Are these a-levels suited for a course in medicine?

I haven't got my heart set on medicine but I'm certainly considering it and would like to keep my options open. Here is what I'm thinking of picking:

Biology, Chemistry, Religous Studies, Pyschology

Would Religous Studies and Pyschology put me at a major disadvantage to other apllicants? Also, DO NOT TELL ME TO TAKE MATHS, THERE IS NO WAY I AM TAKING IT, I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO COPE AND I WOULD DIE.

Thanks :smile:

Reply 1

Amer Elaiwi

To be honest I am not an expert on this but I am wanting to do medicine and chose to study Maths and all sciences. They do prefer maths, but you obviously don't :L I would guess that psychology would benefit you more than Religious studies, especially if you are looking to specialise.

Reply 2

Roxas13

OP

9

Original post by Amer Elaiwi

To be honest I am not an expert on this but I am wanting to do medicine and chose to study Maths and all sciences. They do prefer maths, but you obviously don't :L I would guess that psychology would benefit you more than Religious studies, especially if you are looking to specialise.

If things get tough I'm going to drop Religous Studies though I hope to keep all 4.

Reply 3

Jamesey

as long as you have chemistry and biology and the other two are suitably academic then you should be fine. Physco should be fine, but i dunno about RE.

Reply 4

Amer Elaiwi

Original post by Roxas13

If things get tough I'm going to drop Religous Studies though I hope to keep all 4.

Oh right that's fair enough. The general trend these days is to drop a subject at the end of year 1 and keep going with the 3 although this is not compulsory. Best thing to do is pick the subjects you enjoy and see how it goes for the first year and then make the decision after the first year :smile:

Reply 5

Roxas13

OP

9

Original post by Jamesey

as long as you have chemistry and biology and the other two are suitably academic then you should be fine. Physco should be fine, but i dunno about RE.

Would it be okay if only applied with 3 a-levels or would it be looked down upon?

Reply 6

JK471993

2

Very good. In fact this range will work in your favour. Doctors do have to write and RE should help in this sector.

Reply 7

CountDuckula

Original post by Roxas13

Would it be okay if only applied with 3 a-levels or would it be looked down upon?

3 A-levels are perfectly sufficient :smile:

they're the number that unis are looking for anyway! as long as you do well in all three.
Your subjects look fine :smile:

having only two sciences might close doors to some unis e.g. Oxbridge who really like academics. That still leaves you with loads to choose from though!

Reply 8

Susanoo

Bio and Chem are the mandatory ones, the other two can be anything you want/enjoy.

Would it be okay if only applied with 3 a-levels or would it be looked down upon?

I presume you mean dropping a subject after AS. If so, then no they will not look down on you. You will have the same chance as someone who is doing 4 A2's

Reply 9

GodspeedGehenna

3

Oh my good ****ing lord. TSR, please learn how to spell Psychology.

It's not psycology, pyschology or physcology. It's ****ing psychology.

Reply 10

raveen789

9

Religious studies is really good because of the ethics involved in it.

I do Psychology Maths Chemistry Biology and RS philosophy and ethics.

You only need 2 sciences and 1 has to be Chemistry and you will not be at any disadvantage except some colleges at Cambridge or Oxford, which state you might need three sciences but no more. :smile:

Reply 11

Beska

21

Original post by Amer Elaiwi

They do prefer maths,

Reply 12

GodspeedGehenna

3

Original post by Amer Elaiwi

They do prefer maths

Get out.

Reply 13

lilac!!

15

It's always best to pick 3 sciences to be on the safe side, So Biology, Chemistry and either out of Math or Physics. Then something you fancy.

Reply 14

Fat-Love

15

You got the essentials down so it shouldn't be a problem. Just work on supra grades for your AS and getting lots of work experience which will ultimately count for a lot. If you don't like maths have you considered taking Physics then? it's often considered a suitable replacement. It's not essential though unlike biology(sometimes) and chemistry. If you're not going to like it then don't because Biology and Chemistry will matter the most and you have that. Besides, doing subjects you don't like could mean you fail your AS spectacularly so if you hate maths you made a good choice in avoiding it.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 15

EKR93

13

Psychology is a great option if you want to do medicine because if you wish to become a psychiatrist you need to be medically qualified. I am not saying you are/should go down this route but it will open up some doors for you.

Reply 16

Beska

21

I did Psychology at AS and it was an incredibly interesting - albeit easy - subject to get your teeth into. I wholeheartedly recommend it.

Reply 17

Roxas13

OP

9

Original post by Fat-Love

You got the essentials down so it shouldn't be a problem. Just work on supra grades for your AS and getting lots of work experience which will ultimately count for a lot. If you don't like maths have you considered taking Physics then? it's often considered a suitable replacement. It's not essential though unlike biology(sometimes) and chemistry. If you're not going to like it then don't because Biology and Chemistry will matter the most and you have that. Besides, doing subjects you don't like could mean you fail your AS spectacularly so if you hate maths you made a good choice in avoiding it.

Where should i go for work experience and how do i apply? Also, i like physics now and actually find it on par with Biology for easiest subject I'm doing right now (though i know it gets a lot harder at a-level) but I got put off it because it seems like most of it was just maths.

Reply 18

Roxas13

OP

9

Original post by Beska

I did Psychology at AS and it was an incredibly interesting - albeit easy - subject to get your teeth into. I wholeheartedly recommend it.

How difficult would you say psychology is? Some people on here say it's soft where as others say it's really difficult because there is a lot of things to remember. I remember where i went to this thing at school where you went to talk to sixth formers about courses and one guy said it was like doing a gcse where as a girl said it was her hardest course.

Reply 19

Fat-Love

15

Original post by Roxas13

Where should i go for work experience and how do i apply? Also, i like physics now and actually find it on par with Biology for easiest subject I'm doing right now (though i know it gets a lot harder at a-level) but I got put off it because it seems like most of it was just maths.

You can search for some threads or articles on TSR telling you how to get work experience. Simple stuff really like firing off emails ot all the doctors you know and dropping in at the hospital and asking doctors personally (you have to be persistant). It doesn't even have to be a hospital. It could be helping a physio at a gym or care home for the elderly.

As for physics, yes there's quite a bit of maths involved. Luckily it's very watered down maths so there's no incredibly complicated mathematics. Just simply inputting numbers into a formula. Also in the physics A-level they provide the bulk of the formula's you need in the formula booklet. I would only reccomend picking it if you like it though because it's a tough A-level and most of the people in my school didn't do so well in it because the higher grade boundary questions require quite a bit of thought rather than just using maths.

Are these a-levels suited for a course in medicine?

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