starrpower

Hi! I'm really interested in Cambridge University but I know that it is very hard to get accepted into their undergrad medicine program...especially as an American.
I would like to know what I can do to gain qualifications for admission. Do you know of anyone who has recently been admitted for medicine from the US?

RishiPittacus

What grade are you currently in high school/college?
Did you take the BMAT?

starrpower

Im in 11th grade. Im taking the following APs : chemistry, physics,calculus AB, english, and US history. Ive heard that AP Chem is a must to apply. I just want to be sure that I'm on the right track so that next year I will have a competetive application. Any advice would be greatly appreciated

brunhein

You will not get into Cambridge for medicine out of highschool as an American, Period

bv123

Prestigious UK universities think APs are a step down from A-level and IB especially in the sciences.
So unless you're doing either A-level or IB (more likely in the states),
your chance of getting into a science based program at a prestigious UK university is close to zero.

At least this is what the LSE and Imperial reps who came to my school last year told me.

Laylah

Unfortunately, Brunhein and bv123 are probably right. UK universities don't view science APs as having enough depth to allow students to go straight into science degrees.

Also, UK universities are very strictly controlled as to the number of international students permitted to take medical degrees. This is because the government allocates universities a certain number of places depending on how many doctors they think will be needed in 5+ years time. When I was at Oxford, there were about 150 new medical students every year. Only 7 (seven) new international students were allowed to attend.

Spriteling

Agreed. I've talked to admissions tutors from different universities, and most of them will not accept APs for entrance to undergrad medicine.

starrpower

Oh wow that stinks : / oh well thanks for the info everyone : )

mhmm

Are people confusing undergrad medicine (what in the States would be called pre-med) with a UK Medical Program (that allows graduates practice medicine)? Plenty of US students are studying Biology, Chemistry, Physics in Cambridge/Oxford?St/.Andrews. They then can apply to Medical Schools in the US. For the Medical Program, which graduates doctors in the EU, but is not acceptable to practice medicine in the US -- the info is correct, US students are not accepted into that.

Mr Bobo

I'm an American, and I did get an offer to study medicine at Cambridge. It's not impossible, just quite difficult. They do value IBs higher than APs, but you can get in with just APs. I took 8 APs (bio, chem, physics B, environmental science, U.S. gov, European and U.S. history, and macroeconomics), and 2 IBs (ToK sl, bio hl). If you manage to get fives on all of your APs you've got a shot.

(You do mean the 6 year medical program, don't you?)