The Student Room Group

Confusion between careers and picking A-levels

I have been quite interested in medicine as i am fond of biology and chemistry in gcse.

However, in doing my research i have also reached information such as the downsides of medicine, like the hours, stress,etc.

I have also looked into biology as an A-level and it doesn't interest me as much as history, chemistry or psychology.

Should i still stick with biology to keep medicine as an option for the future or focus on my interests in A-level and go into other aspects such as law (which i have been interested in as well)?

You should know that i am both a science and humanities smart student, so my focus has not just been on medicine, i want to find a career that i will love in the future.
Original post by juliascoarta
I have been quite interested in medicine as i am fond of biology and chemistry in gcse.
However, in doing my research i have also reached information such as the downsides of medicine, like the hours, stress,etc.
I have also looked into biology as an A-level and it doesn't interest me as much as history, chemistry or psychology.
Should i still stick with biology to keep medicine as an option for the future or focus on my interests in A-level and go into other aspects such as law (which i have been interested in as well)?
You should know that i am both a science and humanities smart student, so my focus has not just been on medicine, i want to find a career that i will love in the future.
You need to do some deep reflection on what you want to do before you make a final decision.
Original post by Geo Lover 7
You need to do some deep reflection on what you want to do before you make a final decision.


Do you mean more research on careers? Because medicine and law both match to the subjects i like, but its about if these subjects link to the actual activities of the careers.
Good careers website with 100s of career / job descriptions - Job profiles | Prospects.ac.uk
NHS roles - Explore roles | Health Careers
Law careers - Law Careers | AllAboutLaw
Original post by McGinger
Good careers website with 100s of career / job descriptions - Job profiles | Prospects.ac.uk
NHS roles - Explore roles | Health Careers
Law careers - Law Careers | AllAboutLaw


Thank you!
medicine shouldn't be considered as an option, to do medicine you need to be very passionate about it even at your age now. If you are not sure atm then I'd suggest picking more broad A level options. (If you will end up doing law there's no point doing maths chem bio which can be seen as harder than other options)
Original post by juliascoarta
I have been quite interested in medicine as i am fond of biology and chemistry in gcse.
However, in doing my research i have also reached information such as the downsides of medicine, like the hours, stress,etc.
I have also looked into biology as an A-level and it doesn't interest me as much as history, chemistry or psychology.
Should i still stick with biology to keep medicine as an option for the future or focus on my interests in A-level and go into other aspects such as law (which i have been interested in as well)?
You should know that i am both a science and humanities smart student, so my focus has not just been on medicine, i want to find a career that i will love in the future.

Hi @juliascoarta ,

Choosing the right A-levels can be a difficult decision, but hopefully my advice can help you!

Modules 📑 - I recommend checking the modules you will be studying for your desired subjects at A-level. This can help you decide which you are more passionate about. I also recommend looking at the modules for the course at university, as this could effect your decision.

Job Role 🔎 - Look into some job roles that interest you. I see you have researched into medicine, so I recommend doing the same for careers in law or other career paths you may wish to go down. If you're not certain what career is right for you, see if your school has a careers advisor who could help you with this decision.

A-level requirements 📋️- Different degrees have differing requirements. This could be a grade requirement, or request particular A-levels. Medicine often requires particular A-levels, while many law degrees won't, instead they request certain grades and you can use your personal statement to display your passion for law. If there are some universities you are already interested in, I recommend heading to their website and seeing their course entry requirements.

Passion 🥳 - You may spend the majority of your life focusing on the subject if you choose to, so base it on passion and love for the topic. I understand there are many motivators behind choosing a career path, but enjoying your career should be the priority.


These points can help you choose the right A-levels for you, but remember if you change your mind on career paths throughout sixth form its completely fine! There are different avenues into many careers, even law has avenues other than university. I'm very guilty of this as I changed my mind about 5 times throughout sixth form 😅.

Good luck with your decision, please feel free to ask me any questions,
-Sophia (Business and Management)
(edited 3 weeks ago)
Reply 7
Original post by juliascoarta
I have been quite interested in medicine as i am fond of biology and chemistry in gcse.
However, in doing my research i have also reached information such as the downsides of medicine, like the hours, stress,etc.
I have also looked into biology as an A-level and it doesn't interest me as much as history, chemistry or psychology.
Should i still stick with biology to keep medicine as an option for the future or focus on my interests in A-level and go into other aspects such as law (which i have been interested in as well)?
You should know that i am both a science and humanities smart student, so my focus has not just been on medicine, i want to find a career that i will love in the future.

