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Medicine or Engineering?

Poll

Which career path?

Hey guys
I'm a Year 12, student, currently doing Maths, Physics, Chemistry and biology A-levels and an Engineering BTEC. I'm currently having problems deciding whether to go down an engineering or medicine route for uni. I go to an engineering based school, but after doing so much engineering, I'm starting to get sick of it. I don't understand a word that my teachers are saying, and I naturally suck at the practical things like drilling, sawing etc.


I originally was planning on doing an Aeronautical/Chemical engineering course but I'm really starting to have some doubts about it. The idea of being a doctor sounds more appealing to me and seems more fufilling, but I'm not sure on whether I should give up on engineering just yet.


How should I go about making my decision? Is there anyone else who has been similar before? If so, how did you make your decision? What are the pros/cons of both subjects?

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Do you have any experience of Medicine? Have you done any work experience?

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Reply 2
Avatar for emerl98
emerl98
OP
8
Original post by Hippysnake
Do you have any experience of Medicine? Have you done any work experience?


Not much, but I have done some volunteering at a few charities. Although, I have set up some for this summer at quite a few places. I'll mostly likely be busy all summer which is about 3 months. Hopefully that should be enough to get into a good uni. I also did NCS last year if that helps too
Reply 3
Avatar for jlsmp
jlsmp
2
do Medgineering
Reply 4
Avatar for ibbyn
ibbyn
6
medical engineering to get a mix of both if you cant decide?
To do medicine you have to be thoroughly committed. You had to know, and feel that you want it. It takes a special type of person to be so committed to study for so long for their eventual goal. So I would advise unless you're 100% sure about medicine that it's the only thing you want to do, do engineering..
Reply 6
Avatar for emerl98
emerl98
OP
8
Original post by Elliottmanwaring
To do medicine you have to be thoroughly committed. You had to know, and feel that you want it. It takes a special type of person to be so committed to study for so long for their eventual goal. So I would advise unless you're 100% sure about medicine that it's the only thing you want to do, do engineering..


I'm not really sure. I'm really starting to hate the practical side of engineering, I find it boring and tedious and I'm terrible at it anyways.

I seem to invest a lot more of my time into chemistry rather than any other of my subjects which is why I think that maybe medicine would be the right path for me to go down.
Original post by emerl98
I'm not really sure. I'm really starting to hate the practical side of engineering, I find it boring and tedious and I'm terrible at it anyways.

I seem to invest a lot more of my time into chemistry rather than any other of my subjects which is why I think that maybe medicine would be the right path for me to go down.


If you do not like the actual engineering part of engineering then all you really like is the physics/chemistry/mathematics. It would make no logical sense in that case to pick engineering. You also do not have further maths A2 which makes you a lot less competitive for engineering (not stopping you of course as plenty of people go to top places for engineering without it).
You hardly do any practical stuff for engineering. You will spend much more time doing maths and simulations
Reply 9
Avatar for emerl98
emerl98
OP
8
Original post by Jai Sandhu
If you do not like the actual engineering part of engineering then all you really like is the physics/chemistry/mathematics. It would make no logical sense in that case to pick engineering. You also do not have further maths A2 which makes you a lot less competitive for engineering (not stopping you of course as plenty of people go to top places for engineering without it).


Thank you, I think the real question is now, how would I go about finding the course that I would enjoy for the rest of my life?


Original post by langlitz
You hardly do any practical stuff for engineering. You will spend much more time doing maths and simulations


So what is the actual aeronautical engineering like in universities and in jobs?
this is really a decision you have to make yourself..

If you're the kind of person that gets real satisfaction out of helping people in a way that makes a real difference to their lives then i'd say go for medicine however for that i suggest you undertake work experience in a hospital environment as that may help reinforce your decision to study Medicine.

As far as engineering is concerned again, work experience in the particular field of engineering you are interested in should help you make your final decision. I think its better if you speak to a career counsellor or teacher who can give you some really genuine advice

Good Luck :smile:

tbh i think work experience will really help you make your decision
why do I have a weird feeling you're Indian
Original post by chocolatesauce
why do I have a weird feeling you're Indian


does it matter? are you here for banter? why don't you just help the OP with his question?
Original post by emerl98
Hey guys
I'm a Year 12, student, currently doing Maths, Physics, Chemistry and biology A-levels and an Engineering BTEC. I'm currently having problems deciding whether to go down an engineering or medicine route for uni. I go to an engineering based school, but after doing so much engineering, I'm starting to get sick of it. I don't understand a word that my teachers are saying, and I naturally suck at the practical things like drilling, sawing etc.


I originally was planning on doing an Aeronautical/Chemical engineering course but I'm really starting to have some doubts about it. The idea of being a doctor sounds more appealing to me and seems more fufilling, but I'm not sure on whether I should give up on engineering just yet.


How should I go about making my decision? Is there anyone else who has been similar before? If so, how did you make your decision? What are the pros/cons of both subjects?


You may not know this but engineering is not very practical. The degree is highly theoretical. The most practical thing you'd have to do is probably manual drawing the start and one or two projects a year (depends on the uni).

I can't really comment on medicine but if you hate the maths and physics too then definitely do not take engineering.
Original post by emerl98
Hey guys
I'm a Year 12, student, currently doing Maths, Physics, Chemistry and biology A-levels and an Engineering BTEC. I'm currently having problems deciding whether to go down an engineering or medicine route for uni. I go to an engineering based school, but after doing so much engineering, I'm starting to get sick of it. I don't understand a word that my teachers are saying, and I naturally suck at the practical things like drilling, sawing etc.


I originally was planning on doing an Aeronautical/Chemical engineering course but I'm really starting to have some doubts about it. The idea of being a doctor sounds more appealing to me and seems more fufilling, but I'm not sure on whether I should give up on engineering just yet.


How should I go about making my decision? Is there anyone else who has been similar before? If so, how did you make your decision? What are the pros/cons of both subjects?


if you want to do engineering then further maths is kind of handy for that. you're better set up for med.
Original post by Ripper Phoenix
does it matter? are you here for banter? why don't you just help the OP with his question?


ok calm down, brr
Original post by Elliottmanwaring
To do medicine you have to be thoroughly committed. You had to know, and feel that you want it. It takes a special type of person to be so committed to study for so long for their eventual goal. So I would advise unless you're 100% sure about medicine that it's the only thing you want to do, do engineering..


false, you need the grades, generally related experience and have gotten through the admissions process.

this could be said about any degree.
Original post by James E Walker
false, you need the grades, generally related experience and have gotten through the admissions process.

this could be said about any degree.


Not really... for engineering sure it helps but I could have applied for engineering and got offers from all the same unis that I applied for maths to. Medicine however I would not have got a place at any of the places I applied to due to pack of work experience, A levels not picked properly, and I would have needed to know I was doing medicine from the start of 6th form if not earlier.
Original post by James E Walker
false, you need the grades, generally related experience and have gotten through the admissions process.

this could be said about any degree.


yeah even for health and beauty
Further maths A2 is useful but not essential for engineering, I know a lot of people with engineering offers and only one takes further maths. You sound like you got sick of it because of the heavy focus? How do you know that wouldn't happen with medicine? Medicine's a long and intense course, do you have reasons beyond 'i could do this with my A levels'?

The best thing is likely try out your medicine work experience and see what you think. My sister decided on medicine over about three other courses she was debating between after work experience. I think without the experience you can't judge.

(also you could try engineering work experience, there's some around)

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