Medicine or Geography at university? Please help!!

I know I'm only in lower sixth form, and I've still got a year to go but I want to start getting work experience/extra curriculars to help wih my UCAS application next year so hear me out!

So I am taking Chemistry, Biology and Geography for a levels. My GCSE results were:
6A*'s (chemistry,biology,physics,geography,English lit and PE)
6A's (maths, Spanish, English language, RE, graphic design, art)

My a level predicted results are in ALPS band 1 (what our school use to predict a level results using GCSE results score) which is A*AA.

I am currently tossing between apply for medicine or geography at uni. Below are the reasons for and against why I think I should/shouldn't do them.

Medicine:
I have always been interested in science and the sciences are my strongest subjects at school. Human anatomy particularly interests me and I like helping people.

However there are 2/3 main reasons that are stopping me applying. One is I don't think my GCSE results are 'good enough' for an average medical school applicant so I'm worried this would hold me back. Also I'm worried that I would get rejected for all the place I apply to (possibly due to results etc) and would have to take a gap year which I really don't want to do! Also I don't study maths a level so I'm not sure if medical schools would look down at me on this?

Geography:
I am equally interested in geography as I am in science and love both physical and human aspects of it! Lots of universities have interesting courses for geography too, especially Cambridge (although I don't think I'd have a chance of getting in).

However my main concern with geography is there isn't a specific job to go into after (unlike medicine where you become a doctor or something else in the field). I know this shouldn't influence it but I was wondering what field of work most geography graduates go into? If anyone could shed some light on this I'd be pleased to know!

The other course I was considering would be physiotherapy (mainly sports) as I love sports and compete to a high level (international).

If anyone could give me any advice on this please reply! Thank you.

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Reply 1

username1945965

5

There is no better time to decide than in Y12 as quite often if you do leave it to Y13 you haven't got enough specific stuff to write on your personal statement (whatever you do, extracurriculars relating to your subject are important – especially if you are considering medicine)

I'd recommend trying to get work experience for medicine if you haven't already to see if it is actually the career for you.

I was considering chemical engineering, medicine, geography and earth sciences in Y11 and I did two days of work experience in a hospital after which I completely ruled out medicine. While I was interested in human biology I think that's simply not enough of a reason to study medicine and become a doctor; from what I saw in the little time I was there it is extremely demanding and you have to be able to handle difficult social situations and you need a ton of endurance – the doctor I was shadowing had only one twenty minute break in one of the days because the hospital was just so busy and doing though I did nothing but walk around I was completely exhausted after all of it. That said, it is a rewarding career at the end of the day but it is important to have had some experience in it to know that you are in the right field.

Also, it is very competitive and from what I have seen with friends who have applied for medicine this year you do need to have some volunteering experience (e.g. in nursing homes) and a wide range of extracurriculars (so your sports stuff is good). Academically your grades are good enough and I don't think you are at a disadvantage without maths.

Again, I'm not actually doing medicine but if you do want to go into medicine the earlier you decide the better, so you can do all the extra reading you need to and other academic extra curriculars like going to lectures or doing online courses etc etc and volunteering for the social aspect of medicine.

For geography, if that is the subject you are predicted an A* in you would have a chance at Cambridge (though that would also be based off the TSA and your personal statement). In terms of careers, whilst it is very direct and secure for medicine (though a lot of study beforehand) geography has a very diverse range of careers. Granted, some may not provide the security of medicine but there are routes into law, finance, business, tourism, politics (Theresa May did geography at Oxford) etc.

If it is physical geography you are interested (like natural hazards and climate change) I'd recommend you look into earth sciences / geology since these focus on the science behind physical geography and planetary science (ultimately, this was the course I applied for!) and that opens up careers in volcanology, space, oil and mining and environmental agencies again.

Good luck with your application next year!

Reply 2

sciencestudent19

OP

11

Original post by Polaristellar

There is no better time to decide than in Y12 as quite often if you do leave it to Y13 you haven't got enough specific stuff to write on your personal statement (whatever you do, extracurriculars relating to your subject are important – especially if you are considering medicine)

I'd recommend trying to get work experience for medicine if you haven't already to see if it is actually the career for you.

I was considering chemical engineering, medicine, geography and earth sciences in Y11 and I did two days of work experience in a hospital after which I completely ruled out medicine. While I was interested in human biology I think that's simply not enough of a reason to study medicine and become a doctor; from what I saw in the little time I was there it is extremely demanding and you have to be able to handle difficult social situations and you need a ton of endurance – the doctor I was shadowing had only one twenty minute break in one of the days because the hospital was just so busy and doing though I did nothing but walk around I was completely exhausted after all of it. That said, it is a rewarding career at the end of the day but it is important to have had some experience in it to know that you are in the right field.

Also, it is very competitive and from what I have seen with friends who have applied for medicine this year you do need to have some volunteering experience (e.g. in nursing homes) and a wide range of extracurriculars (so your sports stuff is good). Academically your grades are good enough and I don't think you are at a disadvantage without maths.

Again, I'm not actually doing medicine but if you do want to go into medicine the earlier you decide the better, so you can do all the extra reading you need to and other academic extra curriculars like going to lectures or doing online courses etc etc and volunteering for the social aspect of medicine.

For geography, if that is the subject you are predicted an A* in you would have a chance at Cambridge (though that would also be based off the TSA and your personal statement). In terms of careers, whilst it is very direct and secure for medicine (though a lot of study beforehand) geography has a very diverse range of careers. Granted, some may not provide the security of medicine but there are routes into law, finance, business, tourism, politics (Theresa May did geography at Oxford) etc.

If it is physical geography you are interested (like natural hazards and climate change) I'd recommend you look into earth sciences / geology since these focus on the science behind physical geography and planetary science (ultimately, this was the course I applied for!) and that opens up careers in volcanology, space, oil and mining and environmental agencies again.

Good luck with your application next year!

Thank you for this! I have spoken with my school and arranged volunteering with elderly, work experience at a hospital next year and volunteering with children so I will see how it goes.

I am attending a geography lecture day next week and will probably also do some wider reading to keep all my options open.

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