What A-levels do I need to become a doctor? If you are aiming to become a doctor, studying medicine at university is essential. The entry requirements for studying medicine are stringent, and therefore you should take the time to think carefully about the A-Levels you choose to study if you want to achieve this goal.
Your A-Level subjects and grades will ultimately determine whether you have been accepted
to study medicine at your chosen university. Medicine is an extremely competitive field and
whilst the entry requirements may vary for each university, you will be expected to achieve
high grades in your A-Levels (AAA or AAB) to receive conditional offers. It is also a
requirement that you achieve a high grade in Chemistry at A-Level, with most universities
also expecting you to study Biology.
So, what A-Levels are essential for studying medicine?
The essential A-levels would be Chemistry and Biology. In addition to these two subjects,
the next best options would be to either study maths, further maths and/or physics.
Universities may vary on what subjects they prefer within an application, so make sure to
look at your preferred university requirements to check.
Regardless of the varying specific requirements, one thing is clear; if you want to study
medicine you will likely need to have high grades in Chemistry and Biology as well as either
Physics or Maths. If you wish to keep your options open for now it would be helpful to look to
study all four subjects at A Level.
As well as good grades in the above subjects, a compelling personal statement is essential,
as well as exceptional scores in the UCAT (University Clinical Aptitude Test) and BMAT
(BioMedical Admissions Test).
With medicine being such a competitive course, you will also need to think early about how
you can make yourself stand out from the crowd. Extracurricular activities are a great way to
do this. Academics will be the first thing that admissions officers look for, but this is just the
first layer for examination. The majority of applicants will meet the baseline requirements
(grades), so having a broad spectrum of extracurricular activities will really enhance your
application.
Here are some ideas:
- Try and get some clinical experience by shadowing a doctor/ volunteering in a
hospital. - Volunteering at MENCAP or other charities working with disadvantaged individuals.
- Enter a science fair or competition.
- Write informative essays that show a critical understanding of topical content within
medical community.
Take leadership in a role in an extracurricular activity either inside or outside of
school.
All of these activities show that you have a genuine interest in medicine and also a drive and
initiative that will help you succeed! Not only that, but it will also give you an insight into what
life might be like if you were to continue down this career path.
Finally, make sure you do your research and look into the requirements for the universities
you are interested in as well as what is expected of you for the entrance exams.
If you want more information, speak to one of our experts.