DownloadMedicine and dentistry are among the most competitive courses in the UK, and many strong applicants do not get an offer first time. A rejection after interview is painful, and it is fine to take a few days before thinking about what comes next. When you are ready, here is how to approach it.
Ask for feedback
Many schools will give interview feedback if you ask, sometimes including your scores by station or area. Check the school’s admissions pages for how to request it, and ask politely and promptly. Look for patterns: was it one station type, or communication across the board?
Decide what to do this year
- Accept another offer if you used your fifth UCAS choice on a related course, such as biomedical science. Some applicants later apply to graduate-entry medicine.
- Take a gap year and reapply. Many successful applicants are reapplicants.
- Look at related careers you may genuinely prefer. Exploring them is not giving up; it is part of choosing well.
A small number of places sometimes appear late in the cycle, but do not plan around it.
If you reapply
- Check each school’s policy on reapplicants. Some have specific rules, and some look for evidence of what you have done since.
- Retake the admissions test. UCAT results are only valid for the cycle in which you sit the test.
- Use the year well. Healthcare work such as a care or healthcare assistant job gives you rich, long-term experience to reflect on.
- Fix what the feedback showed, and practise out loud far more than you did the first time.
- Rewrite your personal statement, reflecting on what you have done and learnt since.
Talking about it at interview
Interviewers may ask about your previous application. That is an opportunity, not a trap. Be honest and brief, show what you learnt, and focus on what you have done since.
“I was not successful last year. Looking back, I had not practised enough out loud and I struggled to structure my answers under time pressure. This year I have worked as a healthcare assistant, which has given me far more experience to draw on, and I have practised regularly. It has made me more certain that medicine is right for me.”
Look after yourself
Rejection after months of work can hit hard, especially while friends are celebrating offers. Talk to someone you trust: a family member, a teacher, a school counsellor or a friend. The resilience you build now is something interviewers genuinely value, and something you will need as a doctor.
Frequently asked questions
Can you reapply to medicine after being rejected?
Yes. Many successful applicants are reapplicants. Check each school’s policy, retake the UCAT, and use the year to gain experience and practise.
Do medical schools give interview feedback?
Many do if you ask, sometimes with station scores. Check each school’s admissions pages for how to request it.
Will being a reapplicant count against me?
Generally not, as long as you show what you have learnt and done since. Some schools have specific reapplicant policies, so check them.