Applying to Medicine : How to choose a fifth UCAS choice
How many medical courses can I apply for on my UCAS application?
You may select up to four medicine courses on your UCAS application. It is highly recommended to choose all four for medicine. Theoretically, you could pick one of the four options in dentistry, but your UCAS personal statement (and possibly your reference) might not align.
What is the UCAS fifth choice?
Your fifth choice must be a non-medical course. This will not affect your medicine applications.
Many students use this as a fallback in case they do not receive an offer for medicine. The fifth choice can be at any university, not just the ones selected for medicine. Popular options include degrees in biomedical sciences, biochemistry, pharmacy, psychology, or allied health professions. These can act as potential stepping stones to graduate medicine 🪜
However, choose something you genuinely want to study. Most medical schools won’t permit transfers into medicine from other courses.
Only pursue your fifth choice if you're dedicated to completing that degree. Universities tend to disapprove of students who withdraw from courses without valid reasons.
Should I leave the fifth choice blank on my medical school application?
You may have seen advice to leave the fifth choice blank. The usual reason for this is that if you are genuinely committed to medicine, you should not need a fifth choice. We would strongly advise against this ❎
Admissions staff at one school won’t be aware of your applications to other medical schools or universities unless you have applied to a course within the same university as your medical school choice.
In the past, all your UCAS choices, including your fifth choice, were visible to everyone, and you could be asked why you selected your fifth choice or why you applied to another medical school. This should no longer occur.
You won't need to accept any offers made by your choices at the initial stage of your UCAS application. The worst outcome is that your fifth choice is rejected, so why leave it blank? 🧐
You can add a fifth choice after submitting your UCAS form, right up until the January deadline ⏳
Can I pick a fifth choice in a subject with lower entry requirements than medicine?
Absolutely, but bear in mind that some university courses will require specific entry criteria, such as A-level and possibly GCSE results, which may be equal to or higher than those for medicine. The safety net of choosing these options will be limited if you do not meet the required A-level grades.
Which subject should I choose as my fifth choice?
Most medical school applicants will choose an allied subject to medicine as a fifth choice. Most medical schools won’t allow you to transfer into medicine from another course. Only pursue your fifth choice if you're committed to completing that degree ⚠️.
Some graduate entry medicine programmes at medical schools may only accept candidates with a ‘medically related’ undergraduate degree – you may also find that these are four years instead of the usual five in duration (usually with the UCAS code A101 or A102).
Other graduate entry medicine programmes may require a degree in an allied medical subject, such as nursing or paramedic science.
Some medical schools do not accept degrees in allied medicine and instead prefer bioscience subjects, such as pharmacology, biomedical sciences, and pharmacy.
Some medical schools also accept any undergraduate degree, provided you meet minimum academic standards. These medical schools may place more emphasis on work experience. If you have the ‘wrong’ undergraduate degree, you might need to apply for the standard 5-year programme (UCAS code usually A100) ⚠️.
Which university should I pick as my fifth choice?
Choose a university for your fifth choice that also offers a medicine program. Remember, Graduate Entry Medicine is very competitive, but some medical schools may reserve places for, or prefer, students already enrolled in other degree programmes with them. This might be an unwritten rule not outlined in any medical school literature.
Will my fifth choice affect my medicine application?
As mentioned, universities cannot see your fifth choice or the other medical schools you are applying to. The exception might be if you applied for medicine and your fifth choice was at the same university. Even in that case, they are unlikely to see a fifth choice on your UCAS application as questioning your commitment to medicine.
There are articles about the fifth option by the Medical School Council, which recognises that it is something that medical schools are aware of and should not prejudice your application in any way.
Should I choose an unrelated course to medicine as my fifth choice?
You might be passionate about art, music, or Japanese, but understand that the fifth option is ultimately a stepping stone towards entering medicine.
I would question the wisdom of an unrelated fifth choice, as it would likely complicate the goal of entering medical school, though not make it impossible.
What should I put in my UCAS personal statement about my fifth choice?
You should tailor your UCAS personal statement specifically for medicine.
Check with the university offering your fifth choice to see if they require a separate UCAS personal statement. If so, it will be submitted directly to them. Not all universities will offer or accept a separate UCAS personal statement for a fifth choice.
Can the fifth choice be used if I have no offers for medicine?
You could find yourself in an unfortunate situation where you receive four rejections from your medical school choices or perhaps only have one offer. This is where your fifth option could become crucial. Without it, you will automatically enter UCAS clearing.
If a student has high actual GCSE grades, accurate predicted A-level grades, and good entrance exam scores (such as UCAT), they might strategically decide to take a chance with clearing rather than commit to the fifth choice. The number of medical school places available through clearing has been increasing recently 📊
Can I change my mind once I accept an offer from my fifth choice?
Remember, if you designate your fifth choice as a firm or insurance offer on your UCAS form, you must commit to it. This creates a contract with your chosen university; therefore, you should treat it accordingly. The university may allow you to cancel by ringing them, but don’t delay, as you could start incurring student fees if you leave it too late.
If you cancel your firm place, your insurance place is usually also cancelled, and you will enter clearing. If, for some reason, you want to cancel your firm place but keep your insurance place, you should contact the insurance choice university to see if they will still accept you if you decline your firm place.
When will I receive offers for my fifth choice?
You may find that universities respond faster to offers for your fifth choice than for your medicine options. You might not need to attend any interviews or take additional entrance exams for your fifth choice.
What about the financial aspects I must consider when choosing a fifth choice?
As with any degree or course, I always say it should be commercially viable. That means completing your fifth-choice degree should significantly boost your job prospects, salary, or access to other opportunities in life 🏃🏾.
You need to consider that you will be paying hefty tuition fees to study for your fifth choice, perhaps for many years, along with all the associated accommodation and living expenses. This might be for a degree you didn’t initially want, and possibly in a subject you don’t enjoy. The costs could be more than £45000 in England in student debt for a three-year degree.
Can the university offer me advice on the best options for me?
Before finalising your fifth choice, you should contact the university for advice on your options for a future medicine application.
Remember, they will only provide guidance on their programmes and little, if any, strategic advice to enhance your chances of obtaining a medical degree.
Are there any courses I should be aware of when selecting a fifth option?
Be cautious of one-year ‘foundation’ or ‘gateway’ courses to medicine, as these may have their own UCAS code. They might only be recognised by the medical school of the same university where you complete them, and transferring credits between medical schools may not be possible.
Some courses may be limited to students from specific localities or widening participation backgrounds.
Find out how many students from such one-year courses are in the medicine degree programme. You will still need to pass these courses or diplomas and compete for a place in medicine. We are aware of several students who have completed such foundation courses but have yet to progress to a medical degree ⚠️.
Some medical schools may offer a guaranteed interview in medicine for students who have studied in one of their other undergraduate programmes. However, a guaranteed interview does not guarantee a place ⚠️. Check if there are any additional requirements, such as the UCAT or GAMSAT exams.
Conclusion to all this
Remember, you must never give up on your pursuit of studying medicine until you have exhausted all viable options. Don’t start exploring your fifth choice out of pessimism.
There are still options, such as taking a gap year, retaking exams, and studying medicine abroad, as alternatives to starting a fifth-choice degree.
