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Should I pursue a Medicine degree if I dislike Biology?
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HasanKaiser
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#1
Hey guys,
I was wondering whether i should pursue a Medicine degree. I dislike biology, finding it a bore in school, but I have something in me which wants to help people, soemthing a Doctor does. Would Medicine be worth me pursuing then?
I was wondering whether i should pursue a Medicine degree. I dislike biology, finding it a bore in school, but I have something in me which wants to help people, soemthing a Doctor does. Would Medicine be worth me pursuing then?
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hungrysalamander
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#2
You’re going to learn biology for the majority of your pre-clinical years. There are plenty of other careers which “helps people” and this will be too cliche for a personal statement.
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eternaldevotiion
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#3
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#3
(Original post by HasanKaiser)
Hey guys,
I was wondering whether i should pursue a Medicine degree. I dislike biology, finding it a bore in school, but I have something in me which wants to help people, soemthing a Doctor does. Would Medicine be worth me pursuing then?
Hey guys,
I was wondering whether i should pursue a Medicine degree. I dislike biology, finding it a bore in school, but I have something in me which wants to help people, soemthing a Doctor does. Would Medicine be worth me pursuing then?
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Butene
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#4
(Original post by HasanKaiser)
Hey guys,
I was wondering whether i should pursue a Medicine degree. I dislike biology, finding it a bore in school, but I have something in me which wants to help people, soemthing a Doctor does. Would Medicine be worth me pursuing then?
Hey guys,
I was wondering whether i should pursue a Medicine degree. I dislike biology, finding it a bore in school, but I have something in me which wants to help people, soemthing a Doctor does. Would Medicine be worth me pursuing then?
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Med3
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#5
(Original post by Butene)
Medicine is not just biology applied to hospital-setting like every GCSE/A-Level student thinks it is. If you would like to know whether you want to do medicine, try to find some work experience.
Medicine is not just biology applied to hospital-setting like every GCSE/A-Level student thinks it is. If you would like to know whether you want to do medicine, try to find some work experience.
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janijay
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#6
Are you just considering medicine because your parents told you to become a doctor?
It's a hard no from me if you dislike biology. There are so many other ways you can help people.
It's a hard no from me if you dislike biology. There are so many other ways you can help people.
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Unknown9556
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#7
rather than medicine, try an alternative? I trained as a medic and moved from there.
I agree that you don't like biology might be an issue. A lot of what you learn is Anatomy and Physiology, at least initally.
Unfortunatly, its needed.
I agree that you don't like biology might be an issue. A lot of what you learn is Anatomy and Physiology, at least initally.
Unfortunatly, its needed.
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eternaldevotiion
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#8
(Original post by Butene)
Medicine is not just biology applied to hospital-setting like every GCSE/A-Level student thinks it is. If you would like to know whether you want to do medicine, try to find some work experience.
Medicine is not just biology applied to hospital-setting like every GCSE/A-Level student thinks it is. If you would like to know whether you want to do medicine, try to find some work experience.
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AnnaBananana
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#9
Butene
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#10
(Original post by eternaldevotiion)
most of it kinda is though because in medicine you learn about anatomy, physiology and bodily processes, which is pretty much biology
most of it kinda is though because in medicine you learn about anatomy, physiology and bodily processes, which is pretty much biology
Last edited by Butene; 6 months ago
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eternaldevotiion
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#11
(Original post by Butene)
But not really, of course you will need to study A-Level Biology and go through Phase 1 (Years 1 and 2) but after that you will realise that's there's much more to this field than the biology people (especially school students) think it involves. You will only focus on human biology-related aspects for 4 years (A-levels and Phase 1) but being a doctor will be for the rest of your working life.
But not really, of course you will need to study A-Level Biology and go through Phase 1 (Years 1 and 2) but after that you will realise that's there's much more to this field than the biology people (especially school students) think it involves. You will only focus on human biology-related aspects for 4 years (A-levels and Phase 1) but being a doctor will be for the rest of your working life.
