Subject Topics to be chosen in IB for medical school in the UK

[varsha sathish]

Hi everyone,

I am going to start my IB yr 1 this year, in India. I have chosen Chemistry at HL, Biology at HL, Physics at HL, Maths at SL, English SL and French Ab Initio.

My aim is to study medicine, in UK.

I got a call from my school asking me to send them a list of subject topics I need to study for medical school, in each subject.

I contacted a few universities but they did not offer any other reply except take Chem and Bio at HL , etc.

I am really confused now. I have no idea what topics do I need to study in the three sciences and math (well these are the important ones!).

Can someone please help?

Thanks and regards,

Varsha

[Award Winning Boss]

Your subjects are fine for all but one medical school. If you want to apply to Cambridge for medicine it's strongly recommended that you have HL maths. You don't need take any specific options in Chemistry or Biology. (apart from the core stuff obviously)

[varsha sathish]

Thanks. Could you please tell me what are the core topics in each subject. I really need the list of topics I need to take.

Thanks again

[cjy]

You don't need physics HL for medicine in the UK, so you could take a social science instead

[ctrls]

Thanks. Could you please tell me what are the core topics in each subject. I really need the list of topics I need to take.

Thanks again

You are required to take all "core" topics, so you'll be covering them all anyway. With science you also have to take two "option" topics, which as AWB stated, you can take any of.

Long story short, as long as you are taking both Chem and Bio HL, you don't need to worry about it.

[Sandwich]

What everybody else has said.

Do HL Biology and HL Chemistry. The topics within those subjects are the same for everyone, apart from the option topics and then you can just pick whatever you like, medical schools don't care. Although obviously further human physiology, drugs & medicines etc. are going to be more useful & interesting for you in the long run, nobody's going to ask you about them.

I'd ditch HL Physics if I were you unless you find it easy, are confident that you can achieve a 7 and have had an exemption from the IBO that allows you to do three sciences. Otherwise pick something easier to do at HL because it's your HL scores which you'll be given offers on (as well as your overall point total). The IB diploma is designed such that you do at least one humanity and actually I think it's helpful in terms of making it easier to get a higher total (unless you're allergic to humanities, they're generally easier to score highly in!) as well as equipping you with essay writing skills, ability to construct arguments etc. that can help you in the long run.

I expect your school contacted you because you need to be able to prove that you ABSOLUTELY must have 3 sciences to pursue X career in order for the IBO to give you an exemption from the core structure of the diploma.

[varsha sathish]

Thank you all for answering my questions.

Do any of you have any idea where i can get the material?...i mean the books, reference manuals, etc.

thanks a lot

[varsha sathish]

You don't need physics HL for medicine in the UK, so you could take a social science instead

I am again not very sure whether I will be taking Physics HL. I am thinking of taking Psychology HL instead of Physics HL. Maybe I will take Physics at SL instead of HL. So, do medical schools accept if I take Biology HL, Chemistry HL and Psychology HL?

[cjy]

You don't need physics HL for medicine in the UK, so you could take a social science instead

I am again not very sure whether I will be taking Physics HL. I am thinking of taking Psychology HL instead of Physics HL. Maybe I will take Physics at SL instead of HL. So, do medical schools accept if I take Biology HL, Chemistry HL and Psychology HL?

Yes they do.

[varsha sathish]

But will taking Psychology at HL lower my chances or anything?

[cjy]

But will taking Psychology at HL lower my chances or anything?

No.

[Guest ryuk1]

Are we still allowed to take a 3rd science instead of a group 3? I wish that my school actually informed us about this

[Guest ryuk1]

What everybody else has said.

Do HL Biology and HL Chemistry. The topics within those subjects are the same for everyone, apart from the option topics and then you can just pick whatever you like, medical schools don't care. Although obviously further human physiology, drugs & medicines etc. are going to be more useful & interesting for you in the long run, nobody's going to ask you about them.

