A level choices for Medicine- who to believe?

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Amber
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Re: A level choices for Medicine- who to believe?

Post by Amber »

moved wrote: He likes biology, but less than the others, which implies to me that medicine wouldn't be suitable.
Yeah, I am kind of thinking that an interest in Biology would be a good start for a potential doctor. My would-be medic is heavily into mental health, especially diagnosing me with all kinds of rare neuroses, as well as opining vociferously about any ailment in the house. I wonder what we ever did before we had the benefit of her medical wisdom tbh.
bondgirl
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Re: A level choices for Medicine- who to believe?

Post by bondgirl »

:lol: :lol: :lol: Amber, is this the same DC who used to draw pictures of you with your insides on the outside?
Amber
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Re: A level choices for Medicine- who to believe?

Post by Amber »

No, this one drew bunnies and pussy cats and houses. Just goes to show, doesn't it...?

The would-be dissectionist is actually a bit squeamish about blood...he met his first girlfriend at the age of 5 when they bonded over a hatred of it. His early 'dismemberment of the mother' phase was obviously some kind of catharsis, working through some of his own deep-seated insecurities. :?
WP
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Re: A level choices for Medicine- who to believe?

Post by WP »

Amber wrote:DD read somewhere, I think it was a document produced by the Russell Group, that if you do Chemistry and Biology you would be eligible to apply for 'many' Medicine courses; if you add in Maths you are eligible to apply for all. If your DD really doesn't like Maths maybe she could just do the AS and drop it in Year 13- she will almost certainly need to drop one of the 4 anyway as there are no advantages to doing 4 A2s, and some might say it is a positive disadvantage.
This is on page 43 of the Informed Choices leaflet linked from the sticky at the top of this section.
Amber wrote:DD was only saying last night how much she misses her languages: what a pity they have to narrow themselves down so young.
True, it's a major flaw of the A-level setup in this country.
hermanmunster
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Re: A level choices for Medicine- who to believe?

Post by hermanmunster »

Amber wrote:
The would-be dissectionist is actually a bit squeamish about blood...
don't worry about ths -- make sure any would be medic reads:
http://scienceblogs.com/denialism/2008/ ... specialty/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and also looks at the link to the "goo index"
Amber
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Re: A level choices for Medicine- who to believe?

Post by Amber »

hermanmunster wrote: don't worry about ths -- make sure any would be medic reads:
http://scienceblogs.com/denialism/2008/ ... specialty/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and also looks at the link to the "goo index"
Yes, it is very good. :lol:

While we are at a tangent, what does anyone think the best answer is at a med school interview to the question, posed of course by a nurse on the interview panel, 'why not nursing?' I have now heard a few 'wrong' answers (usually involving the words 'I think nurses are really lovely and do a great job...')but the right one is a little harder to identify.
hermanmunster
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Re: A level choices for Medicine- who to believe?

Post by hermanmunster »

hmm tricky - easy to say the wrong thing ... few thoughts:

1) I always reckon it is better to concentrate on an interest in (+/- an ability for) problem solving.
2) consider the importance of the application of science and scientific study to the care of patients and the diagnosis of disease
3) the multifactorial elements of medicine - assessing risk, communication with patients, diagnosis, applying science, practical pharmacology, test interpretation, trying to get the full story :roll: and decision making (often with only half the story :wink: )
P's mum
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Re: A level choices for Medicine- who to believe?

Post by P's mum »

I'm interested in this thread - or at least the beginning. We are thinking about the same issues only with the IB and maybe a Cambridge application (i.e. create as many problems as possible!) general investigation i.e. not just Cambridge sugests that chemistry is THE most important subject (more so than biology).

Will do biology and chemistry as highers. Physics is not an option in the IB (maximum two experimental sciences) could do maths as third higher. Child is adamant that she is not doing higher maths (A level, more than A level depending upon who you believe - pure maths and stats only they don't do mechanics). Has to do (at least) standard maths as part of the IB (probably between AS and A level in demands). Wants to do French as third higher subject - should get a high mark in this.

Will also do English as a standard subject (native language is compulsary at either higher or standard level) and probably social anthroplogy at standard to meet the humanities requirement.

This choice - in theory - meets Cambridge requirements minimum of 2 out of the three experiemntal sciences and maths. However, there are dire warnings that success rates of candidates with only two are MUCH lower (probably only one or two individuals a year) and some colleges will not consider this combination at all. Have heard of one IB candidate with chemistry and biology highers but not maths being called to interview - outcome as yet is unknown. Cambridge requires minimum 776 at highers (equivalent of A*A*A - rather unfair since they only require A*AA of A level candidates who aren't doing the three additional standard subjects!) and I think 42 points in the IB.

I've looked at student room but I can't see any information about what subjects candidates were studying only grades requested.

Can anyone help - especially with experience of the IB?
P's mum
Amber
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Re: A level choices for Medicine- who to believe?

Post by Amber »

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthr ... st40463017" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Think Cambridge more interested in BMAT than anything else. If you scroll down that thread there is someone with 'exceptional' IB predictions who was rejected without interview.

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthr ... st40469758" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and that one for more general med choices stuff.
UmSusu
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Re: A level choices for Medicine- who to believe?

Post by UmSusu »

P's mum, I don't know much about these sorts of things as my eldest has only just started Year 7, but I was speaking to someone at a local independent school that has gone down the IB route and had some excellent results with it: she admitted that although other universities including Oxford had given them very decent and achievable offers, Cambridge had been quite reluctant to embrace the IB when it came to giving offers, even more so in medicine.

Like I said, I didn't explore this any further as it is not relevant to me, but you might want to look into this if Cambridge is the place DC wants to be.

UmSusu
UmSusu
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