r/premeduk

hi, i'm in year 12 and have completed AS levels so far. i do bio chem psych alevels. i dont know my predicted grades yet, but i do not fit into the entry requirements for most universities for GCSE maths as i achieved a grade 5. i know this doesn't put me in a good position as most of them automatically filter you out if you don't have a grade 6/ above. i have found two unis - exeter and brunel - that accept a grade 5 as the minimum. i also don't fit into any of the contextual criteria. i posted about this somewhere else, and was told if i somehow get into med school they're scared for my future patients. someone else also mentioned that there is a zero chance i'll get through medical school with a grade 5 as the maths is very difficult. my other gcses aren't like this, i got 9s 8s 7s in everything else except for 6's in media and geography. i dont know what to do, this is stressing me out and i have booked the ucat but if theres no chance of me getting in i dont know if i should cancel it or not. i havent even touched the ucat website ever since i booked my test for september. someone told me to look at foundation or gateway years but i dont understand, aren't these for people who are contextual? sorry if this makes no sense, should i forget about applying to medicine

Title basically, got 2500 in my mock today 850VR 750DM 900QR which im happy with (although I did guess 5 questions on the VR and somehow got 4 right, so i did get lucky i guess). In my medify mocks, ive been averaging ~2150 so obviously this was a big jump, so i was wondering how representative is D in relation to the real one, are A, B, or C a better representation?

I received a 70% scholarship from Impetus Education for their medicine online summer school, the price was decreased by £1000 and is now £400. I initially applied hoping for a 100% scholarship, but I can use savings to pay for the partial scholarship if it’s worth it for my medical application. It’s a 4 week long course and there’s 3 oxbridge educated doctors teaching the course, here’s the whole overview: https://www.impetus.education/future-medical-leaders

Hi all! I applied to GEM in the past (~7 years ago), but didn't get into it because my UCAT score was too low on to secure an interview for graduate programmes. I only got an interview for an undergraduate programme at Norwich, but didn't get an offer - I couldn't have afforded if I got in anyway, but decided to attend the interview just for the experience as it was my first ever med school interview.

I applied for 3 years in a row, but I was unsuccessful every time - similar UCAT score (~2000-2100), no offers. Then I stopped applying because I felt so disappointed and sad that my mental health was not in a good place. Thought I needed a break from the constant thought of applying to medicine and redirected my focus on something else, just to explore other options and see if I liked something else. So I did a Master's in Interdisciplinary Biosciences which I really enjoyed. That's when I learned about AI/ML and the impact it can have on Biomedical research.

Straight after my master's, I got a job as a Data Analyst which I'm still doing at the moment. Pay is good, but progression seems very slow in my company and the work itself isn't that exciting. The job itself is quite isolating as I'm working from home most of the time and have no one around me to talk to. I wanted to switch to a different scientific area, so I started applying for PhD programmes: I had a few interviews, but didn't get an offer. I applied again last year, but no offer.

Now I am at a point in my life where I don't know what to do next after so many failures: didn't get into medical school, didn't get into PhD either.

Sometimes I still look back and think what would have been if I pursued medicine, if I tried applying again. I have two close friends who got into GEM and they encouraged me to try again every time I failed - and I still think about their words every now and then. One surgeon I shadowed at that time really sparked my interest about the field. He was very passionate about the profession, told me the reality and ups & downs of being a doctor and told me: "You will get in one day." - but I didn't get there.

Does anyone have any thoughts on GEM entry these days? I noticed the UCAT no longer has abstract reasoning anymore, but I guess the format is still the same. I secured a test for 17th August - is there enough time to practice until then?

Also, any advice on the best work experience placements would be greatly appreciated. I know HCA roles are good options, alongside shadowing doctors in hospitals/other healthcare settings.

TIA.

I’m going to be completely honest, it’s insane how hard the UCAT is . I’m scoring very low on sections like 500 after approx 4 weeks of practice. In all honesty should I just focus on GAMSAT for September as I just don’t feel like the UCAT is for me.

I am an international student who is planning on studying medicine in the UK. I would greatly appreciate if you could suggest some international student friendly universities or any university with medicine and why. This is just for a general idea of where to apply. Thank you very much for your suggestions in advance!

