Medical Research

Just before I go to sleep, I've got to say that I agree with a lot of the other posters here. A medicine degree will push you in many ways, but I don't think it's going to present you with ideas as complex as a straight science degree. It'll push you in terms of work load, fact retention, working under pressure and I'm sure many other things besides, but it won't be as in depth as a chemistry degree. Personally, I find it deeply dissatisfying when I'm told that something "just happens", and I want to know the root cause, even if that means going down to the atomic level and looking at electron interaction. If you relate to that sort of feeling, then maybe a medicine degree isn't for you. All that being said, take it with a pinch of salt - I don't know what a medicine degree is genuinely like because I've not taken one, all I know is from the odd bit of discussion with medics, and the research I did as a pre-undergrad to decide on my course.

Well if you do Medicine at Cambridge you can actually do Part II of the Natural Sciences Tripos (which third year NatScis do) in your third year. So that might be one option to consider if you're torn between NatSci and Medicine.

I wasn't sure if I should post this in my other thread or make a new one, but I figured I'll get more replies this way.

Basically, my question is whether you can do research on genetic diseases without being a doctor? Apart from medicine, which degrees would you recommend?

Having a hard time deciding if I should do medicine..

I don't know if this seems weird or pretentious, it certainly isn't intended, but I have this strange feeling that biochemistry and similar courses aren't a big enough challenge.. I feel as if medicine is the only subject which will force me to make a huge effort, and I really want that. Is that normal or am I being irrational?

But do many medical researchers have a medical degree?

I have heard some cynical reasoning for why you should go the medical degree route if medical research really floats your boat but the idea of being a bit front-line with patients doesn't cause a cold sweat to break out = payment on doctor pay-scales! Don't know how much of a difference this can make in practice..?

I have it on good authority that it doubles the salary. Definitely worth taking into account.

To the OP, I had the same dilemma as you. I couldn't decide between Medicine and science. I could think of many ways in which medicine would be an advantage, but I am very much a scientist at heart and wanted to study science in detail. I was completely unable to decide, and got really panicked.

It wasn't until I approached the choice from a different perspective that I was able to decide. I started to simply consider whether I wanted to be a doctor, and ignore the pros and cons of any alternative. I did hospital work experience, which I liked, and GP work experience, which I loved, and quite a bit of reading. Eventually I could say that I did really want to be a doctor. After that, everything fell into place, because I knew there was only one possible degree course. I told myself to ignore the craving for basic science, because I now had a real desire to study medicine. (Although, I have to admit, I still get quite worried reading Saffie's posts, wondering if I made the right choice, and if medicine will bore me because it has so little science...hope not).

Anyway, that was how I settled on medicine. I just have to hope I'll enjoy it. If I hate it, I can always change course.

Most of all, don't stress about the decision! That was my mistake, and I worried myself silly. Make the best, most reasoned choice you can under the circumstances, and remember you can always change at a later stage. Oh, and take A-levels that keep your options open.

One more thing: don't worry that a science degree won't have enough work in! If you want broad, you can always choose a very general degree like biological sciences. UCL, Birmingham and Durham also have NatSci courses.

I have it on good authority that it doubles the salary. Definitely worth taking into account.

I wish... It really doesn't! To give an idea, I'll have "lost" £160k in earnings alone (given my wage pre medical school and not taking into account inflation or anything else in the interim) while at medical school. I hate to think how long post qualification it will take to earn the same - + or - academia...

Thanks, that post really made it easier. Rep coming your way

Aww, thank you *jumps up and down because she is still new enough to get excited about rep*

Good luck with making the choice.

True, but isn't your situation is a little atypical because you did several pre-medicine degrees?

I was more thinking of two researchers doing identical research in the same field at the same institution. My understanding was that the one with the medical degree would earn much more. I've heard that from a bitter neuroscience prof. at a careers fair who claims that the neurologists who work with him earn exactly twice as much for doing the same thing. Anyway, sorry if I gave bad advice. I suppose he could have been exaggerating. And the situation may differ from university to university.

I suppose I don't really know the ratio of theory/practical in medicine, could anyone enlighten me?