Medicine

Short answer Alina - yes! There are so many applicants for a very limited number of spaces that the first thing they use to short list is grades. It is the harsh truth of that career. I want to mention though that I have seen some students who have perfect grades on paper who still didn't get accepted for a medicine degree because they also use other factors in short listing such as intense interviewing.

Good grades are a good start, but medicine is hard and takes many years of your life. If you can get any experience in the medical world then it will look good. A lot of the course is self motivated and yes they put you through a lot in the interviews, same for vets.

Medical schools all ask for at least 3 As at A level, and high grades at GCSE will also be required or preferred. However, the majority of applicants will all have the top grades so other factors such as work experience and volunteering will help universities decide if they want to interview you. The interview will be the deciding factor in whether you are accepted and offered a place or not.

Are Bs and Cs enough at GCSE to become a pharmacist?Thankyou

Good grades are a must! Most medical schools look for AAA at A-level and AAAAB/AAAAA at Higher. That's just the beginning I'm afraid - you need to demonstrate that you have a thorough understanding of what it means to be a doctor and this is normally gained through work experience. Hospital and GP shadowing experience is great if you can get it however working in care homes, with kids etc are good too. The best applicants manage to get a small range of different experiences that show why they want to be a doctor, and also why not another health professional (e.g. physiotherapist). The most important thing is to be able to say what you have gained from your experiences - not just give a list of impressive places you've been (for example: talking to dementia patients is my local care home taught me the importance of bedside manner and patience and how important properly communicating with people is...). It's also important to have outside interests and be able to show how they show various general skills that are important for a doctor to possess (example: captaining my rugby team shows leadership and teamwork). Good luck with your studies - feel free to ask me anymore questions you may have (or have a private sessions on how to get into medical school).Duncan R.

Although medical schools do ask for AAA/A*s in A level (and usually As and Bs at GCSE), don't be disheartened if you are not predicted these grades! I personally got A,B,C at A Level and ended up doing a BSc in Medical sciences before applying to Graduate Entry Medicine (and getting in first time!). Having done it this way, I actually think it's a great way to get into medicine! I have so much more knowledge, maturity and experience in learning and studying and am now doing much better than I ever would have done at 18.In addition to your grades, your extra curricular activities are incredibly important. You need to show that you have caring experience, that you care about your community and that you are learning from all your experiences. Working in a hospital or care home is perfect for this, but anything that involves working with people will teach you about teamwork, integrity, and communication :)Good luck and feel free to get in touch!

You should definitely aim to get A grades. It will improve your chances of winning a place at Med School, although it has to be said, high grades alone are not enough. See comments below from other contributors.

To get into any medical school they would prefer that the student get A's and A+'s but I think that as long as you show an aptitude and a good attitude to studying a lot of science and math a student should be allowed to study medicine.