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Maths a good backup for medicine?

So i'm applying to medicine and was thinking about my back up options. Is taking maths as a backup a good idea?
you'll get into maths with a medicine ps,

most people choose chem eng
Original post by tal_08
So i'm applying to medicine and was thinking about my back up options. Is taking maths as a backup a good idea?


Jesus H Christ, do you want to do maths or do you want to do medicine? If you want to be a doctor then why are you happy to go off and do a maths degree?
Your medicine PS won't really have much relevance to a maths degree application.
If your backup is to enable you to do graduate entry medicine you are better off doing a life science (biomed is most popular) as that keep all those courses open to you; there are few that accept other types of degree, although they do exist.

Edit: also, what Democracy said ^^
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by tal_08
So i'm applying to medicine and was thinking about my back up options. Is taking maths as a backup a good idea?


No. Your personal statement has to 100% target medicine if you want any chance of being accepted. Therefore it will be unsuitable for applying for maths. A good backup would be : biomedicine, biochemistry, neuroscience, pharmacy
Reply 5
If you want to do medicine enough, apply for 4 med school places, and if you are one of the 60% of applicants who don't get in, take a gap year and apply again like everyone else. Only if you fail to get AAA will your 5th choice matter. And even then would you want a course that could lead to graduate medicine, or another path? But your PS will be 100% medicine so I'm really not sure what a maths dept will make of that! Do you even want to do a maths degree?
Pick pharmacy. It is practically a **** version of medicine.
Reply 7
Original post by Democracy
Jesus H Christ, do you want to do maths or do you want to do medicine? If you want to be a doctor then why are you happy to go off and do a maths degree?


?? All i was doing was asking if it was a good idea or not! I just don't want to end up with nothing to do for a year or a back up course that i am going to hate for the next 3 years! I want to do medicine because i want to be doctor [patient interaction, surgery etc]. I did some work xp at a research lab and i hated it!! Thats why i was wondering if it is a good idea or not to apply for something different! If i don't get into medicine, i want to be able to study a good degree that i will get me a good job that i might just enjoy to do for the rest of my life [as opposed to being stuck in a lab!].
Reply 8
Original post by HCubed
If you want to do medicine enough, apply for 4 med school places, and if you are one of the 60% of applicants who don't get in, take a gap year and apply again like everyone else. Only if you fail to get AAA will your 5th choice matter. And even then would you want a course that could lead to graduate medicine, or another path? But your PS will be 100% medicine so I'm really not sure what a maths dept will make of that! Do you even want to do a maths degree?


Thanks. Yeah the question was really for if i don't get in after a gap year. I think then i would change my ps and orientate it more towards maths..
I do want to do maths, but only if i can't do medicine [as in i like medicine more than maths and would chose to be a doctor over like a financial analyst].
Original post by tal_08
?? All i was doing was asking if it was a good idea or not! I just don't want to end up with nothing to do for a year or a back up course that i am going to hate for the next 3 years! I want to do medicine because i want to be doctor [patient interaction, surgery etc]. I did some work xp at a research lab and i hated it!! Thats why i was wondering if it is a good idea or not to apply for something different! If i don't get into medicine, i want to be able to study a good degree that i will get me a good job that i might just enjoy to do for the rest of my life [as opposed to being stuck in a lab!].


So..you want to be a doctor as long as you get in next year, and if not you're equally happy being an accountant/banker/maths teacher?

Lots of applicants don't get into med school the first time round - the system is competitive and oversubscribed so that's not really a reflection on you. Assuming you've got the grades, there's nothing wrong with taking a year out and re-applying. You tell me what makes more sense, getting in the year after and becoming a doctor, or totally chucking it in and doing another degree for the rest of your life - which will be for much longer than a single year.
Reply 10
Original post by tal_08
?? All i was doing was asking if it was a good idea or not! I just don't want to end up with nothing to do for a year or a back up course that i am going to hate for the next 3 years! I want to do medicine because i want to be doctor [patient interaction, surgery etc]. I did some work xp at a research lab and i hated it!! Thats why i was wondering if it is a good idea or not to apply for something different! If i don't get into medicine, i want to be able to study a good degree that i will get me a good job that i might just enjoy to do for the rest of my life [as opposed to being stuck in a lab!].


You won't have nothing to do for a year! Literally the majority of medicine applicants don't get in - 60%. So most don't give up first time, even second time, they take a gap year, or even two, and improve their application by working and volunteering and building their application. Some that don't get in first time do a different degree in order to qualify to apply for graduate medicine. It takes a great deal of effort to get into medicine, if you are prepared to give up after one year, maybe it's not really your thing?
Reply 11
Original post by Democracy
So..you want to be a doctor as long as you get in next year, and if not you're equally happy being an accountant/banker/maths teacher?

Lots of applicants don't get into med school the first time round - the system is competitive and oversubscribed so that's not really a reflection on you. Assuming you've got the grades, there's nothing wrong with taking a year out and re-applying. You tell me what makes more sense, getting in the year after and becoming a doctor, or totally chucking it in and doing another degree for the rest of your life - which will be for much longer than a single year.


But I didn't say i wouldn't take a gap year? In the last reply i stated that it was for if i don't get in AFTER the gap year. I am committed to medicine but i'm trying to keep it real because not all applicants to medicine get in. I just don't want to be stuck in a lab somewhere..
All i did was ask a question - there is no need to be hostile or sarcastic!
Reply 12
Original post by HCubed
You won't have nothing to do for a year! Literally the majority of medicine applicants don't get in - 60%. So most don't give up first time, even second time, they take a gap year, or even two, and improve their application by working and volunteering and building their application. Some that don't get in first time do a different degree in order to qualify to apply for graduate medicine. It takes a great deal of effort to get into medicine, if you are prepared to give up after one year, maybe it's not really your thing?


I do really want to medicine, but financially it is very tough as well. If i can, i would happily do graduate entry into medicine but it might not be financially feasible for me to do at the moment so i was just exploring back up options, that's all! :smile:
Reply 13
Original post by tal_08
I do really want to medicine, but financially it is very tough as well. If i can, i would happily do graduate entry into medicine but it might not be financially feasible for me to do at the moment so i was just exploring back up options, that's all! :smile:



You can self-finance a gap year by working - even save money for med school. Graduate medicine is a terrible option for you if you are capable of getting in as an undergraduate - it's so much harder to get into.
Reply 14
Original post by HCubed
You can self-finance a gap year by working - even save money for med school. Graduate medicine is a terrible option for you if you are capable of getting in as an undergraduate - it's so much harder to get into.


Yeah, thanks for the advice! Hopefully i get in and don't have to resort to post-grad or anything else for that matter!

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