Should I reconsider applying to medicine if I love maths?
So I'm a Y12 (going into Y13) student who's trying to decide whether medicine is for me. I love biology and have always loved volunteering in hospitals. The one problem I have is that I love maths (equally to human biology I would say) and would be scared that, as a doctor, I would never use it. Are there any specialties that use maths in their day-to-day life, or is it worth me searching in other fields for jobs that include some maths?
The problem with a lot of medical fields that use maths heavily (biomedical eng, system bio) is that they tend to be more desk work than lab work, and I wouldn't want to be working at a desk most of the time.
The problem with a lot of medical fields that use maths heavily (biomedical eng, system bio) is that they tend to be more desk work than lab work, and I wouldn't want to be working at a desk most of the time.
(edited 8 months ago)
Original post by tastierspoon460
So I'm a Y12 (going into Y13) student who's trying to decide whether medicine is for me. I love biology and have always loved volunteering in hospitals. The one problem I have is that I love maths (equally to human biology I would say) and would be scared that, as a doctor, I would never use it. Are there any specialties that use maths in their day-to-day life, or is it worth me searching in other fields for jobs that include some maths?
The problem with a lot of medical fields that use maths heavily (biomedical eng, system bio) is that they tend to be more desk work than lab work, and I wouldn't want to be working at a desk most of the time.
The problem with a lot of medical fields that use maths heavily (biomedical eng, system bio) is that they tend to be more desk work than lab work, and I wouldn't want to be working at a desk most of the time.
Strictly speaking, the life sciences don't really use maths that much. If you want to become a medical doctor, you practically won't use any maths (we're talking nothing more than GCSE, if even that).
There are some areas in life sciences that do have maths, but they don't really involve lab work per se, as you said. Having said that, have you considered the following:
•
Bioengineering
•
Bioinformatics (you can get into this with a degree in maths, physics, or engineering instead via the NHS)
•
Biochemistry (although not that much maths, and more desk work)
You can get a second opinion from people who work in the field should you wish.
Original post by tastierspoon460
So I'm a Y12 (going into Y13) student who's trying to decide whether medicine is for me. I love biology and have always loved volunteering in hospitals. The one problem I have is that I love maths (equally to human biology I would say) and would be scared that, as a doctor, I would never use it. Are there any specialties that use maths in their day-to-day life, or is it worth me searching in other fields for jobs that include some maths?
The problem with a lot of medical fields that use maths heavily (biomedical eng, system bio) is that they tend to be more desk work than lab work, and I wouldn't want to be working at a desk most of the time.
The problem with a lot of medical fields that use maths heavily (biomedical eng, system bio) is that they tend to be more desk work than lab work, and I wouldn't want to be working at a desk most of the time.
Closest medical specialty would be public health/epidemiology but it's never going to be the same kind of maths you'd use as a mathematician.
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