Subject Choices

[Dan9514]

Hi I want to become a GP and I have just picked my standard grade subjects and I was wondering what subjects people at medical school took so if you are at medical school now or have been what
(1.)standard grade subjects did you take? and
(2.)highers did you take?

Thanks

[sara7000]

lolzzz to be honest I dont think many people will post answers to this question. No one can judge the strength of a candidate based solely on the subjects taken, however it took me a year to understand this. This was the exact question I asked when I was at your stage. My advice will be to look into university websites to see which subjects they "prefer". My sg and highers are in my signature

[The P]

lolzzz to be honest I dont think many people will post answers to this question. No one can judge the strength of a candidate based solely on the subjects taken, however it took me a year to understand this. This was the exact question I asked when I was at your stage. My advice will be to look into university websites to see which subjects they "prefer". My sg and highers are in my signature

I don't think he's asking because he wants to know what to take for med school yet, just curious as he's just finished S2!

Dan, almost all med students have studied two or more science subjects including Biology and Chemistry at Higher/A Level. Other than that, medics study a very wide range of subjects including the social sciences, languages, music and PE - anything you can think of!

And to answer your question directly:

1)
English, Maths, Chemistry, Physics, Spanish, Computing, History, Music

2)
S5: English, Maths, Chemistry, Physics, Spanish
26: Chemistry (Advanced Higher), Human Biology, History

[sara7000]

yeah i rem i used to spend my lunch times reading posts and searching websites lolzzzz aaaahhhhhh those days, thought it wud take forever for me to reach the stage of sitting the UKCAT, but here is the frightening stage and Dan DUN worry if ur afraid ur missing sumthing like a science from ur sg, u have ALOT OF TIME to catch up and oh any questions tht confuse u, feel free to ask

[dehydrated water]

Hi Dan, you're only in S2, so you need to have a think about two things - what you'll need and what you'll enjoy....

What you'll need includes things like maths, english and a few sciences (check uni websites though!)

What you'll enjoy can make up the rest!!! - things like music, PE, history even

Direct answer

SG - math, english, chem, physics, modern studies, administration, french, music

S5 - maths, eng, chem, physics, music (all highers)

S6 - Biology (crash H), math (AH), chem (AH), physics (AH)


Good luck!

[Kieran578]

my advice to you dan is do biology ahead or at least along side physics - I personally done physics as opposed to biology in SG and 5th year higher and cursed myself for it (physics, incase you don't know yet is very maths orientated - whilst it has it's merits with regard to a career in medicine, biology is more relevent)

In addition, I would say to you what most others have been saying - Chemistry is a MUST - you will have to do English and Maths - with biology that will make up 4 of your 5 Highers, the other one is your choice (my friend who got offers for medicine this year did economics - I did Geography) - with regards to the other 4 subjects for SG I would suggest that you do a variety - admission people for medicine will not mind particuarly what they are, so long as you get 1s and 2s - if you like art/PE/music go for it - all the best, and PM me if you want any more advice in the coming year or 2

[keiran91]

Just want to add that Biology isn't a must in fifth year for Scottish Universities and can be taken as a "catch up" higher in sixth year, that's what I did. Also English at higher isn't needed at all, friend of mines decided to ignore it completely because he knew he wouldn't get an A.

Direct answer:

SG: 1's in english, maths, chemistry, HE, history, computing and 2's in physics and french

S5: A's in maths, physics, chemistry and history and B in english

S6: advanced highers in chemistry, physics and maths and higher in biology

[Kieran578]

Just want to add that Biology isn't a must in fifth year for Scottish Universities and can be taken as a "catch up" higher in sixth year, that's what I did. Also English at higher isn't needed at all, friend of mines decided to ignore it completely because he knew he wouldn't get an A.

Direct answer:

SG: 1's in english, maths, chemistry, HE, history, computing and 2's in physics and french

S5: A's in maths, physics, chemistry and history and B in english

S6: advanced highers in chemistry, physics and maths and higher in biology

No english?
Interesting - that wasn't an option for us.........would you agree (or not) that it is better to do Biology in SG to give you the foundation?
(I did not, which I regretted)

[The P]

No english?
Interesting - that wasn't an option for us.........would you agree (or not) that it is better to do Biology in SG to give you the foundation?
(I did not, which I regretted)

I'd say it's worth it - it's perfectly doable to do Higher Bio without the SG, but 8 Standard Grades leaves you with plenty of space to do eng/maths/bio/chem/phys and then three SGs of your choosing.

[keiran91]

Yeh wasn't an option for us either, but this guy (2 years above me) just kept fighting it and eventually got his 5 highers as maths, computing, physics, chemistry and biology. He just point blank refused to do it and even said he'd do his fifth higher in his spare time and not turn up for english lessons because he knew he wouldn't get his A. Needless to say our school let him, he got his 5A's, 2 acceptances (interviewed for Cambridge the lot :\) and is now going to enter 3rd year at St. Andrews so it's definately do-able.

In response to the Biology debate, I agree SG biology would have made it easier but Crash Higher isn't particularly hard as long as you're interested. On the other hand if you attempt crash advanced higher like I'm sure you told me you did Kieran578 then that's a whole new story!