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MEGATHREAD - The 'What Subjects Should I Do' Megathread

Yes, that's fine.

Only UCL and Peninsula state they like a contrasting subject, and even then, it's unlikely to make or break your application. And it's also only 2 medical schools. You should do the subjects you enjoy, and from your original post that sounds like the 3 sciences and maths. :smile:

Thankyou

Reply 2181

hellomoto170

14

Firstly I am obviously aware that it is very highly recommended that you do chemistry at A level above all other subjects if you wish to study medicine, but my question is it is an absolute necessity?
I ask because I have picked it as one of my four AS subjects which I will begin in September along with Maths, Biology and Economics. As you may have guessed the reason for my choices is because I haven't yet decided between medicine and economics, assuming I can get the grades needed to do both.
However recently I have given it a lot of thought and concluded that I want to do economics 90%, so will probably drop chemistry after year 12 and carry on with maths, economics and biology as my A level subjects.
So yeah my question is, if something very strange happens and I suddenly want to do medicine, say I get grades of Maths: A*, Biology: A, Economics: A, or similar, and have an A for chemistry AS, could I apply for medicine or are most top unis likely to reject me straight away because I didn't take Chemistry up to the full A level (two years)?

Reply 2182

Sach2K10

1

You need chemistry to be honest - at the end of L6/start of U6 its far too late to be hedging your bets about what course you want to do anyway, so if come results day you decide you want to do medicine, choose chemistry over economics, but dont mess about because if you change your mind after that itll either be a lot of hassle to change your timetables or if you leave it particularly long, you just wont have a chance for medicine. Anyway, chemistry is definitely needed.

Reply 2183

jameswhughes

19

The entry requirements are listed here, if you're considering Medicine at all it looks as if you will need the full A-Level in Chemistry.

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Where_to_Study_Medicine

Reply 2184

LadyRowena

9

You won't get any offers for Medicine without Chemistry A Level. I imagine you will probably have made your mind up by the end of Year 12, though, and you could always carry on all 4 for a little bit in Year 13 if you really can't make your mind up.

yes

In a word. Yes.

Original post by HTC

yes

**** beat me to it.

Reply 2188

Mobs25

2

Yes as all offers for medicine are only given if you take chemistry at A levels. There are medical programmes designed for pp who dont want to take chemistry/ Alevels and those r the 6 year courses which are known as foundation to medicine. You will find through ur A levels u dont c how chemistry relates to medicine so much in comparison to biology which isnt compulsory in some med unis. but by the end u will... SO AS A SUMMARY LOL, YES YOU MUST TAKE CHEMISTRY IF YOU WANT TO DO A 5 YEAR MBBS COURSE, IF NOT THEN A FOUNDATION ENTRY TO MEDICINE...however from wot i hear they r cutting them down as it seems to b an unfair.

Reply 2189

alexs2602

22

Way I see it is you have to choose which subject to drop by the beginning of September by then you will also need to decide what you want to study at university because if you choose Medicine you have to get your application in by mid-october so decide what you want to do at university first, then if you decide to do medicine then drop econ, if you decide to do econ then drop chemistry.

tl;dr Chemistry is required for medicine and the medicine application date is early so make a decision and stick by it. Either way both courses are incredibly competitive

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 2190

soutioirsim

15

I don't think you need the full A-level in chemistry. My mate has got in with just AS chemistry.

Reply 2191

alexs2602

22

Original post by soutioirsim

I don't think you need the full A-level in chemistry. My mate has got in with just AS chemistry.

It's highly desirable nonetheless. See my previous post

Reply 2192

angelmxxx

14

Original post by hellomoto170

Firstly I am obviously aware that it is very highly recommended that you do chemistry at A level above all other subjects if you wish to study medicine, but my question is it is an absolute necessity?
I ask because I have picked it as one of my four AS subjects which I will begin in September along with Maths, Biology and Economics. As you may have guessed the reason for my choices is because I haven't yet decided between medicine and economics, assuming I can get the grades needed to do both.
However recently I have given it a lot of thought and concluded that I want to do economics 90%, so will probably drop chemistry after year 12 and carry on with maths, economics and biology as my A level subjects.
So yeah my question is, if something very strange happens and I suddenly want to do medicine, say I get grades of Maths: A*, Biology: A, Economics: A, or similar, and have an A for chemistry AS, could I apply for medicine or are most top unis likely to reject me straight away because I didn't take Chemistry up to the full A level (two years)?

