Does doing Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Biology at A level rule out a lot of options?

I'm considering studying medicine at university and I'm currently in my final year of GCSEs. I believe that I have the grades so far as I've been getting consistent A*s and a few As so far. My only worry is that if I do Maths and 3 sciences at A level then decide that medicine isn't for me, will that have ruled out a lot of other options. If it won't, then why other things could I do at university with those A levels.
(also I know I'd need to get very good grades in my A levels to ever consider medicine)

Posted from TSR Mobile

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1

usycool1

Original post by Ellios

If it won't, then why other things could I do at university with those A levels.

Have a look here: http://www.russellgroup.ac.uk/media/informed-choices/InformedChoices-latest.pdf

Scroll down to "Subjects required for different career courses" to get an idea of what other courses you can do. You would still have plenty of options :yes:

Reply 2

dada55

All 4 of these subjects are facilitating subjects and so they will not limit you in any way. E.g. Top universities take students for law with such A levels because it proves they got the right abilities.
You could do pretty much anything that doesn't require very specific requirements.

Reply 3

PapercutMagnet

If you want to do something sciencey, those are the only subjects you can take. It tends to be science degrees that require certain subjects rather than arts so it's safer to go with the sciences.
I did those last year and there were lots of things I could have chosen.
The only thing is, without further maths, you can't do maths, it'd be very difficult to get in as you'd be in competition with other applicants with it and some unis outright reject you if you don't have it.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 4

Cat123456

I'm in year 12, and want to go into medicine aswell. You have to do chemistry and biology for obvious reasons, and maths is a good idea (I do these three subjects alongside geography. When I was looking at which subjects to do last year, I got told quite a lot that med schools don't want people with pure science (i.e. bio, chem, phys, maths). On top of that, it is a good idea to do a broader spectrum of subjects just incase you change your mind, or dont get the grades, although you could go for post-grad entry if you did a degree in another subject (but you have to pay £200 to do a 5 and a half hour entry exam if you want to take a gap year before medicine so I'm reconsidering this). I am doing the same subjects as one of my friends who is also aiming for medicine. Overall if you are considering medicine, even if you have some doubts, you probably enjoy chemistry and biology, they link well with eachother and maths, but personally I wouldn't do physics aswell, even though I loved it at GCSE, because you want something different, and maybe that you enjoy even more (something like geography is really good because it gives you insight into social problems for example ageing populations which links in with healthcare etc.) Hope this helps, good luck! :smile:

Reply 5

Cat123456

Oh, also, I spoke to some of the junior dodctors when I was shadowing at my local hospital, and they had all done biology, chemistry, maths, and another subjuct (not physics), one did drama, another did geogrpahy. If you do four really heavy, fact - based subjects, it can get really stressful, especially if you don't love all of your subjects :smile:

Reply 6

_-_Ella_-_

Do you have to do chemistry or can you do biology and physics?

Reply 7

Ellios

So would I be able to do medicine in a good university with maths chemistry biology and geography?

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 8

Lunch_Box

You could do:
Medicine at virtually any university of your choice (given good results)
VetMet
Dentistry
Biomed/biochem
Chemistry
Biology
Law
PPE
(+Physics, Economics, Maths at mid rankings)

so no, you're not limiting your choices.

Reply 9

Micknick

Original post by _-_Ella_-_

Do you have to do chemistry or can you do biology and physics?

If you're applying for medicine, a lot of Universities require chemistry

Reply 10

mynameisntbobk

Original post by _-_Ella_-_

Do you have to do chemistry or can you do biology and physics?

Every medical school requires chemistry to at least AS, most require it at A2, there's no getting round chemistry if you want to study medicine

Original post by Ellios

So would I be able to do medicine in a good university with maths chemistry biology and geography?

Posted from TSR Mobile

You would be able to, providing you meet all their other requirements. I do biology, chemistry, maths and psychology, but I'm applying next year as I'm in year 12

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 11

Cat123456

Original post by Micknick

If you're applying for medicine, a lot of Universities require chemistry

from what I've seen, all of them require it, and biology to at least AS, because it is so much part of the subject area. :smile:

Reply 12

Cat123456

Original post by Ellios

So would I be able to do medicine in a good university with maths chemistry biology and geography?

Posted from TSR Mobile

All med schools are good, as in they have to produce competent doctors at the end of the course, it's just the one that is right for each individual. Those are my subjects and I find them all really interesting, you would be able to go on to do medicine from them, definately, humanities such as geography are some of the most transferrable subjects, and if you dont get the grades to do medicine, you could do a degree in geography, then go on to do medicine, as they really encourage this (this depends if you're dead set on medicine though) :smile:

Reply 13

SpiggyTopes

Somebody said you can do physics at mid-rankings, you can also do it at top ranking ones like Warwick, York, Lancaster...

Reply 14

Muppet Science

Original post by Ellios

As a lot of the others have said, you have quite a few options to you even if medicine is not your cup of tea at the end of the day.

One of my classmates has an offer from UCL for law and he is studying history, chemistry and physics. One idea is if you suddenly change your mind to, say law, then you can do an EPQ where you write a dissertation so you can show that you can write essays.

The real point is those A-levels are solid A-levels which have transferable skills, OK in a law degree I doubt they want you to know all about aerobic respiration but the skills you acquire through science A-levels are significant and damn handy :awesome:

Reply 15

pop101

You can pretty much do anything with those 4 except Language degrees.

Reply 16

_-_Ella_-_

Original post by Micknick

If you're applying for medicine, a lot of Universities require chemistry

Thanks

Reply 17

_-_Ella_-_

Original post by mynameisntbobk

Every medical school requires chemistry to at least AS, most require it at A2, there's no getting round chemistry if you want to study medicine

You would be able to, providing you meet all their other requirements. I do biology, chemistry, maths and psychology, but I'm applying next year as I'm in year 12

Thanks

Reply 18

zmai

All require chemistry
Most require biology (12 don't)
I do maths physics chemistry and did further maths at AS and I have 3 offers for medicine! I was choosing between (medical) engineering and medicine so that's why I chose those subjects, good luck (:

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 19

AtomicMan

No, it doesnt rule out an option. It may give you an advantage in section 2 of the BMAT, since alot of the things it tests you learn in more depth at AS/A2.