Straight-As student may be forced to move to ROMANIA to study medicine after being rejected by British universities

A student who achieved three A grades in her A'Levels may be forced to move to Romania to study to become a doctor after four universities in the UK turned her applications down.

Miriam Bourne, of Bodmin in Cornwall, achieved As in chemistry, biology and geography, but was denied a place at all of the universities she had applied to, including Keele and Manchester.

This is despite other students from Bodmin College being offered places to study medicine, even though their grades were not as good as Miriam's.

The 18-year-old said: 'Studying medicine is so competitive and there are only a limited number of places available, I know, but it has been my dream to become a doctor for quite a few years now.

'I did have interviews at Manchester University and Keele University but didn’t get in, which has been really disappointing.'

Miriam, who has two GPs within her extended family, now faces the prospect having to move to the Romanian city of Constanta, where she will be able to pursue her ambition at Ovidius University.

The qualification they offer is recognised by the General Medical Council and other countries across the world.

But if she does decide to move overseas she will need to raise £60,000 to pay for the six-year course at because she will not qualify for the usual student grants or financial help open to other under graduates in the UK.

She said: 'I attended a medical student conference at Nottingham University that mentioned the Romanian medical school, and it does appeal to me because it is a very practical course, but with the tuition fees, accommodation, food and travelling expenses it will cost about £10,000 per year.

'Although I do have some savings, I don’t think I will be able to get enough money on my own to go there, but it’s something I am considering.'

Miriam originally had ambitions of becoming a midwife or nurse but was encouraged by her teachers to aim higher and become a doctor after they saw her potential.

Her mother Jackie said: 'Miriam was devastated to get rejected from the four universities, particularly Keele, where she thought she did well.

'It is so frustrating when some of her friends did get places to study medicine even though their results were not as good as Miriam’s.'

A spokesman for UCAS, which handles applications on behalf of universities, said if a student failed to get into the university of their choice this year, they could apply again next year.

He added: 'Securing a university place is competitive, and although students may miss out on the place they hoped for, other universities are likely to make them an offer.

'There are still thousands of courses with vacancies in clearing, listed on the UCAS website. If an applicant has their heart set on a particular course that isn’t available, one option is to apply again next year.'

The Daily Mail