Medicine V Science Degree

I have started thinking about the choice of university course i will make in september/october

Studying medicine is a good choice, once you get in - you have a job, a stable future etc etc

Studying a science degree also leads to a wide range of job oppourtunites.

However, if the choice comes down to it which one should i choose?

If i do a science degree, i will be doing biology (genetics) or physics!

With medicine are job choices restricted just to become a doctor down that route, or can you take similar jobs in industries such as banking, or science industries?

thanks in advance

Reply 1

Speedbird2008

3

witness the sickness

Studying medicine is a good choice, once you get in - you have a job, a stable future etc etc

With medicine are job choices restricted just to become a doctor down that route, or can you take similar jobs in industries such as banking, or science industries?

thanks in advance

I lol-ed when I read this. :p:

Think about what you just wrote.

Then ask again.

:p:

Reply 2

witness the sickness

OP

6

lol do i sound like a cock?
explain how so, so i can get rid of the embarrasment!!? please lol

Reply 3

bright star

1

witness the sickness

lol do i sound like a cock?
explain how so, so i can get rid of the embarrasment!!? please lol

noone is going to force you to take a job in medicine if you don't want one!! you can do what you like! obviously the industry you're wanting to go into might need you to do some further training depending ono what it is.

Reply 4

Fluffy

15

witness the sickness

Studying medicine is a good choice, once you get in - you have a job, a stable future etc etc

You're about 5 years out of date on that one. You might not get a job, you will end up £40k in debt, and get paid £20k a year when you qualify, while all your science degree friends will have been working for 2 years and earning £10k a year more...

Reply 5

witness the sickness

OP

6

oh, thats a very bleak outlook - is it too competitive is that why the job market is so?
are there too many med students/doctors?
would u reccomend pursuing a degree in medicine, and then swapping to a science based job in industry?

Reply 6

Saffie

11

witness the sickness

would u reccomend pursuing a degree in medicine, and then swapping to a science based job in industry?

no, cause then you just have an extra two years of debt.

anyway, have you done medical work experience.. talk to current doctors and see what they do, then you'll have more idea of what you want to do.

Reply 7

Custer

1

would u reccomend pursuing a degree in medicine, and then swapping to a science based job in industry?

What would be the point, might as well just do a science degree then.

Reply 8

Fluffy

15

It's mostly to do with the expanded EU - about 6 years ago, the Govermemnt allocated lots of new places to medical schools to get more doctors through. As a result an extra 1000 more than normal graduate this year. However, now the EU has expanded in the interim, and has done so to include countries where doctors are relatively poorly paid (a Polish doc can earn in 3 months here what they would earn in a year at home) which would be ok, but legally EU doctors have the same right to jobs as we do, and thousands apply...

It's even worse at ST levels - this year there was reputed to be something like 23000 applicants for 9000 jobs...

Reply 9

Saffie

11

I thought we were guaranteed F1 and F2 jobs?

Reply 10

Fluffy

15

AIUI, F1 only now... And that was only for this year. Originally for this year they said graduates would have a protected 2 year foundation programme, and then revoked it a few weeks before the inital phase application deadline... Who know what will happen next year...

Reply 11

originalname

I'm seriously considering moving abroad unless the situation changes within 6 years. How feasible is it?

Reply 12

Saffie

11

Fluffy

AIUI, F1 only now... And that was only for this year. Originally for this year they said graduates would have a protected 2 year foundation programme, and then revoked it a few weeks before the inital phase application deadline... Who know what will happen next year...

what the hell :eek:

Reply 13

7589200

18

Fluffy

You're about 5 years out of date on that one. You might not get a job, you will end up £40k in debt, and get paid £20k a year when you qualify, while all your science degree friends will have been working for 2 years and earning £10k a year more...

Don't listen to all the propaganda...

This is just what these people 'do' - scare mongering under the pretence of providing a realistic picture.

Medicine compared to other jobs IS a more secure job - there can be no doubt about that. Look at the graduate pay list on the any website - surely not all of those are 5 years outdated. Also look at the percentages of people finding a job after 'certain periods' - medicine is higher than normal. Anecdotal experience should never be believed over sound statistical information.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/good_university_guide/article2253011.ece

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/higher/employment-prospects-ranked-by-degree-813783.html?r=RSS

Compare the UK employment of

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/What_do_graduates_do__2008/charts_and_tables_pages/p!eaLjjjF?subject_id=32 (medicine)

with

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/What_do_graduates_do__2008/charts_and_tables_pages/p!eaLjjjF?subject_id=25 (physics)

And what is all this 20k nonsense?? I actaully know people who have recently graduated from Nottingham who are on over £30k FY1...even the NHS website says so...why do people keep saying 20k??

People should stop trying to make this redundant point about how horrible medics have it - cos the fact is - they don't.

Reply 14

Magendie

7

People should stop trying to make this redundant point about how horrible medics have it - cos the fact is - they don't

Hahahahaha.
Been a doctor is great, with the goverment systematically screwing you over left right and centre....

