A STRAIGHT A student has said A levels are "pointless" after her top marks failed to get her a place to study medicine.

Attiya Ahmed, 18, has been working towards her dream of becoming a doctor since she was 14.

She was delighted when she was on course to get four A grades in biology, chemistry, maths and further maths A levels.

But she was left angry and disillusioned after she received straight rejections from all four universities she applied to, to study medicine - Oxford, Manchester, Liverpool and Sheffield.

Attiya found out that she had achieved her predicted four As last week, but said the good news was blighted by the fact that they are not enough.

Attiya, who attended Blackburn's St Wilfrid's High School and Technology College sixth form, said: "I couldn't believe it when I was rejected without even the chance of an interview at any of the universities.

"I have always been good at maths and sciences, I've won school awards for them, and my teachers at St Wilfrid's said I would be able to study medicine with my predicted grades.

"As well as that, I did work experience at a GP's office and spent a couple of months mentoring a younger pupil in maths, as well as other courses in order to boost my chances.

"When I got the rejection letters I was devastated, as after all my hard work and effort I was confident I would get in somewhere.

"I asked for feedback from Liverpool University and was told I didn't have enough work experience, but I don't know how they expect us to do more while studying full time.

"My self esteem dropped, and I found it really hard to keep motivated for the second year, as all I kept thinking was there's no point in A levels if the top grades don't get you in anywhere."

Attiya, from Revidge Road, will begin a year's foundation course for medicine at Bradford University in September, and will try again next year.

She added: "I'm glad I did carry on, and I'm really pleased with my grades, but I still think there's something wrong with the system."

A spokesperson for Liverpool University said: "Medicine is heavily over-subscribed at Liverpool and applications are of an extremely high standard. We receive around 2,700 applications from school leavers for 268 places.

"We have a rigorous and structured admissions process in order to allocate places as fairly as possible and we are particularly looking for candidates to have completed an extended period of work experience in the healthcare sector over their two A-Level years.

"Many of our successful applicants have spent a considerable amount of time during evenings and weekends gaining this experience."

Emily Rigby, chairman of the British Medical Association's medical students committee, said: "The competition to get into medical school is extremely fierce and universities want candidates with additional qualities and not just excellent A-level results. While good grades are important it takes more than academic ability to become a doctor and universities may look at many different things, for example, a proven interest in or commitment to medicine."