Note : I am not planning on applying to universities in London as I cannot afford them along with the extremely high accommodation costs.

title 💔💔

for context, I am an international and those are the only med school options I can afford as I had to reject the other pricey ones even tho they have a better reputation

these two unis have roughly the same tuition so I js need help choosing which ones is better

i would also like some valid facts before accusing anything based on bias and/or prejudice and pls refrain on hatre or slander thanks

Hi everyone. So I’m turning 30 soon and been working in healthcare non clinical side since I finished my History BA degree, I got a 2.1.

My plan was always to become a doctor. At gcse I got an A*, 5 A’s (maths, English lit, English language, chemistry) and 6 B’s (physics, biology, Spanish etc).

I did history, maths and biology for a level and suffered with really bad mental health issues, severe depression, I was predicted AAA but ultimately ended up with BCC overall and was so crushed. I originally had chemistry as an AS level too and it was my favourite subject but had to drop it as at the time I just needed to pull through and finish the a levels, I was capable of much more.

I ended up doing a history degree and got a 2.1 from a non-russel group university and for years I’ve worked alongside doctors and nurses and just dreaming of how my life could have been different had I got mental health help at the time.

Is it completely delusional of me to want to apply to med school. I was thinking of going to an open day and querying with the departments whether I can retake my a levels in maths, chemistry and biology as now I am healthy mentally however I don’t know whether I’d just be embarrassing myself by turning up and asking. Currently have six years healthcare non clinical experience, unsure if that helps at all. I have the finances to pay for the degree and a levels.

Please bring me back to earth if completely unreasonable. Thank you! UK based

TW // self harm mentioned

The fitness to train form asked about whether you currently have, or ever had any eating / self harm disorders

>!I unfortunately have visible scars on my arms from that more than five years ago, but I’m hesitant to declare it as it’s been many years since I’ve last done anything of that sort, and also I’m worried that my offer would be taken away as they might think I’m not fit to train even though it’s been so many years and that was due to brief teenage hormones 💔!<

What are the consequences of me not declaring that, or do I absolutely have to say yes and explain, and will the medical school see my responses?

Hi folks,

As the title says.

I'm looking to go to medical school (GP training goal), and a lot of unis will accept the above degree, but I'm unclear whether the lack of accreditation by IBMS would impact their acceptance, or if it only affects me if I wanted to work as an NHS Biomedical Scientist (which I don't)?

Anyone have any insights?

Any news on if it might become accredited now the first people are due to graduate?

Many thanks

I’m currently a year 12 student who wants to study medicine but my predicted grades are low.
Biology: A
Chemistry: D
Politics: A*

I got an E in my chemistry end of year exam. I was wondering for advice on how to revise and how to convince my teachers to give me another chance in September assuming I improve.

I also don’t mind applying to foundation years but I want to go apply to standard entry medicine at Glasgow because it’s my dream university.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

They're taking international students only for 2026 September entry and don't require the UCAT. I'm from North America and applying late.

I got my BSc degree this year and was taking a gap year to write MCAT and UCAT but found out that some British schools are still accepting applications for September entry, which is a bit surprising since it's so close to the beginning of the semester – not very common for other countries I've looked at

I know that Bolton is brand new or just 1-year old and not GMC accredited. But, just wondering what would be advisable from here.

Should I continue my gap year and try for 2027? Or do I try to get my hand at Bolton/clearance positions and run with it?

I went to a world T25 university for undergrad and got a 3.5/4 cGPA (2:1 UK equivalent), and my high school average is a 96% (no GCSE, no A levels, no AP, no IB – none of these are offered in my area and not common in my country, Canada. So, just regular Canadian high school). But I have tons of research experience, work experience, and a handful of awards

I'm very new to this system, so any advice would be appreciated. Thank you!

I am starting medical school in September, and still wanting to learn.
Was wondering if there are any recommendations on textbooks or information to read before starting?

Ignoring stats, I’m trying to find the best medical school which I should be aiming for.

I have eliminated:
courses which enforce intercalation
medical schools outside of England

Am I correct in thinking the main thing which separates medical schools is:

location (bigger city could lead to more opportunities/conferences/networking and that London is best?)

research output (i should eliminate non-Russell group unis to maximise my exposure to research to build those skills to be competitive for speciality training)

teaching quality (me personally i like variety rather than just lectures) and student satisfaction

and other factors such as reputation dont matter if I stay in the NHS and want to stick to clinical work.

Am I being logical in prioritising these three factors? Is there something I’m missing? And which factor is most important/least important?

