A level Choices for medicine
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Original post by JackTeh96
Yep, if I want to do med in uni, should I take fie subjects(bio,chem,Phy,math,f.math)? Or 4 subjects (without f.math) is there going to make a difference when applying to top universities in medicine?? Thanks .
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The best thing to do is narrow down your university choices NOW!! I know its so soon to be thinking about university but I am in your exact same position and that has helped me a lot.
I am currently in year 11 studying 15 GCSE's in Core Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths, English Language, English Literature, Geography, Ancient History, French, PE BTEC, PE BTEC extended, I.C.T, Prep for working Life and Religious Studies. In year 9&10 i managed to gain four of these which are Core science at an A* PE BTEC and PE BTEC extended at distinction+ (equivalent to an A*) and Religious Studies at an A grade. and my target in every subject is an A* and i am meeting this in every one but french. so enough for the low down on my life.
I was interested in medicine at university and so spoke to many universities on the phone and via email as well as making visits to Oxford and Manchester open days. they said the best option is to look at medicine entry requirements as it will show you the subjects you need to have and what grades at A level to get into university.
For Medical candidates they would like to see obviously subjects specific to the area of medicine, but also they want a depth of thinking and knowledge in another area, so you are not just boring.
Manchester, Cambridge and Oxford (the three biggest universities serving for medicine in my opinion) all want three A levels. Manchester want AAA grades whereas oxford would prefer A*AA grade similar to Cambridge.
The subjects needed to apply for the course are the same all around. Chemistry is a must at A-level and is the standard requirement, if you did not take chemistry you will not get a place very simple. the next is one from Biology/Physics/Human Biology/Maths/Further Maths (note: maths and further maths are not accredited if you take both, so i would reccomend against further maths unless you are likely to drop this subject, yet they will still prefer a wider range of subjects). Finally they would like another subject, any as long as it isn't general studies and critical thinking.
so with that in mind i believe that you should be very cunning with your choices, and i would reccomend Music because its important to get a good grade and you seem very talented in this area.
I hope you take my ideas into account x
I am currently in year 11 studying 15 GCSE's in Core Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths, English Language, English Literature, Geography, Ancient History, French, PE BTEC, PE BTEC extended, I.C.T, Prep for working Life and Religious Studies. In year 9&10 i managed to gain four of these which are Core science at an A* PE BTEC and PE BTEC extended at distinction+ (equivalent to an A*) and Religious Studies at an A grade. and my target in every subject is an A* and i am meeting this in every one but french. so enough for the low down on my life.
I was interested in medicine at university and so spoke to many universities on the phone and via email as well as making visits to Oxford and Manchester open days. they said the best option is to look at medicine entry requirements as it will show you the subjects you need to have and what grades at A level to get into university.
For Medical candidates they would like to see obviously subjects specific to the area of medicine, but also they want a depth of thinking and knowledge in another area, so you are not just boring.
Manchester, Cambridge and Oxford (the three biggest universities serving for medicine in my opinion) all want three A levels. Manchester want AAA grades whereas oxford would prefer A*AA grade similar to Cambridge.
The subjects needed to apply for the course are the same all around. Chemistry is a must at A-level and is the standard requirement, if you did not take chemistry you will not get a place very simple. the next is one from Biology/Physics/Human Biology/Maths/Further Maths (note: maths and further maths are not accredited if you take both, so i would reccomend against further maths unless you are likely to drop this subject, yet they will still prefer a wider range of subjects). Finally they would like another subject, any as long as it isn't general studies and critical thinking.
so with that in mind i believe that you should be very cunning with your choices, and i would reccomend Music because its important to get a good grade and you seem very talented in this area.
I hope you take my ideas into account x
Thanks for your advice. Well, I am in the same grade with you and I have the same aspiration as you 
I am definitely talking chemistry and math (and/or futher math)
Struggling to choose between physics and music.
Another question is that is taking five subjects rather than four in as level going to make my application stands out??
