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confused

i dont know if i should choose physics as one of the subjects for my A levels, it isnt compulsory but i want to know if it is actually useful as i am going to apply for medical universities
confused.com
Maybe try maths instead- I think that is more useful than Physics
I assume you have to do biology and chemistry? My advice would be to do something different that you enjoy. Psychology/geography etc
Reply 3
Original post by hykha
i dont know if i should choose physics as one of the subjects for my A levels, it isnt compulsory but i want to know if it is actually useful as i am going to apply for medical universities

For medicine you need biology and chemistry. Physics is not necessary and additionally physics can be very tough without also doing a maths A-level. Only choose Physics if you enjoy Physics. If you're thinking about doing Physics just to make yourself a more competitive applicant, choose maths. (Or if you don't like maths choose a different subject that you enjoy, don't do Physics if you're not interested in Physics :smile:)
Reply 4
Isnt physics more related to biology and chemistry??
Original post by Study_Girl 7
confused.com
Maybe try maths instead- I think that is more useful than Physics
it is because it is a science- but I think physics is kind of an extension of maths
Original post by hykha
Isnt physics more related to biology and chemistry??
Reply 6
Original post by hykha
Isnt physics more related to biology and chemistry??

At A-level physics has almost no cross over with Chemistry and absolutely no cross over with Biology. It does however cross over a little bit with mechanics in maths. A-level Physics has a lot about sub atomic particles, space and newtonian mechanics, you don't need any of that for medicine
Reply 7
Although I don't do it, I know through numerous sources that physics is FAR more like maths than science. You only need bio and chem for medicine, do something you enjoy.
Original post by hykha
Isnt physics more related to biology and chemistry??
Reply 8
Original post by Apachecow
I assume you have to do biology and chemistry? My advice would be to do something different that you enjoy. Psychology/geography etc

i am doing biology and chemistry and i want to do psychology because i am interested in it, but i did not find and good tutor so i dont really know what to do.
Reply 9
Original post by Retsek
At A-level physics has almost no cross over with Chemistry and absolutely no cross over with Biology. It does however cross over a little bit with mechanics in maths. A-level Physics has a lot about sub atomic particles, space and newtonian mechanics, you don't need any of that for medicine

ohhh! thnx for letting me know!:smile:
Original post by hykha
i am doing biology and chemistry and i want to do psychology because i am interested in it, but i did not find and good tutor so i dont really know what to do.


I did biology, chemistry, physics and psychology. I hated physics - was too hard without maths. Uni happy to accept psychology as 3rd A level. Was a bit of light relief - best decision I made. It's so easy compared to the pure sciences (and it's usually science where I excel)
Reply 11
Original post by Retsek
For medicine you need biology and chemistry. Physics is not necessary and additionally physics can be very tough without also doing a maths A-level. Only choose Physics if you enjoy Physics. If you're thinking about doing Physics just to make yourself a more competitive applicant, choose maths. (Or if you don't like maths choose a different subject that you enjoy, don't do Physics if you're not interested in Physics :smile:)

do some universities require physics as an important subject?? and also i dont enjoy physics at all!!
Reply 12
Original post by Apachecow
I did biology, chemistry, physics and psychology. I hated physics - was too hard without maths. Uni happy to accept psychology as 3rd A level. Was a bit of light relief - best decision I made. It's so easy compared to the pure sciences (and it's usually science where I excel)

can you like give an overview of the subject if you dont mind?
I'm quite old, you might be better asking some current psychology students!
Reply 14
Original post by hykha
do some universities require physics as an important subject?? and also i dont enjoy physics at all!!


It is not a required subject. It is however a facilitating subject. Facilitating subjects are A-levels that are considered to be really good. People taking lots of facilitating subjects are seen as better applicants because facilitating subjects are harder, so getting a good grade shows that they are a good student, and they teach the person lots of skills which are very valuable at uni. Biology and Chemistry are also facilitating subjects, but maths is also a facilitating subject. Maths is arguably the most widely valuable A-level, it is seen as a massive positive for almost every university course, if you want to choose a facilitating subject (or in your words an important subject for your course) maths is the way to go.
Reply 15
Original post by Retsek
It is not a required subject. It is however a facilitating subject. Facilitating subjects are A-levels that are considered to be really good. People taking lots of facilitating subjects are seen as better applicants because facilitating subjects are harder, so getting a good grade shows that they are a good student, and they teach the person lots of skills which are very valuable at uni. Biology and Chemistry are also facilitating subjects, but maths is also a facilitating subject. Maths is arguably the most widely valuable A-level, it is seen as a massive positive for almost every university course, if you want to choose a facilitating subject (or in your words an important subject for your course) maths is the way to go.


thank you very much for that piece of useful information! :smile:
Reply 16
if you dont mind can you please give me an overview of the subject (psychology i mean )?
Original post by Apachecow
I did biology, chemistry, physics and psychology. I hated physics - was too hard without maths. Uni happy to accept psychology as 3rd A level. Was a bit of light relief - best decision I made. It's so easy compared to the pure sciences (and it's usually science where I excel)
I wouldn't recommend you choose physics unless you really enjoy it because its not something medical schools look for, there are way more links with other subjects like maths or psychology as people have already mentioned above, doing 3 sciences might get a bit boring so maybe a humanities subject like geography or pyschology would help break it up + help you develop a wider set of skills (believe it or not, one of my friends doing medicine currently is really grateful she chose a semi-essay subject because of the essay assignments they set in med school!), and from my experience, physics a-level was pretty difficult (moreso than my other subjects including maths, chem and geog) so if you're aiming for high grades in bio and chem for your offer go for an easier alevel.

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