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Higher education

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Original poster

Art a-level/foundation…followed by medicine?! Is this crazy?

159 replies

Flockchaise · 19/07/2025 10:39

DD a while off having to make decisions, but with an older sibling off to uni in the autumn, she loves to talk and think about it 😂

She is currently set on studying medicine, and has been for several years. She is very academic but also loves art - wins prizes at school blah blah. Two questions-

Dd plans to do biology, chemistry, history and art a-levels. Her school always starts them on four. Might the art a-level work against her? Aware unis usually offer on three - but with medicine being so competitive, surely she’ll be up against candidates with 3 sciences plus maths or whatever? Her sibling has an Oxbridge offer - also does art a-level, and their offer excluded it! 🤪

She is quite keen on doing an art foundation before she starts her medicine degree. Would this be nuts? We are in London so she could live at home…

Totally aware things might change before lots of people tell me this is all premature thinking! But just mulling at this point and thought it would be useful to get thoughts x

OP posts:
Soundofshuna · 19/07/2025 11:10

Dentist wannabe here. Who has the same plan ( although English rather than history) interested in others opinions too

Original poster
Flockchaise · 19/07/2025 12:36

Anyone?! Would love to hear thoughts and views x

OP posts:
SheilaFentiman · 19/07/2025 12:50

Honestly, yes, this sounds crazy. Potential med students take the UCAT which is a lot of work, more so on top of four a levels

Anna20MFG · 19/07/2025 13:02

Does she really want to do Medicine? And why? Has she actually started the volunteering and work experience to know more about the nuts and bolts of it and whether it would suit her? The UCAT, volunteering and work experience needed for the application would wipe out a lot of time. There are some unis she could apply to with just Biology and Chemistry and they don't mind about the third A level. (Newcastle is one iirc). Some medical schools like Sheffield really rate the EPQ - could she do an art based EPQ instead? If she really wants Medicine she should be prepared to throw everything at the actual requirements.

Newmeagain · 19/07/2025 13:03

It really depends. My medicine studying DD started off with four as well, including art, but she then dropped art because she realised that the art was going to eat up too much of her time.

ClearlyAGiraffe · 19/07/2025 13:04

SheilaFentiman · 19/07/2025 12:50

Honestly, yes, this sounds crazy. Potential med students take the UCAT which is a lot of work, more so on top of four a levels

I also think it sounds crazy. Can’t she do art outside of school? It’s great to enjoy things but if you have decided on a career then you shouldn’t mess about with the chances of being able to do it.

As an aside, I never understand the ‘everyone starts four A levels’ thing. Some people might want to do this and find it helpful, but everyone seems like overkill.

Newmeagain · 19/07/2025 13:05

Would she consider maths instead of history to keep more options open?

Anna20MFG · 19/07/2025 13:06

Also, highly recommended not to do 4 A levels if you apply for Medicine. Partly because of all the extra requirements to apply offers are based on 3, and 4 is not a good use of time and could lead to a dropped grade.

CremeEggThief · 19/07/2025 13:08

I wouldn't say crazy but definitely unusual!
As a previous poster said, Art is very time-consuming too.

pinkdelight · 19/07/2025 13:09

Newmeagain · 19/07/2025 13:05

Would she consider maths instead of history to keep more options open?

I was going to say this - maths is helpful for those sciences.

KateMiskin · 19/07/2025 13:11

Art is a hugely time intensive A level. Maths would be so much more useful.

Original poster
Flockchaise · 19/07/2025 13:15

Thanks all. To be honest, am not that worried re four a-levels, particularly if art is one of them and she could drop it. Her older sibling did four - including art - didn’t struggle with workload. Not meaning to stealth boast and dd might be different of course, but this is just our experience so far…

A fair few kids at the same school did four and got offers for medicine. More interested if art as a fourth works against her as it is seen as less academic…

Also wondering about doing art foundation in a gap year. A friend’s dd has a deferred offer for medicine this year - but I’m wondering if this is quite unusual, particularly if one is using the year for something so unrelated?

