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Student at the Open University
Open University
Milton Keynes

Quitting Medicine for an OU degree in Languages or English Lit

So, as the title says, I'm considering quitting my medical degree and pursuing an OU degree in Languages (English and French) or English Literature.
I'm currently on a year out to retake first year as an external student because of illness but I'm considering giving up medicine for a number of reasons.
Firstly, I don't think I'm going to pass. My illness, which was diagnosed at the end of first year, hasn't been under control until recently, leaving me less than four months to do a year's worth of work.
Also, because of my illness, I don't think a stressful career like medicine will be suitable for me anymore.
I no longer feel interested in medicine. I have to force myself to study and when I do, I find it pointless and boring. It doesn't excite me like literature or the prospect of learning a new language does. I still would love to be a doctor one day but in reality, I know it's not going to happen.
I think an OU degree will be great for me as I can move back home, not have to worry about money and I can study at my own pace in my own time. I can also study the subjects I want to. ( Other unis won't take me for these subjects because I have the wrong A Levels.)
What are your thoughts on this? Does this sound like a good idea? What are your experiences of these subjects at OU?
Original post by lil_mis_ah
So, as the title says, I'm considering quitting my medical degree and pursuing an OU degree in Languages (English and French) or English Literature.
I'm currently on a year out to retake first year as an external student because of illness but I'm considering giving up medicine for a number of reasons.
Firstly, I don't think I'm going to pass. My illness, which was diagnosed at the end of first year, hasn't been under control until recently, leaving me less than four months to do a year's worth of work.
Also, because of my illness, I don't think a stressful career like medicine will be suitable for me anymore.
I no longer feel interested in medicine. I have to force myself to study and when I do, I find it pointless and boring. It doesn't excite me like literature or the prospect of learning a new language does. I still would love to be a doctor one day but in reality, I know it's not going to happen.
I think an OU degree will be great for me as I can move back home, not have to worry about money and I can study at my own pace in my own time. I can also study the subjects I want to. ( Other unis won't take me for these subjects because I have the wrong A Levels.)
What are your thoughts on this? Does this sound like a good idea? What are your experiences of these subjects at OU?


If you weren't in the first year I would have said stick it out, you don't have to be a doctor and a medical degree can get you all sorts of jobs. But as you're only in the first year and already don't enjoy the course then it may well be worth doing something else. Dropping out does not mean you can't ever become a doctor; once your health problems are under control you could apply for graduate entry medicine. Perhaps @*pitseleh* could offer some advice, I seem to remember she studied English before starting a medical degree.

As far as I know the OU is pretty good for English literature, but in my opinion it is not very good for languages. You will only learn French, you don't get to study French literature or culture as you would at 'brick' universities, nor do you do a year abroad. There is very limited opportunity to practise listening or spoken French - in total I had about 20 mins contact time with my tutor, and half the time she was talking to someone else!
Student at the Open University
Open University
Milton Keynes

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