Are you passionate about understanding the workings of the human body? Would you like to pursue a career as a doctor? Are you fascinated by medical advancements and the impact they can have upon society as a whole? If so, then pursuing a course in medicine sounds like an ideal option for you.

However, medicine is a particularly difficult field of study and requires students not only to be passionate about the subject matter, but also to be able to demonstrate a natural aptitude for science. Studying medicine also requires a lot of contact time, as well as extra study, so it is important for successful students to be hard-working, self-motivated and dedicated to the course.

Many students who study medicine-related subjects do so in order to pursue a career as a doctor or health care professional. However, with an average graduate salary of £29,146 there are a wide range of career options available to those with medicine qualifications. As well as looking to pursue careers as GP’s, surgeons and consultants, medicine graduates are also desired in a research capacity within labs designing conductions and analysing scientific experiments. Their skills are also desired within pharmacies dispensing prescription medication and offering drug-related medical advice.

Similarly, many medical students opt to take further training that allows them to expand their knowledge into other industries such as journalism, or to re-train as lawyers specialising in the lucrative field of medical law and ethics.

For those who wish to enter a seemingly un-related career field, the study of medicine is a prestigious course that allows students to develop a wide rand of skills. From the ability to work independently and strong communication skills to leadership development and coping with dynamic fast-paced environments, all of the key skills learnt throughout the course are applicable to industries such as banking, finance and marketing.

Whether you’re studying undergraduate degree, or a post-graduate qualification, medicine is a prestigious subject of study requiring dedication and intellectual flair. All undergraduate degrees will expect students to have achieves a minimum of 3 A grades at A-level, or equivalent and being accepted onto a post-graduate course will be difficult without a 2:1 degree in medicine or a science-related subject.

If you are a non-native speaker of English, then you will need to prove that there are no language barriers limiting you from accessing the course content. In order to do this, you will be requires to sit an IELTS test and score a minimum of 6.0.

The length of your course will very much depend on the University and the level at which you study. However, even most post-graduate courses last approximately 2-3 years, with undergraduate courses lasting a minimum of 5 years. The assessment method is also varied, with both written assignments and practical experiments being used as key indicators of your academic understanding.

There is such competition for places on medicine courses that where you end up studying will impact upon your future. If you are currently applying for undergraduate courses, but are looking to train as a doctor at a later date then make sure you attend a prestigious university such as Cambridge or Nottingham. Whether you’re studying at undergraduate or at post-graduate level, make sure that the University has formed a close working relationship with local hospitals and medical facilities ensuring that you make the most out of your study time.

Another consideration to take into account is the cost of your course, as well as the grade requirements. Most Universities will only accept graduates with A’s at A-level for under-graduate courses, or with a 2:1 degree for post-graduate study. Before deciding that medicine is the course for you, check that your predicted grades meet these requirements. Given that a medicine course can consist of up to five years, you should also think carefully about finance. Can you afford the fees? Can you afford the living costs?

If you’re struggling to secure funding, there are a number of scholarships and grants available.

Of course it is also important to choose somewhere that will make you happy for the duration of your course, particularly if you’re opting to live away from home. Wherever you choose to study, your qualification will end up costing you a lot of money, so you need to ensure that you get the most out of your time as a student. As such it is important that you consider whether the surrounding culture will add to the pleasure of your University years as well as academic benefits of studying at a particular institution.