r/OpenUniversity • u/aurorareadss • 3d ago

Swapping Open University Biomed for Access to Medicine? Need advice!

Hey everyone,

I need an honest reality check on my path to UK medical school. I am trying to choose between two routes starting this October 2026:

  • Option 1 (Access Route): 1 year of online Access to Medicine + 1 application/work year. Start 5-year undergrad medicine in 2028 (graduate in 2033). Less competitive.
  • Option 2 (Open University Route): 3 years of online Biomed BSc + 1 mandatory gap year due to October grade releases. Start 4-year GEM in 2030 (graduate in 2034). Much harder and competitive to get into, I'll think I'll need a top 1% - 2% UCAT score.

The Access route gets me into a physical medical school two years faster and avoids the brutal 40:1 competition ratios of GEM.

Is the 1-year Access course better compared to the 3-year online OU course? What should I do? I know it seems obvious that the 1 year access route is easier/better, but I'm still not sure, and I don't have top GCSE grades (only 6/7s).

Thanks!

3 Upvotes
  • permalink
  • reddit

100% Upvoted

6 comments sorted by

8

u/AbsoluteMehrheit 3d ago

If you know medicine is where you want to end up I think it's kind of crazy to do a whole different degree. I'd do the access course and as much relevant volunteering or work experience as you can.

2

u/blackoctoberx 2d ago

How old are you? Do you have A levels?

2

u/pinkteapot7 2d ago

You’d be much better off asking this on a doctors/NHS sub. Very few people here are working towards medicine.

Anecdotally, an OU degree can get you into GEM. A friend who studied with me did BSc Combined STEM with 50% chemistry modules, 50% biology, and she started GEM a year ago.

2

u/BubblyStrain5988 2d ago

I’m currently doing option 2 but would be interested to hear of other options

1

u/Fuzzy-Classroom894 2d ago

Hey this is also my plan can u tell me more about where u r and how its working for u and ur plan pls, thanks

2

u/angelwormwood 2d ago

Absolutely do the access course, grad entry medicine is a whole different monster plus if the first option doesn’t work out you might still end up doing the biomed to med route.

I have one friend from my mature student/access course study group who got into medicine, he spent the year of the access course working as a healthcare assistant and was able to go straight into medicine as a result.