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My school only allows 3 A-Levels and I want to study medicine at university!!!

My first two a levels I have chosen are Biology and Chemistry because those are required by a lot of universities to get into and I enjoy bio. For my third choice I don't know whether to to physics (which I am better at) or maths.

All advise would be really helpful!!!!

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Original post by ellis27day
My first two a levels I have chosen are Biology and Chemistry because those are required by a lot of universities to get into and I enjoy bio. For my third choice I don't know whether to to physics (which I am better at) or maths.

All advise would be really helpful!!!!


If you're better at Physics than just go for physics. Maths and Physics is a science so you wont be at a disadvantage whichever one you pick. It's worth contacting universities and their entry requirements and what they prefer.
Reply 2
Avatar for 9910224
9910224
15
Original post by ellis27day
My first two a levels I have chosen are Biology and Chemistry because those are required by a lot of universities to get into and I enjoy bio. For my third choice I don't know whether to to physics (which I am better at) or maths.

All advise would be really helpful!!!!


Don't panic. All medical schools will just base their offer on 3 A2 subjects. If I were you on this one, I'd pick the one I'm guaranteed to get at least an A in. If you're confident at getting an A in both physics and maths, then I suggest you pick the one you'd probably enjoy more.

At the end of the day, all the admissions officer will look at is whether you have/will be getting 3 As or not. I'm suggesting you pick a third subject that you enjoy doing because A2 will be a stressful year with your medical school applications and it's not as draining to study something you like. Either maths or physics is a good choice, really.
Self study 1 of them
Original post by anonwinner
Self study 1 of them


No OP, do not self-study one of them.
Reply 5
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alow
19
Original post by The Empire Odyssey
No OP, do not self-study one of them.


Why not?
Original post by alow
Why not?


No point. It does not add value to OP's UCAS application.

3 A-levels is the minimum and the vast majority of unis offers Medicine with only 3 A-levels being a requirement.

Unis will be more interested in what they did outside their studies than showing them they can self-study a subject.
Reply 7
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DW4
4
Maths is definitely more useful. It's also one of the subjects universities look for when you apply!
Original post by The Empire Odyssey
No point. It does not add value to OP's UCAS application.

3 A-levels is the minimum and the vast majority of unis offers Medicine with only 3 A-levels being a requirement.

Unis will be more interested in what they did outside their studies than showing them they can self-study a subject.


"3 A-levels is the minimum"

Yes OP, just do the absolute minimum! That will get you a place at a good uni!
Reply 9
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alow
19
Original post by The Empire Odyssey
No point. It does not add value to OP's UCAS application.

3 A-levels is the minimum and the vast majority of unis offers Medicine with only 3 A-levels being a requirement.

Unis will be more interested in what they did outside their studies than showing them they can self-study a subject.


Rubbish. Showing academic ability is always a good thing.

Self studying maths would only be a couple of hours a week.
Do Maths, Bio, Chem. More places need maths than physics.
Original post by anonwinner
"3 A-levels is the minimum"

Yes OP, just do the absolute minimum! That will get you a place at a good uni!


3 A-levels is the standard on what they are looking for.

Medical students need work experience that will get them at a good uni (along with exceptional grades).

There is no need for OP to do an extra A-level. It is not a requirement and it's unnecessary.

I'm guessing you're not at uni and still awaiting your GCSE results or am I wrong?
Original post by alow
Rubbish. Showing academic ability is always a good thing.

Self studying maths would only be a couple of hours a week.


OP will have already shown their academic ability in the 3 subjects. That's the whole point.

Those "couple of hours a week" can go towards the A-levels they will already study.

Self studying or a an extra A-level is not a requirement for a vast majority of Medicine courses.

That extra time can be used elsewhere.
Reply 13
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alow
19
Original post by The Empire Odyssey
OP will have already shown their academic ability in the 3 subjects. That's the whole point.

Those "couple of hours a week" can go towards the A-levels they will already study.

Self studying or a an extra A-level is not a requirement for a vast majority of Medicine courses.

That extra time can be used elsewhere.


3 A Levels is barely strenuous enough to show true academic potential. Do you know how many Cambridge medics I know with 3 A Levels? None. Zero. All have at least 4. As a matter of fact I don't know anyone studying a science course at Cambridge without at least 4 A Levels and medicine is far more competitive than most of the other science subjects.
Original post by alow
3 A Levels is barely strenuous enough to show true academic potential. Do you know how many Cambridge medics I know with 3 A Levels? None. Zero. All have at least 4. As a matter of fact I don't know anyone studying a science course at Cambridge without at least 4 A Levels and medicine is far more competitive than most of the other science subjects.


Your ignorance is quite rare.

To use 1 of the 2 Oxbridge universities as a whole representation of 30+ universities that offer Medicine is completely illogical.
Original post by alow
3 A Levels is barely strenuous enough to show true academic potential. Do you know how many Cambridge medics I know with 3 A Levels? None. Zero. All have at least 4. As a matter of fact I don't know anyone studying a science course at Cambridge without at least 4 A Levels and medicine is far more competitive than most of the other science subjects.


They all studied modular A levels - the syllabuses have now changed [except Maths in those named] which makes a huge difference.

The game has changed ....
Reply 16
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alow
19
Original post by The Empire Odyssey
Your ignorance is quite rare.

To use 1 of the 2 Oxbridge universities as a whole representation of 30+ universities that offer Medicine is completely illogical.


You have no experience with applying to medicine or any other science course. You have no idea what it takes to get a place on a competitive course.

Maths A Level is probably the easiest A Level to self teach and anyone capable of doing medicine would easily be able to self teach to an A grade.

There is absolutely no way having an extra A Level is not worth the small time investment, half an hour a day is more than enough to self teach.
Reply 17
Avatar for alow
alow
19
Original post by Muttley79
They all studied modular A levels - the syllabuses have now changed [except Maths in those named] which makes a huge difference.

The game has changed ....


A Levels don't have enough content for that to be an issue. If someone is capable of studying medicine they are capable of working hard enough for 4 A Levels.
Original post by anonwinner
Good luck getting a job with your Oxford Brookes degree, sweetheart.


Perhaps you are unaware that F1 recruits more engineering graduates from Brookes than any other universit
Original post by alow
A Levels don't have enough content for that to be an issue. If someone is capable of studying medicine they are capable of working hard enough for 4 A Levels.


How do you know? Are you teaching the new A levels?
(edited 7 years ago)

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