Reply 15

bright star

1

Vazzyb

Don't listen to all the propaganda...

This is just what these people 'do' - scare mongering under the pretence of providing a realistic picture.

Medicine compared to other jobs IS a more secure job - there can be no doubt about that. Look at the graduate pay list on the any website - surely not all of those are 5 years outdated. Also look at the percentages of people finding a job after 'certain periods' - medicine is higher than normal. Anecdotal experience should never be believed over sound statistical information.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/good_university_guide/article2253011.ece

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/higher/employment-prospects-ranked-by-degree-813783.html?r=RSS

Compare the UK employment of

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/What_do_graduates_do__2008/charts_and_tables_pages/p!eaLjjjF?subject_id=32 (medicine)

with

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/What_do_graduates_do__2008/charts_and_tables_pages/p!eaLjjjF?subject_id=25 (physics)

And what is all this 20k nonsense?? I actaully know people who have recently graduated from Nottingham who are on over £30k FY1...even the NHS website says so...why do people keep saying 20k??

People should stop trying to make this redundant point about how horrible medics have it - cos the fact is - they don't.

maybe you should do some reading before you start mouthing off? there is a base rate for wages and then they are supplemented by various degrees of banding. the more 'antisocial' your job is, the more of this money you get.

this year is the last year that these supplements will even be legal! by the time you graduate, it will be base rate for everyone. which is roughly 21k.

Reply 16

AEH

8

As far as the OP goes, I really wouldn't recommend medicine under the "You can see yourself doing something else" rule. Rather self-explanatory really. You sound like you want to work in science and industry, so do that. Medicine is of little relevance to doing proper grown-up science.

Reply 17

Fluffy

15

Vazzyb

Don't listen to all the propaganda...

This is just what these people 'do' - scare mongering under the pretence of providing a realistic picture.

Medicine compared to other jobs IS a more secure job - there can be no doubt about that. Look at the graduate pay list on the any website - surely not all of those are 5 years outdated. Also look at the percentages of people finding a job after 'certain periods' - medicine is higher than normal. Anecdotal experience should never be believed over sound statistical information.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/good_university_guide/article2253011.ece

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/higher/employment-prospects-ranked-by-degree-813783.html?r=RSS

Compare the UK employment of

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/What_do_graduates_do__2008/charts_and_tables_pages/p!eaLjjjF?subject_id=32 (medicine)

with

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/What_do_graduates_do__2008/charts_and_tables_pages/p!eaLjjjF?subject_id=25 (physics)

And what is all this 20k nonsense?? I actaully know people who have recently graduated from Nottingham who are on over £30k FY1...even the NHS website says so...why do people keep saying 20k??

People should stop trying to make this redundant point about how horrible medics have it - cos the fact is - they don't.

The bit you chose to quote is more or less true - next year banding will be gone, all jobs have to be fully EWTD compliant - no overtime payments may be save for the 5pm-10pm ward cover F1s often do...

Many of my friends were on £30k within 2 years of graduating from my first degree, and that was back in 2000.

Presumed job security should not be the reason someone goes in to medicine - they will get well fecked over!

Reply 18

Kitty Pimms

17

Fluffy

It's mostly to do with the expanded EU - about 6 years ago, the Govermemnt allocated lots of new places to medical schools to get more doctors through. As a result an extra 1000 more than normal graduate this year. However, now the EU has expanded in the interim, and has done so to include countries where doctors are relatively poorly paid (a Polish doc can earn in 3 months here what they would earn in a year at home) which would be ok, but legally EU doctors have the same right to jobs as we do, and thousands apply...

It's even worse at ST levels - this year there was reputed to be something like 23000 applicants for 9000 jobs...

It's actually not just the EU that's the problem! in this week's Economist there's a story on the MTAS debacle, and apparently a major part of the problem was the government losing a legal challenge by Indian graduates to prevent non-EU doctors from applying (more than 10,000 overseas - ie. Non-EU - people ended up being able to apply).

Reply 19

graemematt

12

Sorry, but if I can have my two cents here...

Medicine is significantly more stable than attempting to find a "secure" job as a science graduate. As people have said, there are 9000 ST positions for 23000 FY2 doctors...but really, when you consider also that to train as a Clinical Scientist in the NHS, there are approximately 200-300 applicants per place (following which you start a 4-year training programme on, yes, about 23k or 24k, and most people on such a programme have a PhD already) it's really not that bad.

Plus, if you've waded through medical school without taking the initiative and doing well in exams/getting involved with any projects that are going, or led teams, or other things that get you points on the MTAS, then really you've nobody to blame but yourself :p:

(well or the medical school of course, or that grumpy consultant who couldn't care less if you wanted to write an audit up for him/her).

I think, to the OP, where you want to be in life is in a secure position that pays well. So by all means, study whatever the hell you want to in life then either:
a) Do a PGCE and become a teacher
b) Do an MBA and go into business
c) Do an accelerated LLB and become a lawyer

As, to be honest, I don't think medicine is something you should consider. By all means though, don't take it from me, I could be wrong :smile:

Medicine V Science Degree

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