See below for reasons on why to study medicine;

• Fast track to becoming a doctor
• Rewarding
• Develop your understanding of the human body
• Build valuable skills
• Become a medical specialist
• Become a medical specialist
• Become a medical specialist
• Good pay and benefits
• Influence and prestige

If you need another reason as to why study Medicine, just know that the opportunities facing you are endless. A whole host of industries will eagerly welcome Medicine graduates because they will value your extensive subject knowledge and transferable skills.

A Medicine degree qualifies you for a role in healthcare, sciences, public health or research, but it also opens the door for alternative careers.

With a Medicine degree, you can:

• Work as a doctor in the Armed Forces
• Open your own private medical practice
• Become a medical manager
• Work in medical communications
• Become a higher education lecturer
• Join a public health team to keep the general population healthy and safe
• Become a research scientist
• Work in pharmaceutical sales
• Work as a forensic medical examiner
• Work as a medical writer or health journalist
• Work for a medical charity
• Work in sports and exercise medicine
• Work in medical relief work, to help people in emergencies and after natural disasters
• Become a medical advisor on television or for media outlets
• Become a medical-legal advisor
• Become a politician

Follow these tips below to find out how to successfully answer the question ‘why study Medicine?’

• Talk about your career aspirations and what you want to achieve with a Medicine degree.
• Explain your motivation for wanting to become a doctor. Who or what inspires you? Was there an experience that confirmed that Medicine is right for you?
• Establish that you are confident that Medicine is the right choice for you, as opposed to dentistry, veterinary science, pharmacy, nursing or midwifery.
• Discuss which areas of Medicine interest you and why you find them fascinating.
• Explain why you are excited at the prospect of treating patients and helping people.
• Show you have excellent communication skills and that you are comfortable to work in patient-facing areas.
• Pick out aspects of the Medicine degree curriculum that excite you and explain why you want to do them.
• Reflect on any relevant work experience and explain how this motivates you to study Medicine.
• Illustrate your competency and willingness to overcome the challenges of being a doctor.

The subjects you need to hold will differ depending on your choice of university, but as a rule, you will need A-Levels in chemistry, biology and either maths or physics. You will also need to achieve high results, with most expecting a clean sweep or A’s and A*’s at a minimum. 

Chemistry is an essential qualification as the formulas used relate directly to drugs and interactions that may be experienced when applied to a medical field. Whilst you will not be expected to understand medical components at your time of application, an understanding of intermolecular forces, acids, and oxidation form the bases of medical equations. 

Biology relates to the molecular level or diagnostic methods, so being able to comprehend the basis of the subject matter is essential for medical studies. 

Having a mind for mathematical equations is essential for anyone who works in medicine as it, quite simply, is one of the biggest parts of daily life for medical professionals. It is also not just the skill of being able to work out complex equations but also the intrinsic understanding of how answers are derived, which is important. These are the skills being looked for during the other parts of the medical application process. 

Physics is also popular as it relates to the diagnostic portion of medical treatments. This is covered during medical studies, but most universities will look for a base level of understanding that is needed to comprehend the complex subject matter that students will be expected to work with.

Below we have listed the top ten medical schools in the UK along with their entry requirements to give you a better idea of what grades you will need to achieve to achieve your dreams.

1. University of Cambridge – A*A*A in Chemistry and one in Biology, Physics, Mathematics.
2. University of Oxford – A*AA in both Chemistry and at least one of Biology, Physics or Mathematics.
3. University of Glasgow – AAA in Chemistry and Biology or Physics or Mathematics.
4. The University of Edinburgh – AAA in Chemistry and Biology or Physics or Mathematics.
5. University of Bristol – AAA in Chemistry and Biology or Physics or Further Mathematics.
6. Imperial College London – AAA in Chemistry and Biology or Physics or Mathematics.
7. University of Leicester – AAA in Chemistry and Biology or Physics or Mathematics.
8. University of Dundee – AAA in Chemistry and Biology or Physics or Mathematics. The other three Highers can be your own choice and this choice of subjects will not influence the assessment.
9. University of St Andrews – ABB in Chemistry and Biology or Physics or Mathematics.
10. Queens University Belfast – A*A*A in Chemistry and one in Biology, Physics, Mathematics.

Once you have a clear understanding of what A-Levels you will need to excel in, it is also important to consider the other aspects you need to tick off the list. This will reflect how you split your time when you are studying your pre-university sources. 

Alongside a score of strong A-Level results, you will also need to consider:

• Additional Qualifications That Can Be Studied Alongside Your Mandatory A-Levels
• How You Can Make Your Personal Statement Strong and Authentic
• How You Can Come Across Confidently at Your University Interviews
• Studying for the UCAT Exam Alongside Your A-Level Studies

The Average Doctor’s Salary With the NHS as of 2022

Junior Doctor’s Average Salary – £29,384 – £34,012 for foundation training levels or £40,257 – £53,398 for doctors who are starting speciality training. This covers all forms of training and often requires several places to take place within different locations to ensure that all study needs have been met.

Speciality Doctor’s Average Salary – The basic salary for a speciality doctor is £50,373 to £78,759. This covers professionals such as psychologists, Gynaecologists, and Paediatricians.

A&E Doctor’s Average Salary – A&E doctors are made up of a mix of specialists and assigned doctors to the ward and they command an average salary of £70,000. The highest-paid city in the UK for A&E doctors is London where professionals can earn as much as 12% more than the national average.

Speciality Grade Doctor’s Average Salary – A new form of speciality doctor payments was announced in 2021 as a way to provide better-defined pay for more senior specialists. This banding commands a basic salary of £80,693 to £91,584, which of course, rises the longer that a professional has been qualified.

Consultant – The basic salary for an NHS consultant is £88,364 to £119,133, which also depends on the length of service. This pay is relevant to anyone who has been given a contract since 2003, with the highest salary available for professionals who have completed more than nineteens years of service.

GPs – Salaried NHS GPs can earn £65,070 to £98,194 if employed after the 1st of April 2022. Going down this medical route offers lots of different opportunities as GPs have the option to run multiple surgeries meaning they can earn as much as £200,000 per year. This balance of both private and NHS is often adopted by surgeries that choose to employ professionals as paying partners who also have a share in the practice.

You may be surprised to learn that private doctors within the UK have a basic salary that is very close to that of their NHS counterparts. The UK is unique in having the NHS, meaning our opportunities for doctors differ from other countries.

The reason that a UK doctor may choose to work within a private field instead of an NHS one could be any:

• To provide them with access to higher budgets and fewer decision-making processes.
• To expand their skills in past medical procedures in the cosmetic surgery industry.
• If they want to manage their own private practice.

Whichever route you decide to go down, the basis of your academic studies remains the same so it is important to ensure you are doing things right now to make for more opportunities in your future!

Salaries for doctors differ all over the world. The highest-paid country to work in is Luxembourg, which offers average salaries of £248,000 for GPs and £314,000 for specialists. This is closely followed by the USA, Belgium, and Germany, which also pay higher salaries for medical professionals. The lowest paid salary for doctors is said to be in Cuba, in which doctors only make around $50 per week. The UK does offer some of the best-paid roles and is also desirable for doctors as it offers the benefit of being one of the quickest routes to being a fully trained doctor out of all educational processes.