A gifted A-level student who picked up five A grades has failed to gain a single place to study medicine.

Tommy Cattaneo Taylor was awarded top grades in chemistry, maths, philosophy, biology and classical civilisation but was turned down by a string of medical schools because courses are so oversubscribed.

Despite gaining straight As in his AS levels and having a number of work experience placements under his belt, Tommy, 18, was rejected by Edinburgh and Bristol universities without even an interview.

Cambridge University and University College London did carry out short interviews but turned him down too.

Tommy said: "It's just so competitive. More and more people are applying to the same few places.

"The lack of interviews was what annoyed me the most. It was very disappointing. It just seems like it is the luck of the draw as the universities have so many people to consider."

Tommy, who attended Varndean College in Surrenden Road, was accepted to study philosophy at London School of Economics and Kings College, London, but decided to pursue his dream to become a doctor.

He said: "I want to be able to help people. I don't want to just push paper or money around. Philosophy didn't seem relevant enough in the real world."

Meanwhile, male A-level students have continued their fightback against girls when it comes to exam results.

The number of boys achieving grade As in England and Wales rose by 0.5 per cent, while the number of girls attaining top marks increased by just 0.2 per cent.

Some 21.5 per cent of boys gained an A compared with 21 per cent last year, and 23.9 per cent of girls achieved an A compared with 23.7 per cent in 2004.

Coverage of this year's round of results has once again been dominated by the debate about whether A-levels are able to discriminate any longer between candidates who are merely fairly able and those who are exceptionally gifted.

Writing in The Daily Telegraph, Anthony Seldon, the head of Brighton College, revealed his concerns about the system.

He said the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference, which represents 243 private schools, would debate next month whether to design a breakaway qualification for its members along with the heads of prestigious universities.

He said: "It has been prompted by our shared despair.

"It is not just that the A-level no longer discriminates between candidates; it no longer prepares them properly in key subjects because it has become such a mechanical exam.

"It breaks up subjects into bite-sized pieces, does not test what really matters and allows candidates to retake modules until they achieve the desired result."

Meanwhile, Tommy plans to take a gap year and will spend six weeks in Accra, Ghana, working in one of the most challenging and understaffed hospitals in the world.

He said: "I'm not sure what they will get me to do but I'm sure I will learn a lot and it should help with my applications next year."

He said he felt universities should interview more candidates and for longer to ensure a fairer system of selection.

Varndean principal Alan Jenkins said: "Tommy is a very bright and very personable student. We are astonished he didn't get offers last year.

"His commitment to being a doctor hasn't changed and he is doing something very sensible in taking a gap year and working in the hospital in Ghana.

"I am very confident he will get a place next year."