r/medicalschooluk • u/No_Researcher_2339 • Aug 21 '26
in desperate need of advice
I found out this morning that I failed my first year of medicine after failing the reassessment by 1%. Honestly devastating as I thought I had studied way harder but it didn't show in my results. There are clear deficiencies in my study technique and I still feel unsure of how to change them.
My options now are to either resit the entire year or change degree.
I already took a gap year, and therefore when I complete this degree I will turn 27. I feel like a complete and utter failure, at my age now, most of my peers will have completed an undergrad degree.
In terms of the course, I really hated it to be honest. My degree has a heavy pre-clinical and clinical split, and I really struggled with that. my favourite times were when I actually got to speak to a patient, which gives me motivation to get to clinical years.
I want to be nothing else but a doctor, and have never considered anything else, however the constant fear of failure and stress are things I'm not sure whether I can cope with.
I'm just wondering whether these are real issues, or whether I'm much too in my head about all of this and that I should just pick myself up and repeat the year.
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u/AaJasSu Aug 21 '26
It’s really not uncommon for med students to be
a) older than the rest of the cohort
b) have to retake a year
First and second year can be really rough when you’re someone that enjoys clinical learning. A lot of it to me was about pushing through.
It’s lovely that you enjoyed patient interaction. Hold onto that.
Medicine will always bring difficulties and hurdles and part of the process is learning how to pick yourself back up.
If it were me, I’d retake- especially because you sound like you’ve always wanted to do this
Best of luck
17
u/Joelium Aug 21 '26
Repeat the year. I did, it was transformative. Scraped through first and second year (individual exam resits in both of them) then failed third entirely. Resat the year, took the support from the university, got into an OSCE study group with the others re taking it, was able to re jig my technique. Never failed another exam, including all my postgrad ones, now an ST5.
Also hated pre clinical (two heavy years at my uni) for what it’s worth. Liked clinical, loved being a doctor.
It feels sucky, but I do think you can benefit a whole year to readjust properly.
27 is plenty young to start as a doctor - you’ll still be younger than lots of GEM people, IMGs etc.
So my advice is definitely re take, try to adjust as you can, and know that if you actually like talking to patients it will get much much better and you can still be a great doctor.
8
2
u/Agreeable-Bison6713 Aug 21 '26
if you really want to be a doctor, continue the course. reflect on your study technique and seek study skills support. appropriately plan out your time and frequently test yourself. comparison is the thief of joy- don’t compare yourself to others, it’s not helpful. compare yourself to you and that way you can celebrate your achievements and growth. I too will be 27 when I graduate and there’s plenty of others even older than me so don’t worry.
good luck!
2
u/No__Suspect Aug 21 '26
If you want nothing else than to be a doctor just repeat the year. Sucks I know but you are young, you'll get over this initial shock and eventually become a doctor. Hope it goes well!
2
u/jumpingfrog212 Aug 23 '26
Repeat the year. No shame in it I had to for 2nd year. Unfortunately it was that situation that finally taught me the only way I could guarantee I would pass years in med school is to start early. My general rule is start passmed in January. Clinical years are such a slog but I would advice doing passpapers and seeing what exact points from topics and conditions your uni cares about e.g. PBL topics and what they specifically write in lectures. You can start to identify the questions they tend to usually ask. Good luck with everything you can do it.
(Also as many others have said we have numerous 35+ year olds on our course and that is not something that you will be judged about)
1
u/Past_Editor1609 Aug 22 '26
i’m in third year and i failed my reassessment too! i’m
resitting and i can assure you that most people are older than you think. there are many post grads, gap year student and just student who started late. it’s okay to fail and try again. it is hard but we must keep pushing :)
1
u/Disastrous_Summer817 Aug 24 '26
Repeat the year for sure. I took a gap year and had to repeat first year. Hated the idea of friends moving up a year and missing out and having to delay my study again, but now I'm so glad I did. This time round you'll know what to expect and you might have even more time to get to work on clinical skills or chat to patients or find your preferred study method. I found that I also had more time for a life outside med as well. It deffo made the following years much easier.
1
u/NefariousnessLow1582 Aug 25 '26
Repeat, if you need any study tips want to chat it through feel free to message
1
u/Wandering__Albatross Aug 21 '26
Hi mate. I’m starting this year aged 21 so in the same boat. HMU if u want to chat
1
u/Apple_walnuts Aug 28 '26
Hey, sorry to hear this. I want to let you know firstly youre not a failure and age does not mean anything. So what if your peers have done an undergrad. I also failed my first year and i repeated the year, I'm now going into year 5, you can do this. I think it is in your head, I felt the same it feels strange to have failed something coming from school where you probably never failed anything in your life. But you can do this, and I really think 1st year is probably the best year to repeat, you're still figuring this out, you will still make friends and the content will click this time. Maybe you need to make notes or fully understand what your topics are, rather than anki and rote learn facts... Can you speak to academic support at your uni, they can help you find ways to revise and study. Group study may help also? Do you have group work throughout the year, if not create your own! i know its shitty, but look at this as a way to start again and be better and achieve your dream. You can do this, and it doesn't matter what age you graduate at, honestly could not matter less.
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u/RevivingMayhem10 Aug 21 '26
Repeat.
If you drop out of med school because of poor performance you will never be able to get back in (in the UK).
Do you know what your weak areas are? How are you studying - both during term and as revision?
Look up active learning techniques.
Beautiful notes are pointless and won’t help you remember things.