*MEGATHREAD* - The 'What Subjects Should I Do' Megathread

Discussion about medicine applications and medicine.

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  1. Medicine Man's Avatar
    • Vengeful, Imperial Overlord of The Student Room
    • Posts: 4,791
    Re: sociology,biology,chemistry for medicine
    Have you had a look here to see what subjects are required?

    EDIT: Beaten. :p:
  2. Medicine Man's Avatar
    • Vengeful, Imperial Overlord of The Student Room
    • Posts: 4,791
    Re: sociology,biology,chemistry for medicine
    (Original post by Diaz89)
    like?
    *unis don't necessarily forbid doing sociology a level
    *theres no such thing as a good uni for medicine - they're all pretty much on par; all that differs is the style of teaching.
  3. John Locke's Avatar
    • PS Helper
    • Overlord in Training
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    Re: sociology,biology,chemistry for medicine
    (Original post by Diaz89)
    like?
    1) What constitutes a 'good' medical school? why is imperial any better than anywhere else?

    2) Find me a source that is non-anecdotal that says imperial college school of medicine (or any other medical school) have a specific preference for mathematics at A level (Cambridge may be a slight exception to the general trend).

    3) What's wrong with sociology? Do you have a source that indicates it is a poor choice in subject for admissions to medical school? or are you just going off the fact that it's not a science?

  4. Diaz89's Avatar
    • Banned
    • Location: London
    • Posts: 9,184
    Re: sociology,biology,chemistry for medicine
    (Original post by Medicine Man)
    *unis don't necessarily forbid doing sociology a level
    *theres no such thing as a good uni for medicine - they're all pretty much on par; all that differs is the style of teaching.
    No I didn't say it was forbidden I said it is encouraged as I read on the Imperial website.

    Yes I know but why is it harder to get into Imperial if they're all the same :confused:
  5. Myth717's Avatar
    • Overlord in Training
    • Location: United Kingdom
    • Posts: 2,032
    Re: sociology,biology,chemistry for medicine
    (Original post by Diaz89)
    No I didn't say it was forbidden I said it is encouraged as I read on the Imperial website.

    Yes I know but why is it harder to get into Imperial if they're all the same :confused:
    lol Diaz ignore him, hes acting dumb...
  6. John Locke's Avatar
    • PS Helper
    • Overlord in Training
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    Re: sociology,biology,chemistry for medicine
    (Original post by Diaz89)
    No I didn't say it was forbidden I said it is encouraged as I read on the Imperial website.

    Yes I know but why is it harder to get into Imperial if they're all the same :confused:
    Who says it's any harder to get into imperial than the other schools?
  7. Medicine Man's Avatar
    • Vengeful, Imperial Overlord of The Student Room
    • Posts: 4,791
    Re: sociology,biology,chemistry for medicine
    (Original post by Diaz89)
    No I didn't say it was forbidden I said it is encouraged as I read on the Imperial website.

    Yes I know but why is it harder to get into Imperial if they're all the same :confused:
    So long as you have proof to say it was encouraged to do maths and not sociology, thats fine. The only proof I have was from the TSR Wiki and thats what I gave.


    (Original post by Myth717)
    lol Diaz ignore him, hes acting dumb...
    :lolwut: where did you come from?
  8. Diaz89's Avatar
    • Banned
    • Location: London
    • Posts: 9,184
    Re: sociology,biology,chemistry for medicine
    (Original post by John Locke)
    1) What constitutes a 'good' medical school? why is imperial any better than anywhere else?

    2) Find me a source that is non-anecdotal that says imperial college school of medicine (or any other medical school) have a specific preference for mathematics at A level (Cambridge may be a slight exception to the general trend).

    3) What's wrong with sociology? Do you have a source that indicates it is a poor choice in subject for admissions to medical school? or are you just going off the fact that it's not a science?

    1) One that it is much harder/more competitive to get in than the rest, intensive course tailor made for its more than able students, has stellar international reputation reflective of the output of the university.

    2)http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/ugprospec...tecourses/mbbs

    The minimum entry requirements for this course are as follows: three A levels, including chemistry and/or biology and one science or mathematics subject, and one additional subject at AS level.
    :rolleyes:


    3) I have no problem with sociology, i took myself but it is not a subject that suits a science based degree.
    Last edited by Diaz89; 28-08-2009 at 03:06.
  9. Diaz89's Avatar
    • Banned
    • Location: London
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    Re: sociology,biology,chemistry for medicine
    (Original post by Myth717)
    lol Diaz ignore him, hes acting dumb...
    No, nearly every single University literally doesn't want prospective medicine students to take arts based subjects at A Level.
  10. John Locke's Avatar
    • PS Helper
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    Re: sociology,biology,chemistry for medicine
    (Original post by Diaz89)
    1) One that is much harder/more competitive to get in than the rest, intensive course tailor made for its more than able students, has stellar international reputation reflective of the output of the university.
    How are you measuring 'harder/more competitive to get in'? School put different weighting on different criteria so can you truly compare them so simply? Intensive with what, more scientific content? does that make it a better place to go to? I'm not even going to comment on anything regarding reputation.

    So Chemistry and one of;

    Biology,
    Physics
    Mathematics.

