[OmnipotentOmelette]

Hi. Im currently studying for AS level (5 exams next week probably shouldn't be on here lol) which are Biology, Chemistry, Economics, Maths, Further Maths.

Next year i am considering applying to study medicine or maths (with the intention to then work in the finance sector in accountancy or investment banking or an actuary.)

But I don't know which is best because both careers seem appealing. If I wanted to could I earn a lot in medicine or would the financial sector be more financially rewarding? Also would taking medicine be better in terms of helping people, which I find very appealing.

What combination of subjects would be good (I think next year I can cope with 4 if two of them are maths and further maths).

Thanks. I know this is random but....... any help would be great

Also if i work hard i know i can get A grades (A* in maths hopefully )

[Mask Of Sanity]

Biology, Chemistry, Maths, and Further Maths is your best bet probably.

[Firaila]

The two are vastly different career paths

Don't pick medicine because you want "teh monies lulzz", I'm pretty sure you have to be dedicated to spend 6 years of your life studying a hard degree.

[Militantbuthopeful]

I think you should do some work experience in both, see what you like, then choose medicine so you can become as awesome as this guy.

drmcninja

[Vitamin D]

(Original post by Firaila)
The two are vastly different career paths

Don't pick medicine because you want "teh monies lulzz", I'm pretty sure you have to be dedicated to spend 6 years of your life studying a hard degree.

What I was going to say in a more roundabout way.

Medicine is a huge commitment, I've never really came across someone who was on the fence about doing it. You either want to, or you don't.

[manu7014]

if you want money do something like dentistry...
if you're not genuinely interested in medicine i think you'll find it hard to get in
ditto with maths...
what do you find more interesting??
and which unis are you looking at?

[Vav123]

I'm having the same problem too
doing the same subjects as you but hoping to get A2 bio and maths out of the way this year and finish the rest next year. I'm just going to try and get work exp in both and see which one interests me the most i guess. But since your going for a maths degree i would say drop econ.

[TheSownRose]

(Original post by OmnipotentOmelette)
Hi. Im currently studying for AS level (5 exams next week probably shouldn't be on here lol) which are Biology, Chemistry, Economics, Maths, Further Maths.

Next year i am considering applying to study medicine or maths (with the intention to then work in the finance sector in accountancy or investment banking or an actuary.)

But I don't know which is best because both careers seem appealing. If I wanted to could I earn a lot in medicine or would the financial sector be more financially rewarding? Also would taking medicine be better in terms of helping people, which I find very appealing.

What combination of subjects would be good (I think next year I can cope with 4 if two of them are maths and further maths).

Thanks. I know this is random but....... any help would be great

Also if i work hard i know i can get A grades (A* in maths hopefully )

They are very different paths, and other people are better to advise on which one because of my bias. However, in terms of keeping your options open, chemistry, biology, maths and further maths would be best - leaves both medicine and maths open.

[amyy12321]

Your in the exact same situation I was in last year (apart from i did media instead of economics).

If you do medicine you have to take a UKCAT test, which tests your personality, and if it is suited to the job, so not just your grades are taken into account. To do medicine you need to be really passionate about it, when I was considering doing it, I was told to volunteer with old people because the universities look for compassion in you, and that will look really good, as well as improving personal skills.

[the_prodigy]

(Original post by OmnipotentOmelette)
Hi. Im currently studying for AS level (5 exams next week probably shouldn't be on here lol) which are Biology, Chemistry, Economics, Maths, Further Maths.

Next year i am considering applying to study medicine or maths (with the intention to then work in the finance sector in accountancy or investment banking or an actuary.)

But I don't know which is best because both careers seem appealing. If I wanted to could I earn a lot in medicine or would the financial sector be more financially rewarding? Also would taking medicine be better in terms of helping people, which I find very appealing.

What combination of subjects would be good (I think next year I can cope with 4 if two of them are maths and further maths).

Thanks. I know this is random but....... any help would be great

Also if i work hard i know i can get A grades (A* in maths hopefully )

If you would like to work in the financial sector i would recommend maybe doing economics in Uni and choosing the combination Economics,Maths,Further maths.

Thats if you find economics interesting at all

[lekky]

You don't have to decide yet.

Have you done any work experience? Try and set some up. Care home is good for your application but doesn't give you much of an idea as to what a doctor actually does, shadowing would be better.

Medicine is not anywhere near financially rewarding in the way that banking is. Do bare that in mind.

