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Medicine at KCL, Management intercalated BSc at Imperial, then do investment banking?

I have an offer for medicine at KCL and I'm not sure whether I want to do Medicine/Science/Investment Banking in the long run.

Do you think doing a management intercalated Bsc at Imperial, then dropping out after third year would be a good idea if I wanted to go into IB, or do you think I should do the whole 6 year course before doing that, so being a doctor is also always an option?

Or do you think I should reapply for Bio Natural Sciences / Biochemistry, at Cambridge/Oxford, as this would put me in a better situation for two out of three of my possible career choices (Science/IB)

Any advice!
Thanks x

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Reply 1
Perfectly doable. My brother's a front office investment banker and he tells me medical graduates are regarded highly.

Also, did you really just sign off your message with a 'x'? :s-smilie:
Original post by Dislocator
I have an offer for medicine at KCL and I'm not sure whether I want to do Medicine/Science/Investment Banking in the long run.

Do you think doing a management intercalated Bsc at Imperial, then dropping out after third year would be a good idea if I wanted to go into IB, or do you think I should do the whole 6 year course before doing that, so being a doctor is also always an option?

Or do you think I should reapply for Bio Natural Sciences / Biochemistry, at Cambridge/Oxford, as this would put me in a better situation for two out of three of my possible career choices (Science/IB)

Any advice!
Thanks x


This is a little confusing, do you have an offer to ICSM to do medicine ? If so, i wouldn't advise paying 18,000 for the first two years that you dont intend to do anything with, i'm not sure how you'd motivate yourself through it as well. I don't think a pure science at Oxbridge would have any advantage over a medical degree for IB.

Basically either, do a whole medicine course, or a pure science, you can do IB with either, but only science with science and medicine with medicine, so that's really a choice you have to make for yourself. :smile:
Original post by Dislocator
I have an offer for medicine at KCL and I'm not sure whether I want to do Medicine/Science/Investment Banking in the long run.

Do you think doing a management intercalated Bsc at Imperial, then dropping out after third year would be a good idea if I wanted to go into IB, or do you think I should do the whole 6 year course before doing that, so being a doctor is also always an option?

Or do you think I should reapply for Bio Natural Sciences / Biochemistry, at Cambridge/Oxford, as this would put me in a better situation for two out of three of my possible career choices (Science/IB)

Any advice!
Thanks x


why did you want to do medicine?
Original post by Dislocator
I have an offer for medicine at KCL and I'm not sure whether I want to do Medicine/Science/Investment Banking in the long run.

Do you think doing a management intercalated Bsc at Imperial, then dropping out after third year would be a good idea if I wanted to go into IB, or do you think I should do the whole 6 year course before doing that, so being a doctor is also always an option?

Or do you think I should reapply for Bio Natural Sciences / Biochemistry, at Cambridge/Oxford, as this would put me in a better situation for two out of three of my possible career choices (Science/IB)

Any advice!
Thanks x


I'm confused, being a doctor shouldn't be a second-option. It'd be thousands of individuals first option if they could. Don't waste a medical school place, they're gold dust!
Reply 5
Original post by Dislocator
I have an offer for medicine at KCL and I'm not sure whether I want to do Medicine/Science/Investment Banking in the long run.

Do you think doing a management intercalated Bsc at Imperial, then dropping out after third year would be a good idea if I wanted to go into IB, or do you think I should do the whole 6 year course before doing that, so being a doctor is also always an option?

Or do you think I should reapply for Bio Natural Sciences / Biochemistry, at Cambridge/Oxford, as this would put me in a better situation for two out of three of my possible career choices (Science/IB)

Any advice!
Thanks x


The Management Bsc at Imperial isnt really a normal management course it is mainly designed for management within the healthcare system and NHS. Also, it would be a real waste of your time, effort and money to study medicine with the intention of not being a doctor and thats after being motivated enough to work really hard and pass all your exams. If you are certain on entering IB i suggest you reapply next year (if you can get into KCL for med then you could get into Oxbridge/LSE/UCL/ any top uni for science/Finance whatever) and in the year get some valuable experience in the commercial sector, the top firms offer excellent paid gap year schemes and internships (citigroup, deloitte, KPMG etc). This would set you apart once graduating and will help to secure a top IB job. No doubt you could do med and still get there but it would be a long-winded way of doing it.
Reply 6
Original post by Pop?
The Management Bsc at Imperial isnt really a normal management course it is mainly designed for management within the healthcare system and NHS. Also, it would be a real waste of your time, effort and money to study medicine with the intention of not being a doctor and thats after being motivated enough to work really hard and pass all your exams. If you are certain on entering IB i suggest you reapply next year (if you can get into KCL for med then you could get into Oxbridge/LSE/UCL/ any top uni for science/Finance whatever) and in the year get some valuable experience in the commercial sector, the top firms offer excellent paid gap year schemes and internships (citigroup, deloitte, KPMG etc). This would set you apart once graduating and will help to secure a top IB job. No doubt you could do med and still get there but it would be a long-winded way of doing it.


Been looking at those gap year schemes and the closing date's were all around february this year! Nightmare, any ideas?
Reply 7
Original post by MattKneale
I'm confused, being a doctor shouldn't be a second-option. It'd be thousands of individuals first option if they could. Don't waste a medical school place, they're gold dust!


shock horror! Not everyone wants to do medicine, get over it. :biggrin:
Original post by Dislocator
any ideas?


