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

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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.


Try to get experience in a care home or somewhere like that. Dementia, adults with learning difficulties, anything like that. Hospital and GP work experience, despite what people will tell you, is not required. It's so hard to get, and to quite a large extent depends on the policy of your local hospital, so it's nice if you can get it, but medical schools know this and are perfectly fine with people who haven't got it. Most of them want you to have some experience of a caring role/environment. They can teach you to be scientists and all the medical skills you need, but you need to be a nice person already :wink:

As for your choices they're fine, although as some people have said, you might be at a slight disadvantage to one or two places that are really pushy about traditional sciences.
Reply 21
Original post by Roxas13
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:


I'm pretty sure the only place that wants three 'sciencey' subjects for medicine is cambridge and maybe one or two others, so you should be totally fine without maths. unless of course these are the places you want to apply to. Psychology probably fits in quite well with medicine. and i'm just going to stick up for RS here. It's NOT a soft subject, i don't know why people think it is. It's on that trinity list under the same category as history, english lit, languages, sciences,etc so it's totally respected. It's really really interesting and medical ethics would be really useful for you to talk about in your personal statement/interview/whatever. There are entire topics on abortion, euthanasia and a further ethical issue of your choice (so you could choose one that could work to your advantage for medicine, e.g. genetic engineering) and yeah it's definitely my favourite subject in spite of doing three other definitely 'respected' subjects. Those subjects are totally fine and as long as you find them all interesting, you should definitely do them :smile:
Reply 22
Original post by moleman3
I'm pretty sure the only place that wants three 'sciencey' subjects for medicine is cambridge and maybe one or two others, so you should be totally fine without maths. unless of course these are the places you want to apply to. Psychology probably fits in quite well with medicine. and i'm just going to stick up for RS here. It's NOT a soft subject, i don't know why people think it is. It's on that trinity list under the same category as history, english lit, languages, sciences,etc so it's totally respected. It's really really interesting and medical ethics would be really useful for you to talk about in your personal statement/interview/whatever. There are entire topics on abortion, euthanasia and a further ethical issue of your choice (so you could choose one that could work to your advantage for medicine, e.g. genetic engineering) and yeah it's definitely my favourite subject in spite of doing three other definitely 'respected' subjects. Those subjects are totally fine and as long as you find them all interesting, you should definitely do them :smile:


I was just reading yahoo answers (yeah i know, not exactly the most reliable place) and this guy said you need all a's at gcse and usually 6 a*s. I don't think i can achieve 6 a*s. I'm probably going to get mostly a's, probably a b in maths and hopefully an a* in biology. Are these grades goode enough and does it look like I would be able to get an AAB at a-level?
Reply 23
Original post by Roxas13
I was just reading yahoo answers (yeah i know, not exactly the most reliable place) and this guy said you need all a's at gcse and usually 6 a*s. I don't think i can achieve 6 a*s. I'm probably going to get mostly a's, probably a b in maths and hopefully an a* in biology. Are these grades goode enough and does it look like I would be able to get an AAB at a-level?


Sorry for my lack of knowledge, i'm not actually applying for medicine, i'm just going off knowledge i've aquired from friends doing so and off tsr. I think for the top places like oxford you need quite a few A*s but i'm not sure about other places. I reckon you could probably get AAB at a level if you do achieve those grades at gcse, but it is quite a step up. Sorry this wasn't really very helpful, you're probably better asking in the medicine forum. :smile:
Original post by Roxas13
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.


It's easy in that the syllabus and exam content is so rigid that you are fully aware of what, and how much, you are expected to know and produce in the exams. The evaluations consist of little more than a regurgitation of broadly applied points. The a-level requires no original critical thinking and only shallow parrot-learing.

