How to go to medical school if you don’t get A levels
Short answer = Graduate Entry Medical School
This is a course for degree-holders who want to pursue a career in Medicine. You should consider this option if you
- Did not quite get the A level grades
- Did not receive any Medicine offers this year and are now planning to study a different degree first
- You have been working in another field and would like to change careers
- Are an international student.
If that is you, it is best way of getting to Med School and fulfilling your dream.
So. How to go to Medical School if you don’t get A level grades or I am changing career
What is graduate entry medicine?
Graduate entry medicine is a pathway for graduates and degree-holders who want to study Medicine. The programme is accelerated, so it usually takes 4 years to complete, instead of the 5 or 6 years that Undergraduate Medicine courses take.
Graduate entry medicine began over 20 years ago, with the first courses offered by St George’s in London and the joint Leicester–Warwick Medical School. It’s now a popular route into Medicine, and around half of the UK’s Med Schools offer a GEM course.
How competitive are graduate entry medicine courses?
Applying for Graduate Entry Medicine is competitive. If you are considering this pathway to Medicine, bear in mind that there is a lot of competition for a relatively small number of places.
For example, Barts say on their website that they typically receive over 1,500 applications for their GEM course, and there are only around 39 places available. Some universities, such as Swansea and Warwick, have more places available than others – so make sure you do your research before you make your application choices.
Which UK Medical Schools offer graduate entry medicine courses?
There are currently 16 Medical Schools in the UK offering graduate entry medicine courses.
This table outlines which universities offer graduate entry courses, how many places they have available each year, and which admissions test they require.
University (and number of places a year, other entry requirements, and whether they accept non-science degrees)
- Barts (QMUL) – 39 UCAT – Yes
- Birmingham – UCAT
- Cambridge – 39 BMAT – Yes
- Cardiff – Feeder Stream course/UCAT
- Chester (new course) – currently open to international applicants only/UCAT – Yes
- Dundee/St Andrews – 55-70 GAMSAT – Yes
- King’s College London 28 UCAT
- Newcastle 25 UCAT – Yes
- Nottingham 93 GAMSAT – Yes
- Oxford 30 BMAT
- Sheffield 15 – from ‘widening participation’ backgrounds/UCAT
- Southampton – 48 UCAT – Yes
- St George’s -70 GAMSAT – Yes
- Swansea 142 GAMSAT/GAMSAT or MCAT for international – Yes
- Warwick 193 UCAT – Yes.
- Worcester (Three Counties Medical School) new course – currently open to international applicants only/UCAT or GAMSAT – Yes
What are the entry requirements for graduate entry medicine?
The entry requirements for graduate entry medicine vary depending on which course you’re applying to, so you need to check with each Medical School first. In general, you need:
- At least a 2:1 degree
- GAMSAT, UCAT or BMAT admissions test
- Relevant work experience
- Strong references
- A compelling Personal Statement.
Do I need a science degree?
No. 11 of the 16 above accept applicants with non-science degrees. Please note that many of the courses which accept non-science degrees do specify requirements for at least one science A-Level, so make sure you check their websites for specific entry criteria.
The Warwick Medical School is quite ‘liberal’ and accepts many examples of focussed education, e.g a music degree.
Another option: Medical School Apprenticeships
What are medical doctor degree apprenticeships (MDDAs)? MDDAs will provide an alternative pathway to medicine, outside the standard undergraduate or graduate university programmes. Apprentices will be employed by healthcare provider organisations1 and will be able to earn a salary alongside their studies.
Originally proposed in February 2021, the first MDDAs are set to start in September 2023 with an initial group of employers.
More information here.
Summary
We have described how to go to medical school if you don’t get A levels, i.e. graduate entry medicine. Degree apprenticeships are the new kids on the block. Have a think about them too. If this is you, don’t give up, if you really, really want to be a doctor. You can do it.
Other resources