Here are two from me:

1. Don't occupy a place for medicine if you don't intend to practice. Others would be thrilled to have it and we'd be very glad of them.

2. The training for medical science is massively subsidized by the taxpayer but none of us minds because we all want doctors. Don't eat into an stretched public budget by taking a roundabout route into investment banking.
Decide which one you would rather do - medicine is a long degree. If you don't want to do it in the end then don't waste your time, do something else.
Original post by ThumbsUp
shock horror! Not everyone wants to do medicine, get over it. :biggrin:


Shock horror! I never said that. Cambio summed up my thoughts to this, it's a waste of a place if you're not sure you want to practice medicine afterwards, and it's also a waste of taxpayer's money if you drop out because you choose you'd rather do IB.

These decisions should be made before applying.
Original post by Dislocator
I have an offer for medicine at KCL and I'm not sure whether I want to do Medicine/Science/Investment Banking in the long run.

Do you think doing a management intercalated Bsc at Imperial, then dropping out after third year would be a good idea if I wanted to go into IB, or do you think I should do the whole 6 year course before doing that, so being a doctor is also always an option?

Or do you think I should reapply for Bio Natural Sciences / Biochemistry, at Cambridge/Oxford, as this would put me in a better situation for two out of three of my possible career choices (Science/IB)

Any advice!
Thanks x


You need to decide between money and stress or less money, stress but I would say more job satisfaction. If you don't want to practice don't even start the degree unless you can fund a second degree by yourself. it costs £250 000 to train a doctor and if you're not going to bother with being one don't waste other people's money. If you're not 100% about medicine don't do it. It's something you do for the rest of your life because you love the job but it's also hard work and academically you may be more than capable but without the dedication you're going to find passing hard.
Reply 12
Original post by MattKneale
Shock horror! I never said that. Cambio summed up my thoughts to this, it's a waste of a place if you're not sure you want to practice medicine afterwards, and it's also a waste of taxpayer's money if you drop out because you choose you'd rather do IB.

These decisions should be made before applying.


not everyone has realizations at a practical time for the taxpayer to save money, if that was the case then this country would have never gone into economical recession or greece wouldn't be bankrupt. And the taxpayer contributes way less to university as the fees have rise to 9K. Oh and the taxpayer spending money on education is a waste, when they already are paying for the most ridiculous of things in comparison E.g. £1bn contributing to benefit fraud)? ok then whatever you say...
Reply 13
Original post by Hippokrates
You need to decide between money and stress or less money, stress but I would say more job satisfaction. If you don't want to practice don't even start the degree unless you can fund a second degree by yourself. it costs £250 000 to train a doctor and if you're not going to bother with being one don't waste other people's money. If you're not 100% about medicine don't do it. It's something you do for the rest of your life because you love the job but it's also hard work and academically you may be more than capable but without the dedication you're going to find passing hard.


Oh no I'm definitely interested in medicine, definitely have the motivation - just I've always liked the look of banking/business as well. Not all medical students go on to be permanent doctors as well you know, a proportion go into scientific research or teaching or legal or other careers entirely, and if I did complete my medical degree, I would most certainly do something related later on in life - e.g. practice/research, just I'd like to explore IB as well. Its not like I'd never use it. More security in medical jobs as well, if IB never turned out well.

I keep hearing it costs £250k to train a medical student to registration, no idea where this figure came from though lol.
Is it not wise, financially and in terms of time, to make that decision before you apply, though? Why rush into a medical degree to then change your mind and do IB later (or vice versa). Have you done work experience and volunteering in a care environment to see if it's genuinely what you'd be interested in doing? I'm not trying to say, contrary to what some people imply I'm saying on here, that you can't do both or that "everyone makes decisions at the same time". What am I saying is that it's a good idea to make that decision before you go ahead and do it.

You wouldn't buy a £250,000 house on a whim before even seeing it, would you?
Original post by ThumbsUp
not everyone has realizations at a practical time for the taxpayer to save money, if that was the case then this country would have never gone into economical recession or greece wouldn't be bankrupt. And the taxpayer contributes way less to university as the fees have rise to 9K. Oh and the taxpayer spending money on education is a waste, when they already are paying for the most ridiculous of things in comparison E.g. £1bn contributing to benefit fraud)? ok then whatever you say...


That's a political statement; I'm talking about taxpayers (us!). Regardless of how the Government spend money on other things, I don't want my money being wasted on someone who drops out of medical school because they'd rather do something else.
Reply 16
Original post by Dislocator
Been looking at those gap year schemes and the closing date's were all around february this year! Nightmare, any ideas?


You could always look for a similar sort of internship at investment banks around the world. A couple of my friends have decided to take gap years, one is working for PWC in Mumbai, India, the other for HSBC in Hong Kong and Dubai. In many ways it looks even better than doing the same thing here because it shows confidence to actually go abroad, plus i dont think they have the same deadlines etc. They will definitely look favourably on the grades and skills you've obtained in getting a place at kings for med. If you are more keen on work here, have a good look around and you might find something.
Most of all at the moment though you will have to decide on medicine, or something other than medicine, good luck with that:wink:.
Reply 17
Give me your medical school offer? It's my dream to be a doctor, yet i got 4 rejections this year. If you're not completely sure you will be a doctor after the degree, what's the point in spending/wasting 5 years? Go with what you feel is best for you!
Unfortunately, doctors do place successfully in Investment Banks.

Tossers.
Reply 19
Original post by Dirac Delta Function
Unfortunately, doctors do place successfully in Investment Banks.

Tossers.


lol

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