[Melanie-v]

If you want to do medicine, a lot of places ignore Further maths and look at Maths + FM as on A-level. Just a warning, before you decide on medicine but take FM anyway. If you enjoy maths and FM most, I'd say maths. Medicine is a long course and requires a lot of dedication and work. It doesn't help if you don't like the material. That's just imo though, and I'm going to be biased towards maths anyway.

[OmnipotentOmelette]

(Original post by manu7014)
if you want money do something like dentistry...
if you're not genuinely interested in medicine i think you'll find it hard to get in
ditto with maths...
what do you find more interesting??
and which unis are you looking at?

I find maths very interesting and I'm very good at it . However I consider a medical career more worthwhile and well respected.
Dentistry... that's definatly an option... WHY DO I HAVE SUCH BIG DECISIONS TO MAKE!!!! AAAARRRRRGGGHHHHHHHHH!

For medicine I would go for a red brick uni probably with a mixture or problem based learning and traditional learning. I think which uni matters less because its a vocational course and they are all similar and there is less 'prestige'.
For maths I would aim high i.e. Oxbridge, Imerial, Warwick etc. However wouldn't london be an expensive place to go to uni?

[Extricated]

Tbh, if you do a maths degree, you will in fact earn MORE than medicine if you go into investment banking. As others have said, Medicine requires a great deal of dedication, which (seemingly) you don't have. However, get the grades and you won't be restricted either way.

[OmnipotentOmelette]

But to work in the financial sector in the City wouldn't, for the best chances, I need to go to a top 5 uni for maths. And I thought that you had to work ridiculous hours when you are a graduate in the City. Surely you need to be dedicated to do that, especially considering the competition.

One more thing. Which sector has the best future? What I mean by that is will doctors be as well-off in 15-20 years time, and will banking reforms reduce my chances of being successful financially if I worked in the City?

I don't wish to sound obsessed with money. I just want to be successful.

[TheSownRose]

(Original post by OmnipotentOmelette)
But to work in the financial sector in the City wouldn't, for the best chances, I need to go to a top 5 uni for maths. And I thought that you had to work ridiculous hours when you are a graduate in the City. Surely you need to be dedicated to do that, especially considering the competition.

One more thing. Which sector has the best future? What I mean by that is will doctors be as well-off in 15-20 years time, and will banking reforms reduce my chances of being successful financially if I worked in the City?

I don't wish to sound obsessed with money. I just want to be successful.

Medicine is quite stable, where as banking seems to be a notoriously volatile field - good when it's good, but when it all falls to pieces...

[manu7014]

(Original post by OmnipotentOmelette)
I find maths very interesting and I'm very good at it . However I consider a medical career more worthwhile and well respected.
Dentistry... that's definatly an option... WHY DO I HAVE SUCH BIG DECISIONS TO MAKE!!!! AAAARRRRRGGGHHHHHHHHH!

For medicine I would go for a red brick uni probably with a mixture or problem based learning and traditional learning. I think which uni matters less because its a vocational course and they are all similar and there is less 'prestige'.
For maths I would aim high i.e. Oxbridge, Imerial, Warwick etc. However wouldn't london be an expensive place to go to uni?

Yeah it's true.
I agree- aim for the top unis for maths, especially if you're very good at it. Also I'd look at the stuff you actually do at uni for maths, see if you like it or not. Imo i think you should go for maths, you're clearly very good at it and to me you seem more interested in it than medicine. Also you can do a lot with a maths degree like banking isn't the only thing which will get you a lot of money from a maths degree - you can go into accountancy or statistical stuff which is in money. Also another thing after a maths degree which is a Bsc by the way you can ALWAYS do a graduate course in medicine if that's what you want to do after it.
As for unis, yeh I'd look at oxbridge, imperial, warwick, durham, bath, ucl... those sort of unis are excellent for maths and particularly well known in that area. Doing well with maths at a good top uni will open up so many opportunities for you.
Also mathematicians are awesome.

[OmnipotentOmelette]

Thanks people! Very helpful. I've still got a while to think about it but i'm going to do some volunteering and shadow a GP, so I have enough things to put on UCAS if I do want top do medicine.

[Beska]

(Original post by OmnipotentOmelette)
Thanks people! Very helpful. I've still got a while to think about it but i'm going to do some volunteering and shadow a GP, so I have enough things to put on UCAS if I do want top do medicine.

The main reason you should do the shadowing is to find out if you even want to study medicine.

[mkb230]

Do Math