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A levels while working

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
edited March 27 in Work & Study
Hi guys, I've been thinking what I want to do for the rest of my life for some months now, and have drawn conclusions that I would like to go into psychiatry. It's a long road to get there but I'm currently in a bottom tier, call centre/admin position and it's just not challenging me at all, and is making me depressed. I've realised what I think I really need is a purpose, a direction to work towards, and something I can prove to myself I am capable of.

I have done some research into this and it looks like my only option is Manchester Medical School to begin with, however to do the main 5 year course you need 3 A2 levels AAB including chemistry and to do the foundation year (making it a 6 year course) you need 3 A2 levels ABB, only problem is I have no idea how difficult these courses are to achieve, whether they could be done in one or two years and how much they would cost. I really feel this is a direction I'd like to go in so if anyone had done A levels while working I'd love to hear from you.

Entry requirements for the 5 year course state:
A level: AAB required at full A2-level, exams taken at the same sitting after no more than 2 years of study. Subjects required: Chemistry plus one from Biology, Human Biology, Physics, Mathematics plus one further subject (not Fine Art, Critical Thinking or General Studies). A combination of three sciences will be regarded as equally acceptable at A2-level. Two AS-levels in place of one A2-level will not be accepted.

What is fine art and what is the difference between biology and human biology? I was thinking chemistry, biology or human biology and psychology or sociology.

Thanks in advance...sorry for the long post!
Post edited by JustV on

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hi there :wave:

    Firstly in answer to your question regarding the difference between biology and human biology; biology focuses on all plants, animals, and other forms of life and also covers non-living organisms, such as viruses, whereas human biology focuses primarily if not exclusively, on the human body.

    Although human biology would appear on the surface to be the more relevant subject choice most medical courses tend to prefer the more ‘traditional’ biology. So if you’re intending to specialize in psychiatry then I’d probably suggest taking Chemistry, Biology and Psychology as your 3 subjects (but of course this is entirely up to you). As well as A-levels results they will also look at your GCSE grades, I don’t know how well you did in these but most courses will require at least 6 A grades, with English, Maths and Chemistry all needing to be C or above.

    Also do bear in mind that in order to obtain a medical place you will also have to gain some relevant work experience prior to applying. The ‘ideal’ or preferred experience is that which has been obtained in a clinical setting. However due to the high demand for these type of placements, these opportunities are scarce, but there are some easier options out there which are still relevant. You need to be looking to build up a portfolio which shows that you have worked with a diverse range of people in a variety of settings. Some options out there include-
    Paid or voluntary experience in a care home, hospice or similar
    Working in a youth centre or with young people
    Participating in a community project of some kind
    Shadowing a healthcare professional in their day to day role

    Experience in a ‘hands on’ role such as that of a healthcare assistant is also extremely valuable. At the end of the day they will be looking for individuals who can apply their 'experiences' to the role of a Doctor; they will also be looking for individuals who are passionate about the profession.

    I notice that you've only mentioned Manchester University as a choice, however realistically you would need to apply to more than one course, as you wouldn’t necessarily get your first choice. Remember competition is extremely rife some courses will have close to 3000 applicants with only something like 150 places.

    As for the studying and working, most people either study full-time and work part-time or study part-time (one subject at a time) and work full-time. For obvious reasons medical courses require you to of acquired you’re A-levels studying full-time and this will take you 2 years. Clinical training of any kind is extremely demanding, therefore they want evidence that you can work under pressure and to a very tight schedule.

    To be honest if this is something that you seriously want to do then you might have to reassess your plans. As you may have to make some sacrifices to get there (reducing your hours, changing jobs etc). Studying for 3 A-levels is difficult at the best of times however studying for 3 A-levels and studying for them 'well' is a pretty tall order.

    If this is something that you really want then I wish you the best of luck. Be prepared to throw everything you have into it as it certainly won't be easy; however it can be done. Of course on the other hand if you are just looking for a change of direction then there are thousands of other options out there.

    Good luck :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    an access course might be right up your street, i would certainly look into it. phone or go for a tour at manchester medical (as they want people to come aso are happy to show peeps around) and talk to them about it I would suggest.

    something a friend did recently was a degree in chemistry then used that to do a degree in dentistry, so you could go down that route.

    best of luck with it all
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    As Shyboy pointed out doing a degree in a science based subject is an option, however from my understanding in order for A-level grades to have little or no bearing then you would need to obtain your degree with First class honours.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I've done human biology and I loved it. It's a really detailed course there's a lot on the immune system and cells. The heart, lungs, liver and kidneys are interesting. Chemistry goes quite well with human, I found anyway.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hi there :wave:

    Firstly in answer to your question regarding the difference between biology and human biology; biology focuses on all plants, animals, and other forms of life and also covers non-living organisms, such as viruses, whereas human biology focuses primarily if not exclusively, on the human body.

