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Unsure of medicine

hey guys! i prob wont get replies but for the off chance i do heres my situation...
so i just started year 13 and ive done the ukcat (average 706), written my ps but im having doubts about medicine. The schools deadline to hand in ucas was on friday but they said i could have till monday cus im still unsure.
so basically idk if i wanna do it anymore?? like ive been having doubts about it since like july but i always thought it was just like a small uncertainty but im still unsure and i didnt have much time to think about it before because i was writing my personal statement but on the day of the deadline i was getting my chemistry teacher to check my ps n she was like why do u wanna be a doctor n i was like wtf idk if i even wanna be one??
like i hate bio tbh i find it soo boring and idk but i like medicine cus at the end u get a stable job and u get paid a good amount but im not sure if i wanna be a doctor?? i have rly gd grades n all that n i dont doubt i could get in its more about whether i want to get in. maths is my favourite subject at school and i would do smth econ related which is v diff to medicine but im so stuck on wha tto do cus i dont wanna do econ then regret not doin medicine but i dont wanna do medicine n be like wtf i still hate bio n i still dont rly wanna be a doctor n ive just wasted 5 yrs of my life but im scared w an econ degree ill just end up unemployed and hating my job and i just dk what to do pls help me
p.s i know this is written badly i just dont know how to say what i wanna say like i just dont know what i wanna do w my life plsss help
(edited 7 years ago)
If you're not passionate about medicine, don't do it. It's a hard degree and an even harder career, and you're going to struggle and hate it if it's not what you honestly want to do more than anything. Sure, the job of a doctor is relatively safe and well-paid, but so are lots of other jobs. Based on what you told and the fact that you've considered medicine, I assume you're smart, hard-working and have good communication skills. If you have the right degree, I'm sure you won't have difficulties in finding a job. If you end up hating your job, you can always just search for different positions. If you hate your job as a doctor it's much less flexible, but with an economics degree you can try a lot of things out to see what you like. Best of luck, whatever you choose :smile:
I would agree if you arent absolutely sure then dont do it.
You could take a gap year and use that to decide what you might like to do by researching different careers. If you get good grades then you can choose uni and subject. Dont try for medicine because you feel obliged to. There will be other careers which offer stable job and good money.
Passion is what lasts, not income, because if you wake up one day 6 years into being a doctor and you hate your life, 100k won't be enough to take away that feeling.
Economics is nice, you do maths so it's probably enough to get onto a course for it :smile:

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Reply 4
If you are clever enough to get into medicine or at least stand a chance why not apply to another degree at a prestigious university after which they help you to find a job which will be much easier than medicine and if you do well your job is pretty secure.
If you don't want to do medicine don't do it as you will end up being unhappy for the rest of your life or dropping out
Take more time to think about it. It sounds like your doing it for the wrong reasons. Yes medicine will pay well but there are far more jobs that will pay higher for less work. Job stability is of course an attractive prospect, but as someone mentioned above there's no point being stable in a job you hate.
If you hate biology, then your answer is right there isn't it?
Reply 7
I know it's not easy to find one's passion. If you are not fully sure that Medicine is what you want to do then don't do it. To be honest it's too much commitment and too many sacrifices to make if you don't really want to do it. Go on searching!
Original post by zinam99
hey guys! i prob wont get replies but for the off chance i do heres my situation...
so i just started year 13 and ive done the ukcat (average 706), written my ps but im having doubts about medicine. The schools deadline to hand in ucas was on friday but they said i could have till monday cus im still unsure.
so basically idk if i wanna do it anymore?? like ive been having doubts about it since like july but i always thought it was just like a small uncertainty but im still unsure and i didnt have much time to think about it before because i was writing my personal statement but on the day of the deadline i was getting my chemistry teacher to check my ps n she was like why do u wanna be a doctor n i was like wtf idk if i even wanna be one??
like i hate bio tbh i find it soo boring and idk but i like medicine cus at the end u get a stable job and u get paid a good amount but im not sure if i wanna be a doctor?? i have rly gd grades n all that n i dont doubt i could get in its more about whether i want to get in. maths is my favourite subject at school and i would do smth econ related which is v diff to medicine but im so stuck on wha tto do cus i dont wanna do econ then regret not doin medicine but i dont wanna do medicine n be like wtf i still hate bio n i still dont rly wanna be a doctor n ive just wasted 5 yrs of my life but im scared w an econ degree ill just end up unemployed and hating my job and i just dk what to do pls help me
p.s i know this is written badly i just dont know how to say what i wanna say like i just dont know what i wanna do w my life plsss help