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Butene
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#12
(Original post by eternaldevotiion)
but everything you learn in the medicine degree is what you're gonna be carrying out for the rest of your working life. its not a case of you just learn the content and never have to think about human biology ever again, as a doctor your career is literally all about it. i understand theres more than human biology in the profession but it does take up a very huge part of it. you can't really be a doctor if it doesn't interest you.
but everything you learn in the medicine degree is what you're gonna be carrying out for the rest of your working life. its not a case of you just learn the content and never have to think about human biology ever again, as a doctor your career is literally all about it. i understand theres more than human biology in the profession but it does take up a very huge part of it. you can't really be a doctor if it doesn't interest you.
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eternaldevotiion
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#13
(Original post by Butene)
The point I made is that Medicine is not just biology applied to hospital-setting, it is simply Medicine. Almost every school student has this view all of the biology and chemistry they study at GCSEs/A-Levels and in Medicine will be what they're going to be doing for the rest of their life if they're a doctor, you will typically see loads of these posts on TSR going along the line of "I don't like A-level chemistry but I like biology (or vice versa), can I still be a doctor?" and the straight answer is to go and find some work experience because it's neither of that. All you did was further my point about non-medics/school-students not knowing what Medicine is about. Also wanting to help people is not a good enough cause by itself if you want to be a doctor.
The point I made is that Medicine is not just biology applied to hospital-setting, it is simply Medicine. Almost every school student has this view all of the biology and chemistry they study at GCSEs/A-Levels and in Medicine will be what they're going to be doing for the rest of their life if they're a doctor, you will typically see loads of these posts on TSR going along the line of "I don't like A-level chemistry but I like biology (or vice versa), can I still be a doctor?" and the straight answer is to go and find some work experience because it's neither of that. All you did was further my point about non-medics/school-students not knowing what Medicine is about. Also wanting to help people is not a good enough cause by itself if you want to be a doctor.
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Unknown9556
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#14
So as a medic I have a working and back ground knowledge of biology. It is something I constantly revise. What happens is this occurs. How do I treat this? I also use chemistry a little in enzymes and bits and medications. Finally in my specialism I also use physics in rotational injuries strike zones and other bits
My point is that I cannot do anything of this without biology
My point is that I cannot do anything of this without biology
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Smeraldettoi
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#15
If you have to ask this question then you are definitely not fit to go into medicine
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ForestCat
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#16
(Original post by Smeraldettoi)
If you have to ask this question then you are definitely not fit to go into medicine
If you have to ask this question then you are definitely not fit to go into medicine
Most medics agree that the rote memorisation of pre-clinical years is a slog and not always that interesting, but that clinical years are much better as is the actual practice of medicine once qualified.If the OP feels it’s worth getting through that slog for the end career than a dislike of an a level subject is irrelevant.
Biology a level is not the be all and end all. We have thousands of doctors who’ve come from humanities backgrounds who didn’t like science enough to do it for a levels at school, and they did absolutely fine in medical school and beyond.
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ForestCat
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#17
(Original post by Unknown9556)
So as a medic I have a working and back ground knowledge of biology. It is something I constantly revise. What happens is this occurs. How do I treat this? I also use chemistry a little in enzymes and bits and medications. Finally in my specialism I also use physics in rotational injuries strike zones and other bits
My point is that I cannot do anything of this without biology
So as a medic I have a working and back ground knowledge of biology. It is something I constantly revise. What happens is this occurs. How do I treat this? I also use chemistry a little in enzymes and bits and medications. Finally in my specialism I also use physics in rotational injuries strike zones and other bits
My point is that I cannot do anything of this without biology
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Smeraldettoi
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#18
(Original post by ForestCat)
That’s nonsense. A level biology doesn’t really bear much resemblance to medicine other than requiring some memorisation of facts about human biology (I’m pretty sure I did a module on plants for my biology a level).
