top of page
Medicine (Undergraduate)
Medical practice is generally defined as being the science and practice of the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. Today it is carried out by doctors, nurses, surgeons and physicians.
Medicine is a broad term of a variety of practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness, including pharmaceuticals, psychotherapy, and surgery.
Digging deeper into subject interests can help you in a number of ways:
-
Confirm whether this is (or isn't) something you would be interested in enough to want to study it at university either as the focus of your degree or a minor/elective
-
Give you some inspiration to use when creating your questions and topics for IA's (coursework) and your Extended Essay
-
Provide you with content for your university application writing in the future, enabling you to reflect on the things you've been doing to explore your interests in a way that is academically relevant to the course or institution you are applying for.
Useful Resources
The BMJ Blog | Blog | Opinion articles from the Blog of the British Medical Journal | Click Here > | |
University fo Nottingham Medical School Blog | Blog | A student-led blog about life in the School of Medicine at The University of Nottingham. From week to week students in various stages of the medical degree course will post on topics ranging from widening access, life as a pre-clinical student, life on the wards, funding and money, extracurricular activities and many more. | Click Here > | |
University of Nottingham e-resources | Blog | Video | Recorded Lecture | The University of Nottingham have a number of resources for students to explore degrees you could study at university. The resources include videos, taster lectures and blogs. Use the menu to select the areas you are interested in to see what they have to offer. | Click Here > | |
How do I apply to Medical, Dental or Veterinary Courses | Blog | Website | This blog provides you with some useful information on applying to Medical, Dental or Veterinary Courses. Some of the topics discussed include: how to get into universities, how to get into medicine, dentistry or veterinary science, alternatives if you don't reach the required grades, entry requirements, preparation for the BMAT and UKAT tests, and things to consider before applying. | Click Here > | |
Bad Science, by Ben Goldacre | Book | How do we know if a treatment works, or if something causes cancer? Can the claims of homeopaths ever be as true - or as interesting - as the improbable research into the placebo effect? Who created the MMR hoax? Do journalists understand science? Why do we seek scientific explanations for social, personal, and political problems? Are alternative therapists and pharmaceutical companies really so different, or do they just use the same old tricks to sell different types of pill? We are obsessed with our health. And yet - from the media's "world-expert microbiologist" with a mail-order PhD in his garden shed laboratory, via multiple helath scares and miracle cures, to the million-pound trial that Durham Council now deny ever existed - we are constantly bombarded with inaccurate, contradictory and sometimes even misleading information. Until now. Ben Goldacre masterfully dismantles the dodgy science behind some of the great drug trials, court cases and missed opportunities of our time, but he also goes further: out of the bullshit, he shows us the fascinating story of how we know what we know, and gives us the tools to uncover bad science for ourselves. | St. Clares Library L23 50 GOL | |
Do No Harm: stories of life, death and brain surgery, by Henry Marsh | Book | What is it really like to be a brain surgeon, to hold someone's life in your hands, to drill down into the stuff that creates thought, feeling and reason? How do you live with the consequences of performing a potentially life-saving operation when it all goes wrong? In this powerful, gripping and brutally honest account, one of the country's top neurosurgeons reveals what it is to play god in the face of the life-and-death situations he encounters daily. Henry Marsh gives a rare insight into the intense drama of the operating theatre, the chaos and confusion of a modern hospital, the exquisite complexity of the human brain, and the blunt instrument that is surgeon's knife by comparison. | St. Clares Library L24 610.69 MAR | |
I Contain Multitudes: the microbes within us and a grander view of life, by Ed Young | Book | These microscopic companions sculpt our organs, protect us from diseases, guide our behaviour, and bombard us with their genes. They also hold the key to understanding all life on earth.
In I Contain Multitudes, Ed Yong opens our eyes and invites us to marvel at ourselves and other animals in a new light, less as individuals and more as thriving ecosystems.
We learn the invisible and wondrous science behind the corals that construct mighty reefs and the squid that create their own light shows. We see how bacteria can alter our response to cancer-fighting drugs, tune our immune system, influence our evolution, and even modify our genetic make-up. And we meet the scientists who are manipulating these microscopic partners to our advantage.