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I am definitely talking chemistry and math (and/or futher math)
Struggling to choose between physics and music.
Another question is that is taking five subjects rather than four in as level going to make my application stands out??
This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App
Original post by Robbie242
Depending on what you can handle, personally I'd do 4 as 5 isn't much more benefit, although if you have what it takes do 5 nonetheless! its a lot of work though!
thanks. Are you a student currently?
Original post by JackTeh96
Yep, if I want to do med in uni, should I take fie subjects(bio,chem,Phy,math,f.math)? Or 4 subjects (without f.math) is there going to make a difference when applying to top universities in medicine?? Thanks .
This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App
This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App
Taking five subjects will give you absolutely no advantage unless you're planning on applying to Barts.
Original post by myyrh
Taking five subjects will give you absolutely no advantage unless you're planning on applying to Barts.
no, i am not planning to. What are some top universities in medicine?
Original post by JackTeh96
no, i am not planning to. What are some top universities in medicine?
They're all good. All the universities which offer a degree in medicine are on par with each other because they're regulated by the GMC. It's kind of the reason why league tables are irrelevant when it comes to medicine. You should pick your choices in relation to your strengths and those which have a course structure and location that appeals to you.
Original post by JackTeh96
thanks. Are you a student currently?
your welcome, and no five A-levels will not make you stand out. Universities want good grades in three subjects. Taking five A-levels at the college where i have a place (loreto in manchester) means you have no free periods which are essential for keeping track on work and catching up if you are behind and also meeting deadlines. More A-levels means more courses, no free periods and loads more work x
obviously when looking at universities to go to all are really the same. But unfairly and out of superstition employers seem to favor places such as Oxford, Cambridge etc. also these look very good on your CV.
NOTE: MEDICINE APPLICANTS CAN ONLY APPLY TO FOUR UNIVERSITIES IN ONE YEAR AND CAN ONLY APPLY TO ONE OF OXFORD OR CAMBRIDGE IN THE SAME YEAR!!!!!!
that is so important.
obviously when looking at universities to go to all are really the same. But unfairly and out of superstition employers seem to favor places such as Oxford, Cambridge etc. also these look very good on your CV.
NOTE: MEDICINE APPLICANTS CAN ONLY APPLY TO FOUR UNIVERSITIES IN ONE YEAR AND CAN ONLY APPLY TO ONE OF OXFORD OR CAMBRIDGE IN THE SAME YEAR!!!!!!
that is so important.
You're a grade 8 player already, you don't need an a-level in music as well to show that you're a good musician. Being more 'well rounded' is a load of crap anyway, universities don't care even for medicine. If you're torn between physics and music, go for physics. Whatever your do just make sure you can do well in it, it's the consistently good people with top grades from the start who get in, not th e people who just finished their third resit but insist their predictions of A*A*A* are realistic.
Original post by mutmit07
your welcome, and no five A-levels will not make you stand out. Universities want good grades in three subjects. Taking five A-levels at the college where i have a place (loreto in manchester) means you have no free periods which are essential for keeping track on work and catching up if you are behind and also meeting deadlines. More A-levels means more courses, no free periods and loads more work x
obviously when looking at universities to go to all are really the same. But unfairly and out of superstition employers seem to favor places such as Oxford, Cambridge etc. also these look very good on your CV.
NOTE: MEDICINE APPLICANTS CAN ONLY APPLY TO FOUR UNIVERSITIES IN ONE YEAR AND CAN ONLY APPLY TO ONE OF OXFORD OR CAMBRIDGE IN THE SAME YEAR!!!!!!
that is so important.
obviously when looking at universities to go to all are really the same. But unfairly and out of superstition employers seem to favor places such as Oxford, Cambridge etc. also these look very good on your CV.
NOTE: MEDICINE APPLICANTS CAN ONLY APPLY TO FOUR UNIVERSITIES IN ONE YEAR AND CAN ONLY APPLY TO ONE OF OXFORD OR CAMBRIDGE IN THE SAME YEAR!!!!!!
that is so important.
