Medicine 2026 entry - part 1

[rockstuckhardplace]

Starting a new thread for parents of prospective medical students looking to start in 2026.

UCAT score is handed to you on a piece of paper leave centre

You'll know vaguely where result places you when interims come out but not exactly where until final results in October. But can start to make educated guesses where you might get interviews from interims (the final score usually goes didn't about 40-60 points).

X posts 😊

Got it thank you. So you're guessing that 1800 up seems to be good this year but other years a good score was maybe 1200?

Last year it was out of 3600, average score was 2530. In previous years averages and deciles have sat roughly around the same levels so you could estimate which decile you would be in immediately by comparing with previous years. This year it is out of 2700 but there may be differences as the lack of AR may not simply mean the remaining scores are proportionally less.

Yes, I meant previous years a good score was maybe over 2500....
Thank you

I think 2500 was previously an average score - definitely possible to get interviews / offers around there but you need to be strategic with your application. Top 2 deciles will obviously give your YP many more options but it is still about applying strategically as some unis looks at GCSE’s e.g. Cardiff and QUB - my DD with her top decile UCAT wouldn’t have got an interview with either of these nor at Exeter as she wasn’t predicted 3 x A stars

Exactly. Strategy is so important !

He is applying for the 5 year A100 as there is only one 4 year GE course in Scotland and it’s focussed on general practice in rural areas.

All the courses he is interested ( Glasgow , Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dundee ) require graduates to have a 2:1 or 1st and don’t have any A level requirements, unless it’s a non science degree or you obtained it several years ago. But thanks for the advice to check.

For those of you asking about this years UCAT scores, here are previous years scores with the AR removed .

https://www.ucat.ac.uk/results/test-statistics/

You can see that the adjusted figures show that 1860 or 1840 would have been the 50th per centile score for the last 6 years. So that’s no doubt why there’s lots of 1850 scores so far this year.

And yes, most scores will be under 2000, as that looks like it will be around the 75th per centile.

Hi @mumsneedwine just wondered if you had much intel on Brunel? My understanding is that last year they opened up applications to 50 home students each year. I rarely see info on these threads about it and just wondered if you knew anyone who had applied, any info about applications etc?

@SuperSue77 one of my students starts this year. Really liked the course and some interesting placements (they use the rehab/prosthetic dept at Roehampton). Quite an average UCAT so it's a good option if want a 'safer' choice.

Being pedantic but Edinburgh is six years

So is St Andrews 😊

Ah, not necessarily….

St Andrews (non GP route)

Not just GP:

https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/subjects/medicine/scotgem-mbchb/

“Whilst ScotGEM focuses on enthusing graduates to become medical generalists (which includes general surgeons or physicians as well as GPs) with experience in rural health care, the programme will prepare students for any branch of medicine through the normal postgraduate training process.”

They don’t say just GP for this five year course either:

https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/subjects/medicine/medicine-mbchb-scotcom/

Though I would be a bit sceptical about both of these until a few year groups have graduated and gone through foundation years.

@mumsneedwine
Science graduates don’t need to do the intercalated degree at Edinburgh, so it’s 5 years.

medicine-vet-medicine.ed.ac.uk/edinburgh-medical-school/medicine/applying/how-to-apply/requirements/graduate-mature

Didn't mention Ed ? St Andrews 5 year is 'community medicine' focussed.

This is Ed undergrad course

That was me. Interesting grads can bypass the intercalculated degree.

Might be to do with student finance ? 9 years is a lot !

Thank you for mentioning the SCOTGEM course at St Andrews / Dundee. My Ds has looked into it but it doesn’t appeal as all the placements from second year onwards are in very rural areas of Scotland . That’s not just for a few weeks - they are basically living and studying there for large parts of the course.

Which would be wonderful for many applicants - but it’s not for him. Which is a shame as it’s fully funded for Scottish residents = no fees!

If you’ve already got a three or four years BSc Hons in a related subject ( eg Human biology, biomedical science, various life sciences ) there’s not much point in getting another one via the intercalated system.

Very long time lurker, not posted

Morning my DD sat the UCAT this morning. She got a great score 2150 B2, but had her heart set on Birmingham (I know) and has 7s in Eng lit and Maths, the rest are 9s. She needs her score to be in the 90th percentile. UCAT conversion is saying 2170 :-( any thoughts that it could go down?

We are planning Strategically now, @mumsneedwine would you mind sharing your spreadsheet pls?

Thanks!

It could go down that amount. It is very difficult to tell as taking out AR won’t necessarily have a uniform impact on candidates. But 20 marks is within the range of variability across years.

You remind me of Dr Glaucomflecken on YouTube and his rural medicine skits….