    Although human biology would appear on the surface to be the more relevant subject choice most medical courses tend to prefer the more ‘traditional’ biology. So if you’re intending to specialize in psychiatry then I’d probably suggest taking Chemistry, Biology and Psychology as your 3 subjects (but of course this is entirely up to you). As well as A-levels results they will also look at your GCSE grades, I don’t know how well you did in these but most courses will require at least 6 A grades, with English, Maths and Chemistry all needing to be C or above.

    Also do bear in mind that in order to obtain a medical place you will also have to gain some relevant work experience prior to applying. The ‘ideal’ or preferred experience is that which has been obtained in a clinical setting. However due to the high demand for these type of placements, these opportunities are scarce, but there are some easier options out there which are still relevant. You need to be looking to build up a portfolio which shows that you have worked with a diverse range of people in a variety of settings. Some options out there include-
    Paid or voluntary experience in a care home, hospice or similar
    Working in a youth centre or with young people
    Participating in a community project of some kind
    Shadowing a healthcare professional in their day to day role

    Experience in a ‘hands on’ role such as that of a healthcare assistant is also extremely valuable. At the end of the day they will be looking for individuals who can apply their 'experiences' to the role of a Doctor; they will also be looking for individuals who are passionate about the profession.

    I notice that you've only mentioned Manchester University as a choice, however realistically you would need to apply to more than one course, as you wouldn’t necessarily get your first choice. Remember competition is extremely rife some courses will have close to 3000 applicants with only something like 150 places.

    As for the studying and working, most people either study full-time and work part-time or study part-time (one subject at a time) and work full-time. For obvious reasons medical courses require you to of acquired you’re A-levels studying full-time and this will take you 2 years. Clinical training of any kind is extremely demanding, therefore they want evidence that you can work under pressure and to a very tight schedule.

    To be honest if this is something that you seriously want to do then you might have to reassess your plans. As you may have to make some sacrifices to get there (reducing your hours, changing jobs etc). Studying for 3 A-levels is difficult at the best of times however studying for 3 A-levels and studying for them 'well' is a pretty tall order.

    If this is something that you really want then I wish you the best of luck. Be prepared to throw everything you have into it as it certainly won't be easy; however it can be done. Of course on the other hand if you are just looking for a change of direction then there are thousands of other options out there.

    Good luck :)

    Thanks to all for the detailed response. I would be prepared to work part time, but not sure whether I could afford it. It is do-able I guess, though it wouldn't be that easy to do as I'm not living with my parents. I did obtain 9 GCSE grades A-C including maths, english and science, however I don't think I have proof of these anymore.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Its do-able to work and study, but have a talk to a couple of unis and see what the courses are like, if you can get entry through A levels or if an access course is more suitable. Working while studying is possible, you just have to look at what you want to do and how you can support yourself through it.

    I worked part/full time while doing my first accounting qualification (three years on one-day a week release) and did find it very hard at times. I'm due to go back and start another course in september (after a three year break) and do day release again, but this time it'll be at least four years before I'm qualified, plus my current job is a lot more pressurised and time consuming but I'll find a way through it.

    If you think you can do it, go for it!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Sorry, another post from me!

    I did human biology for A levels and really enjoyed it. I always prefered the human side of things to the old-fashioned biology (my mum is a nurse) There is a big emphahsis on cells, organs, diseses that eject the body, human lifecycle, etc but there where a couple of modules that crossed over a lot with the normal biology course.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Thanks for the advice. I am still researching into my options, and am still unsure if work would let me go part time, so another option would be only evening courses, though I cannot find any info on these in Manchester, most of the courses seem to be day courses! My local college has told me that if I don't qualify for free tuition (highly likely) I am looking at about £1225 a year per course, which for 3 courses is unmanageable, even working full time :( I am starting to get a little frustrated out how not-straight-forward this is!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Yea the system is pretty disjointed, hellfire was doing a distance learning degree from the open university which he got free if I recall correctly, he gave it ultimately as he was doing two other jobs at the same time and some hobby which took up one weekend a month or something like that. But if you've just got the one job it might be up your street.
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