Is medicine a possibility at all?

[TipsyTiger]

Asking on behalf of a friend, brief details are as follows -
9 GCSES grade 6-9, Maths at a 5
A levels Biology, History and Psychology - predicted BAA respectively.
UCAT 2450

I’m trying to support my friend to support her DS, but from reading the medicine threads I’m thinking a re-think may be needed?

I'd agree. The UCAT is too low for most, and borderline for the rest. Add in the lack of Chemistry which will further restrict institutions and the predicted grades and unless he is eligible for a contextual offer he's going to struggle.

That's why applicants have to have a non-med course on the UCAS form as well.

Think most medicine require chemistry 🤔

Yeh I am no expert but pretty sure that most med schools want chemistry or at any rate two from a short list of sciences that probably doesn't include psychology. Also the predicted B in biology doesn't bode well.

What other options does he have?

No other options. Family are all in the medical field and desperately want DS to follow. DS really wants to please his family, which as far as I can see is at his own expense.

Interesting that a non-medical course is mentioned. I didn’t know that and I’m pretty sure my friend doesn’t know either.

Not eligible for contextual.

No other options. Family are all in the medical field and desperately want DS to follow. DS really wants to please his family

Oh dear this is not OK. What does he actually want to do? You need to be really committed to stick at medicine. I have never understood the idea of wanting your DC to do xyz (whether or not it's what you do).

No chemistry? And from a medical family? What were they thinking!

I think a rapid rethink will be needed…

If they are in the medical field they should honestly know that this is unlikely to be good enough results for medicine.

I also think Unis offeing anything medical related might have concerns at a Grade 5 GCSE in Maths, which is pretty low. Medicine usually requires 3 A grades minimum, and at least two sciences. The History would be ok - but not the Psych as well.

NHS doctor apprenticeship? Someone was telling me they have recently been advertised. I’m sure it will be competitive though, no idea of entry requirements.

With those grades it might be best to look at doing a different undergrad first and then medicine as a graduate or Physician Associate studies after.

Very odd selection of A-level subjects if Medicine was always the plan

The 5 in Maths GCSE will also stand out as a concern I would imagjne

I'd be amazed if he gets any offers to study Medicine

Just checked they need AA and an A star inc two sciences.

This is absolutely my position but trying to suggest this to my friend is like banging my head against a brick wall. She is now saying that she’ll find a private medical school - abroad if necessary.

DS is interested in medicine but is more realistic about his prospects, at least to me. I think he’s quite intimidated by his family so is reluctant to speak up. It is actually breaking my heart

Anatomy or similar? Or a different path but still within healthcare?

I think with those grades, a level choices and ucat score best to be realistic.

Chemistry was started but dropped as couldn’t keep up. The subjects have been chosen to try and achieve the best grades.

Poor kid. Why don't they just look at the course requirements together. Nearly all require chemistry. There may be one or two that don't, and they can look at the ucat cut off for those and decide if irs worth applying. What about History with a view to law conversion course if that's his stronger A level.

Son can apply for Medicine but put something he really wants to do as non-Medicine choice. Then do that.

Some families are utterly fixated on their children becoming doctors. I've seen kids doing A levels they hate and either failing to get in - or worse, starting the course and then failing what is often a brutal first year.

They don't have to have a non-med course on the UCAS form. Lots of medicine applicants leave the 5th option blank, taking the view that they will take a gap year and try again the following year if they don't get in.

Graduate Entry Medicine entry is ridiculously competitive, much harder than undergraduate.

Yes the 4 year accelerated one one is ! The 5 year standard programme isn’t!

Generally you need Chemistry and/or Biology A-levels, and a 3rd.Newcastle doesn't care which A-Levels you have but you need a much higher UCAT than he has. It is not looking very realistic for him.

What I am saying is that it is much harder to get a medicine place at graduate entry level than it is at undergraduate level.

I work as a UCAS advisor for a big sixth form college in an area where there is often a cultural expectation to do medicine, and see this all the time. I spend a lot of my time trying to talk unsuited students (and their pushy parents) out of aiming for medicine. When selecting for interview GCSEs are scored (all 8s and 9s needed ideally) and UCAT score looked at (cutoff scores vary but scores below 2750 are limited as to where they can realistically apply, most places would not even consider 2400, and they need band 2 in SJT).

Medicine is not for anyone who isn't 100% committed and around 10% of those who do start medicine courses drop out in the first year.

I feel so sorry for these kids with all the pressure of unrealistic parental expectations. There are many other allied health careers which may suit him better, if he's interested. But sounds like he would be better off doing something entirely different and his parents need to stop projecting their expectations onto him.

They really need to focus on what he is good at, not make him feel a failure when it's simply not the right fit for him. Quite apart from all the entry requirements, no one needs a medic who isn't good at medicine. The sooner the parents see past their own tunnel vision and start working with his actual inclinations, the better.

I agree with @SugarMiceInTheRain. I have two DC currently studying Medicine. You really have to want to do it, then you love it.

Ah poor kid. I would say it's very unlikely with those subjects/grades.

Does he actually like science? My DN was set on medicine all the way through secondary school and could have had a decent chance, but completely reassessed what he wanted at around 17 and decided to go for biomedical science instead - he loves science and research and after looking into the realities of being a doctor decided it just wasn't for him. He's just been offered a fully funded PhD at a really good university overseas and is loving the career path he's chosen! Meanwhile his best mate did go the medicine route and is utterly burnt out in their second year of training in a hospital, I'm not in any way saying medicine is a bad option but it's not for everyone and I think to succeed you need to be 100% committed - not pushed into it by family!