[Amirindo]

Hello Everyone. I am in Year 12, i do Chemistry, Physics, ICT and Design and Technology, currently doing well, revising for year 13 as we start early in school. I understand that to be an engineer i need maths, hence if i DECIDE will either take a foundation year in a university to achieve that, and do my math practise daily to prepare myself, as physics and problem solving (maths) satisfies me.

I have another interest, and that is health care, such as medicine, now i know everyone will be saying ("your chances are very low you only have 2 sciences, you need work experience, etc) well i know that, but if i DECIDE what my passion is, i will take a year out to meet their requirements, or even more years, ANYTHING that will help me reach my dream. I have been done plenty of work experience in nursing HOME, been going every sundays for 3 hours since september, and have been accepted to a hospital near me, to work for 2 weeks i the summer, i just need to get that absolute best grades in A2.

WHAT MY CONCERN IS that it is HARD for me to decide, as i like both. But if i had a choice in going to a biology lecture or a physics lecture, i would go to physics as its my hobby, something i will always be interested. BUT CAREER WISE, i dont know.

Can anyone give me advice on what i need to do TO FIND MY TRUE PASSION, and compare the true differences of engineering vs medicine, and how to check if its right for me.

Why interested in medicine?
1. I love science
2. I love helping people
(But really not sure!)
Engineering areas im interested in are: (best one first, to last)
1.Chemical (ALOT)
2.Mechanical
3.Civil
4.Aerospace
5.Environmental
6.Electrical
Would appreciate your advice, thank you, have a nice weekend everyone

[AspiringGenius]

Did you mean to say chemistry twice? In all fairness, if you want to take medicine, most places have a requirement of Biology to at least AS and the medical schools I've spoken to question your motivation if you haven't done it. I would definately take that in your year out if you want to do medicine.

I would take a year out to decide, you don't have to apply this year. Develop interests in both areas and then make a decision when you know a bit more about how much you actually want to study that subject. You have plenty of work experience for medicine anyway

Look in the current year 12 hopeful medic thread, we should be able to help.

Plpus, as long as you do Biology and Chemistry, it doesn't matter what your third subject is (as long as it's academic). You have physics so there you go

[Amirindo]

yes, i think your advice is very logical, and i agree with you. It is better for me to take the year to decide, and develop skills to see my true passion is, rather than choosing a career and then changing my mind in the future, it is important if i get it right THE FIRST TIME. They let me do As physics, so i gained a passion for it, hence my interest in engineering. They didnt let me do biology, hence i didnt have the opportunity think ("oh this subject has interesting topics i may consider it in university for a career")....

So when i focus on my subjects in the last year, i will need to do Biology for a year, do i need it a full a level in the extra year? should i do biology and maths in that same year?

Sorry i meant to say "Design and Technology" rather than Chemistry twice

[forrest01]

I personally would not bother with engineering its a waste of time studying in the UK. A engineering qualification in the UK is not as good as other parts of the world and the rewards are not worth the time spent studying. Anyone in the UK can call themselves an engineer and the pay Is pretty rubbish.

[+ polarity -]

(Original post by forrest01)
I personally would not bother with engineering its a waste of time studying in the UK. A engineering qualification in the UK is not as good as other parts of the world and the rewards are not worth the time spent studying. Anyone in the UK can call themselves an engineer and the pay Is pretty rubbish.

Do you have any form of evidence (that isn't an anecdote) to back up anything you have said?

[Amirindo]

Engineering has good pay, and it develops skill in creativity, knowledge, problem solving, and hard work, in everything in life. I know i havent backed this up, but ive researched (e.g: google, and engineering sites) that its worthwhile as long as you love it


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[Amirindo]

people in school suggest i should do maths AS once i start A2, by dropping one of my subject (e.g. ICT) if i was going to do engineering, so i will only need to do 1 year till full maths a-level. But what if i was going to do medicine? do biology? im confused, WHEN shall i decide what career i want to do , as i dont want to rush it.
But the career that i am mostly EXCITED about is ENGINEERING
MEDICINE i am not sure, BUT i have an interest in HELPING people. Any help?

[+ polarity -]

(Original post by Amirindo)
people in school suggest i should do maths AS once i start A2, by dropping one of my subject (e.g. ICT) if i was going to do engineering, so i will only need to do 1 year till full maths a-level. But what if i was going to do medicine? do biology? im confused, WHEN shall i decide what career i want to do , as i dont want to rush it.
But the career that i am mostly EXCITED about is ENGINEERING
MEDICINE i am not sure, BUT i have an interest in HELPING people. Any help?