Have you done any medical work experience? Have you seen what being a doctor is actually like in a day to day kind of way (outside of the stability aspect, which is true in a broad sense, but not in the way which most people would actually consider stable...)?

Certainly if you're having trouble answering the question "why do you want to be a doctor", you need to spend some time thinking about why that might be. It's not an easy question to answer, but if you have absolutely no ideas whatsoever, that might suggest that you haven't thought about things in as much depth as is necessary and you might have simply focused on the idea of medicine due to reasons like "job stability" rather than personal experience of what the job actually entails.

With regards to biology A level, you need to think about what it is that you dislike about it. If it's learning about plants and the environment, that's probably not a big deal. If you actively dislike all human biology, learning about the scientific method and reasoning, data interpretation etc, then you should start thinking about whether a medical degree and being a doctor is what you're most suited to. Whilst a medical degree is not the same as a human biology degree, there are some areas of overlap and if you're generally not interested in the life sciences at all, you're unlikely to enjoy the course.

I would also add that things are rarely as far reaching and permanent as you make them sound - even if you did medicine and didn't like it, you could always leave and do something else. If you did economics and didn't find a job straightaway, you'd almost certainly find one eventually. If you don't know what you want to do with your life at 17 or 18, that is fine, you're young and you have many years to figure it all out. Even if you're completely stumped next summer, you can always take a gap year and do some more thinking.
Reply 9
Original post by Democracy
Have you done any medical work experience? Have you seen what being a doctor is actually like in a day to day kind of way (outside of the stability aspect, which is true in a broad sense, but not in the way which most people would actually consider stable...)?

Certainly if you're having trouble answering the question "why do you want to be a doctor", you need to spend some time thinking about why that might be. It's not an easy question to answer, but if you have absolutely no ideas whatsoever, that might suggest that you haven't thought about things in as much depth as is necessary and you might have simply focused on the idea of medicine due to reasons like "job stability" rather than personal experience of what the job actually entails.

With regards to biology A level, you need to think about what it is that you dislike about it. If it's learning about plants and the environment, that's probably not a big deal. If you actively dislike all human biology, learning about the scientific method and reasoning, data interpretation etc, then you should start thinking about whether a medical degree and being a doctor is what you're most suited to. Whilst a medical degree is not the same as a human biology degree, there are some areas of overlap and if you're generally not interested in the life sciences at all, you're unlikely to enjoy the course.

I would also add that things are rarely as far reaching and permanent as you make them sound - even if you did medicine and didn't like it, you could always leave and do something else. If you did economics and didn't find a job straightaway, you'd almost certainly find one eventually. If you don't know what you want to do with your life at 17 or 18, that is fine, you're young and you have many years to figure it all out. Even if you're completely stumped next summer, you can always take a gap year and do some more thinking.