I personally don’t care about cost, the social aspect that much and don’t mind living in a city or some village.

Is there any unis that come to mind based on this criteria?

Thanks,

Hi, I’m starting Medicine (A100) at Newcastle this year and I’m a bit confused.
My UCAS says the course starts on 7 September, but the university emailed us on Monday saying the course starts on 21 September.
I’ve already extended my Unite Students tenancy to start on 5 September because of the UCAS date, but if I don’t actually need to be there until later, I can still cancel it within the 7-day cooling-off period.
I’ve emailed the university but haven’t had a reply yet.

Can anyone tell me:
Which date do Medicine students actually need to be there?
Is 7 September just an admin date?
When is Freshers’ Week?

Thanks!

The official ucas predicted for my school haven't been released yet but my teacher told me it will most likely be a B for chem(since I've been getting a mixture of Cs and Bs through the year), I also take biology which I may get predicted A-A* and art which I may get predicted A-A*. I don't think I can be a contextual applicant as I only fit into one criteria as I am a young carer but I go to a selective grammar school, both my parents have gone to university, I am not elligable for free school meals etc. Am I doomed if I want to apply for medecine or dentistry this year? I really don't want to take a gap year, and I genuinely don't really know how I ended up in this situation for chemistry considering I've done SO much revision for it and I ignored my other subjects for it as well but still I got a C and a B in my most recent mocks.

Edit:idk if this is useful but my gcses are 999999888, I'd hope that could help me somehow but I know it's kind of unlikely due to my chem 😔

Hey everyone,
I’m currently a Grade 10 student in Ontario, Canada (graduating high school in 2028). My ultimate goal is to study Medicine at Oxford, specialize in neuroscience/neurosurgery, and eventually practice in the UK.
Because the UK medical system accepts students straight out of high school, I want to make sure I am tracking the exact admissions requirements early.

A few specific questions I have:

1. For Ontario students, how does Oxford view the OSSD (Ontario Secondary School Diploma)? Should I aggressively pursue AP courses or try to switch to an IB program to be competitive, or are top-tier OSSD marks + Grade 12 4U/M courses sufficient?

2. When should I begin preparing for the UCAT (or whichever clinical aptitude test Oxford requires by the time I apply), and are there specific resources that bridge the gap for international students?

3. What kind of super-curricular activities (besides standard hospital volunteering) stand out to Oxford tutors for neuroscience/medicine?

4. For anyone who made the jump from Canada to UK Medicine, what do you wish you knew about the international fees, interview style, or the UK foundation training pathways?

Thanks in advance for any insights!

I want to apply next year and currently have a*aa predicted but I just talked to a woman who specialises in admissions and she told me she doesn't have high hopes as I need a*a*a. The entry requirement is aaa so this has confused me! additionally she said I needed at least 5 different work experiences (I have GP, first aid cadet, A+E, and a virtual surgeon one completed as well as some volunteering in a care home). She thinks I need to do more volunteering?? Is she being dramatic or is this really the case?

Was planning to apply to GEM this year but the posts from the doctors subreddit are really making me get cold feet.

Would really appreciate some honest thoughts from people who switched to medicine from another career. I’m not sure how much of the negativity is just a case of “grass is greener”, from people who’ve never had corporate jobs.

Lots of posts about pay seem to go along the lines of “doctors are smart and driven, they would be earning so much more in other fields”. But I’m here thinking that these other jobs also require long (often unpaid) working hours, stress and pressure to hit targets, corporate politics, job insecurity, toxic bosses and management, being treated as a PowerPoint and spreadsheet monkey at junior levels.

Sure maybe if you really value “perks” like catered meals or a company car or whatever, but they don’t really offset the feeling of existential dread that slowly sets in when you realise your work is utterly meaningless.

Fully aware I’m comparing my own work experiences to an idealised version of medicine, that’s why I’m interested in hearing from people already inside the system.

Excited to read responses!

Hi everyone. I’m a Biotechnology graduate currently weighing up medicine or midwifery or maybe even staying in biotech. I’ve seen a lot of conflicting opinions on the reality of medicine and would really appreciate some honest advice.

I would like children in the future and to be as present in their lives as possible, are there any specialties that offer good work-life balance and is it possible to truly balance motherhood with medicine?

If you could go back to the start and choose a path like midwifery instead would you? Why or why not?
If you would have done something else, what would you have done?

Would you genuinely recommend medicine as a career?