wrong A level choice for medicine

[itwillbebetter]

DS1 is 6 weeks into 6 form. He took A levels in Physics, Chemistry and Maths with the hope to do degree in either pure physics or medicine. When we researched medicine it seemed that Chemistry was preferable over biology (which seemed odd) Son is now leaning to medicine more than physics and is starting to panic that biology would've been the better bet.
Should he think about dropping maths to try and catch up in biology? He can only take 3 at his school.But by dropping maths he rules out degree in physics if he doesn't make medicine.
Also I am concerned that his GCSE results will not be strong enough. He got 7 A*/A's but also 3 C's (in subjects that are not relevant to either physics or medicine) Would the 3 c's damage his chances against those with a raft of all A's, or will a strong personal statement and work experience override that?
Too many decisions!

Hi
I have no experience but from what I've just read it seems like motivation to do medicine is vital. Maybe your DS should be doing at least some of this research himself?

There would be no higher ed section on MN if parents didn't do a bit of research! There are plenty of us who like to be armed with a bit of info to help advise our children! So, OP - ask away. As you can see people will try and help especially where applications are tricky and need loads of research because the selection procedure and preferred subjects are not standard or straightforward. I am sure the DS will look into possibilities for himself when he is at home for Christmas.

Sorry if I came across as rude.

SingaSong, don't worry. Medicine applications are really complicated, and 60% of those who apply wont get places. A 4xA* prediction will not be enough if you don't ace the aptitude tests or have bags of vounteering and other experience.

A whole (expensive) industry has grown up around helping kids apply for medicine and some schools are clearly a lot more experienced than others. (A quick Google suggest at least a dozen suppliers and that is not including private sixth forms who boast of their medical school success rates.) As a result it is perfectly possible for a child to be good enough for a place, but not as good as their competitors simply because they have not understood the tactics needed.

DD had been very ill leading up to her submitting her UCAS form. She had missed open days and writing her PS and getting into school on a daily basis were challenges enough. So by default I ended up doing the desk research (with some great help from members of this forum) which allowed her to make informed choices. But her choice. For example I suggested if she really wanted a place the odds were probably best at Belfast, but she wanted to have a crack at Bristol, even if it meant no place and having to reapply the following year.

Like OPs son, there were a limited number of med schools where DD stood a good chance of interview, and which met her criteria (no PBL, city campus). But by knowing this, and understanding that it is all about points and scoring, she picked up three interviews and two places from her four applications.

These kids are only 17. Yr 13 is really busy. However it is their life. They have to own their PS, they have to get the grades, they have do the volunteering, they turn up for interview, they need to decide on subject and University. However parents have a role as mentors and good mentors ought to be informed. (And there is a steer learning curve if you don't have medicine in the family.)

FWIW DD did manage one open day, where she claims she was the only one there on her own, that one child turned up with 17 family members, and that only dads asked questions, with the med school seemingly gearing their presentation towards parents. (She did not apply there!) She is now careful not to say she will be reading medicine, unless specifically asked about subject. Despite all the moaning there is something very strange about the reaction to "becoming a doctor", even within parts of our extended family. Reading medicine is something she wanted to do, but clearly for some it carries a unique status, and with it sometimes, a burden of family expectation.

You've summed it up very well Needmoresleep

If you haven't gone through the process you have no idea how complicated and time consuming it can be. My dd's school encouraged UCAS applications to be submitted early so most of her friends had their offers back before Christmas whereas she didn't have most of her interviews till early in the New Year. Just that alone can be tough.

Ds is researching as much as he can but I am also researching because we are a team, a family, and I would like to believe that when he asks for my opinion I am as educated on the subject as I can be!

I’d say your son’s current choice of A-level subjects are absolutely fine for medicine schools, OP, - barring those schools that specifically say they want Biology, of course. Just make sure he aces the grades.

Here’s something I wrote in the spring of last year about work experience in relation to application to medical schools. You may want to pay particular attention to paragraph 3.

Good luck to your son!

