National 5 Subject Options

Hi,
After reading through some subject option threads on this website, it seems like everyone is so helpful and it would mean the world to me if anyone
could just give me a little advice and answer a few questions for me! I am in S3 and currently choosing subject options to sit at National 5 next year.
In a few years, I hope to apply to Medicine as when I am older I would love to become a doctor and ultimately to specialize in paediatrics.
The subjects I take at the moment are
English, Maths, Chemistry, Biology, Physics, French, History, Modern Studies, Admin & IT, Hospitality, and Graphic Communication.
The subjects I have chosen for S4 are:
National 5 English
National 5 Maths
National 5 Chemistry
National 5 Biology
National 5 Physics
National 5 Modern Studies
(I would rather take History instead of Modern Studies but it didn’t work out in the right column for me. However, I am not too stressed over this as I enjoy both subjects and know that I will be able to take History as a crash if I decide to at another point).

Hopefully these subjects will lead to me taking, in S5:
Higher English
Higher Maths
Higher Chemistry
Higher Human Biology
Higher Modern Studies
I have a few questions about these option choices:
Do these options seem like good choices for applying to medicine?

Is it a bad thing to limit options by taking all three sciences?
Should I be taking a foreign language to National 5 or am I okay without it?Overall, am I choosing the right subjects to get me where I want to be,and is there anything I should change or look at?
I absolutely love all of the sciences and really feel prepared to work hard to achieve my potential in all of my subjects in the next few years.It would be so incredible to get some advice from people who have been through the process of choosing subjects and know what it’s like- thank you so much in advance!

If you definitely want to go into Medicine, then taking all three sciences was the right choice. I'm in S4 right now and all of my friends who want to go into medicine/veterinary science also took the 3 sciences; they had to because you can't have that sort of career without those subjects. And, as far I can tell, they don't regret their choices.

However, please keep in mind that the only way you are going to be able to take Highers in S5 is to get an A or B in that subject in your N5 final exam. So you're going to have work v. hard next year to get A/Bs in the subjects you've chosen. In physics in S3 and below, I always got As in Physics tests (An A is considered over 70%) however, in the Nat 5 prelim, I got a C in Physics! So, it will be a challenging step-up from S3, but don't let that put you off.

Also, you said you don't want to take N5 Physics into Higher. I personally would take it into Higher. Universities care about your Highers/Advanced Highers. So if you want to get into a medicine related course, they are going to want to know if you took all 3 sciences at Higher. You may want to think about this when it gets closer to the time though.

You might want to consider taking a language at N5 in S5 or S6. That way you have a wider range of subjects!
Hope I helped

Hi
I'm doing my highers now and want to be a vet...
Those options seem fine!
If you are certain that you want to do a science based degree and career, then 3 sciences would not limit you (I am doing all three (plus maths, English and music) at higher). Equally, you do not require physics to do medicine. You said you 'love all of the sciences', so if I were you, I'd pick it.... If you didn't pick it and changed your mind during S5/before S6, you could always do higher physics in S6...

You would be fine without a foreign language although it may be useful if you want to work abroad, but to be honest, having got an A in National 5 French(it was compulsory), I still don't feel that I could have a conversation or communicate very well in French-my experience of it is that I was prepared for the exam, but didn't develop the necessary skills to use in the 'real world', if that makes sense? So pick it if you want, but don't feel obliged to.

I think that if you want to do the subjects you said for S4, they seem good for medicine (or for any other science based degree). Picking either physics or modern studies in S5 alongside maths English, chemistry and human biology would be fine...When you are doing your options next year, pick the one that you are best at and enjoy the most!

Also, if you can, try and get some relevant work experience/ or
volunteering...Hospitals/ doctors surgeries can be difficult to get placements in, but anything that shows that you can communicate with/help people will be good to have in your personal statement and talk about in your interview.
Hope this helps

Hey, thank you so much as well for replying!
I don't think I am going to take French to National 5 as I just don't enjoy it as much as other subjects and I think I would much rather take subjects I enjoy and am motivated to work really hard in!

I am doing work experience in a Pharmacy in a couple of weeks and am really looking forward to that! One of the hospitals near me does some work experience training, but this is only open to you after you turn 16, so I will hopefullu get to do that sometime in S5! I also do other volunteering outside of school and got the opportunity to tour South Africa in summer last year which was incredible!

Thank you so much again!

Hi
I'm doing my highers now and want to be a vet...
Those options seem fine!
If you are certain that you want to do a science based degree and career, then 3 sciences would not limit you (I am doing all three (plus maths, English and music) at higher). Equally, you do not require physics to do medicine. You said you 'love all of the sciences', so if I were you, I'd pick it.... If you didn't pick it and changed your mind during S5/before S6, you could always do higher physics in S6...

You would be fine without a foreign language although it may be useful if you want to work abroad, but to be honest, having got an A in National 5 French(it was compulsory), I still don't feel that I could have a conversation or communicate very well in French-my experience of it is that I was prepared for the exam, but didn't develop the necessary skills to use in the 'real world', if that makes sense? So pick it if you want, but don't feel obliged to.

I think that if you want to do the subjects you said for S4, they seem good for medicine (or for any other science based degree). Picking either physics or modern studies in S5 alongside maths English, chemistry and human biology would be fine...When you are doing your options next year, pick the one that you are best at and enjoy the most!

Also, if you can, try and get some relevant work experience/ or
volunteering...Hospitals/ doctors surgeries can be difficult to get placements in, but anything that shows that you can communicate with/help people will be good to have in your personal statement and talk about in your interview.
Hope this helps

Hey, if you're applying for vet med next year you can chat with your fellow applicants here: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2758167
Discuss applications, interviews and wex etc.

Thanks
Guessing you want to apply to vet med too?

Hi,
After reading through some subject option threads on this website, it seems like everyone is so helpful and it would mean the world to me if anyone
could just give me a little advice and answer a few questions for me! I am in S3 and currently choosing subject options to sit at National 5 next year.
In a few years, I hope to apply to Medicine as when I am older I would love to become a doctor and ultimately to specialize in paediatrics.
The subjects I take at the moment are
English, Maths, Chemistry, Biology, Physics, French, History, Modern Studies, Admin & IT, Hospitality, and Graphic Communication.
The subjects I have chosen for S4 are:
National 5 English
National 5 Maths
National 5 Chemistry
National 5 Biology
National 5 Physics
National 5 Modern Studies
(I would rather take History instead of Modern Studies but it didn’t work out in the right column for me. However, I am not too stressed over this as I enjoy both subjects and know that I will be able to take History as a crash if I decide to at another point).

Hopefully these subjects will lead to me taking, in S5:
Higher English
Higher Maths
Higher Chemistry
Higher Human Biology
Higher Modern Studies
I have a few questions about these option choices:
Do these options seem like good choices for applying to medicine?

Is it a bad thing to limit options by taking all three sciences?
Should I be taking a foreign language to National 5 or am I okay without it?Overall, am I choosing the right subjects to get me where I want to be,and is there anything I should change or look at?
I absolutely love all of the sciences and really feel prepared to work hard to achieve my potential in all of my subjects in the next few years.It would be so incredible to get some advice from people who have been through the process of choosing subjects and know what it’s like- thank you so much in advance!

Hey, your nat 5 choices seem fine. As for higher, if you "Enjoy all sciences" then it's good to consider physics as well for higher. I know medicine doesn't require physics, but physics opens more opportunities. In fact, I think taking 3 sciences won't limit your options, but instead is preferred by unis as they can see your academic potential in science subjects. Unless you suddenly want to do a humanities degree, 3 sciences shouldn't be a problem