    OP indicates taking Biology thus this criteria is fufilled. Note that in your own quotation of the admissions criteria there is no mention of any further limitations on the 3rd A level (i.e. does not discourage sociology). Also it by no means specifies that mathematics is any more preferable to Biology or Physics nor does is indicate any kind of advantage in taking it as a 3rd A level.


    (Original post by Diaz89)
    3) I have no problem with sociology, i took myself but it is not a subject that suits a science based degree.
    Seeing as it's part of many schools undergraduate medical curriculum i can see it might be quite a useful thing to have. Medicine is far from a intensely scientific degree (at least in most schools).
  11. Diaz89's Avatar
    • Banned
    • Location: London
    • Posts: 9,184
    Re: sociology,biology,chemistry for medicine
    (Original post by John Locke)
    How are you measuring 'harder/more competitive to get in'? School put different weighting on different criteria so can you truly compare them so simply? Intensive with what, more scientific content? does that make it a better place to go to? I'm not even going to comment on anything regarding reputation.
    The number of A's required to enter and the standard of those A's (3 A's is the minimum as well), the number of students who apply outweighs those who enter.

    Intensive, as in the content is more detailed and "bulky" so to speak so requires students who can keep up that's why the entrance requirement is structured so that only the most able enter.

    Most people who refuse to comment on the reputation usually don't have anything valid to say...



    (Original post by John Locke)
    So Chemistry and one of;

    Biology,
    Physics
    Mathematics.

    OP indicates taking Biology thus this criteria is fufilled. Note that in your own quotation of the admissions criteria there is no mention of any further limitations on the 3rd A level (i.e. does not discourage sociology). Also it by no means specifies that mathematics is any more preferable to Biology or Physics nor does is indicate any kind of advantage in taking it as a 3rd A level.
    No, Chemistry and Biology are basically mandatory if you want to stand a chance of being accepted and then they are required to take a further A level in either Mathematics or Sciences, not Arts.

    "three A levels, including chemistry and/or biology and one science or mathematics subject"


    (Original post by John Locke)
    Seeing as it's part of many schools undergraduate medical curriculum i can see it might be quite a useful thing to have. Medicine is far from a intensely scientific degree (at least in most schools).
    WTF :no:
  12. Myth717's Avatar
    • Overlord in Training
    • Location: United Kingdom
    • Posts: 2,032
    Re: sociology,biology,chemistry for medicine
    (Original post by Medicine Man)
    So long as you have proof to say it was encouraged to do maths and not sociology, thats fine. The only proof I have was from the TSR Wiki and thats what I gave.




    :lolwut: where did you come from?

    The moon.
  13. becca2389's Avatar
    • Overlord in Training
    • Location: Northern Ireland
    • Posts: 2,124
    Re: A Level Choices/Medicine
    (Original post by Philosoraptor)
    Aha, the problems of missing out a single comma!

    See if you can work out where it should go.

    HINT: think third person singular one.
    It still doesn't make sense to me? Double negative?
  14. XxCurly-TopxX's Avatar
    • Respected Member
    • Location: Guilford
    • Posts: 215
    Re: A Level Choices/Medicine
    I've just done my AS's in Biology, Chemistry, Maths and History
    I felt having an arts subject was a nice contrast for myself - seriously looking at a timetable jammed full of science is very depressing! Also I'm hoping the essay writting will help in the BMAT =)
    But as for Unis, I'm not convinced it makes much difference. Although some unis would prefer a 'contrasting' subject, a high proportion of applicants have 4 sciences.
    So basically if you can get a good grade in physics it's no problem at all =)
  15. Philosoraptor's Avatar
    • PS Helper
    • TSR Idol
    • Location: London
    Re: A Level Choices/Medicine
    (Original post by becca2389)
    It still doesn't make sense to me? Double negative?
    Well possibly - but I was very tired


    But in my head it read:

    And can I just reinforce the above mentioned fact, that no, one does not need maths to study medicine!!

    Does that make more sense?
  16. funsize17's Avatar
    • Exalted Member
    Re: A Level Choices/Medicine
    I'm doing Chemistry, Biology, Geography and Psychology and i want to do medicine too. Is there a problem with my subject choices with regards to getting onto the medicine course at Uni?
  17. ECHF's Avatar
    • Exalted Member
    • Posts: 284
    Re: A Level Choices/Medicine
    Im doing Maths, Chem , Biology and Geography
  18. carcinoma's Avatar
    • TSR Demigod
    • Location: London/South West
    Re: A Level Choices/Medicine
    Physics is The Best , and really intresting.

    (Bio is really intresting too and chem is fun)

  19. The_Wolfe_Man's Avatar
    • New Member
    • Location: bed
    • Posts: 15
    Re: A Level Choices/Medicine
    I start the medicine course at UCL in september. I did chem, physics, bio and maths at A2. I also know people who have only done 2 science subjects and 2 arts and they also have medical places. My advice is to do the subjects you enjoy the most, you have a better chance of doing well at them. There is not that much emphasis on A level choice since a medical application is considered from the overall picture and A-levels end up as only a small part of this. Chemisty and Biology are the 2 that will help you the most both in applying and in doing the medical course. hope this is some help!
  20. stallion007's Avatar
    • Exalted Member
    • Location: london
    • Posts: 368
    Re: sociology,biology,chemistry for medicine
    all of u can anyone realy help me
    Last edited by stallion007; 28-08-2009 at 19:50.
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