Yes so i did work experience at the end of year 11 (so a year ago) and I did really enjoy it and wanted to be a doctor afterwards but I dont remember why! I wanted to be a doctor for ageees like from like year 11 and all of year 12 and its just recently im unsure of whether I want to do it but I dont know why I dont want to do it either?? I mean the classic answers to "why do you want to be a doctor" are like "i want to help people" "I like patient interaction" "i want to combine my love of science with wanting to help people" but I dont really have like a specific reason to want to do it like i dont relate to those because obviously I want to help people but I'm not sure if i want to like be a doctor for the rest of my life. Work experience is all good but I'll never actually know if i want to be a doctor till i get to medical school and do the cliical years by which i will have wasted 3 years of my life.
With biology a level tbh i hate all of it and its very likely if i did do medicine i would hate the pre-clinical a lot and would find it extremely boring but wouldn't everyone hate it or is that just me
I hate that we have to choose what we wanna do when we're only 17!!! and im just worried whatever i choose im gonna regret it and people are telling me to take a gap year but im scared ill just end up doing medicine and then i will have wasted a year??
Reply 10
Original post by StationToStation
If you're not passionate about medicine, don't do it. It's a hard degree and an even harder career, and you're going to struggle and hate it if it's not what you honestly want to do more than anything. Sure, the job of a doctor is relatively safe and well-paid, but so are lots of other jobs. Based on what you told and the fact that you've considered medicine, I assume you're smart, hard-working and have good communication skills. If you have the right degree, I'm sure you won't have difficulties in finding a job. If you end up hating your job, you can always just search for different positions. If you hate your job as a doctor it's much less flexible, but with an economics degree you can try a lot of things out to see what you like. Best of luck, whatever you choose :smile:


Original post by 999tigger
I would agree if you arent absolutely sure then dont do it.
You could take a gap year and use that to decide what you might like to do by researching different careers. If you get good grades then you can choose uni and subject. Dont try for medicine because you feel obliged to. There will be other careers which offer stable job and good money.


Original post by Lemauricien
Passion is what lasts, not income, because if you wake up one day 6 years into being a doctor and you hate your life, 100k won't be enough to take away that feeling.
Economics is nice, you do maths so it's probably enough to get onto a course for it :smile:

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Original post by Jehaan
If you are clever enough to get into medicine or at least stand a chance why not apply to another degree at a prestigious university after which they help you to find a job which will be much easier than medicine and if you do well your job is pretty secure.
If you don't want to do medicine don't do it as you will end up being unhappy for the rest of your life or dropping out


Original post by HopelessMedic
Take more time to think about it. It sounds like your doing it for the wrong reasons. Yes medicine will pay well but there are far more jobs that will pay higher for less work. Job stability is of course an attractive prospect, but as someone mentioned above there's no point being stable in a job you hate.


Original post by Pinkberry_y
If you hate biology, then your answer is right there isn't it?


Original post by phil730d
I know it's not easy to find one's passion. If you are not fully sure that Medicine is what you want to do then don't do it. To be honest it's too much commitment and too many sacrifices to make if you don't really want to do it. Go on searching!


