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Life Sciences A-levels for medicine, How many subjects should I take?

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TSmyshinyannulus
post Oct 2 2019, 08:22 PM, updated 7y ago

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I'll be taking A-levels next year. I wish to study medicine. I'll be taking Maths, Bio and Chem but I'm not sure whether to take Physics as a 4th subject. I know almost all unis in the world, including Oxbridge, list only 3 subs in their requirements lists, but for such a competitive course like medicine, is a 4th subject necessary? I'm hoping to secure a place in a foreign university, especially UK and Singapore (does Singapore require 4 subs?) I'm a slightly above average student and I can handle slightly above average workloads, but I don't really enjoy physics (least favourite science sub). Anyone here with some good advice? Thanks!
TSmyshinyannulus
post Oct 4 2019, 10:13 PM

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QUOTE(iSean @ Oct 2 2019, 10:31 PM)
If you are aiming for UK universities 3 subjects are really suffice. Most of the time, the students here take Biology/Chemistry/Physics without Maths for Med School.
Personally as a Physics/Chemistry/Biology/Maths - 4 subjects student, you are just bring yourself unnecessary hell into the picture doing all 4 subjects in 18 months.

I personally couldn't bare the struggle and finding balance in my A-Levels doing 4 subjects, despite doing well in SPM for it.

If you haven't decided to choose between "Life Sciences" or "Engineering" or other fields, like I was struggling to pick a "Biotech" vs "Electrical Engineering".
I would not recommend dropping either both subjects for Physics or Biology, and most likely try to score moderately in all 4 subjects, aka Bs or Cs.

Biology is a reading subject, at AS most of the stuff in SPM would aid your way, but once A2 it is another playing field.
I spent like most of the time reading and solving past papers for Biology and Maths, Chemistry, and literally threw Physics under the bench.
*Cough* The Topical Past Papers for Biology is horrible and badly organize.
Let's hope your A-Level College has their own topical past papers, rather than the one sold on the market.

If your teacher/lecturers doesn't bring you "light" in either 1 of your 4 subjects, you will definitely crumble in your A-Levels.
I've personally went through alot of bad and rookies lecturers during my A-Levels days and scored moderately with my own personal efforts to just make it into Engineering School, and scrapped past through all those minimum entry requirements.
You won't have such luck, if you plan to do Med School tho. Some of my friends repeated Foundation in Manipal just to get into Med School  sweat.gif
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What results did you get at the very end? Can you further describe the struggles as a 4-subject student?
TSmyshinyannulus
post Oct 11 2019, 11:11 AM

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QUOTE(tranquilo @ Oct 8 2019, 03:53 AM)
Not studying med, but I applied to both UK and Singapore university so I am a bit familiar with their requirements. For Singapore, you definitely need to take 4 subjects. If you are only taking 3 subjects, 90% of the time they will reject you unless you have some amazing achievement (world top scorer etc). For UK, although they say it is okay if you take only 3 subjects, however, you definitely will have a higher chances if you taking 4 subjects.

But since you mention you don't like physics, maybe you could try taking physics for AS first and drop it if you really cannot handle it or you really hate it. (Check with your college, my college allows us to do it). IMO, it is best to stick with just 3 subjects if you really don't enjoy doing physics, maybe consider other subjects?

I personally took 4 subjects and I find that it is easier than doing SPM as I picked the subjects that I enjoyed the most. (Physics Economics, Math and Further Maths) I hated Biology and Chemistry a lot so I really struggled during SPM. So my advise it to pick subjects you enjoy!

Good luck
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Are my chances only higher if I take 4 subjects AND ace them? Unis would prefer A*AA over AAAA right?
TSmyshinyannulus
post Oct 17 2019, 05:21 PM

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QUOTE(tempeste1204 @ Oct 16 2019, 01:54 AM)
Echoing what I said, taking 4 subjects is a MUST if you aim to enter top universities for medicine, and even then, you MUST score 4A*s to get a semblance of a chance
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What about other science courses? Like biotech and pharmacy? Are 4 subjects still required? For Singapore, I know, maybe yes. But what about UK and Australia?
TSmyshinyannulus
post Oct 24 2019, 04:01 PM

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QUOTE(iSean @ Oct 19 2019, 09:56 AM)
Malaysia Medical Council approved Universities, if you plan to stay in Malaysia to work.
Else, if you plan on leaving the country like Singapore / US / UK.
See their Medical Council approved lists of universities 

Malaysia:
http://mmc.moh.gov.my/images/contents/accr...04_-_latest.pdf
Singapore:
http://www.doctors.com.sg/medicalschools.html

These lists updates from time to time, it is better to try to find one with the least chances of being chopped off by the Country's Medical Council.