You know that's not the case for medicine right? When you're applying for your F1 job the selectors won't even know which medical school you went to it matters that little.
I did all those subjects and I've applied for medicine before. First, look at the admissions pages of the unis you're gonna apply for. Some might say they prefer an arts subject.
I think it's really hard to choose A-levels based on how you did at GCSE (though I don't know how different IGCSE is). At least have a look through the syllabi of the 3 subjects, and try to read up on what you'd be learning. I chose physics at A-level because I didn't drop a mark at GCSE, but ended up hating it. I did music because I loved music, but hated 'studying' it. I was completely indifferent to maths at GCSE, but (further) maths at A-level was the only thing I enjoyed.
Don't necessarily listen to your music teacher, of course he's going to tell you to take his subject. For what it's worth, I'll recount on my music class - we had seriously talented musicians who were passionate about music, some went to conservatoires. Nobody got an A* at A2, and some of the best got a B. It isn't about being a musician, it's about pandering to an exam system - of course the equivalent could be said of any subject, but it was the most frustrating with Music. It might depend on your exam board, but I assume it's going to be split into performance, composition, listening and essays. The essays are what killed most people, there's a lot of rote memorisation on what you're going to write in the exam (contrived analysis about how x evokes y feeling and z conveys angst through dissonances). Of course, I'm not saying people don't enjoy this, because some will - just consider what the courses actually entail, because not everyone does.
Nobody here can tell you what you'd enjoy most/do best at. Figure it out by spending a considerable amount of time looking through the relevant textbooks, and wondering whether it looks interesting. Too many of my friends hated their subjects having not looked into what they'd be studying.
I think it's really hard to choose A-levels based on how you did at GCSE (though I don't know how different IGCSE is). At least have a look through the syllabi of the 3 subjects, and try to read up on what you'd be learning. I chose physics at A-level because I didn't drop a mark at GCSE, but ended up hating it. I did music because I loved music, but hated 'studying' it. I was completely indifferent to maths at GCSE, but (further) maths at A-level was the only thing I enjoyed.
Don't necessarily listen to your music teacher, of course he's going to tell you to take his subject. For what it's worth, I'll recount on my music class - we had seriously talented musicians who were passionate about music, some went to conservatoires. Nobody got an A* at A2, and some of the best got a B. It isn't about being a musician, it's about pandering to an exam system - of course the equivalent could be said of any subject, but it was the most frustrating with Music. It might depend on your exam board, but I assume it's going to be split into performance, composition, listening and essays. The essays are what killed most people, there's a lot of rote memorisation on what you're going to write in the exam (contrived analysis about how x evokes y feeling and z conveys angst through dissonances). Of course, I'm not saying people don't enjoy this, because some will - just consider what the courses actually entail, because not everyone does.
Nobody here can tell you what you'd enjoy most/do best at. Figure it out by spending a considerable amount of time looking through the relevant textbooks, and wondering whether it looks interesting. Too many of my friends hated their subjects having not looked into what they'd be studying.
To all of you saying Music is blacklisted by Cambridge, you're wrong. It's regarded the same as most essay subjects like English Lit and History. Check the trinity blacklist.
Hey, I think check the Cambridge website, they say 3 sciences at A2, and they could possibly favour a physics AS.
Whereas UCL really like a contrasting subject (so music would help). However, you can obviously still get in without a contrasting subject.
And earlier you said that you will do "chemistry and maths (and maybe further maths". Don't forget BIOLOGY!!!
Anyway, choose what you enjoy. And physics a level is soooo different to gcse (probably igcse too), so don't just go on the whim that you're good at it.
Whereas UCL really like a contrasting subject (so music would help). However, you can obviously still get in without a contrasting subject.
And earlier you said that you will do "chemistry and maths (and maybe further maths". Don't forget BIOLOGY!!!
Anyway, choose what you enjoy. And physics a level is soooo different to gcse (probably igcse too), so don't just go on the whim that you're good at it.
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