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Considering medicine without biology

I'm taking Maths, Further Maths, Chemistry and Physics and thought I would like to do engineering, but recently for a while I've been thinking I would like to study medicine. I'm in year 12. Can anyone please give any advice as to what I should do?

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Reply 1

AnonymousPenguin

I'm doing medicine and did not do biology. Just apply to med schools that don't ask for it - with the exception of Oxbridge they don't seem to ask science-related questions at interview. If you want to apply to Oxbridge, grab a few biology textbooks (I recommend the thin Alberts book and the thick IB Biology one) and start reading; that will be a fun summer.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 2

sarah.102

Original post by AnonymousPenguin

Is this the same for Imperial/UCL and should I drop a subject and take AS biology next year?

Reply 3

AnonymousPenguin

Original post by sarah.102

Is this the same for Imperial/UCL and should I drop a subject and take AS biology next year?

AFAIK Imperial/UCL ask for Biology. I did the IB so I couldn't apply there and don't really know much about those two. If they accept AS and you want to apply there, I don't see a reason why that wouldn't work.

Reply 4

HopefulSoul

Biology isn't a necessity for medicine but it is preferred, if I were you I would consider taking it up for As next year because people who chose Biology may have an advantage over you.
But you still have a good chance if your current grades and applicant profile is good! :biggrin:

Reply 5

cheesypuff

To be honest you can still apply to medicine in the UK BUT only to universities that don't require biology. that will really limit your options and u will have to make sure that u get whatever grades and other stuff that ONLY THEY NEED.

To be honest, medicine is a build on biology and in the course u will have to learn the concept of biological systems.

If u need any help pm me.

Reply 6

lollerblades

One of my friends didnt do biology and has an offer this year to study medicine. He was unsure what he wanted to do at uni when he took his a levels, so didnt choose biology at first. There are a fair few medical schools that dont require A level biology, so just have a look round at their entry requirements. In fairness, it may put you at a small disadvantage at the start of medical school, but im fairly sure they teach you what you need to know, A level biology-wise, during the first few weeks at medical school.

Reply 7

Eco*7

Original post by sarah.102

i'm taking maths, further maths, chemistry and physics and thought i would like to do engineering, but recently for a while i've been thinking i would like to study medicine. I'm in year 12. Can anyone please give any advice as to what i should do?

f o r g e t i t

Reply 8

sarah.102

I mean I'm not really sure what to do, I would like to aim to go to a university like Imperial or UCL but then I understand I don't really have much of a chance without doing biology and also no required work experience :frown:

Reply 9

lollerblades

Original post by sarah.102

Just to say, if you want to go to Imperial or UCL, you have no chance getting into their medical school, as they require biology at AS/A2. If you really want to go to those two, you can try and fit in or swap biology with one of your other choices. Or, you could just apply to places which dont require biology.

Either way, theres no real advantage to going to a 'prestige' university (e.g. Oxbridge etc) to study medicine. An MBChB/MBBS degree is what is recognised if you do medicine, not really where you got it from, as all registered medical schools in the UK offer the award of one of those degrees.

On the work experience front, its pretty important to have good, relevant work experience. A lot of people go a bit OTT on this forum, I managed to get an offer without having quite as much work experience as everyone else. I think its more what you learnt from it and how you can relate it to why you want to do medicine in your personal statement, which is more important.

Of course the UKCAT & BMAT are pretty important too.

Reply 10

kimsiclez

With no work experience I'm afraid you will hardly have a chance at any UK medical school, purely because it is so competitive that they almost expect everyone to be fully prepared and aware of the field they are going into.

I was in your position this time last year. I ended up dropping maths and did Biology AS in year 13 alongside Chemistry, Physics and English language A2. The only work experience I could organise was for November of year 13 - which would have been after I applied. I did so anyway, expecting to be rejected by all 4 and I have been.

But now I have another year to improve my application and affirm that medicine really is what I want to do.

My advice to you would be to have a think about whether it would be right for you, get some work experience and then decide. Although many schools do not require Biology at all, there are a fair few that want it at least at AS so by taking it up next year you'll only be doing yourself a few favours. But only if that's what you really want.

Best of luck!

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Reply 11

nexttime

You can apply to medicine, but you need to drop any idea of having preference of university and just apply to the few places that will accept you. AS biology many open up some options, but some will still be off the table.

Its not too late, but you do need to rush to get some work experience now.

Reply 12

prolapse

i hate it when people jumping on the bandwagon so late get offers over people that have wanted to do it since high school/early primary school.

Reply 13

Carrotcake18

Original post by prolapse

i hate it when people jumping on the bandwagon so late get offers over people that have wanted to do it since high school/early primary school.

I totally know what you mean. Its also disgusting how medical schools reject people with BSc's and Masters degrees and take A-Level students instead.

Reply 14

nexttime

Original post by prolapse

i hate it when people jumping on the bandwagon so late get offers over people that have wanted to do it since high school/early primary school.

You can't seriously be suggesting that that's an important criteria. Such people are more likely to have a romanticised, less realistic view of what medicine involves. How can a 5 year old know what career they want? We don't start studying medicine in primary school for a reason. I'd seriously question whether such a person, even once they've got to 18, has really looked at alternatives.

The people who come across as most passionate and competent at interview should get in.

Reply 15

Aimee123

Original post by Carrotcake18

I totally know what you mean. Its also disgusting how medical schools reject people with BSc's and Masters degrees and take A-Level students instead.

Emmmm maybe because those who have BSc's and Masters degrees have good career prospects compared to A level students who don't? I don't think "disgusting" is the term you're looking for...

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Reply 16

nexttime

Original post by Carrotcake18

I totally know what you mean. Its also disgusting how medical schools reject people with BSc's and Masters degrees and take A-Level students instead.

Why? Medical admissions isn't about selecting the people who are most educated before university. They would all be 60 year old professors. Its about selecting the people who will give you the most for how much you spend on training them. Age is an important criteria in that - 4 years spent getting a masters is 4 years spent not practicing medicine. The real question is: who is better to spend your resources on, the 5th year med student who has just spent 4 years learning medicine, or the 1st year who has spent those previous 4 years on an unrelated masters.

Having said that, i do like the idea of graduate medicine as opposed to undergrad. I just want to point out a masters student isn't necessarily better than an a-level student.

Reply 17

Carrotcake18

Original post by Aimee123

yes and most of those BSc graduates were originally turned down from medical schools. So after 3-4 years of waiting they dont deserve a second chance, but those who apply first time do.. lol?

Reply 18

Carrotcake18

Original post by nexttime

Having said that, i do like the idea of graduate medicine as opposed to undergrad.

Yes but statistically those 4 year Medicine courses are very hard to get into. Many graduates just apply for the normal 5 years.

Original post by nexttime

I just want to point out a masters student isn't necessarily better than an a-level student.

Look I agree that someone with a masters isnt entitled to get into Medicine. But surely at the interview stage many people who are more than good enough to get in get turned down? when two applicants (one a graduate, and one with predicted A-Level grades that for all we know could fail) are equal surely its unfair to take the person who didnt exactly make the same amount of effort and wait a long time?

Reply 19

Aimee123

Original post by Carrotcake18

yes and most of those BSc graduates were originally turned down from medical schools. So after 3-4 years of waiting they dont deserve a second chance, but those who apply first time do.. lol?

No, they most definitely do deserve a chance, but no more than an A level student does. New ideas and enthusiasm are really important, but then again experience is too. I think it's fair to say they deserve offers based on what the university wants, not on how long someone's been waiting for a place.

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