Doctor or Lawyer

I am at GCSEs and am struggling to narrow down my A levels, I am thinking law or medicine as a career and can't decide. The careers counselor at my school says I can do either, but I am stuck! Thoughts? :confused:

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Reply 1

391iady

Original post by augusta_t

to keep your options open I'd suggest some of the following
Maths
History
Chemistry
Biology
English Literature
Latin

Reply 2

augusta_t

Original post by 391iady

to keep your options open I'd suggest some of the following
Maths
History
Chemistry
Biology
English Literature
Latin

Thanks, I could do any of them except for latin! :smile:

Reply 3

yo radical one

Don't do the, keep your options between the two open, thing

they are very different fields and you need to decide

rather than than trying to keep your options open between law and med and being rejected for both, decide which area you prefer and pick subjects where say, if you don't get medicine, you can go for biochem or pharmacy.

Reply 4

augusta_t

Original post by yo radical one

Thanks, I'd rather do law, so i'm going to do subjects like English, Maths, History and Economics :smile:

Reply 5

Indeterminate

Original post by augusta_t

Thanks, I could do any of them except for latin! :smile:

Perhaps History, Eng Lit, Chem, Bio?

Physics and Maths aren't essential for either of these respective degree courses.

EDIT: If you want Law more, chuck Bio and do Maths - its far more interesting and useful (sharpens your problem solving).

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 6

augusta_t

Original post by Indeterminate

Thanks

Reply 7

wizard101

Original post by augusta_t

Tbh you can do a career in law using any degree through law conversion course then other professional examination. So you could study medicine and then go into career related to law.

Reply 8

augusta_t

Original post by wizard101

Tbh you can do a career in law using any degree through law conversion course then other professional examination. So you could study medicine and then go into career related to law.

Ahaha thanks, but medicine is so hard to get into to waste it moving to law! :wink:

Reply 9

wizard101

Original post by augusta_t

Ahaha thanks, but medicine is so hard to get into to waste it moving to law! :wink:

No its not a waste (and its sort of rubbish for people who talk about this without knowing anything involved. This is not about you, so no offence). I have seen some medical students who graduated and moved into medical law or medical management. There are alternative routes than being a doctor using a medical degree.

Reply 10

biologist.

I heard that most people who study law end up either dropping out or spending the rest of their life hating their job so make sure you understand what doing law really involves and ask yourself why you want to do it. Tbh I would say don't narrow it down so much, keep your options open and think about what subjects you enjoy etc.

Reply 11

Dr Alcoholic

Original post by wizard101

Tbh you can do a career in law using any degree through law conversion course then other professional examination. So you could study medicine and then go into career related to law.

Arguably you can get into GEM at some unis with any degree as well.

Reply 12

wizard101

Original post by Dr Alcoholic

Arguably you can get into GEM at some unis with any degree as well.

Well this is true but it depends on personal choice since both ways are extremely competitive

Reply 13

Pride

Original post by Dr Alcoholic

Arguably you can get into GEM at some unis with any degree as well.

exactly, it doesn't mean you should encourage people to actually follow this path. If you want to go into medical law, you shouldn't do 5 years of medicine first. If you want to be a doctor, you shouldn't do law and then graduate entry medicine.

Try to make decisions now to avoid the last minute conversions. What do lawyers do that you think you would enjoy? What do doctors do that you think you would enjoy? What are your strengths? What would you like to do after studying a law degree? Are you passionate about any particular field?

Reply 14

391iady

Original post by Pride

But what about if your grades aren't good enough for medicine, and you like another subject too?

Reply 15

Pride

Original post by 391iady

But what about if your grades aren't good enough for medicine, and you like another subject too?

Then you go for that subject, instead of medicine. Graduate entry med is more competitive than undergrad in this country.

Reply 16

391iady

Original post by Pride

Then you go for that subject, instead of medicine. Graduate entry med is more competitive than undergrad in this country.

but graduate entry medicine only takes the degree in to account and not GCSE's ?

Reply 17

Chief Wiggum

Original post by augusta_t

Law tends not to ask for specific A Level subjects, instead just wanting academic subjects.

So something like Biology, Chemistry, History, English Literature

or Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, English Literature

etc etc etc

would be fine for both medicine and law.

Reply 18

Pride

Original post by 391iady

but graduate entry medicine only takes the degree in to account and not GCSE's ?

I don't understand how this is relevant? What do you need advice on?

Reply 19

391iady

Original post by Pride

I don't understand how this is relevant? What do you need advice on?

I want to study medicine, but my GCSE's aren't the best.

Say I graduate with a great degree e.g. first . Wouldn't it be easier to get on the GEM course?