Medicine at Keele or Biochemistry at Oxbridge?

I am just wodering, if given the choice, whether people would choose do to biochemistry/similar course at a very popular univeristy (e.g. Cambridge), where there is a very good chance one will get a job once the course is finished, or choose to do a well-regarded course (e.g. Medicine, which, intrinsic to the job, also gives a good chance at a secure resonably well-paid job) at a less renowned univeristy (e.g. Keele ). Any thoughts?

(edited 12 years ago)

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Reply 1

Kinkerz

Would probably depend on whether you wanted to practice medicine or not...

Reply 2

Alexandra's Box

Well personally, as an aspiring doctor, obviously the Medicine... depends on the person, as Kinkerx said :s-smilie:

Reply 3

Prickatron7

Hmmm...perhaps it was a mistake to post this on a 'Medicine' forum.

Reply 4

Democracy

Disregarding the universities and the Oxbridge "brand", what you're asking is would I prefer to study medicine or biochemistry, and therefore would I prefer to be a doctor or a scientist. And medicine and doctor win everytime, I have no interest in working in a lab :yy:

The "prestige" argument is utterly irrelevant, anyone who would change their life and career path based on the institution they'll be studying at for 3-5 years needs to do some serious growing up.

Reply 5

miss_limbu

If i was given choice i would choose to study Biochemistry or Biomedicine from Cambridge rather than medicine from less renowned university. Then develop on to be a a scholar, PHD doctorate, a researcher/lecturer.
In medicine there is job anywhere you go, all around the globe but as a Cambridge graduate you will as well get job and you wont need any introduction in your society. if you want to live, work or help deprive area than medicine is good. you can still help deprive people with biomedicine degree, if you invent good medicine for people, medicine for HIV and other cancerous diseases.

if you are still young like 20 or 24 why don't you try to get into oxford or Cambridge to study Biomedicine and do some work in labs and if you dont like it....at your 30's you can choose to study Medicine through graduate entry. maybe you could get a chance to study medicine again from oxford or cam.
When i was in my 20s, i liked computer and technologies so i studied networking. this year m turning 30. overtime i have developed compassion and a desire to care people. so i am choose study access to nursing and work part time. In my class there are so many girls who are in their late 30s or early 40s. If you have a desire to study and passion for academic education...age wont be a stopping factor....
Good Luck with your decision.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 6

.eXe

I'm sorry but this is a stupid question.

Do you want to do medicine or do you want to do research/work in a lab.

As Democracy said, if you're actually using the "prestige" argument to determine what you want to do in life then please for the love of God, don't pick medicine.

Reply 7

gozatron

One TSR user I seem to remember choose a place at a Scottish medical school over a place at Oxford for Biomedical science. And I would have done the same.

Reply 8

Stressworthy

Original post by Democracy

The "prestige" argument is utterly irrelevant, anyone who would change their life and career path based on the institution they'll be studying at for 3-5 years needs to do some serious growing up.

You say that, but prestige is pretty important to some people depending on the course. However, for something like medicine, I realise there is less importance as long as the person can practice medicine... and if that's what they want to do, then obviously choosing the medical school is the better option.

Reply 9

Prickatron7

Ah, I'm sorry if I've caused any offence. By prestige, I didn't mean 'just cause it looks good etc'. I just mean that there would be inevitably more research opportunities, more highly qualified professionals and larger facilities (and, for a given course, better chance of getting a job once you finish) at a place like Oxbridge than Keele.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 10

.eXe

Original post by Prickatron7

Ah, I'm sorry if I've caused any offence. By prestige, I didn't mean 'just cause it looks good etc'. I just mean that there are much more research opportunities, more highly qualified professionals and larger facilities at a place like Oxbridge than Keele.

Mate do you want to do medicine or do you want to do research? Just answer that simple question to yourself and you will have your answer.

Prestige is irrelevant at this point.

Reply 11

Kaiaaa

Depends if you actually want to be a doctor or just want to do a sciences degree for the interest. Being a doctor involves a lot of hard and unglamorous work, and if you are in it for the prestige, that will wear pretty thin quite quickly.

Personally: medicine, but I'm biased, as I'm studying medicine right now :smile:

Reply 12

Prickatron7

Oh, umm.. didnt realise it would turn into a question about me. I'm doing Medicine at Keele next year (only offer I got this year). Just wondering what other people would choose, as I feel where you study is just as important as what you study. If given a choice where these two criteria appear to 'even out' each other, how would a person with the choice go about choosing...?

Reply 13

Kinkerz

Original post by Prickatron7

I don't think you've offended anyone.

The question fundamentally lies on whether you want to be a doctor or not. If you want to be an academic, then obviously the science course is the one to select. If you want to practice medicine, you'd be better selecting the medicine course.

Reply 14

Democracy

Original post by Stressworthy

I can understand (even if I don't agree with it) the situation where someone has offers for both Oxford Medical School and Keele Medical School and opts for Oxford in the interests of "prestige" and "tradition", etc.

However, this is clearly not that situation, to actually change your entire field, job and path in life due to the desire for bragging rights is a very silly thing to do.

Original post by Prickatron7

Very true if you're looking to become a research scientist and you're stuck between going to Oxbridge for your doctorate or London Met (not that I have an issue with LM, just saying). However, you're comparing two totally different things: medicine, a course leading to a professional qualification and biochem, a course which may lead to scientific, non-clinical research. You're comparing apples and oranges! You might as well ask me if I want to do medicine at Keele or Geography at St Andrews...I have no interest in geography so the question is irrelevant.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 15

Kinkerz

Original post by Prickatron7

I agree. Where you study is important.

But if you want to be a doctor, the degree in medicine is going to make that possible. It's still possible after a basic science degree elsewhere (as posed), but it makes it an uphill struggle.

Reply 16

Gridiron-Gangster

Original post by Prickatron7

I am just wodering, if given the choice, whether people would choose do to biochemistry/similar course at a very popular univeristy (e.g. Cambridge), or choose to do a well-regarded course (e.g. Medicine) at a less renowned univeristy (e.g. Keele ). Any thoughts?

It's been said time and time again but the university has no bearing on your career prospects with regards to studying Medicine and becoming a doctor as all courses are regulated by the GMC. It's purely the educational experience that differs.

Medicine is a prestigious course and Keele is quite a popular medical school to apply to so you've done well to get an offer. You got to ask yourself whether you'd prefer to be a Doctor or a Scientist? I mean sure you could do post-graduate Medicine after Biochem but in total that will take 7 years as opposed to 5 years if you were to enroll at Keele. 2 years may not seem like much but if you're certain Medicine is what you want to do and you've been keen given the opportunity to do it right now, I'd say take it. Medicine offers are like goldust and there are plenty of people out there who give up their right arm for an offer.

Like I said you need to decide whether or not Medicine is what you want to do. Out of curiousity are you holding a Biochem offer from Cambridge?

Reply 17

Waterstorm

Original post by Prickatron7

They'd go about choosing by deciding what they want to do when they graduate. If they want to be a doctor, then doing biochemistry wouldn't get them there.

Reply 18

Kinkerz

Original post by Gridiron-Gangster

I know that gets said time and time again, but it is absolute *******s :p:

Reply 19

Prickatron7

Original post by Gridiron-Gangster

Oh, not this year, but last year I did (Oxf), and I turned it down and opted for a gap year. This entire thread is because I wondering whether anyone else would do the same?