• Question: -what would your advice be for any young person who was looking into pursuing a career in medicine?

    Asked by Maariya on 15 Mar 2022.
    • Photo: Laurence Quirk

      Laurence Quirk answered on 15 Mar 2022:

      If you want study medicine think about the people as well as the sciences and studying. You need to work with a lot of different people to do your job well. This might be the person that works on reception as well as your boss. It might help to get some experience volunteering with people. This might be in a care home or in the community – anything that helps with communication skills

      Also think about your choice of subjects. So Biology and Chemistry are often the key ones. Maths and Physics are required but it depends on the university as to which is preferred. If you don’t quite get your grades, remember clearing might be an option or you might consider a different course such as health sciences before studying medicine

    • Photo: Anita Raja

      Anita Raja answered on 15 Mar 2022:

      You will have your ups and downs yet it’s a very fulfilling job and you will never be out of work 😀

Comments

  • Photo: Heather

    Heather commented on :

    follow your heart; do the subjects that matter to you. Studying for things takes ages and commitment – if you love your topic it’s easy; if you are bored it becomes very hard work…..

  • Photo: Samantha

    Samantha commented on :

    Go for it, if it doesn’t work out there are always different pathways to go down

  • Photo: Ruby

    Ruby commented on :

    If I can do it, so can you Maariya! …and if you dont succeed at first in getting into medical school then there are other routes to pursue a career in medicine. I have met many colleagues who have decided to do medicine after doing another degree. What I will say is that it does require commitment with studying but if you really want to do it, you must go for it 😊

  • Photo: Sarah

    Sarah commented on :

    Get voluntary (or paid, if you can) experience within the health service. It will give you a wider idea what the work entails, it looks good on your applications, and you can learn a lot from the people you meet. Not just doctors – if you can’t shadow a doctor but you can get a Saturday job in a pharmacy, for example, you are still learning about the different professions that help people stay healthy and about the social and environmental things that can affect people’s health. Talk to as many people as possible – everyone has something to teach you. And I want to support the idea that you don’t have to give up if you don’t get in first time – I know at least three people who did medicine as a second degree, one of them even had a first degree in English (although they did have to re-sit their science A Levels).