Critique my path to Medicine

Hi all
Very long read

Basically, I really do want to study Medicine [haven't chosen a specific career as of yet] and it would be a great help if you guys, namely medics, could kind of push me onto the right tracks. I just started AS and want to be on top of the game from the very beginning. This is mainy due to the fact that I want to get into Cambridge and i've got to take down all of the fierce competition first

I'm doing Chemistry, Biology, Economics and Maths. I do enjoy these subjects btw. As far as I can tell, these are a good mix of subjects, especially taking Economics instead of Physics. I hate Physics [I got negged for saying that yesterday ]. I know it's really early to think about this, but i'm going to drop either Economics or Maths in A2, if that's of any relevance

Now, extra-curricular activities....
Firstly, the Duke of Edinburgh award. I'm going for the Silver award, as my college don't offer the Gold award and I don't think i'm up for it anyway. We haven't 'officially' began it at college yet [only 1 blurry meting so far], but will do in the next week or so.
I've got to do 4 things, as you know. Service, Skill, Physical Recreation and the Expedition. Don't need to worry about the Expedition as of yet.
Service
I would like to know if it's a smart thing to keep my volunteer work as part of the DOE award. Meaning the Service could be volunteer work. Or should I pick another Service and do seperate volunteer work? I'm planning to reserve a place at my local hospital/GP for shadowing/volunteering in spring [early bird ] for summer. Any ideas what I could volunteer for my Service that would give me a background knowledge in Medicine?
Skill
I have no idea what to do for the Skill. I need a lot of recommendations as to what's relevant for Medicine here plz. For some reason, my mind keeps nagging me to do something in admin that's still related to medicine.
Physical Recreation
The only plan I have here is to start weightlifting at home, like the DOE booklet/start guide listed . I haven't really played sport since GCSEs [but I am good at them ]. I can't think of anything at all with Physical Recreation that's relevant to Medicine. I don't have much time to be in a sports team. You'll find out why now.

Still in the extra-curricular topic, i'm a member of the Student Council and attend debates organised by the Debating Soc. Hopefully, I should be slowly adding to my list of what I do in socs and the like in college.
I'm planning to start reading the New Scientist soon. Also started on the Economist Today, as our economics teachers have forced us to subscribe to it. Is there any other contemporary material that you could recommend that I should engross myself in, especially that is relevant to Medicine??? I also read a few novels here and there. Jason Bourne stuff atm .

2 fellas [from the Social Mobility Foundation I think it was] talked to a group of us who had 'very high average GCSE grades'. They dispelled quite a few rumours [especially about the Russel Group] and gave us pretty useful information . 1 of the guys said that someone he knew went to an interview for Medicine and was expecting to be asked questions about being a doctor and stuff. However, he was asked the roles of nurses and other workers . i.e. knowing the structure of the organisation. The interviewee had no idea and didn't end up getting in, probably due to other reasons too.
I don't want to fall in the same kinds of traps . Obviously I want to learn all of these now [and hopefully will learn a lot about these things if I get a placement at GP/hospital]. I don't really fancy wafting through job descriptions =P.

As for the inevitable question, 'why do you want to study Medicine?'. I haven't really thought about it, especially since I haven't got the foggiest about my actual career prospects. I've always leaned towards science, since my family is quite science orientated. My grandad and my mum were both involved in research many moons ago. Hopefully I can answer that question with placements giving me a better insight into medicine . I want to fulfill my potential I suppose Also, is there any extra material that I should be reading, on top of everything else???

I really really appreciate your time

thnx in advance

Let's rewind! Work experience in a hospital is going to look good, whether you've done DofE or not... so it's probably a good idea to do that. When I applied for a job in my gap year, I had various attributes (random ones) such as: I'm a Marksman (1st class). Obviously that isn't all I wrote but I was able to show that not only can I work as part of a team, but that I can thrive individually also. It's just **** like that really, isn't it? Always worked for me, anyway.

It's too long!

1. Take down the competition em lets try not to do that
2. Everyone does DofE, you don't need to make each individual part medicine related... Frankly it would be more interesting if you had an interest in modeling or parkour.
3. Regarding the New Scientist, just read what you like, and what you enjoy...
4. Jason Bourne...really. Im not impressed.
5. Just wikipedia the NHS, honestly knowing about what nurses do, and why you want to be a doctor as opposed to a nurse is quite ordinary. Especially since you will probably be working in the NHS afterwards, so learning how it works is good
6. Doctor fulfilling your potential, why don't you become a researcher instead...

And i cba writing anything else...

i read it

hey, how would you show the shooting on your PS as I can't think of how to show it, I shoot nationally, (marksman-sniper??)and do CCF, but I can't think of how to show them, along with my other many random attributes

You just write a sentence about it in your extra-curricular paragraph. It can't be that hard?

Can anyone recommend me extra materials I should be reading o.O?

Can anyone recommend me extra materials I should be reading o.O?

Can anyone recommend me extra materials I should be reading o.O?

Really though, I don't think your application should revolve around your DofE. Get some good work experience and some voluntary work, and if you can also use that for parts of your DofE, great. But you are building a portfolio for your medicine application too.

And don't forget to leave enough time to get good grades in your ASs!

Umm.. as a small criticism, and don't take this badly - you come across as very fixated on medicine and not very interested in anything else. I don't know about Cambridge, but a lot of medical schools don't like this in their applicants.

Likewise... your skill doesn't have to be medically related (just in general - NOT EVERYTHING HAS TO BE MEDICALLY RELATED).. it's the learning process/ skills you get out of it that count - you can make anything you have a personal interest in look valuable on your PS - and trying to make everything fit into the medicine box will only make you seem less unique.

Umm... I would advise (though I could be wrong) that you don't have all of your extra-curricular revolving around DofE because it will seem like you're just doing that as a kind of "get into med school package" and the interest is not genuine.
(I did read the bit about debating soc and that's good)

Ummm.. as for "why study medicine" - you need to look up your career prospects so can know what's going on - and they might ask you in interview (not specific specialties or anything, just the basic structure of your training and the lifelong commitment to study) . Your reason at the moment - though I'm sure you have got good reasons just can't summarise them well - is poor and they will pick on you for it. Let "interest in science" be part of the reason but not all of it otherwise they will crucify you with "why not be a researcher" "why not take a science degree" "couldn't you fulfill your potential being a mathematics professor?" etc and that's if you even get to interview.

I don't mean to be full of criticism, I'm sure there are great parts to your application too but you don't want people listing those I take it

Good luck