Studying medicine at university is extremely competitive. Demand always outweighs supply so if you didn’t get offered a place this year, you’re not on your own. No matter where you choose to study, the number of places available each year is capped by the government, meaning securing a place has become progressively more challenging.
If you haven’t managed to secure a place then don’t panic, at the University of Sunderland there are a number of options for you to choose from. You can choose to play the long game and study a bachelor’s degree and then re-apply through the graduate entry route, or you can choose an alternative career path. We have lots of science and health professional degrees available, all of which offer very rewarding careers in the health sciences.
Graduate entry
If you didn’t quite get the grades at A Level to study medicine, then you could try the graduate entry route. This is where you choose to study a bachelor’s degree for three years and then re-apply to study medicine once you graduate. You’ll need to achieve at least a 2:1 at undergraduate level to be considered for our medical course. Find out more about the graduate entry route and the full entry requirements.
Alternative careers
If you don’t want to study for an additional three years before applying through the graduate entry route then we have lots of health science degrees which may be of interest to you, some of which you may not have ever considered before.
If healthcare is where your passion lies, we have several degrees on offer including nursing, physiological sciences and biomedical science. If chemistry is your strong suit, we have degrees in pharmacy, biochemistry and medicinal chemistry. Psychology is also a great option if you’re interested in the human brain and neurology. Read on to find out more about these degrees and where they can take you in your career.
Nursing
A career in nursing is probably one of the most rewarding careers you can have. We offer four different nursing pathways so you can really narrow down your specialism. Choose from Adult Nursing, Children’s and Young People’s Nursing, or Mental Health Nursing.
Average salary: The average salary for a nurse is £34,000 a year, however, this can rise to £73,000 for senior nursing consultant roles.
Entry requirements: Typically, you will need 120 UCAS points from a minimum of two A Levels (ideally including a health or science subject) to study one of our nursing degrees.
Find out more about our nursing courses.
Midwifery
Midwifery is a rewarding, dynamic and highly-skilled profession. The role of the midwife is central in ensuring that women/persons have a safe and life-enhancing experience throughout pregnancy, labour and the first few weeks after birth. As a midwife, you'll also be responsible for making sure newborn infants and families have the best possible start in life.
Average salary: Newly qualified midwives can expect to earn around £25,655 a year rising to around £65,664 for consultant midwife roles.
Entry requirements: Typically you will need 128 UCAS points from a minimum of two A Levels or equivalent, which should include a Science-related subject (Biology, Chemistry or Physics).
Find out more about our Midwifery course.
Physiological Science
Healthcare science practitioners with a specialism in physiology are skilled professionals who help medical staff to assess patients’ health and manage disease and disability. Potential employers include the NHS, academic research institutions, clinical laboratories and pharmaceutical companies. At the University of Sunderland, you can opt to specialise in audiology or cardiac physiology (subject to availability of placements).
Average salary: Depending on your specialism, experience and level of responsibilities, you can expect to earn between £31,000 - £104,000 a year.
Entry requirements: Typically, you will need in the region of 104-120 UCAS points from a minimum of two A Levels (including Biology or Chemistry) to study physiological science at the University of Sunderland.
Find out more about Physiological Science.
Biomedical Science
Studying Biomedical Science will develop your knowledge of scientific investigation into human health and disease, through learning how the human body functions and what happens when disease affects it. At the University of Sunderland, we have four Biomedical degree titles to choose from: Biomedical Science, Applied Biomedical Science, Biomedical Science (sandwich) and Healthcare Sciences, some of which offer placements so you can get a real feel for what life is like in industry.
Average salary: Depending on your level of experience and responsibility you can expect to earn between £24,000 - £50,000 a year.
Entry requirements: Typically, you will need in the region of 104-120 UCAS point points from a minimum of two A Levels (including Biology or Chemistry) to study biomedical science.
Find out more about biomedical science.
Pharmaceutical Sciences
From pharmacy to medicinal chemistry, we have a range of pharmaceutical science degrees to choose from. The skills you will learn while studying a pharmaceutical degree will directly benefit people’s health. You will research how diseases develop and investigate how certain medicines can enhance wellbeing. Here at the University of Sunderland, we have over 100 years’ experience of teaching pharmacy and have a reputation for excellence.
Average salary: A hospital pharmacist can expect to earn between £31,000 - £104,000 a year.
Entry requirements: Typically, you will need in the region of 96-112 UCAS points from a minimum of two A Levels (including Chemistry and one other science subject at grade B or above).
Find out more about our range of pharmaceutical degrees.
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the human mind and brain, as well as a wide range of phenomena such as behaviour, motivations, memory and other cognitive processes. At Sunderland we have a range of psychology degrees including Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Forensic Psychology and Psychology with Counselling. Psychology can lead to a range of careers including a psychotherapist, psychologist, teacher and mental health practitioner.
Average salary: As a psychologist you can expect to earn between £30,000 to £86,000 a year depending on your level of experience and responsibilities.
Entry requirements: Typically, you will need in the region of 104-120 UCAS points from a minimum of two A Levels or equivalent.
Find out more about our range of psychology degrees.
Allied Health Professions and Public Health
We have a range of health professional courses available at the University of Sunderland, you can choose to study, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy or Paramedic Science and Out of Hospital Care. Our health professional courses are ranked 25th in the UK (The Guardian University league tables, 2021).
Average salary: As an occupational therapist you can expect to earn around £25,000 to £62,000 depending on your level of experience and responsibilities.
Entry requirements: Typically, you will need 112 to 136 UCAS points depending on which course you choose to study.
Find out more about our allied health professions degrees.
Open Day
If you would like to learn more about any one of our courses, including the ones not mentioned above, then why not come along to one of our open days? It’s a great opportunity to hear more detailed course information from lecturers and ask them any questions you may have about the course or the application process. Book your place.
Published: 3 August 2023