I'd ditch HL Physics if I were you unless you find it easy, are confident that you can achieve a 7 and have had an exemption from the IBO that allows you to do three sciences. Otherwise pick something easier to do at HL because it's your HL scores which you'll be given offers on (as well as your overall point total). The IB diploma is designed such that you do at least one humanity and actually I think it's helpful in terms of making it easier to get a higher total (unless you're allergic to humanities, they're generally easier to score highly in!) as well as equipping you with essay writing skills, ability to construct arguments etc. that can help you in the long run.

I expect your school contacted you because you need to be able to prove that you ABSOLUTELY must have 3 sciences to pursue X career in order for the IBO to give you an exemption from the core structure of the diploma.

Does it matter if we do SL Bio and HL Maths instead?

[cjy]

What everybody else has said.

Do HL Biology and HL Chemistry. The topics within those subjects are the same for everyone, apart from the option topics and then you can just pick whatever you like, medical schools don't care. Although obviously further human physiology, drugs & medicines etc. are going to be more useful & interesting for you in the long run, nobody's going to ask you about them.

I'd ditch HL Physics if I were you unless you find it easy, are confident that you can achieve a 7 and have had an exemption from the IBO that allows you to do three sciences. Otherwise pick something easier to do at HL because it's your HL scores which you'll be given offers on (as well as your overall point total). The IB diploma is designed such that you do at least one humanity and actually I think it's helpful in terms of making it easier to get a higher total (unless you're allergic to humanities, they're generally easier to score highly in!) as well as equipping you with essay writing skills, ability to construct arguments etc. that can help you in the long run.

I expect your school contacted you because you need to be able to prove that you ABSOLUTELY must have 3 sciences to pursue X career in order for the IBO to give you an exemption from the core structure of the diploma.

Does it matter if we do SL Bio and HL Maths instead?

It may make a difference to some med schools yes.

Are we still allowed to take a 3rd science instead of a group 3? I wish that my school actually informed us about this

Only for countries where it is a requirement (India)

[Sandwich]

What everybody else has said.

Do HL Biology and HL Chemistry. The topics within those subjects are the same for everyone, apart from the option topics and then you can just pick whatever you like, medical schools don't care. Although obviously further human physiology, drugs & medicines etc. are going to be more useful & interesting for you in the long run, nobody's going to ask you about them.

I'd ditch HL Physics if I were you unless you find it easy, are confident that you can achieve a 7 and have had an exemption from the IBO that allows you to do three sciences. Otherwise pick something easier to do at HL because it's your HL scores which you'll be given offers on (as well as your overall point total). The IB diploma is designed such that you do at least one humanity and actually I think it's helpful in terms of making it easier to get a higher total (unless you're allergic to humanities, they're generally easier to score highly in!) as well as equipping you with essay writing skills, ability to construct arguments etc. that can help you in the long run.

I expect your school contacted you because you need to be able to prove that you ABSOLUTELY must have 3 sciences to pursue X career in order for the IBO to give you an exemption from the core structure of the diploma.

Does it matter if we do SL Bio and HL Maths instead?

If somebody is asking you for HL Biology and you give them SL Biology then yes of course it will matter! x__X

Do some actual research yourself, and look at the requirements for the Universities you want to apply to - that's going to give you all the information right away and it'll be far more specific to you than just generalisations from us. Then make sure you meet those requirements. On average they will ask you for HL Biology and HL Chemistry as pre-requisites, as has been stated many times on this thread. So you NEED these subjects at the relevant levels. Even if you do HL Maths or raise unicorns for a hobby or whatever, it doesn't change the requirement for HL Biology & Chemistry.

[Guest ryuk1]

What everybody else has said.

Do HL Biology and HL Chemistry. The topics within those subjects are the same for everyone, apart from the option topics and then you can just pick whatever you like, medical schools don't care. Although obviously further human physiology, drugs & medicines etc. are going to be more useful & interesting for you in the long run, nobody's going to ask you about them.