Hey guys can i just say thank u so much for all ur replies!! This is the first time ive actually used the student room to post lol so im just getting the hang of it now!
Because I did want to be a doctor for a long time im scared that what im having now is just doubts rather than i legit dont want to be one and im scared if i dont do medicine ill regret it. My parents are both doctors and they keep telling me to do it because it is pretty safe as a job and stuff and i know its not the only safe thing and i shouldnt do it if i dont like it but i genuinely dont know whether or not i like it like i dont not want to be a doctor but at the same time i dont actually want to be one like im just really unsure. Its really annoying how the only way to know if i like it is to actually do the degree?? work experience is all good but it only gives you a weeks insight into the life of a doctor, it doesnt let u see what its like to actually do it. Like my parents were saying how what im having now is just like me being scared to commit to it but when i actually do it i will love it and thats what my sister said too but im scared thats not the case!
Do you guys know like what would happen if i did medicine and didnt wanna be a doctor? do you think i could graduate with my degree then do something else like banking (but nothing clinical or research based)? Because that way I could see if i liked being a doctor but then wont actually have to be one if i dont like it but i will have the option to be one if i do.
I just wish we had like the american system or something where we dont have to decide till after uni :frown:
It also doesnt help that my parents are making it out like there are only 2 career choices in the world: medicine or unemployed!
(edited 7 years ago)
I think it's very unfair if you're planning on taking a medicine degree but have no intention of practicing medicine afterwards and have your heart set on banking or nothing relating to patients. That alone should show you you like the idea of medicine and saying you have a medical degree to people but not ACTUALLY BEING a doctor
Ignore what your parents say. Usually they just want you to do medicine because of its reputation and prestige, but there's no point wasting 5 years of your life and not becoming a doctor. If I was in your situation I'd take a gap and figure out what you want to do, but try and get some medical work experience so you can gain a better insight and ultimately decide if thats what you want as a career.
Original post by zinam99
Hey guys can i just say thank u so much for all ur replies!! This is the first time ive actually used the student room to post lol so im just getting the hang of it now!
Because I did want to be a doctor for a long time im scared that what im having now is just doubts rather than i legit dont want to be one and im scared if i dont do medicine ill regret it. My parents are both doctors and they keep telling me to do it because it is pretty safe as a job and stuff and i know its not the only safe thing and i shouldnt do it if i dont like it but i genuinely dont know whether or not i like it like i dont not want to be a doctor but at the same time i dont actually want to be one like im just really unsure. Its really annoying how the only way to know if i like it is to actually do the degree?? work experience is all good but it only gives you a weeks insight into the life of a doctor, it doesnt let u see what its like to actually do it. Like my parents were saying how what im having now is just like me being scared to commit to it but when i actually do it i will love it and thats what my sister said too but im scared thats not the case!
Do you guys know like what would happen if i did medicine and didnt wanna be a doctor? do you think i could graduate with my degree then do something else like banking (but nothing clinical or research based)? Because that way I could see if i liked being a doctor but then wont actually have to be one if i dont like it but i will have the option to be one if i do.
I just wish we had like the american system or something where we dont have to decide till after uni :frown:
It also doesnt help that my parents are making it out like there are only 2 career choices in the world: medicine or unemployed!


I guess it's technically possible. You could apply to unis that give you the chance to do an intercalation year in something that's not science-related: I recently heard about someone who studied at King's and did an intercalation in economics & management. As I said though, I don't think it's a good idea to go into medicine while still trying to keep other doors open. It's long and expensive and tough. I don't think it's super ethical either, since if you get a place, there probably would be someone who wanted it more than you and who was now left without it, there are too few doctors anyway and it doesn't help if after the expensive training people choose that it's not for them after all, and frankly, you probably won't be a very good doctor if you're not motivated enough to strive to be one. It's a tough decision to make. :frown: If I were you, I'd probably take a gap year and do some work experience in both medicine and economics, and do some more reading about the careers and degrees. During the year you'd also probably learn a lot more about yourself and grow as a person which would help make this decision. :smile:
Original post by zinam99
Hey guys can i just say thank u so much for all ur replies!! This is the first time ive actually used the student room to post lol so im just getting the hang of it now!
Because I did want to be a doctor for a long time im scared that what im having now is just doubts rather than i legit dont want to be one and im scared if i dont do medicine ill regret it. My parents are both doctors and they keep telling me to do it because it is pretty safe as a job and stuff and i know its not the only safe thing and i shouldnt do it if i dont like it but i genuinely dont know whether or not i like it like i dont not want to be a doctor but at the same time i dont actually want to be one like im just really unsure. Its really annoying how the only way to know if i like it is to actually do the degree?? work experience is all good but it only gives you a weeks insight into the life of a doctor, it doesnt let u see what its like to actually do it. Like my parents were saying how what im having now is just like me being scared to commit to it but when i actually do it i will love it and thats what my sister said too but im scared thats not the case!
Do you guys know like what would happen if i did medicine and didnt wanna be a doctor? do you think i could graduate with my degree then do something else like banking (but nothing clinical or research based)? Because that way I could see if i liked being a doctor but then wont actually have to be one if i dont like it but i will have the option to be one if i do.
I just wish we had like the american system or something where we dont have to decide till after uni :frown:
It also doesnt help that my parents are making it out like there are only 2 career choices in the world: medicine or unemployed!


