Best A Level subjects for medicine?

Hi, I'm hoping to get into med school and I already have three A level options: bio, chem and maths. Now I'm considering psychology as the 4th A level. Should I pick history instead of psychology? Which will give me a better chance? Please give me some advice. Thank you.

Reply 1

flowerzilei

Hi, jyyl. I think it's best to choose the subject you like. Medical schools usually give conditional offers that require 3 A's. Like myself, I did bio, chem, physics, and psychology last year. When I accepted my conditional offer, the condition is AAA for bio, chem and physics. I believe the medical school will choose your three best subjects to make a conditional offer, so it is quite unlikely that the choice of the fourth subject will affect your chance of getting admitted. After all, grades only represent the academic aspect. In fact, your work experience, personality will be taken into greater account.

Reply 2

Hype en Ecosse

20

Whatever you want. After biology and chemistry, it doesn't really matter what your 3rd or 4th A-level is. Pick whatever you enjoy studying!

Reply 3

SilverArch

12

Biology and Chemistry together give the widest choice of medical schools, after that the 3rd A Level and 4th AS don't matter (unless you really want to apply to Cambridge in which case you need 3 sciencey subjects to A2)

I took Biology, Chemistry and History to A2 (and Maths at AS but only got a C and dropped it sharpish)

Do you prefer History or Psychology? Pick the one you think you will enjoy the most :smile:

You won't affect your chances of getting into medical school by doing Psychology instead of History (except if you want Cambridge or Oxford, I think they would prefer History). But most medical schools really don't care what you do for your 4th subject (or 3rd A Level)

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 4

jyyl

OP

Original post by SilverArch

Biology and Chemistry together give the widest choice of medical schools, after that the 3rd A Level and 4th AS don't matter (unless you really want to apply to Cambridge in which case you need 3 sciencey subjects to A2)

I took Biology, Chemistry and History to A2 (and Maths at AS but only got a C and dropped it sharpish)

Do you prefer History or Psychology? Pick the one you think you will enjoy the most :smile:

You won't affect your chances of getting into medical school by doing Psychology instead of History (except if you want Cambridge or Oxford, I think they would prefer History). But most medical schools really don't care what you do for your 4th subject (or 3rd A Level)

Thanks everyone for the help, I'll give it some thought. Is maths considered as a science subject?

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Reply 5

mynameisntbobk

18

Original post by jyyl

Thanks everyone for the help, I'll give it some thought. Is maths considered as a science subject?

Posted from TSR Mobile

Its considered a science, but its not a lab based science in case you ever come across that phrase.

Reply 6

ermm

8

Original post by jyyl

Hi, I'm hoping to get into med school and I already have three A level options: bio, chem and maths. Now I'm considering psychology as the 4th A level. Should I pick history instead of psychology? Which will give me a better chance? Please give me some advice. Thank you.

would you consider taking physics or further maths?

Reply 7

SilverArch

12

Original post by jyyl

Thanks everyone for the help, I'll give it some thought. Is maths considered as a science subject?

Posted from TSR Mobile

Science subjects = Chemistry, Biology (or Human Biology), Physics, Maths, Further Maths

Lab based subjects/sciences = Biology (or Human Biology), Chemistry and Physics

For Cambridge admissions, Maths and Further maths are sciences

Reply 8

Chief Wiggum

20

Original post by jyyl

Hi, I'm hoping to get into med school and I already have three A level options: bio, chem and maths. Now I'm considering psychology as the 4th A level. Should I pick history instead of psychology? Which will give me a better chance? Please give me some advice. Thank you.