I’m year 11 and in the mids of choosing my alevels. I did physics a year early and got an A. I really enjoy physics and

Question: I'm year 11 and in the mids of choosing my alevels. I did physics a year early and got an A. I really enjoy physics and maths (as well as the other sciences). I think I want to go to uni to become a doctor. But I'm not sure if I'd rather become an engineer. What do you think would be a good option for alevels. And also what's so great about being an engineer that I should conciser it ? Thanks Katie
- Keywords:
  a level,
  physics,
  university
Asked by Kxt-smith to Yip, Jarrod, Iona, Eloise, Adam on 16 Jun 2016.
- Eloise Taysom answered on 16 Jun 2016:
  
  Tough choice! I’ve got lots of friends who are doctors and it’s an amazing job. To do engineering you need physics and maths so you’re already well on your way – well done for the A! As far as I remember you need chemistry to do medicine (check that though) so if you did maths, chemistry and biology you’d be very well covered for both options. I did double maths, physics and chemistry (and Latin at AS – not sure where that came from). I think doing your A Levels will help you decide but I’d definitely recommend getting work experience or visiting hospitals/companies to explore both options. For me the advantages of engineering are that you’ve got a bit more freedom in your life choices – where you live, the type of work you do, the hours you work. One thing I would say about engineering is I think people don’t realise how much of it is about people. For example, I’m currently studying the way that people design technology, and in the summer I designed a programming language for blind kids.
- Jarrod Hart answered on 16 Jun 2016:
  
  Ouch, you gotta go with your gut – both can be amazing and fulfilling careers.
  
  As Eloise says, see if you can get some work experience, either with the help of the school or relatives, it helps to imagine your ‘typical day’ – but even so, there are so many different types of engineers and medicine is a huge field too, so you might get the wrong impression!
  
  What about both? Or a hybrid – biomedical engineering?
  
  I always thought I might like to be an epidemiologist as I love the maths involved…
  
  One other thing: note that the term ‘doctor’ can mean:
  a) someone who learns all about human health then goes and applies what they learned to help heal people…. or
  b) someone who does research – say in new types of surgery, or drug development or tries to develop how healthcare is provided in the third world. or, or, or…
  
  In other words, if you prefer the latter, you can still ‘engineer’ things, but in the role of a doctor – in the end we are all just solving problems!
  
  Hope that helps!
- Man Hang Yip answered on 17 Jun 2016:
  
  You can always to both, one degree after the other at some point in your life. In the US, you have to have a bachelor degree before you can apply to medical school anyway.
  If you think you want to become a doctor, go for it! You can keep some engineering-related hobbies, such as creating things / programming / building little robots etc. as a hobby.
- Iona Strawson answered on 17 Jun 2016:
  
  Congratulations on the A! That is tough choice though.
  
  I agree with what Eloise has said, you seem to have the subjects covered – and work experience would definitely help inform your decision.
  
  You could do a combination of both – there is lots of engineering medicine. All the machines but also the devices used to help people get better – pacemakers, stints. So you could certainly go form engineering towards medicine. I’m not sure about the other way – research would seem the obvious path. Genetics maybe? There’s lots of options so go with what feels right. Engineering or medicine is going to set you up for a really interesting and varied career, so you can always change about a bit and find what you love.