It's difficult if you're not willing to put the hard slog in of just literally memorising reams and reams of information.
Reply 25
Original post by moleman3
Sorry for my lack of knowledge, i'm not actually applying for medicine, i'm just going off knowledge i've aquired from friends doing so and off tsr. I think for the top places like oxford you need quite a few A*s but i'm not sure about other places. I reckon you could probably get AAB at a level if you do achieve those grades at gcse, but it is quite a step up. Sorry this wasn't really very helpful, you're probably better asking in the medicine forum. :smile:


Thanks, I've been looking at this article on the student room about what you need to get into medicine and most places are offering AAA and AAB. To be honest it made me feel nervous because most places wanted straight a's and a*s. Before I've never really thought about how my gcse grades would impact which universitys but now I'm feeling pressure :frown:
Reply 26
Original post by GodspeedGehenna
It's easy in that the syllabus and exam content is so rigid that you are fully aware of what, and how much, you are expected to know and produce in the exams. The evaluations consist of little more than a regurgitation of broadly applied points. The a-level requires no original critical thinking and only shallow parrot-learing.

It's difficult if you're not willing to put the hard slog in of just literally memorising reams and reams of information.


Not really. There might be a lot of content to memorise in first year, the A2 is different and there is a one whole exam where you have to design and evaluate your own experiment in a very limited time and you can't just learn it. :colonhash:
Original post by lonely14
Not really. There might be a lot of content to memorise in first year, the A2 is different and there is a one whole exam where you have to design and evaluate your own experiment in a very limited time and you can't just learn it. :colonhash:


And you're taught a limited number of basic designs which you just parrot off and it is then met with generic non-specific evaluations.

A-level psych is terrible. It needs scrapping or revamping.
Reply 28
I can't see how having maths would be THAT beneficial for medicine, though don't quote me on that. But you have the 2 most important subjects, Chemistry and Biology. And RE is a traditional academic subject.
Reply 29
Original post by Kerny
I can't see how having maths would be THAT beneficial for medicine, though don't quote me on that. But you have the 2 most important subjects, Chemistry and Biology. And RE is a traditional academic subject.


If it comes to dropping a subject after AS should i drop psychology or R.E? On one hand pyschology fits in medicine and on the other hand R.E is considered more academic :confused:
Reply 30
Original post by Roxas13
If it comes to dropping a subject after AS should i drop psychology or R.E? On one hand pyschology fits in medicine and on the other hand R.E is considered more academic :confused:


Just drop the one which you didn't like much, be it psychology or RE. It's just that simple. :h:
Reply 31
Original post by Roxas13
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.


Incredibly easy. I wouldn't say it is a 'soft' subject - that isn't for me to say. Just at AS level it is ridiculously easy, but there is a lot of things to memorise/remember. It isn't like doing a GCSE, there is a significant workload that is beyond GCSE but I don't see how it could possibly be the hardest course somebody is doing. For reference, I also studied Biology, Chemistry and Physics (and achieved AAA at AS, and A*AA at A2 respectively - with an A in Psychology).

e:

Original post by GodspeedGehenna
A-level psych is terrible. It needs scrapping or revamping.


I agree.
(edited 13 years ago)
Original post by GodspeedGehenna
Get out.


No.....?
Reply 33
Original post by Amer Elaiwi
No.....?


Yes. Don't say maths is required for medicine.
Original post by Beska
Yes. Don't say maths is required for medicine.


No, and I can say what I like :smile:
Reply 35
Original post by Amer Elaiwi
No, and I can say what I like :smile:


Not when you're giving somebody advice. You just make yourself look like a tool.
Original post by Beska
Not when you're giving somebody advice. You just make yourself look like a tool.


That really is ironic. Plus I do not care what other people think :smile:
Reply 37
Original post by Amer Elaiwi
That really is ironic. Plus I do not care what other people think :smile:


What if i thought that I needed maths for medicine and then took maths but failed miserably and got a D where as I could have taken something else and got a good grade?
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.


who the **** are these "they"? sources for "preferring to take maths" please

:colonhash:
Reply 39
Original post by Amer Elaiwi
That really is ironic. Plus I do not care what other people think :smile:


You need to look up what "irony" actually means brah.

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