OP posts:
Wimbledonmum1985 · 19/07/2025 13:18

Utterly baffled at anyone taking Art as a fourth a level given the amount of time required for it. This makes no sense at all OP if she wants to study medicine. She’s really not setting herself up for success.

KateMiskin · 19/07/2025 13:19

Given how competitive medicine is, I think taking a gap year to do an art foundation course is pretty nuts.

Skissors · 19/07/2025 13:29

I would say 4 A levels are a lot if wanting to do medicine purely as there are extras to applying - doing the UCAT exam and getting work experience/ volunteering done in order to make a good application. All those things come together so that's what makes it tough .

My dd did GCSE art and that was shedloads of work, so am surprised that A level wouldn't be the same.

Original poster
Flockchaise · 19/07/2025 13:29

@Wimbledonmum1985 - art is a lot of work for sure. But eldest DC managed very well and navigated the whole Oxbridge thing also, so, you know…not really ‘baffling’ to us. Might well be different with medicine applications though!

@KateMiskin - thanks! It is sounding like the foundation idea might well be too crazy. A lot to think about…

OP posts:
MidlandBlue · 19/07/2025 13:33

The Art could well be attractive to a department looking for a broader outlook.
Maths is always useful especially statistics, even a half A in Statistics is good. My info is from a few years back so treat it as such. Good Luck

Vivienne1000 · 19/07/2025 13:42

I am not sure why anyone wants to do medicine….
According to all the junior doctors, they are all fed up with their lot and are constantly angry. Don’t encourage any of your children to do medicine unless they know the reality

SheilaFentiman · 19/07/2025 13:43

Did your older DD do an entrance test for her oxbridge subject, or interview only?

Original poster
Flockchaise · 19/07/2025 14:01

@Vivienne1000 - believe me, we are not encouraging her! Lots of doctor friends who are all pretty frank with her about the harsh reality- a few have even said ‘please don’t do it’! However one also said that for some, it feels like an absolute calling from a young age and it seems like this could be the case for dd. Ultimately it’s going to be up to her what she chooses to do with her life…

OP posts:
anikarice · 19/07/2025 14:09

no she really needs to do physics or maths to be considered for medicine.

Original poster
Flockchaise · 19/07/2025 14:14

@anikarice - that’s not quite correct. I think it’s only Cambridge that asks for 3 sciences (with maths being considered a science too). I think all ask for chemistry and almost all for chemistry and biology.

I know a kid that got an offer for Oxford medicine with chemistry, biology, French and history this year.

OP posts:
ramonaquimby · 19/07/2025 14:17

Vivienne1000 · 19/07/2025 13:42

I am not sure why anyone wants to do medicine….
According to all the junior doctors, they are all fed up with their lot and are constantly angry. Don’t encourage any of your children to do medicine unless they know the reality

And you know all the junior doctors?
this just isn't true.

ramonaquimby · 19/07/2025 14:18

anikarice · 19/07/2025 14:09

no she really needs to do physics or maths to be considered for medicine.

This also isn't true. My newly qualified medic kid didn't do either of those A-levels. They had 4 offers

Unexpecteddrivinginstructor · 19/07/2025 14:32

Flockchaise · 19/07/2025 14:14

@anikarice - that’s not quite correct. I think it’s only Cambridge that asks for 3 sciences (with maths being considered a science too). I think all ask for chemistry and almost all for chemistry and biology.

I know a kid that got an offer for Oxford medicine with chemistry, biology, French and history this year.

Some just require Biology, some just Chemistry, some require both but you are right that combination will exclude Cambridge. Some are quite supportive of a year out and many need to take a year out and reapply. They might be less supportive of an art foundation year as that is less related to medicine. Some work experience is also useful. @mumsneedwine generally has a good overview of what the entry requirements are for the different degrees.