Anyone else scared about starting medicine? (Particularly arts grads).

So the last few months have been amazing, and I was so, so happy to be given an offer for medicine. I worked so hard for 2 years.

Now, it's getting closer and closer to the start date and i'm getting more and more nervous every day. I graduated with a 1st in law in 2012. My higher results are not medicine level. I achieved an A in higher human bio in 2007 and a B in higher chem as well. I hated higher chem and found it difficult. I really enjoyed human bio, only really finding dna translation difficult, oh and a little bit of genetics.

Anyway, i have been looking back over s grade and higher chem, and am horrified to have forgotten almost everything. I'm really scared about the pure science content at the beginning of the course, thinking i'll probably struggle and possibly fail. Do they teach everything with an assumed knowledge of chem and bio? I am a pretty hard worker and try to keep looking at something until i understand it, but i'm worried there will be too much content in med to do this.

Looking for advice on any topics that would be useful for me to look over? Does anyone else feel like this? Really don't want to fail after working so hard to get in. I know I haven't started yet, but I have some time now and I want to be as prepared as possible.

Thanks!

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 1

Coke Or Pepsi

Don't worry :smile:

It's all taught to you again, and you have time to learn and revise it. Don't do anything. Just relax and enjoy some freedom. The extent of the chemistry you need to know is really basic, and will come back to you when they teach you it! You won't fail :smile:

Original post by noregrets

So the last few months have been amazing, and I was so, so happy to be given an offer for medicine. I worked so hard for 2 years.

Now, it's getting closer and closer to the start date and i'm getting more and more nervous everyday. I graduated with a 1st in law in 2012. My higher results are not medicine level. I achieved an A in higher human bio in 2007 and a B in higher chem as well. I hated higher chem and found it difficult. I really enjoyed human bio, only really findind dna translation difficult, oh and a little bit of genetics.

Anyway, i have been looking back over s grade and higher chem, and am horrified to have forgotten almost everything. I'm really scared about the pure science content at the beginning of the course, thinking i'll probably struggle and possibly fail. Do they teach everything with an assumed knowledge of chem and bio? I am a pretty hard worker and try to keep looking at something until i understand it, but i'm worried there will be too much content in med to do this.

Looking for advice on any topics that would be useful for me to look over? Does anyone else feel like this? Really don't want to fail after working so hard to get in. I know I haven't started yet, but I have some time now and I want to be as prepared as possible.

Thanks!

Reply 2

username872427

Original post by Coke Or Pepsi

Don't worry :smile:

Thanks a lot for the reassurance. Really?! Everything? That's not so bad then. You are a bit of an academic heavyweight though (just looked at your profile :P), so are u sure it's really 'basic'? Lol. Feeling slightly better now.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 3

Coke Or Pepsi

Welllll :P It's not 'basic' but certainly it's a different set of knowledge from A-level stuff, so not remembering it all isn't actually that big a deal at all :smile:

Academic heavy-weight - hah! It's never been said quite like that before :smile:

But yeah, seriously, do not worry! I mean, it's stressful, but your A-levels and pre-med school education are pretty separate from med-school itself (though having a grounding makes re-introduction of certain topics easier :smile:

)

Original post by noregrets

Thanks a lot for the reassurance. Really?! Everything? That's not so bad then. You are a bit if an academic heavyweight though (just looked at your profile :P), so are u sure it's really 'basic'? Lol. Feeling slightly better now.

Reply 4

Chwirkytheappleboy

I agree you don't need to worry, you get taught everything you need to know. I didn't do Biology A level so was a little worried but it turned out they went over all the important bits anyway. Also I couldn't really remember any Chemistry but as Coke or Pepsi says, the level you need to know is really basic. The difficult thing about Medicine is really just the huge volume of information that you have to memorise, but ultimately you can just do that by working, you don't really need much prior knowledge

Reply 5

username872427

Thanks a lot guys, really helpful. I'm feeling much better.

Reply 6

rag19

Original post by noregrets

I am so happy to stumble across this thread. I to am studying law at the University of Leeds and i'm about to enter my second year. I was also thinking about applying for medicine as a graduate. do you have any helpful tips and advice on how you went about applying to the universities, your experiences on receiving an offer and how you faired with the UKCAT?