Medicine isn't the only way to help people.

(Original post by Amirindo)
that its worthwhile as long as you love it

That seems obvious.

[pheonix254]

For engineering, you'll need the maths. If you can do a full A-level, then all the better. normally for engineering you need physics + maths as an absolute minimum, further maths is a massive advantage. Foundation degree is fine in this respect -indeed it will allow you to sample it at university and make sure that you really want to do it.

Engineering and Medicine do have similarities when you think about it. In medicine it is obvious that you are helping people. Engineers do exactly the same but are invisible to people when they do their job properly. e.g. you don't notice electricity until all the lights go out.

And you've heard of medical engineering, right? best of both worlds? win-win, perhaps?

But, the wish to help people isn't enough by itself. If you're good at analytical problems, designing things to solve issues and get on with a computer (that's the engineers primary tool of the trade) then you'll like engineering. It isn't nearly as hands-on as people think it is though. Medicine on the other hand, (having not studied it) I would guess is much more about the diagnosis and is far more hands-on, working with people.

They both diagnose, and make life or death decisions which affect people, the difference is the human factor is a stage removed in engineering. Engineering is not about hammers and spanners, and getting your hands dirty. Whereas I'd say medicine (with a very sweeping generalisation here) is much more so.

So, personally, I'm boiling down to people. do you want lots of patient interaction? or would you prefer your patients to be machines that give you a binary signal when there is something wrong. I make a decent engineer (at least that's what I'm paid to do and I haven't lost my job yet...) but I wouldn't make a good doctor. Do you prefer to work alone as the expert, or in teams of experts? medicine favours the former more than the latter.

As for engineering being a badly paid job - rubbish. Medicine is undeniably better paid, but your route in takes a lot longer. Yes, if you say "I'm an engineer" in the UK, you have to clarify that you do in fact have a degree and you're not an electrician. However, on the international stage, a degree in engineering is a degree in engineering. Having one from the UK doesn't disadvantage you. I'm better paid than most graduates I know without engineering degrees, a year after graduation. Would I be higher paid if I worked in Germany? yes. Is there anything stopping me applying for that German job? no.

Go with what enthuses you, what excites you the most - that way, when you're bogged down in coursework, fretting about that deadline, it's a lot easier to get on with it.

Stu Haynes MEng

[Amirindo]

Thanks, a very good explanation. i guess after all i do need to go for what excites me. What excites me is:
Building, designing, (architecture like), practical stuff, solving, and physics and science in general. I was always good at designing, building, making prototypes, and CAD, i use mincraft to create buildings and sketch buildings then make them come to life in minecraft, that is very exciting and fun


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[funkymunkey123]

(Original post by Amirindo)
Thanks, a very good explanation. i guess after all i do need to go for what excites me. What excites me is:
Building, designing, (architecture like), practical stuff, solving, and physics and science in general. I was always good at designing, building, making prototypes, and CAD, i use mincraft to create buildings and sketch buildings then make them come to life in minecraft, that is very exciting and fun


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I had this problem but the other way round. I applied for medicine twice & failed to secure a place even though I had what they wanted and more! But now am going to study chemical engineering, a last minute decision (as had never heard of the course 6 months ago!) So just be prepared that medicine is hard to get into and gives u a lot of disappointment if u don't get in (and considering I have done 3 years worth of medicine specifc alevels, work experience and gap years activities and still didnt get a place, dont assume you can correct everything in 1yr as trust me it takes a lot of work & dedication) and also chemical engineering you are still helping people in one way or another, and my one piece of advice would be to go with what you enjoy. x

[Amirindo]

Thanks. Thankfully i decided to do engineering, my interest lied there, understood thst im still helping people whilst engineering, not just people, but our environment and world.


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[Popppppy]

(Original post by Amirindo)
Thanks. Thankfully i decided to do engineering, my interest lied there, understood thst im still helping people whilst engineering, not just people, but our environment and world.


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Have you looked into types of engineering such as Prosthetics and Orthotics?
http://www.strath.ac.uk/prosthetics/

It's a good mix of medical and engineering, and as only a few unis offer it, the employment prospects are very good.