Rethinking career choice

Hello! I've wanted to go into into medicine for a while now but these days I'm really reconsidering it. One of the reasons is because my grades aren't the best but I know I can go from Bs to As in the next few months. But what puts me off more is the amount of pressure and requirements to fulfil. I wanted to be a neurosurgeon but I feel at one point I may burn out and then regret picking medicine. Work experience, part time jobs, reflection I don't have a reason for medicine per se, and it's not because of money. The last thing I want is a job that makes money but I hate doing. I'm really interested in mathematics or physical natural sciences but I feel that I won't be satisfied with that degree. Idk what I'm doing medicine for or WHO to be exact, it's not my parents because they support me no matter what and it's not money. I don't know but I'm seriously confused.

Reply 1

TSR Hippocrates

10

Hey there, thanks for posting a question in the Medicine forum. :biggrin:

The Medicine forum gets a high volume of questions being posted, and some of these are already answered by the resources and Megathreads that members of the community and volunteers have created. This is an automatic post which is designed to highlight these resources. Below is a list of threads and articles that could answer your question (you should be looking in the original post of the megathreads). If one of the below threads is a more relevant place to ask your question, please post a reply in that thread to ask your question. If your query is answered by one of the Megathreads or articles linked below, and you would like us to close this thread for you, please reply to this thread with just the words "thank you". A member of our team will then get it locked.

Megathreads
(Please read the first post, before then posting any further questions you have within that thread.)
The "Which Medical School Should I Apply To?" Uberthread
The Ultimate 'Am I Good Enough For Medicine?' Angst Thread
Medicine A-Level subjects queries
Work Experience and Voluntary Work

2023 Applicants:
Official Undergraduate Medicine 2023 Entry
Graduate Entry Medicine 2023 Entry
Medicine 2023 entry for resit / retake / gap year applicants
A100 Medicine for International Students 2023 Entry
Medicine Interview discussion 2023 Entry
2023 entry A100 / A101 Medicine fastest and slowest offer senders
Index of Individual Medical School Applicants' threads 2023 Entry

2023 Admissions Tests:
UCAT 2023 Discussion
BMAT 2023 Discussion
GAMSAT 2023 Discussion
UCAT 2023 Results

Other application years:
Official Undergraduate Medicine 2024 Entry
Graduate Entry Medicine 2024 Entry
Graduate Entry Medicine 2025 Entry

Useful Articles:
GCSE Requirements for Medicine
Everything you need to know about the BMAT
Work Experience as a Graduate or Mature student
Medicine Personal Statement Advice
Medicine Personal Statement Advice (Graduate Entry)
Interview Frequently Asked Questions
MMI Medicine Interview Tips
What to do after an unsuccessful first application

If your query is answered by one of the Megathreads or articles linked above, and you would like us to close this thread for you, please reply to this thread with just the words "thank you". A member of our team will then get it locked.

Reply 2

Lancaster Student Ambassador

Official Rep

15

Original post by lessingenuity

Hello! I've wanted to go into into medicine for a while now but these days I'm really reconsidering it. One of the reasons is because my grades aren't the best but I know I can go from Bs to As in the next few months. But what puts me off more is the amount of pressure and requirements to fulfil. I wanted to be a neurosurgeon but I feel at one point I may burn out and then regret picking medicine. Work experience, part time jobs, reflection I don't have a reason for medicine per se, and it's not because of money. The last thing I want is a job that makes money but I hate doing. I'm really interested in mathematics or physical natural sciences but I feel that I won't be satisfied with that degree. Idk what I'm doing medicine for or WHO to be exact, it's not my parents because they support me no matter what and it's not money. I don't know but I'm seriously confused.

Hey!

I’m Oliver and am currently a third year in natural sciences at Lancaster.

I remember being in a similar situation a few years ago where I was torn between so many different degree options as I was just interested in them all. For me the big dilemma was whether to go for chemistry or biochemistry. Eventually I found natural sciences was have found it to be a great option as it allowed my to keep both of these options on into a degree and specialise further down the line once I had a better idea of my specific areas of interest.

I have loved my three years here so far and really value being able to experience teaching from multiple departments as it means that every day is a little bit different to the last.

Each university will do pathways slightly differently but at Lancaster you can choose pathways from across all branches of chemistry, physics, maths, biology, geography and psychology, just to name a few.
If you're interested he full list of pathways and entry requirements for Lancaster can be found here: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/natural-sciences/

Hope that is helpful and best of luck with your decision 😊 Feel free to ask me any other questions if you have any

Oliver (Student Ambassador)

Reply 3

Lancaster Student Ambassador

Official Rep

15

One thing to know about mathematics specifically is that it is a very rigorous subject. So you will be expected to remember the proofs of most of the stuff you learn, and you can't use everything from outside of the course to answer the questions. You might enjoy this if you are the type of person who wants everything to be clearly defined.
It looks like you can choose three pathways, including a double pathway in either maths or physics but not a double pathway in medicine. The single maths modules will be more like "A-Level Further Maths", whereas the modules that are only in double maths are more proof-based.

-Kao (Lancaster Maths & Stats Student Ambassador)

Reply 4

Tjold

1

If its neurosurg or nothing tbh I'd pick nothing. There's an almighty backlog of Neurosurg regs with no consultant jobs opening up anytime soon. Its a very high stress environment, exceptionally high skill requirements and absolutely no guarantee of a consultant job at the end of it (more like working as a reg for comparatively rubbish pay for years and years on vicious on call rotas.) I'd say don't do it.