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Just a query about natural sciences at cambridge?

I was wondering if I want to do medicinal chemistry at cambridge, should I just apply for the natural sciences course? or is there a specific course I should apply to in cambridge?
I know some people would be getting their offers now, so good luck! and thanks in advance :smile:
Reply 1
Avatar for Colmans
Colmans
11
Original post by potatao
I was wondering if I want to do medicinal chemistry at cambridge, should I just apply for the natural sciences course? or is there a specific course I should apply to in cambridge?
I know some people would be getting their offers now, so good luck! and thanks in advance :smile:


I suggest you research the courses starting here:
http://www.study.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/
Original post by potatao
I was wondering if I want to do medicinal chemistry at cambridge, should I just apply for the natural sciences course? or is there a specific course I should apply to in cambridge?
I know some people would be getting their offers now, so good luck! and thanks in advance :smile:


Assuming you'd be applying as an undergraduate - yes! You'd pick three experimental sciences and a Maths option in first year, and then other options later on. I don't know how much specifically Medicinal Chemistry you'd get to do; the Natural Sciences course starts off very broad and gets more specialised :smile: Look at the link Colmans posted, and if you'd be happy doing other things first, then definitely apply. You have to pick Biological / Physical sciences to interview as (although you can change this later). If you're doing Chemistry / Physics / Further Maths, you should probably apply for Physical, if you've got Chemistry / Biology / no Further Maths, Biological might be better :smile:
Reply 3
Avatar for illusionz
illusionz
20
Medicinal chemistry is limited to one dedicated module in 4th year and a few biological (think enzyme/nucleic acid chemistry) in 3rd/4th year. It is very much a general chemistry course.
Reply 4
Avatar for potatao
potatao
OP
Original post by Colmans
I suggest you research the courses starting here:
http://www.study.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/

Thanks :biggrin:
Reply 5
Avatar for potatao
potatao
OP
Original post by Topaz_eyes
Assuming you'd be applying as an undergraduate - yes! You'd pick three experimental sciences and a Maths option in first year, and then other options later on. I don't know how much specifically Medicinal Chemistry you'd get to do; the Natural Sciences course starts off very broad and gets more specialised :smile: Look at the link Colmans posted, and if you'd be happy doing other things first, then definitely apply. You have to pick Biological / Physical sciences to interview as (although you can change this later). If you're doing Chemistry / Physics / Further Maths, you should probably apply for Physical, if you've got Chemistry / Biology / no Further Maths, Biological might be better :smile:


Thanks :biggrin: that cleared up a lot of issues :smile:
Reply 6
Avatar for potatao
potatao
OP
Original post by illusionz
Medicinal chemistry is limited to one dedicated module in 4th year and a few biological (think enzyme/nucleic acid chemistry) in 3rd/4th year. It is very much a general chemistry course.


Thanks :biggrin:
Reply 7
Avatar for ermm
ermm
8
Beware, it's extremely competitive and VERY tough, especially first year :smile:
Reply 8
Avatar for potatao
potatao
OP
Original post by ermm
Beware, it's extremely competitive and VERY tough, especially first year :smile:


But the question is, is it as competitive as medicine? :smile:
Reply 9
Avatar for ermm
ermm
8
Original post by potatao
But the question is, is it as competitive as medicine? :smile:


Maybe not, but it's better :wink: A lot of the time, medicine becomes a lot of memorising and not so much proper mind boggling, brain requiring, hair falling out science. However, Cambridge do know this, so you'll find the Biological NatSci course to be really similar to the Medicine course
Original post by ermm
Maybe not, but it's better :wink: A lot of the time, medicine becomes a lot of memorising and not so much proper mind boggling, brain requiring, hair falling out science. However, Cambridge do know this, so you'll find the Biological NatSci course to be really similar to the Medicine course


Medicinal chemistry is nothing like medicine. Not in the slightest.
Reply 11
Avatar for ermm
ermm
8
Original post by illusionz
Medicinal chemistry is nothing like medicine. Not in the slightest.


The question asked about Medicine not Medicinal Chemistry
Original post by ermm
The question asked about Medicine not Medicinal Chemistry


Read the op.
Reply 13
Avatar for ermm
ermm
8
Original post by illusionz
Read the op.


Read what I quoted :P
Original post by ermm
Read what I quoted :P


He was asking in terms of competitivity, not asking about the course.
Reply 15
Avatar for ermm
ermm
8
Original post by illusionz
He was asking in terms of competitivity, not asking about the course.


Fair, fair
Original post by potatao
I was wondering if I want to do medicinal chemistry at cambridge, should I just apply for the natural sciences course? or is there a specific course I should apply to in cambridge?
I know some people would be getting their offers now, so good luck! and thanks in advance :smile:


If you specifically wish to do chemistry, you may want to look at the dark blue alternative.

Cambridge's course is a genuine natural sciences course not, at least at the beginning, purely a chemistry course. If you are not really interested in the non-chemistry elements of the course, that is a lot of hard work you are not interested in. Oxofrd does offer a course in nothing other than chemistry (obviously with enough maths to be able to count the test tubes) and this is one of Oxford's least competitive courses for entry.

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