I'm someone who chose a-levels based on the fact that I'd want to go into medicine (biology, chemistry, geography and maths) and I realised at the start of my a-levels that medicine wasn't for me, as I just didn't have the passion for it to commit all of my time into it. You have to be all in for medicine, it can't be a maybe, and there was too much else that I enjoyed and wanted to spend time on.
Really think about what you're going to enjoy - I've grown to not really enjoy my a-levels much (ESPECIALLY biology). The minute you decide you don't want to do medicine, your options for what to take at a-level grow hugely, as most other subjects care less about what a-levels you've taken. Don't make the mistake I did!! If you're passionate about medicine, go for it, but if you're unsure then take subjects you enjoy and they'll lead you to a career you love.

(Year 12 - 9999999998 at GCSE)
Original post by UCLan Student
Hi @juliascoarta ,
Choosing the right A-levels can be a difficult decision, but hopefully my advice can help you!

Modules 📑 - I recommend checking the modules you will be studying for your desired subjects at A-level. This can help you decide which you are more passionate about. I also recommend looking at the modules for the course at university, as this could effect your decision.

Job Role 🔎 - Look into some job roles that interest you. I see you have researched into medicine, so I recommend doing the same for careers in law or other career paths you may wish to go down. If you're not certain what career is right for you, see if your school has a careers advisor who could help you with this decision.

A-level requirements 📋️- Different degrees have differing requirements. This could be a grade requirement, or request particular A-levels. Medicine often requires particular A-levels, while many law degrees won't, instead they request certain grades and you can use your personal statement to display your passion for law. If there are some universities you are already interested in, I recommend heading to their website and seeing their course entry requirements.

Passion 🥳 - You may spend the majority of your life focusing on the subject if you choose to, so base it on passion and love for the topic. I understand there are many motivators behind choosing a career path, but enjoying your career should be the priority.


These points can help you choose the right A-levels for you, but remember if you change your mind on career paths throughout sixth form its completely fine! There are different avenues into many careers, even law has avenues other than university. I'm very guilty of this as I changed my mind about 5 times throughout sixth form 😅.
Good luck with your decision, please feel free to ask me any questions,
-Sophia (Business and Management)


Thank you so much!
Original post by juliascoarta
I have been quite interested in medicine as i am fond of biology and chemistry in gcse.
However, in doing my research i have also reached information such as the downsides of medicine, like the hours, stress,etc.
I have also looked into biology as an A-level and it doesn't interest me as much as history, chemistry or psychology.
Should i still stick with biology to keep medicine as an option for the future or focus on my interests in A-level and go into other aspects such as law (which i have been interested in as well)?
You should know that i am both a science and humanities smart student, so my focus has not just been on medicine, i want to find a career that i will love in the future.

Lots of uk unis dont require biology for medicine, you would still have options with just chemistry and 2 other subjects provided one is stem (some will count psych and some wont). You can check all the uk med school entry requirements here.
Id recommend watching some documentaries or doing an online course either now or over your long year 11 summer to see what things interest you. I did this and it really helped me understand what i wanted to pursue.
Btw i do a level biology so let me know if you have any questions about that 🙂
Original post by DerDracologe
Lots of uk unis dont require biology for medicine, you would still have options with just chemistry and 2 other subjects provided one is stem (some will count psych and some wont). You can check all the uk med school entry requirements here.
Id recommend watching some documentaries or doing an online course either now or over your long year 11 summer to see what things interest you. I did this and it really helped me understand what i wanted to pursue.
Btw i do a level biology so let me know if you have any questions about that 🙂

biology is still heavily reccomended and beneficial though.
Original post by ashvin127
biology is still heavily reccomended and beneficial though.

Absolutely
Original post by DerDracologe
Lots of uk unis dont require biology for medicine, you would still have options with just chemistry and 2 other subjects provided one is stem (some will count psych and some wont). You can check all the uk med school entry requirements here.
Id recommend watching some documentaries or doing an online course either now or over your long year 11 summer to see what things interest you. I did this and it really helped me understand what i wanted to pursue.
Btw i do a level biology so let me know if you have any questions about that 🙂


Thank you. How did u apply for the online course and how often and long was it? Also, how do you find biology as a subject and the exam side if it?
Original post by juliascoarta
Thank you. How did u apply for the online course and how often and long was it? Also, how do you find biology as a subject and the exam side if it?

Ive done several online courses for Biology and the sites I recommend would be openlearn and spiringpod. You just find a course of interest and sign up! They usually specify how long they should take but it varies (Ive done courses ranging from a couple of hours total to 15 hours total!). I absolutely love Biology! The detail and range of the course is something i find really appealing as someone who loves to learn about the world around them! The exam questions are tricky because it can be hard to figure out what angle a question is taking or what specific words/examples to use for a question. The upside to this is that the grade boundaries aren’t usually very high 🙂

Quick Reply