Yes, it's entirely possible to end up doing something other than doctoring with a medical degree. If you're having this many reservations at this stage, though, I'd question whether you're going to last out the whole five years (and then presumably some actual paid work as a doctor at the end, to see how you feel about the job). A medical degree is a big commitment; it's challenging enough if you're actually looking forward to being a doctor, never mind if you're completely unsure about it.

Your parents, simply, are blinkered and wrong. Besides which, it's your life and your career, not theirs. Pushing a young adult towards a career they're not keen on is a recipe for making a very miserable human being. Of course it's easier said than done, but if you decide that you don't actually want to be a doctor, you need to stick to your guns. You will only be unhappy if you try to make yourself work in a field you're not interested in.*
Original post by zinam99
Hey guys can i just say thank u so much for all ur replies!! This is the first time ive actually used the student room to post lol so im just getting the hang of it now!
Because I did want to be a doctor for a long time im scared that what im having now is just doubts rather than i legit dont want to be one and im scared if i dont do medicine ill regret it. My parents are both doctors and they keep telling me to do it because it is pretty safe as a job and stuff and i know its not the only safe thing and i shouldnt do it if i dont like it but i genuinely dont know whether or not i like it like i dont not want to be a doctor but at the same time i dont actually want to be one like im just really unsure. Its really annoying how the only way to know if i like it is to actually do the degree?? work experience is all good but it only gives you a weeks insight into the life of a doctor, it doesnt let u see what its like to actually do it. Like my parents were saying how what im having now is just like me being scared to commit to it but when i actually do it i will love it and thats what my sister said too but im scared thats not the case!
Do you guys know like what would happen if i did medicine and didnt wanna be a doctor? do you think i could graduate with my degree then do something else like banking (but nothing clinical or research based)? Because that way I could see if i liked being a doctor but then wont actually have to be one if i dont like it but i will have the option to be one if i do.
I just wish we had like the american system or something where we dont have to decide till after uni :frown:
It also doesnt help that my parents are making it out like there are only 2 career choices in the world: medicine or unemployed!


You see mixed up and your reasons dont seem strong. Parents say so an its a stable job.

Arent you able to decide what you like and what interests you and think for yourself? Makes more sense to take a gap year get more experience and think about it imo.

Your medical degree should be quite trangsferable but it seems a waste of money for something someone else would have really wanted.
Original post by zinam99
Hey guys can i just say thank u so much for all ur replies!! This is the first time ive actually used the student room to post lol so im just getting the hang of it now!
Because I did want to be a doctor for a long time im scared that what im having now is just doubts rather than i legit dont want to be one and im scared if i dont do medicine ill regret it. My parents are both doctors and they keep telling me to do it because it is pretty safe as a job and stuff and i know its not the only safe thing and i shouldnt do it if i dont like it but i genuinely dont know whether or not i like it like i dont not want to be a doctor but at the same time i dont actually want to be one like im just really unsure. Its really annoying how the only way to know if i like it is to actually do the degree?? work experience is all good but it only gives you a weeks insight into the life of a doctor, it doesnt let u see what its like to actually do it. Like my parents were saying how what im having now is just like me being scared to commit to it but when i actually do it i will love it and thats what my sister said too but im scared thats not the case!
Do you guys know like what would happen if i did medicine and didnt wanna be a doctor? do you think i could graduate with my degree then do something else like banking (but nothing clinical or research based)? Because that way I could see if i liked being a doctor but then wont actually have to be one if i dont like it but i will have the option to be one if i do.
I just wish we had like the american system or something where we dont have to decide till after uni :frown:
It also doesnt help that my parents are making it out like there are only 2 career choices in the world: medicine or unemployed!


I understand your dilemma, but, you can't just do a medicine degree for the simple sake of doing a medicine degree. Like every other degree, it will be vigorous and go INDEPTH into the subject. And yes a lot of that involves human biology.

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