Getting into Medical School is not a quick and easy process and students approach it in many different ways. For the lucky few, an impeccable background of academic success leads faultlessly to acceptance at Medical School. For many, life just isn’t that straightforward and they have to change course and find a new direction.
Rochester Independent College has been helping prepare students for medical school entry since 1984. Many of our early students are now successful practitioners who won their places after retaking their A levels. Students aiming for UK medical schools and considering retaking their A levels today though need to be aware that successfully following this route is now very hard and that even when grades are achieved places are not guaranteed. Retaking A levels is tough, it's challenging, and it's easy to lose your way particularly when applying for the most competitive courses.
I came to Rochester with CDD grades, but I still had a desire to do medicine. My tutor helped me through the entire application process. I’ve learnt the value of hard work and dedication.
With that made clear, we are though happy to report that RIC students who need to retake demonstrate every year that it can be achieved. But it's not just about finding your way; it's about forging your path and making it your own. What gives Rochester’s A level retake students the competitive edge is that they often add new subjects as one year intensive courses alongside resits. In 2023 Mahinden from Maidstone Grammar retook two subjects and added Sociology, gaining AAA. He says: “My RIC journey has been amazing, my dream of studying Medicine at Sheffield is now a reality.” Also retaking for Medicine this year was Fatima from King’s Canterbury who added one year A level English to her Science resits resulting in another A. One of Fatima’s set poets was Keats who trained in Medicine at Guy’s Hospital at the age of 14 and whose statue sits on the campus. Fatima will study at Newcastle University.
Yes you can, although it’s a tough route.
Click below for the most up to date information about university medical schools admissions policies for students retaking A levels from our Dukes Education partner at The Medic Portal: https://www.themedicportal.com...
Not every medical school will consider resit students and you need to audit carefully which ones do each year as it does change. there are still a wide range of universities who do. Some Medical Schools simply won’t accept applications from students who resit their A-Levels unless there are serious mitigating circumstances or you have a recognised disability under the equality act. To give you examples Bristol, Sheffield, Southampton and Exeter currently all consider retakes, others will do but only if you achieve certain grades first time around, so for example Manchester and Hull York welcome applications as long as you have BBB already, Leicester if you have ABB.
Some universities will consider your application but raise the bar for retakers- Newcastle and Liverpool for example asking for A*s rather than As in subjects resat whereas at Keele you have to secure your retake grades first and then reapply- you can’t apply on the basis of predicted grades in your retake year. In all these cases you have to watch the GCSE requirements as you would do first time around and if anything UCAT performance is even more crucial when applying second time around.
Ralph was at Oundle School reapplied to medicine this year through RIC and has a place at Aberdeen. Ralph actually got more offers as an A level retake student than when he was applying first time around with offers from Aberdeen and Anglia Ruskin.
Ian Pay who runs the medical programme at RIC says: "Students attending medical prep sessions are advised about all aspects of the application process such as the need for work experience, voluntary work, reading, hobbies, the aptitude tests and university choices. They also cover relevant topics such as medical ethics and good medical practice or its equivalent. All RIC students have access to support from our Dukes Education partners The Medic Portal.”
But it's not just about finding your way; it's about forging your path and making it your own. At RIC we now see more prospective medics who transfer into our Year 13 after disappointing year 12 performance elsewhere who need to maximise their chances of securing the required entry grades of AAA within the crucial standard two years of sixth form. Obviously students with uneven performance in internal exams need to concentrate on securing their grades in their year 13 and are sometimes not in a position to apply to medical school. Students in this position are sometimes encouraged to make a post results application.
I joined RIC in 2019 to resit my A levels. I remember the stress of not getting into university and trying to plan what to do next, and all I can say is that I am so relieved I made the decision I did. The teachers here are so different to any others from my previous schools, they are inspiring. It’s a whole different experience being taught by people who are so passionate about their subjects. I came to RIC with BCD grades in Maths Biology and Chemistry, and left after only one year with A* A* A respectively. I am so grateful for the welcoming and safe environment the school provided me with, and I can say with completely confidence that it was solely due to the teachers and staff at RIC that I was able to do as well as I did, and I thank them for helping me to reach my full potential. I knew from reading the website myself before I joined that resit students at RIC often come out with a huge improvement but it seemed unbelievable that I could achieve the same. I can tell you honestly that this school has changed my life, not only academically, and I am only sorry to be leaving so soon.
Congratulations to two of RIC’s newest flying doctors! Abi Wong and George Hales retook their A levels together at RIC and won matching places at Exeter University.
We bumped into George last at the Kent County Show and were thrilled to hear that he and Abi have now graduated and are preparing to start practicing as fully fledged doctors!