I don't know why all the posters above me have said yes, because you DO NOT need A2 Chemistry for all medical schools. You do for a lot of them, but not all of them. Eg UEA - http://www.uea.ac.uk/med/medicine-health-policy-and-practice/mbbs-medicine#requirements

Imperial - http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/ugprospectus/facultiesanddepartments/medicine/mbbsmedicine/entryrequirements

Newcastle - http://www.ncl.ac.uk/undergraduate/course/A100/entrance-requirements

Anyway, if you take Chemistry for AS you won't have to decide which subject to drop until September of year 13, when you'll know which subject you want to do at university. :smile:

However, be aware that (apart from economics which has some essays in), you don't have an essay subject which isn't ideal for an economics application.

Reply 2193

angelmxxx

14

Original post by alexs2602

Way I see it is you have to choose which subject to drop by the beginning of September by then you will also need to decide what you want to study at university because if you choose Medicine you have to get your application in by mid-october so decide what you want to do at university first, then if you decide to do medicine then drop econ, if you decide to do econ then drop chemistry.

tl;dr Chemistry is required for medicine and the medicine application date is early so make a decision and stick by it. Either way both courses are incredibly competitive

They're going into year 12 this September not year 13, so they don't have to decide which subject to drop for another 15 months yet.

Reply 2194

alexs2602

22

Original post by angelmxxx

They're going into year 12 this September not year 13, so they don't have to decide which subject to drop for another 15 months yet.

lol, sorry, I just kinda skimmed and assumed that if they were asking now that they were currently waiting for AS results. In that case OP should also consider further maths if he is thinking of econ. It would be desirable.

In all honesty it's going to be hard for OP to decide unless he's done econ before. It would still be better if they chose now rather than later. Economics can require 3 specific subjects, medicine normally requires 3 specific subjects too and seems to prefer 4 full A level subjects overall. Either way the overlap is not enough that he can hedge his bets.

(edited 12 years ago)

YES!!!!

Firstly an overall point, thanks for your responses. Pretty much summed up what I thought before: Practically yes with a few exceptions as mentioned by someone above. I suppose I'll have to see how Economics goes before I can say anything as I've never done it before, it wasn't offered as a GCSE at my school so I did business studies instead which was so ridiculously easy it was unreal. Anyway I'm going off-topic...

Anyway, if you take Chemistry for AS you won't have to decide which subject to drop until September of year 13, when you'll know which subject you want to do at university. :smile:

However, be aware that (apart from economics which has some essays in), you don't have an essay subject which isn't ideal for an economics application. (I fail at quoting it seems)

I was thinking about this the other day actually and like you say Economics is my only essay-based subject, hopefully I can A* English or English Literature as some sort of compensation (at GCSE)! I don't think this will be a major issue though.

Also thanks to whoever mentioned the early medicine application thing, I was not aware of this. I imagine seeing as I haven't even started year 12 yet, my school will make me aware of all of these things.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 2197

angelmxxx

14

Original post by hellomoto170

Firstly an overall point, thanks for your responses. Pretty much summed up what I thought before: Practically yes with a few exceptions as mentioned by someone above. I suppose I'll have to see how Economics goes before I can say anything as I've never done it before, it wasn't offered as a GCSE at my school so I did business studies instead which was so ridiculously easy it was unreal. Anyway I'm going off-topic...

Anyway, if you take Chemistry for AS you won't have to decide which subject to drop until September of year 13, when you'll know which subject you want to do at university. :smile:

However, be aware that (apart from economics which has some essays in), you don't have an essay subject which isn't ideal for an economics application.

(I fail at quoting it seems)

I was thinking about this the other day actually and like you say Economics is my only essay-based subject, hopefully I can A* English or English Literature as some sort of compensation (at GCSE)! I don't think this will be a major issue though.

Also thanks to whoever mentioned the early medicine application thing, I was not aware of this. I imagine seeing as I haven't even started year 12 yet, my school will make me aware of all of these things.
Reading something like Freakonomics or the Undercover Economist (quite cheap on amazon or your local library or friends might have copies) is a good introduction to the basic principles of economics in a 'popular science', non textbook way. For economics at a top university (which I'd assume you'd be looking at if you are likely to have the grades for medicine) an essay subject would be a very good choice, something like History - look at the TAELT and other posts in the economics forum on here for advice.