Maths Studies For Medicine?

[di27]

So, I've just started IB this year and for the first two months, I took Maths at Standard Level. However, since I got a 'B' for my GCSE, my teacher said that he "strongly recommends" me to go to Maths Studies. I told him that I found Standard Level okay and I was planning to do Medicine at Uni. He told me that with Studies you get the same diploma as for Standard and many universities didn't "know the difference between them", so I go to Maths Studies and it's pretty easy. Much easier than Standard (right now, I'm getting a L6 at Studies). However, I was talking to some of my friends and they said that universities would not accept Studies for a Medicine course.

So should I go back upto the Standard? I've missed quite a lot and I already have enough pressure of HL Bio and Chem on me. I don't know if I'll be able to catch up on the work and all the students in Standard Level have completed 2 tests and found it quite difficult. I don't know what I should do! I emailed St. George's University in the UK and asked them if Maths Studies is okay to take for the Medicine course and they said it was perfectly fine. But I'm not even sure if I want to go to the UK for medicine and if I'll even get accepted in that Uni! And I only asked that university, I didn't consult any other universities in the UK

Should I go back upto Standard Level or stick to Studies?

[chrypton]

By quickly checking the entry requirements for some British universities, you see that most of them only want you to take chemistry and/or biology at HL, so no mention of Math SL. However, there is a big difference between studies and SL and ultimately you will be doing yourself a favor by taking SL now, to make it easier for you in the future.

So if I were you, I would seriously look into getting back to SL.

[sarahf]

I have recently applied to study medicine at four Uk universities with HL maths but from what I have heard from SL and studies people UK unis prefer SL Maths for medicine.

[Mahuta ♥]

Definitely do Math SL.

Like I always don't whatever your teacher 'strongly recommends'. You are applying for medicine, therefore I assume you are smart enough to do math SL. If your teacher doesn't think you're capable of anything but Math studies, then he is certainly not encouraging you to do medicine. There is a huge difference between SL and Studies, for instance, in Studies, they apparently only do calculus at the end and they just do it to get an idea about it.

I wouldn't imagine there are any UK universities that accept math studies for medicine. Do you know how many people with math SL and HL apply for medicine in the UK? If you want to have a chance to be considered by the Unis, then go back for SL as soon as possible. I mean it, if you thin you are capable of doing medicine, then you need to go back to SL before you miss more lessons.

[Sandwich]

You can get in with Maths Studies because it is true, Universities mostly have no clue at the end of the day. There's always a chance that you'll hit on somebody who will realise there's a difference, but if you're willing to take that risk, I'd go for it. I don't think anybody can tell you the level of reasoning that goes on inside those selection panels. I did SL but one of my friends did Studies and got in fine, and I kinda wish I'd done the same because SL pulled down my marks! Remember that Maths isn't technically a requirement.

...although having done SL is actually VERY handy now 'cause they do do more maths and you do of course need a tiny bit of maths I just dunno whether the gain is worth the pain!