Again doing A-Levels to joining back Public University Might be a risky move, but it might be worth wild for RM 20k to 50k for A Levels.
Just don't screw up too much from your A/A*s
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Hello, not a very related question but I'm kinda having trouble looking for a college now lol. Right now medicine isn't my only interest but I'm also interested in data science. So I'm planning to take Biology, Chemistry, Maths and Further Maths to keep my options open for both these courses. I'll most probably drop either Bio or F. Maths once I make up my mind. I originally wanted to go to MCKL because it's affordable and I may be able to get 75% scholarship there. It's also not too far from home (I'm a Kuen Cheng student). But unfortunately, MCKL doesn't have the subject combination I want. Unless I make up my mind to study medicine or data science now, MCKL is out of my options. Additionally, I've seen your many reviews on this sub about MCKL and I can see it's quite frustrating. But seriously though, how bad is it? What is the quality of lecturers? How tough and evil are their exams? Do they really use Singapore papers to fail scholarship holders on purpose? Do they test on content not taught in the classroom? Why are there still so many top students coming out from MCKL despite these claims?

I'm currently considering Sunway College. I have no intention of going to Taylor's cause I've been told there is a lot of rich students not interested in studying and only get by on their parents' wealth. Also, the budget is a very huge factor for me. Taylor's is WAYYY too expensive. Sunway isn't any better in terms of costs but at least the people there are not as ratchet, perhaps? And also, I'm planning to join January intake and Sunway scholarships can only be applied for with actual SPM results, so there's that little risk. Accommodation fees is also something to consider.

What are your thoughts on this and do you have any advice?
TSmyshinyannulus
post Oct 25 2019, 01:13 PM

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QUOTE(iSean @ Oct 24 2019, 07:46 PM)
MCKL can't offer such classes because they separate students based on which Streams.
A - Arts
D - Double Maths and Econs
M - Mixed between Arts and Science
S - Science

Computer Science is C stream for what I heard  hmm.gif ?

Anyhow, for Further Mathematics, it would be fun this year around laugh.gif
As Further Mathematics from 2020 onwards will be having an AS paper.
https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/Imag...22-syllabus.pdf

Last time Further Maths, it is only taken in your A2 with Further Maths 1 & 2. in 3 hours paper.

Personally my time in MCKL it was a mess for my class la in the 2015-16 era, especially with competent lecturer issue... laugh.gif
Not sure they fixed up the internal problems within the campus already.
Also the Ex-CEO just stepped down recently. Hopefully will bring in some new change.
But then most of the time you meet your lecturers, not the CEO, so I don't think that would drastically change la.

I wouldn't recommend studying in MCKL because of the lack of study area. Especially during exam period. It is a nightmare finding an air conditioned room to study.
Somemore it is a hot and humid sweaty place in you study in the open cafeteria.
Running multiple Pre-U / Diploma programs in MCKL is really a nightmare I would tell you that  laugh.gif

Maintaining a Scholarship in MCKL is a total nightmare, if you are those with moderates SPM As during my era, alot of my friends dropped it eventually.
I find their tested Syllabus a bit illogical and out of Cambridge Syllabus, and dropped my 15% merit scholarship completely after 1 semester. sweat.gif

I spent about RM 30k in MCKL back in 2015-16 doing M Stream (Pure Science + Math), not sure how inflated their pricing is now.
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Anyhow please just close one eye, and just join Sunway College  laugh.gif 
Lecture groups and Classrooms and timetable there are much better there.
Lecture Materials Quality I'm not sure what happened lah, seems like after 2016 JPA Scholarship stopped, government stop sending students doing A-Levels already.
So I'm not so sure how dedicated they hard core provide study materials now. laugh.gif

But I'm assured their lecturers would give alot of hand outs to do unlike my lecturers during A-Levels  doh.gif
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Do you think Sunway is worth it for its fees for 4 subjects? I'm going for the January intake and there's no going back even if I fail to get a good scholarship. A full scholarship requires 9A+ which I think is definitely impossible while 9A's of any kind is 16,000. Are there any other good scholarships out there?


 

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