• Question: how long does it take to be a doctor nowdays and what do you choose in your gcse and alevels

    Asked by SHARON ROSE to Heather, Helen, Hugh, Jane, Julian on 11 Nov 2014. This question was also asked by saneaah118.
    • Photo: Julian Onions

      Julian Onions answered on 11 Nov 2014:

      To have the title Doctor takes your GCSEs, then two years A level, and then 3-4 years doing a degree, and then 3-4 years doing a PhD. If you pass all those you can be a Doctor by about 25.

      To be a medical doctor can take longer depending on what you specialise in.

    • Photo: Jane MacArthur

      Jane MacArthur answered on 11 Nov 2014:

      A PhD in the UK is generally funded for 3.5 years, and you have to submit your thesis by 4 years after you start. You can get a PhD in any subject, so its best to choose GCSEs and A-levels that would support what you want to do, and hopefully they match the subjects you enjoy!
      To be a medical doctor I think most standard undergraduate degrees are ~five years, though after this you will often have further training years working in hospitals if you want to specialise. Physics and Chemistry are the building blocks of science – I’ll be controversial and say I think Biology can be optional if you prefer Maths – its easier to pick up the biology later and learn it from books than it is to learn maths. It also helps in all sciences these days to have good computing skills, worth trying to learn a computing language if you have spare time.

    • Photo: Heather Campbell

      Heather Campbell answered on 11 Nov 2014:

      It took me 3 and a half years to do my PhD in astronomy (at Portsmouth Uni), which I think is about average in the UK nowadays. The US system is a bit different and that takes a bit longer.

      Before that I did a 4year Mphys degree, in astrophysics (at Sussex Uni), or you can do 3years BSc and then a year Masters.

      At GSCEs and A levels as long as you do maths and physics you’ll be fine. I think its quite good then to do something completely different to give you some balance, I took music A level, and Biology. And to be honest I found Music the hardest (but still great fun!)

    • Photo: Hugh Osborn

      Hugh Osborn answered on 11 Nov 2014:

      Both medical doctors or doctors of science (like us) take more than 6 years of studying at university after school.

      For GCSEs, take whatever interests you as Science is a core subject anyway. For A-levels, to be a doctor, you’ll probably need to do maths and two sciences. To be a medical doctor, Biology and Chemistry are probably most important. To study space like us, it’s all about Maths and Physics!

    • Photo: Helen Johnson

      Helen Johnson answered on 12 Nov 2014:

      What the others have said 🙂
      I’m on my way to becoming a ‘Dr Johnson’ – I’m in the 2nd year of a 3.5 year PhD. Before this I did a 4 year degree in Physics.

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