Medicine & Dentistry Results Day: A Parent’s Guide

Results Day can be stressful for any family, but when your child is applying to Medicine or Dentistry, it can feel particularly unforgiving.

They may have spent the last year preparing for the UCAT, writing their application, attending interviews and waiting months for decisions. By Results Day, it can feel like everything comes down to a few letters on a screen.

If things go exactly to plan, brilliant. But if they don’t, the most useful thing you can do as a parent is understand what happens next and help your child make calm, informed decisions.

Here’s what you need to know.

Before Results Day

Preparation matters, even if your child is confident they have achieved their offer.

Make sure they know the conditions of both their firm and insurance choices and can access their UCAS account. It is also worth having their UCAS ID, university contact details and other important information easily accessible.

For Medicine and Dentistry applicants, it is particularly important to understand that Clearing works differently from many other university courses.

There are usually far fewer Medicine and Dentistry vacancies available, and places can appear and disappear quickly. Some universities may have spaces while many others will have none at all.

UCAS maintains the official list of Clearing vacancies, so this should be one of the first places you check if your child needs Clearing.

If they meet their offer

This is the easy scenario.

Their UCAS application should update to show that their place has been confirmed.

There may be a delay between receiving results and seeing UCAS update, so don't immediately panic if everything isn't confirmed the moment results arrive.

Check for communication from the university too, as they may provide information about enrolment, accommodation, occupational health checks or other steps your child needs to complete.

And then celebrate. Getting into Medicine or Dentistry is a huge achievement.

If they narrowly miss their grades

Do not assume they have lost their place.

Universities receive applicants' results and may still decide to accept someone who has narrowly missed their offer.

The first thing to do is check their UCAS application.

If a decision is still pending, your child may need to wait for the university to make its decision. If appropriate, they can contact the university's admissions team for clarification.

This is also where parents can be particularly helpful.

Your instinct may be to start calling universities yourself, but wherever possible, the applicant should be the person speaking to universities. You can help by finding numbers, checking information, writing things down and keeping track of options while they make the calls.

If their Medicine or Dentistry place isn't confirmed

This is where having a plan becomes important.

First, establish exactly what UCAS says about their firm and insurance choices.

If they are eligible for Clearing, begin checking the official UCAS Clearing vacancies immediately.

Medicine and Dentistry places through Clearing are unusual compared with many courses. Availability varies significantly from year to year, and a university that entered Clearing previously is not guaranteed to do so again.

Don't rely solely on lists from previous years.

Use historical information to identify universities worth watching, but verify everything against current information from UCAS and the universities themselves.

If you find a Medicine or Dentistry Clearing place

Read the requirements before calling.

A vacancy existing does not necessarily mean your child is eligible for it.

Universities may still consider factors including GCSEs, achieved A-levels, UCAT performance, previous interviews or other admissions requirements.

Have all the relevant information ready, including:

• UCAS ID

• achieved grades

• GCSE results

• UCAT score and SJT band

• contact details

• details of previous Medicine/Dentistry applications where relevant

• something to take notes with

Your child should then contact the university using the official Clearing or admissions contact details.

If they cannot get through immediately, keep trying while continuing to investigate other legitimate options. Time matters, but so does accuracy.

Don't rush into the wrong course because you're panicking

Results Day creates pressure to do something.

That doesn't mean accepting the first available university course is automatically the right decision.

If your child's goal is genuinely to become a doctor or dentist, think carefully before accepting an unrelated course simply because it is available through Clearing.

A common assumption is that they can start another degree and simply transfer into Medicine or Dentistry later.

That is not a reliable plan.

Internal transfers are extremely limited and university-specific. Graduate Entry Medicine or Dentistry is another potential route after completing a degree, but it adds years of study and remains highly competitive.

For some applicants, reapplying may make considerably more sense.

What if there are no Medicine or Dentistry places?

This can feel devastating, particularly after your child has already received an offer.

But it doesn't mean their journey is over.

The next step is to work out why the offer was missed and what can realistically be changed before reapplying.

Depending on their circumstances, that could mean resitting examinations, retaking the UCAT, gaining further experience, improving interview performance or reconsidering their university choices.

A gap year can be used extremely effectively.

Your child could work and save money, gain relevant experience, strengthen their application and prepare properly for the next admissions cycle.

One unsuccessful Results Day does not determine whether someone will eventually become a doctor or dentist.

Your role as a parent on Results Day

Perhaps the most valuable thing you can provide isn't an answer, it's support.

Your child may simultaneously be processing disappointing results, checking UCAS, searching vacancies, speaking to admissions teams and trying to decide what to do with their future.

You can take some of that load away.

Help research universities. Keep track of phone numbers. Write down what each admissions team says. Make sure information is coming from official sources. Have documents ready. Help compare options once they become available.

But wherever possible, allow your child to lead conversations with universities and make the final decisions.

Your job isn't to solve Results Day for them.

It's to make sure they don't have to navigate it alone.

Finally: don't treat Results Day as the end of the road

There are several possible outcomes on Results Day.

Your child might get exactly the place they wanted.

They might narrowly miss their offer but still be accepted.

They might find another opportunity through Clearing.

Or they might have to reconsider their route and apply again.

Those outcomes feel very different on the day, but only one thing really matters in the long term: finding the best route forward from the position they're actually in.

Medicine and Dentistry are competitive journeys. Sometimes that journey isn't as straightforward as expected.

Whatever appears on Results Day, take the situation one decision at a time.

MedCompass wishes every Medicine and Dentistry applicant, and every parent supporting them, the very best of luck this Results Day.

Frequently asked questions

What should my child do before Results Day?

Before Results Day, your child should know the conditions of both their firm and insurance university choices and be able to access their UCAS account. It is also useful to have their UCAS ID, university contact details, and other important information readily available.

How does Clearing for Medicine and Dentistry differ from other courses?

Clearing for Medicine and Dentistry typically has far fewer vacancies, and places can become available and disappear quickly. Some universities may have spaces, while many others will have none. The official UCAS list of Clearing vacancies is the primary source to check.

What should my child do if they narrowly miss their grades?

If your child narrowly misses their grades, they should not assume they have lost their place. They should check their UCAS application for a decision. If a decision is still pending, they may need to wait. If appropriate, they can contact the university's admissions team for clarification.

What information should my child have ready if they find a Medicine or Dentistry Clearing place?

If your child finds a Medicine or Dentistry Clearing place, they should have their UCAS ID, achieved grades, GCSE results, UCAT score and SJT band, contact details, details of previous Medicine/Dentistry applications (if relevant), and something to take notes with.

Is it possible to transfer into Medicine or Dentistry from another degree, or apply for Graduate Entry?

Internal transfers into Medicine or Dentistry from another degree are extremely limited and university-specific, making it an unreliable plan. Graduate Entry Medicine or Dentistry is a potential route after completing a degree, but it adds years of study and remains highly competitive.

What can my child do if there are no Medicine or Dentistry places available on Results Day?

If no Medicine or Dentistry places are available, your child should work out why their offer was missed and what can be changed before reapplying. This could involve resitting examinations, retaking the UCAT, gaining further experience, improving interview performance, or reconsidering university choices. A gap year can be used effectively for these preparations.