A2 Options for Medicine

But where's the fun in that?

You've been given plenty of advice and you've been an ungrateful cock about it.

If a potential employer were to pick between two identical job candidates, with the only difference being that one was educated at Sheffield Uni and one was educated at Oxford (both with 1st class degrees), no matter what you may believe, I'm pretty certain that the latter would get the job.

I've considered the prospect of Oxford very carefully for 2 or 3 years now, and its an informed decision to apply, so please don't think I'm an over-ambitious idiot who only sees the name and fails to see anything else.

Without being pretentious, I know I'm capable of getting into Oxford, and I personally feel going to Bristol/Sheffield/Cardiff Uni for Medicine would be an underachievement. I visited Christ Church College in Oxford when I was about 12 and after sufficient research have decided that is where I want to attend.

So enough advice about where I should study Medicine, right now I would like some guidance on A2 choices.

Dr. Renal,

Could you please clarify on just how I've expressed my supposed ingratitude?

I've actually said thanks to people who are answering my initial query...

Do you have a personal vendetta against me? Have I insulted you in some way? Have I hurt your loved ones? If not, what's your problem with me you huge prick. GTFO

This was implied, but thanks for telling it how it is.

Hello, I'm currently a L6 Student studying A-Levels in Maths, Biology, Chemistry and English Literature.

I would like to apply for Medicine at top uni's, first choice Oxford, second choice Imperial etc.. However I have a dilemma as to A2 choices, as I am presently in an accelerated Maths class (did C1 in Year 11, did C2 & M1 in Jan 2011 and doing C3 & S1 in May).

Option 1: Drop Eng Lit. and stay on in my accelerated Maths class which includes AS Further Maths as part of the course. However English Literature is something I enjoy.

Option 2: Drop Acc. Maths and just do C4 in January, effectively completing full A-Level in Maths (no Maths exams in summer 2012), then just focus on Bio, Chem and Eng Lit.. However, I wonder if doing Eng Lit. exams AND Science exams would be a bit of a mismatch?

Option 3: Drop Eng Lit. and drop Acc. Maths, thus leaving me with just Biology & Chemistry examinations in summer 2012. Easiest option.

The problem is, my school's head of Sixth Form, who handles all UCAS applications, advised me that the aforementioned option 3 would make me seem "lazy" to top universities, who are generally looking for students who can prove they're capable of handling intensive workloads.

The main decision I need help on is Accelerated Maths (Single Maths PLUS AS Further Maths) VS. English Lit. Neither are compulsory for Medicine, I understand. My best subject is Maths, closely followed by English Lit.

Would an A/A* grade in English Literature, although not compulsory, demonstrate diversity or would it just be dismissed by admissions tutors as irrelevant?

Thanks in advance

I'm quoting "the best medical school" from any one of those hundreds of misinformed students whose ideas you share in.
I am in the same year as you; I will send you a list of the places where I want to study medicine if you promise not to apply there?

You need 3 A2's anyway, option 3 i think is best and have yout thought about UCL there really good for medicine, plus make syre to get plenty of work experience like a months worth of afterscghool helping out somewhere to do with medicine.

What attitude? I don't understand how so many of you have somehow deduced that I'm being brash and obnoxious simply from my writing? A computer screen can't display emotions(?)

My older brother went through a lot of difficulty with respect to UCAS applications (he currently attends LSE for Law), including having to resit A2's, deferred entry etc. He also had to do an aptitude test, LNAT, and he was an Oxford reject, so I do fully understand the difficulty of even attempting to get into Oxbridge.

x

1. Please take our advice for the love of God, we're the one's who've been through the system, you haven't. Don't waste our experience by insulting us.

2. Could you explain why you think you could get into Oxford? I need to know your reasoning.

3. Forget the A2 choices, you have very little information on medical applications. IMO drop the eng lit, 4 a levels aren't an advantage over 3, and focus on getting your research done

Calling people pricks, saying you're good enough for Oxford, battling with someone over who's life was better at 16.

I think everyone will agree with me when I say that by what you've said, you don't actually seem to know much at all about the applications process, let alone the stuff required to get you into oxbridge

Yeah, that's what I would do but like I said my Head of 6th Form says that would be a bit of a cop out.

What an arrogant fool.

with respect, i think your head of sixth form is wrong. med schools generally only look at a levels as a formality, as long as your predicted grades and subjects make the minimum requirements, you're over that hurdle.

seriously, just focus on three, and get the rest of your work experience, admissions tests and stuff down, it carries equal, if not more weighting!

1. Work experience, preferrably clinical roles at hospitals, shadowing a consultant etc.

2. A good Personal Statement specifically regarding medicine, as well as discussing individual experiences and how they're relevant etc.

For F1 posts the university isn't shown. I think.

Really? You're just going to chip in your valuable two pence worth? Thanks, really just thanks, because your opinion is so important to me.

FFS, have you met me or something? You can't say I'm arrogant or stupid if you've never encountered me in real life.

Just shut up. I'm not going to call you names saying this & that. Just shut up.

If you want to avoid the sort of hostility you're getting, I'd advise you abandon this thread and just lurk the medicine forum for a bit longer. A lot of the stuff you're getting attacked about are the main misconceptions that get dealt with here a lot, the debates about prestige with medicine and 4+ A Levels are done to death here, hence the frustration people are having.