How important is maths if I want do medicine? Please help.

If you want to apply to like Cambridge then take it.

If not, you'll be fine with just bio and chem.

I think bio, chem, Maths and French would be a very good combination but unless you feel comfortable there's no point. AS isn't too hard anyway tbh

Thanks for the fast rep!
I know Cambridge want it, I don't think Oxford technically want maths but obviously a lot of their applicants would have it so I'd be disadvantaged. But I'm not too bothered about oxbridge to be honest.

that combination does sound really good for med but I'm just nervous about the maths. If I'll be fine without it I don't think I'll take it but i'm just not sure it's so competitive that idk if I can afford to stay in my cofmort zone.

Is AS maths only a small step up from gcse then?

Hello,

Fairly new to TSR and looking for a bit of advice please I'm in year 11, and I want to study medicine at university. My ideal A level choices would be chemistry, biology, french and english - however I am aware that to be a real competitor for medical schools it is better to have maths instead of eng/french.

The only problem is, I really don't like maths and think that I would struggle with the A level (I'm predicted A* at GCSE but many people have told me that this is not a guarantee that I will succeed with the subject at A level). I don't view myself as a 'natural mathematician' and have always had a passion for literature rather than algebra!

I realise that on many medical school websites maths isn't compulsory but sixth formers I have spoken to at my school say that if I'm serious about medicine then I need to take it.

Do I dramatically decrease my chance of getting into med school if I don't take maths? Even if I got really good A levels overall? Also, I know that some unis look at GCSEs and BMAT/UKCAT for more of an indication...

So confused!

It's probably useful but you definitely don't need it, apart from the exceptions given above. If you don't like Maths, don't take it! Just be warned that you won't be able to avoid maths forever.

I don't want to persuade you into maths but it really isn't a big step up at all.

C1 is just a brush over of GCSE. C2 is just some new principles and building on trig and such. And then you pick S1 which is simple.

You don't need maths (except for Cambridge). I don't think doing it would put you at any advantage.

(Although I wouldn't be put off by other people say it's "difficult". Different people are good at different things.)

maths relates very closely to medicine.

if you don't like maths theres a strong chance you won't like medicine

If it really isn't a big step up then I might consider it, I'll have to weigh up the benefits and things. I'm assuming you've done A level maths then? Apparently A2 is where it gets really tough but I know it all depends on the person.

maths relates very closely to medicine.

if you don't like maths theres a strong chance you won't like medicine

If it really isn't a big step up then I might consider it, I'll have to weigh up the benefits and things. I'm assuming you've done A level maths then? Apparently A2 is where it gets really tough but I know it all depends on the person.



That's really good to hear, thank you






Hmmm except I really love chemistry and biology and it is my dream to do medicine

A2 Maths is where the step up is imo, if there is one.

It does depend on you but at A2 you can just choose to continue bio, chem and French

I'm saying French because it's an easy AS if you're decent at it haha, English lit is a lot more subjective

That's a good point it would be nice to maybe drop it after AS but my school expects us to continue them all on to full A level :/
French seems more useful to me as well because I want to travel and live in different places so language is kind of important for that. It's also one of my stronger subjects so I'm keen to do it, yeah

have you had an experience?

loving biology and chemistry doesn't automatically mean that you love medicine.

if only...

If by experience you mean work experience, then yes I have and I really enjoyed it. Although I do appreciate that it is a tough subject to study, but there are positives and negatives to every degree really

I'm a med applicant this year and can tell you maths is really helpful for the entrance exams (UKCAT and BMAT) so it's a useful thing to have. I want expected to take 4A2 subjects because of my GCSE grades so took as maths as a fifth choice. It wasn't that much extra work, IS helpful, looks good on an application and I was able to drop it. If I was you I'd take it!

I didn't realise the entrance exams included maths in them... I suppose if I think I'm up to it then it looks like a good idea, even if I just do it to AS. Thank you for the help and good luck!