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A Level Subjects for Medicine/Pharmacy

Hi,
I have just finished my GCSE's and preparing for AS Levels.
For A Level I have chosen to study:

Maths
Physics
Chemistry
Art

I am undecided on what career to go into yet but have narrowed it down to architecture, engineering or medicine/pharmacy.
My question is, are the subjects I'm taking leaving my options open to go into medicine or pharmacy or is there a better combination of subjects I should take, without hampering the chance of studying architecture or engineering at university?

All advice is welcome.

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Reply 1

RachelOranges

Original post by quinny94

I think it depends on what Uni you're applying to. I know that Chemistry is a must when it comes to medicine and Pharmacy, I think some of them would favour biology over physics but its worth looking that up. At my Uni ( Medway) I don't think Biology is essential though. The combination of subjects you've chosen is good though.

Good luck :smile:

Reply 2

MissSBx

I think that is acceptable

Reply 3

quinny94

Original post by RachelOranges

Yeah I've seen biology is required at some uni's but I don't want to drop any of my other subjects as I need them, and prefer them to biology :smile:

Reply 4

Fuzzy12345

Well, you need chemistry and you've got that. But the thing is, a lot of universities really want biology as well and almost all medical, pharmaceutical applicants have bio-chem, so really, taking physics/ art would disadvantage you, granted they do say chemistry and 1 or 2 other sciences or maths but they do prefer biology :holmes:

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 5

John Locke

massively different careers!

Reply 6

ahpadt

For pharmacy or medicine I would swap physics for biology. If you want to keep physics then you should do biology instead of art.

Reply 7

quinny94

Original post by AAAirz

Drop art... no need for it... if you want to do four, change it to biology... infact biology is more important than physics.

(Although I got into medicine without biology, but it limited my options of unis that i could apply to)

For architecture you are required to provide a portfolio of recent art work at interview and I do really enjoy art. I am worst at Biology of the sciences and need physics for engineering.

Reply 8

quinny94

Original post by John Locke

massively different careers!

I know!

Hopefully after doing work experience at an architect in a couple of weeks I will have a better idea of what I want to do :smile:

Reply 9

quinny94

Original post by ahpadt

For pharmacy or medicine I would swap physics for biology. If you want to keep physics then you should do biology instead of art.

The only subject I would consider dropping is art, if I decide against architecture. I have also thought about the idea of doing AS Biology alongside 3 A2 subjects in year 13

Reply 10

John Locke

Original post by lambi-judai

You're going to really limit yourself to the universities you can apply to if you decide you want to do medicine and haven't done biology.

really, where requires biology in addition to chemistry?

Reply 11

Nymthae

I'd have thought you can take a portfolio and apply for architecture without doing Art, assuming you're willing to do the work on it. I've just had a very quick google and checked 3-4 university pages - generally a 'good' portfolio and X UCAS points are required, with no subjects specified. Check out places you think you might like to go but you can probably leave yourself open to apply for it without limiting your choices through med/pharm/engineering

You can do medicine without Biology but you're limiting yourself to the schools you can apply for. You'd ideally need to take it to AS for most places iirc.

(Med School A-level Requirements is probably a good article to check things by. I'd imagine you'd want to check which ones use UKCAT as well, as you'd probably want a mix of those that do and don't.)

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 12

quinny94

Original post by lambi-judai

You're going to really limit yourself to the universities you can apply to if you decide you want to do medicine and haven't done biology.

I know this and may take AS biology in y13. Is biology also desirable for pharmacy, or should I be okay with chemistry, maths and physics?

Reply 13

quinny94

Original post by Nymthae

Thanks thats really helpful! :smile:

It would be a shame not to do art though as it has always been my favourite and one of my best subjects

Reply 14

vertigo.0012

I'd totally recommend biology, especially if you do decide on medicine - it may not be required at all unis but it'll help you much more than physics or art will in terms of content.

Reply 15

racheatworld

Chemistry
Biology
Maths or Physics (or both)
If not both Maths and Physics, one other academically rigorous, traditional subject would be best.

Reply 16

RachelOranges

Original post by quinny94

Yeah I've seen biology is required at some uni's but I don't want to drop any of my other subjects as I need them, and prefer them to biology :smile:

Ok, at my Uni you dont have to do Biology instead there is a Foundation course in Pharmacy which is two years and covers A Level Biology, after completing that you can fast track onto the actual MPharm Pharmacy course into second year, its what I did because my chemistry A Level grade wasn't good enough.
It's an extra year ( as Pharmacy is 4 years but doing foundation will mean 5 years) but I don't regret doing the foundation course because we got a lot of work placement experience which other students who don't do foundation don't get.

You can always have that as a back up if you can't find anywhere else :smile:

Reply 17

quinny94

Original post by RachelOranges

Thanks that really helpful! :smile:

Reply 18

quinny94

Original post by vertigo.0012

I'd totally recommend biology, especially if you do decide on medicine - it may not be required at all unis but it'll help you much more than physics or art will in terms of content.

I definately want to keep physics for engineering, so it is between art and biology, depending on what I decide to do.

Reply 19

Spencer Wells

Original post by John Locke

really, where requires biology in addition to chemistry?

UCL
Barts & The London
Brighton & Sussex
Cambridge
Cardiff
Durham
UEA
Imperial
Hull/York
Kings
Leicester
Liverpool
Nottingham
Peninsula
Southampton
StGeorges

All the above require it at AS minimum.