What happens when you fail out of medicine?

[OnceAndFutureMum]

So I have a relative who is studying medicine and had to repeat a year, now is facing the possibility of having to do that again / drop out. What do they do next if they drop out? I really have no clue. Thanks.

Well, the same as for any degree I guess, if they've passed one or two years, they'll leave with a lower award in something like Biomed. And rethink their career options. They'll have limited options for more student finance.

Most would apply for year-2 entry to a bioscience course or year-1 entry to an unrelated course. If they've completed the first 3 years of medicine and failed to complete the 4th they can usually get an exit degree (bachelor of medical science or something similar). If they have dropped out earlier than that they can take an undergraduate certificate (if completed year 1) or undergraduate diploma (if completed year 2) but these aren't of much value and most would want to complete another degree instead, unless they have circumstances that prevent them from continuing at university.

Depending on how many years they've already done, they might not be eligible for tuition-fees loans for the whole of another degree programme, especially if they've repeated a year twice.

Biomed is a separate different degree. OP it depends where they are on the course and what university. Some will allow transfer to other related degrees but would need to be funded. What are they failing on as repeating one module is totally different to an entire year

Failed year 2 and repeated the whole year. Recently failed one exam in year 4.

The person I know who did that travelled a bit then did a business degree and now works for a university.

I bombed out in year 2, also realising that I missed physical science and wasn't really cut out to be a doctor and moved to a chemistry with medicinal chemistry course. This was many moons ago, though and I would think the options later on would be largely down to the uni and the structure of the course.

@OnceAndFutureMum what have the uni offered? Can they resit the one module and progress to 5th year?

not sure at this point

I know of someone who failed the 3rd or 4th year by a whisker. She’s now doing a nursing degree and actually really enjoying it.

Thank you that sounds like a solid place to land. I only found out recently that 70% of medical students fail to become qualified and had no idea what range of options might be available.

Surely that can't be right re 70%

Her dad is actually a consultant so medicine is very much in the family !

I thought the failure rate to complete a medical degree was around 10% on average in the uk. It certainly was when I was training many moons ago and I don’t think it’s changed much. I recruit for a uk med school
The 70% is more likely to be around retention of doctors to go through uk training to be GP / hospital consultants. This will include doctors who keep on working but not in training posts. Off the top of my head the percentage of doctors who ‘F3’ ie do a non training year after F1 and 2 is 70% which may be the figure you’re quoting

Ok this is reassuring!

I only found out recently that 70% of medical students fail to become qualified

That's the second time I've seen that figure here recently.

In my experience, the figure failing to complete the course is more like 5%. There is no way on earth the NHS would continue to fund medical schools if 70% (or even 17%) of students were failing to qualify.

It might be possible to gain a Medical Science degree after year 4.