I'd ditch HL Physics if I were you unless you find it easy, are confident that you can achieve a 7 and have had an exemption from the IBO that allows you to do three sciences. Otherwise pick something easier to do at HL because it's your HL scores which you'll be given offers on (as well as your overall point total). The IB diploma is designed such that you do at least one humanity and actually I think it's helpful in terms of making it easier to get a higher total (unless you're allergic to humanities, they're generally easier to score highly in!) as well as equipping you with essay writing skills, ability to construct arguments etc. that can help you in the long run.

I expect your school contacted you because you need to be able to prove that you ABSOLUTELY must have 3 sciences to pursue X career in order for the IBO to give you an exemption from the core structure of the diploma.

Does it matter if we do SL Bio and HL Maths instead?

If somebody is asking you for HL Biology and you give them SL Biology then yes of course it will matter! x__X

Do some actual research yourself, and look at the requirements for the Universities you want to apply to - that's going to give you all the information right away and it'll be far more specific to you than just generalisations from us. Then make sure you meet those requirements. On average they will ask you for HL Biology and HL Chemistry as pre-requisites, as has been stated many times on this thread. So you NEED these subjects at the relevant levels. Even if you do HL Maths or raise unicorns for a hobby or whatever, it doesn't change the requirement for HL Biology & Chemistry.

I have researched the requirements for UK before and some schools do require both sciences at HL while others accept Chem + Math HL. Is it sensible to have Math HL if we want to also have options for other careers?

[Emmi]

I have researched the requirements for UK before and some schools do require both sciences at HL while others accept Chem + Math HL. Is it sensible to have Math HL if we want to also have options for other careers?

Only if that other career is engineering, economics, finance/actuarial science, math, physics/chemistry (as pure subjects). Otherwise it is not a specific requirement for anything else. HL math is preferred (maybe required) at Cambridge for medicine, but not at any others in the UK I believe.

[Guest ryuk1]

I have researched the requirements for UK before and some schools do require both sciences at HL while others accept Chem + Math HL. Is it sensible to have Math HL if we want to also have options for other careers?

Only if that other career is engineering, economics, finance/actuarial science, math, physics/chemistry (as pure subjects). Otherwise it is not a specific requirement for anything else. HL math is preferred (maybe required) at Cambridge for medicine, but not at any others in the UK I believe.

Architecture?

[Emmi]

I have researched the requirements for UK before and some schools do require both sciences at HL while others accept Chem + Math HL. Is it sensible to have Math HL if we want to also have options for other careers?

Only if that other career is engineering, economics, finance/actuarial science, math, physics/chemistry (as pure subjects). Otherwise it is not a specific requirement for anything else. HL math is preferred (maybe required) at Cambridge for medicine, but not at any others in the UK I believe.

Architecture?

Architecture maybe, but I'm not too familiar with the subject requirements for it. Check various uni websites. I'm thinking that it will be required/preferred but I'm not sure.

[Guest ryuk1]

I have researched the requirements for UK before and some schools do require both sciences at HL while others accept Chem + Math HL. Is it sensible to have Math HL if we want to also have options for other careers?

Only if that other career is engineering, economics, finance/actuarial science, math, physics/chemistry (as pure subjects). Otherwise it is not a specific requirement for anything else. HL math is preferred (maybe required) at Cambridge for medicine, but not at any others in the UK I believe.

Architecture?

Architecture maybe, but I'm not too familiar with the subject requirements for it. Check various uni websites. I'm thinking that it will be required/preferred but I'm not sure.

I researched as much as I can and Maths HL seems to be only mandatory subject. I couldn't find any other specific subject required for it (except for SL Physics and/or any other science based lessons suggested , but HL Math should make sense. All the architects I know (not just mom...) say that most of architecture is Math.

Also http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/medical_school_ib_requirements should be useful for this thread