Won't get the grades for Medicine: now what?

[ChesterBelloc]

Hi all,

My DD is in Y12, taking A-levels in Biology, Chemistry & Physics. She has dyslexia, and got 3As/7s, 3Bs/6s and 3x5s at GCSE. She has been stuck on Medicine (and becoming a neurosurgeon) for years, but after half-term we are having a meeting with her and her teachers during which I fully expect to hear that her predicted A-level grades will be 3 Bs max.

I, and her teachers, have been hinting for a while now that she may will not get the grades necessary to have even a chance of getting into Med School; she, however, is quietly stubborn and refuses to accept that hard work (and she is a very hard worker) will - sadly - not be enough to get her there.

Can anyone help me with ideas for alternative Med/Science-related degrees that she might be better off aiming for with Bs at A-level? There seem to be hundreds of possibilities, and I don't know where to start.

(FYI She got a 5 for GCSE maths, has already re-sat it once but came out with the same grade. I think she wants to try it again...)

TIA.

Sorry, forgot to say - I think she'd be a great candidate for some kind of apprenticeship scheme. She is self-reliant, very motivated, conscientious, a very hard worker - she'll make a great employee, and I think will could make more of an impression doing practical hands-on stuff than her academic stats on paper really warrant.

Watching as I am in almost the same boat with my ds. She has asbergers and studying biology, chemistry and psychology

DD not ds

My DC went and did a 3 year biomed degree, and then applied to medicine as a mature student, with their degree.

Is that an option?

it's tough, because they don't get funding for all the med degree due to having had it first, and DC had to work p/t and save like mad but they are now a doctor and loving it.

This is second-hand advice, so apologies for being so vague.

My nephew is in the same boat and a family friend (a GP) suggested looking into studying in Prague, where people may be able to study medicine (in English!) with slightly lower grades.

The biomed degree route mentioned above was another suggested option.

Lots of allied health professions which might be of interest, tell her to explore www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles this is how I came across my very niche career path (rewarding, hands on much less stress than many health jobs with normal office hours)

Has she considered Chiropractic? It’s a primary healthcare profession and there’s a big emphasis on neurology. It’s a tough course but she’d get entry with Bs. There’s a big practical element to the degree and there’s a lot of crossover with what medical students are taught. Have a look at www.aecc.ac.uk.

A good friend of mine did a biology degree and then became a radiographer. Could be an option?

Have you investigated local medical schools? Some have schemes where slightly lower offers might be made to local students or those who attend schools in areas with fewer university entrants.

As someone who didn’t get in to medical school but has now got a very satisfying career in midwifery I’d encourage her to work hard and give it a go. Perhaps add a biomed course to her UCAS application as a back up or take a year out if she doesn’t get in and explore other health care professions. Would she consider nursing, physiotherapist or radiography for instance? All very practical and hands on and with loads of opportunity for specialism and career progression. My local uni offers a nursing apprenticeship which might be worth exploring

@moreismore chiropraticy isn't a proper allied health profession and isn't HCPC regulated

Bobo, please tell us what job you do!

She has poo-poohed nursing; I've suggested radiography, as she has very good spatial awareness-type skills (mirror-imaging, 3D, patterns map-reading), but she was unenthused

How about allied healthcare careers, such as Optometry,Orthoptist, Podiatry,Physiotherapist,Orthopaedics?

A relative did optometry in the same situation and enjoys it immensely

My friend who didn't get the grades for medicine ended up doing a chemistry degree and PhD and is now a cancer researcher.

Dental therapy?
They can do hygiene and simple fillings on adults and children plus deciduous extractions. Pay not as much as medicine but not bad. Less stress than Dentistry because the Dentist takes more responsibility as prescriber.

Paramedic?

@chesterbelloc www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/allied-health-professionals/roles-allied-health-professions/prosthetistorthotist

Put her name down for work experience at her local hospital. Physio, radiographer, occupational therapist.

Physicians associate?

Oh yes, I second chiropractic.

It has a strong neuroscience focus, as moreismore said, with the medical focus too (diagnostics, pharmacology, pathophsysiology are covered along with the practical side including biomechanics and chiropractic technique itself).

In contrast to bobos belief it is a primary health care profession, and has its own regulatory body).

Multiple UK schools, AECC, McTimoney, WIOC and Southbank all running courses currently.

Paramedic

Or consider biomedical sciences degree but that often leads to a lab based career.

Thinking of neurosurgery before even taking A levels seems er ambitious and a bit lofty. Is she rather pie in the sky or is there actually something about neurosurgery that appeals that you can tap into?
There are specialised technicians in all sorts of areas like neuro or cardiology.

If she's really dead set then how about getting a tutor now, taking a year out if necessary to redo second year of A levels and focus
There's always clearing too - universities don't want to lose any numbers as they'll lose money ... AAB and ABB springs to mind for grades accepted ... don't quote me on that though!

Sorry bono, just noticed you wrote allied healthcare (not primary healthcare).

My friends son was in exactly the same boat. He retook his A level 3 times but still didn't get the grade. He hoped his tenacity would be a plus but in the highly competitive and nepotistic medical world he just wasn't good enough. He now has an unconditional place on a paramedic degree course, where his determination is seen as a positive.

If she's keen on brains, speech therapy, clinical psychology, and occupational therapy all work with people who've had brain injuries.