Most medics agree that the rote memorisation of pre-clinical years is a slog and not always that interesting, but that clinical years are much better as is the actual practice of medicine once qualified.If the OP feels it’s worth getting through that slog for the end career than a dislike of an a level subject is irrelevant.
Biology a level is not the be all and end all. We have thousands of doctors who’ve come from humanities backgrounds who didn’t like science enough to do it for a levels at school, and they did absolutely fine in medical school and beyond.
That’s nonsense. A level biology doesn’t really bear much resemblance to medicine other than requiring some memorisation of facts about human biology (I’m pretty sure I did a module on plants for my biology a level).
Most medics agree that the rote memorisation of pre-clinical years is a slog and not always that interesting, but that clinical years are much better as is the actual practice of medicine once qualified.If the OP feels it’s worth getting through that slog for the end career than a dislike of an a level subject is irrelevant.
Biology a level is not the be all and end all. We have thousands of doctors who’ve come from humanities backgrounds who didn’t like science enough to do it for a levels at school, and they did absolutely fine in medical school and beyond.
Also you’d be pretty hard pressed to get into medicine without biology A-level without a damn good reason why you couldn’t or didn’t want to study it. I can’t see OP rocking up at the interview and saying “I didn’t do biology A-level because I dislike biology” is going to do anything other than harm for their medical applications
Last edited by Smeraldettoi; 6 months ago
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ForestCat
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#19
(Original post by Smeraldettoi)
So the three or so years of covering anatomy etc during a medical degree doesn’t come under the discipline of biology? Which science does it come under then?
Also you’d be pretty hard pressed to get into medicine without biology A-level without a damn good reason why you couldn’t or didn’t want to study it. I can’t see OP rocking up at the interview and saying “I didn’t do biology A-level because I dislike biology” is going to do anything other than harm for their medical applications
So the three or so years of covering anatomy etc during a medical degree doesn’t come under the discipline of biology? Which science does it come under then?
Also you’d be pretty hard pressed to get into medicine without biology A-level without a damn good reason why you couldn’t or didn’t want to study it. I can’t see OP rocking up at the interview and saying “I didn’t do biology A-level because I dislike biology” is going to do anything other than harm for their medical applications
Anatomy etc is boring. Learning muscle names, muscle origins and innervation etc is mind numbing rote memorisation. If you ask most practicing doctors won’t easily remember 1/3 of the anatomy knowledge they used to have, or things like the intricacies of the Krebs cycle. They are things we learn to be able to recognise patterns and problem solve.
I’m not in medicine because I particularly enjoyed biology at school. And I hated learning most of the stuff in medical school, I don’t wax lyrical about learning about the human body. But what I like doing is working out what is wrong with a patient, doing something about it and working in a team with my colleagues.
And there are plenty of people who are doctors that didn’t do biology because they didn’t like science in school. I trained with someone who did Russian at university and someone else who did Arabic. They did humanity a levels at school because that is what interested them
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GANFYD
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#20
(Original post by Smeraldettoi)
So the three or so years of covering anatomy etc during a medical degree doesn’t come under the discipline of biology? Which science does it come under then?
Also you’d be pretty hard pressed to get into medicine without biology A-level without a damn good reason why you couldn’t or didn’t want to study it. I can’t see OP rocking up at the interview and saying “I didn’t do biology A-level because I dislike biology” is going to do anything other than harm for their medical applications
So the three or so years of covering anatomy etc during a medical degree doesn’t come under the discipline of biology? Which science does it come under then?
Also you’d be pretty hard pressed to get into medicine without biology A-level without a damn good reason why you couldn’t or didn’t want to study it. I can’t see OP rocking up at the interview and saying “I didn’t do biology A-level because I dislike biology” is going to do anything other than harm for their medical applications
As pointed out, many people become Drs with no science bacjground at all before med school, and there is no evidence they struggle more during training than those who did the standard bio and chem
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