My DD left school with inadequate grades at A level to apply for medicine (BBBB in maths, chem, biology and history). She trotted off to uni and bagged herself a first class honours degree in biomedical science. Additionally, she had a plethora of volunteering and work shadowing over the course of four years (including mental health), a good UKCAT score plus was also Head Girl and got 12 A/A*s at GCSE. She didn't get as much as an interview! She's now studying for a bioscience Master's at King's and plans on having another shot at med school next year but the whole process is so demoralising! On paper, she is excellent. But she's not good enough. I'm worried she'll spend most of her twenties chasing what is, essentially, an impossible dream. Good luck to your DS if that's what he wants to do as he'll need it!

Just an idea regarding work experience, for an insight into the 'medical' side he could try getting some volunteering at a vet. It's very often really difficult to get this sort of access at a GP or hospital because of patients confidentiality, this isn't such an issue at a vet and there is so much crossover with human medicine. He would get to see consultations, x-ray, lab, and operations, combine that with some volunteering at a care home to get the 'caring' side of medicine.

Another idea might be to study in the EU (although with Brexit this might no longer be an option) some universities to medicine courses in English and have less competition for places.

I think vets get very booked up too fakenameforno, as prospective vet students need a ton of work experience to secure an interview!

My DS got a weekend job doing a shift in the local hospice. He worked three hours at a time whenever they needed him. They were very glad of the help and he had a lot to say about being around illness, palliative care and the resilience needed to work in medicine. Perhaps not an obvious first choice for work experience but you can certainly apply what you learn there.
Good luck all. I wouldn't want to go through all that again

I teach 3rd yr med students on their obs and gynae modules. I always ask them what alevels they did and why they choose their Uni.. many of them didn't study biology and said that chemistry was preferable. They said they are taught a lot of the specific biology they need (at UEA which has a good rep at moment for medical students)

my child is part way through their 6 year degree in medicine. It's a long hard slog and you need to be very dedicated to get through it. One of their friends has had to repeat a year and will maybe graduate after 7 years. Repeat years are not that unusual at some medical schools. Another friend has hardly stopped being ill since starting clinical studies as they pick up a lot of bugs in hospital. Most medical students graduate with debts they will never pay off so will pay for 30 years 9% of a salary that is less than these well qualified students could earn elsewhere. The hours are difficult - not just long but even less control than other well paying careers. There are few lawyers working Christmas day or New Years Day.

Applications to medical schools have been declining from a peak a few years back. They've dropped by a substantial percentage (figures on UCAS website). Sensible students look at other jobs.

I couldnt deter my child from applying and if yours is determined then he will find ways to get work experience. Vet experience would be less useful than something hands on and dirty like a care home and even vet students have trouble getting any. Work experience requirements are to test if a student knows what they are getting into but also indicate how determined they are. Tutoring experience is a useful addition to the CV.

It is a better use of a students time to study AS biology independently and have their parents do some research on admission criteria for them. What medical schools say they ask for on their websites and what they actually take are not the same. Does anyone know a student who has a place without Chemistry, whatever med schools may claim? When you have lots of choice you only take those with less standard qualifications if they are outstanding in everything else. Any student can sit an exam independently, it takes effort to arrange but it can be at any exam centre that will take them. There are online courses or he could do a gap year and a one year A level while working part-time as a HCA. Look for bank jobs if he needs to do that and be prepared to work weekends.

Cambridge has taken an occasional student without much work experience in the past but then they had the option of encouraging them to go elsewhere for clinical studies if they didnt take advantage of the opportunities at university. The course has changed, students do their clinical studies at Cambridge and I suspect they will look more at work experience as a result. It can still be a good option for the very academic with less standard qualifications and without a full set of outstanding GSCEs. Cambridge isnt fussed about GSCEs if you are doing well at A level and ace the BMAT.

DD is also in her 6th year and is still as excited about becoming a Doctor as she ever was. She has friends who are doing their F1 and F2 years who are finding it r hard but are still enjoying the challenge. She also has a couple of friends who are quitting medicine once they qualify and are heading for some sort of city jobs. Even with loads of work experience I think it must be hard for 16/17 year olds to have a good grasp on the ins and outs of being a Doctor.