In a million tiny ways, I Contain Multitudes will radically change how you think about the natural world, and how you see yourself. | St. Clares Library L24 579 YON | |
Life at the Extremes, by Frances Ashcroft | Book | How do people survive extremes of heat, cold, depth and height? For the geneticist inheritance is all. But for the physiologist extremism is all. This books explores the limits to human survival and the physiological adaptations which enable us to exist. | St. Clares Library L24 612 ASH | |
Medical Ethics: a very short introduction, by Tony Hope | Book | This short introduction provides an invaluable tool with which to think about the ethical values that lie at the heart of medicine. Tony Hope deals with thorny moral questions, such as euthanasia and the morality of killing, and also explores political questions such as: how should health care resources be distributed fairly? | St. Clares Library L25 174.2 HOP | |
Surely You're Joking Mr. Feynman: adventures of a curious character, by Ricahrd P. Feynman | Book | Winner of the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1965, Richard Feynman was one fo the world's greatest theoretical physicists, but he was also a man who fell, often jumped, into adventure. An artist, safe-cracker, practical joker and storyteller, Feynman's life was a series of combustible combinations made possible by his unique mixture of high intelligence, unquenchable curiosity and eternal scepticism. Over a period of years, Feynman's conversations with his friend Ralph Leighton were first taped and then set down from their spoken form, giving a wise, funny, passionate and totally honest self-portrait of one of the greatest men of our age. | St. Clares Library L23 530.11 FEY | |
The Bad Doctor, by Ian Williams | Book | Incontinent old ladies, men with eagle tattoos, traumatised widowers - Dr Iwan James's patients cause him both empathy and dismay, further complicated by his feelings for his practice partners: unreuqited longing for Dr Lois Pritchard, and frustration at the antics of Dr Robert Smith, who will use any means to make Iwan look bad in her presence. | St. Clares Library L17 GRA WIL | |
The Blood of the Isles: exploring the genetic roots of our tribal history, by Bryan Sykes | Book | Basing his information on cutting-edge research, Sykes describes a DNA research programme which tested over 10,000 DNA samples from across the UK with the aim of answering questions such as: What is the DNA make-up of the UK? Did the Vikings rape and pillage their way throughout Britain? What of the Normans, the Saxons or the Celts? | St. Clares Library L12 929 SYK | |
The Emperor of All Maladies: a biography of cancer, by Siddhartha Mukherjee | Book | 'The Emperor of All Maladies' is a comprehensive history of cancer - one of the greatest enemies of medical progress - and an insight into its effects and potential cures. | St. Clares Library L24 616.99 MUK | |
The Knife's Edge: the heart and mind of a cardiac surgeon, by Stephen Westaby | Book | Although Professor Stephen Westaby was born with the necessary coordination and manual dexterity, it was a head trauma sustained during university that gifted him the qualities of an exceptional heart surgeon: qualities that are frequently associated with psychopathy.
For heart surgeons, the inevitable cost of failure is death, and in The Knife's Edge, Westaby reflects on the unique mindset of those who are drawn to this exhilarating and often tragic profession. We discover the pioneers who grasped opportunities and took chances to drive innovation and save lives. But as we take a glimpse into the future of cardiac surgery, one question remains: within the confines of socialised medical healthcare systems, how can heart surgeons - individuals often hardwired with a lack of self-doubt, a penchant for glory and a flagrant disregard for authority - truly flourish? | St. Clares Library L24 610.69 WES | |
The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, by Oliver Sacks | Book | These are case studies of people who have lost their memories and with them the greater part of their pasts; who are no longer able to recognize people or common objects; whose limbs have become alien; who are afflicted and yet are gifted with uncanny artistic or mathematical talents. In Dr Sacks’s splendid and sympathetic telling, each tale is a unique and deeply human study of life struggling against incredible adversity. | St. Clares Library L24 616.89 SAC | |
The Oxford Book of Modern Science Writing, by Richard Dawkins | Book | Selected and introduced by Richard Dawkins, 'The Oxford Book of Modern Science Writing' is a celebration of the finest writing by scientists for a wider audience - revealing that many of the best scientists have displayed as much imagination and skill with the pen as they have in the laboratory. | St. Clares Library L23 500 DAW | |
When Breath Becomes Air, by Paul Kalanithi | Book | At the age of thirty-six, on the verge of completing a decade's training as a neurosurgeon, Paul Kalanithi was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer.
One day he was a doctor treating the dying, the next he was a patient struggling to live.
When Breath Becomes Air chronicles Kalanithi's transformation from a medical student asking what makes a virtuous and meaningful life into a neurosurgeon working in the core of human identity - the brain - and finally into a patient and a new father. What makes life worth living in the face of death? What do you do when when life is catastrophically interrupted? What does it mean to have a child as your own life fades away? Paul Kalanithi died while working on this profoundly moving book, yet his words live on as a guide to us all.
When Breath Becomes Air is a life-affirming reflection on facing our mortality and on the relationship between doctor and patient, from a gifted writer who became both. | St. Clares Library L24 610.69 KAL & L25 155.93 KAL | |
With the End in Mind: dying, death and wisdom in an age of denial, Kathryn Mannix | Book | In this unprecedented book, palliative medicine pioneer Dr Kathryn Mannix explores the biggest taboo in our society and the only certainty we all share: death. | St. Clare's Library: L25 155.9 MAN | |
Your Life in My Hands: a junior doctor's story, by Rachel Clarke | Book | Television journalist turned junior doctor Rachel Clarke captures the extraordinary realities of life on the NHS frontline. During the historic junior doctor strikes of 2016, Rachel was at the forefront of the campaign against the government's imposed contract upon young doctors. Her heartfelt, deeply personal account of life as a junior doctor in today's NHS is both a powerful polemic on the degradation of Britain's most vital public institution and a love letter of optimism and hope to that same health service. | St. Clares Library L24 610.69 CLA | |
BioGrad | Course | BioGrad provides courses for 16-19 year olds who are currently studying towards their A-Levels or IB. Their courses are designed to trial your chosen career path and provide work experience that would look fantastic on your university application. They have a variety of courses available, from 1-day courses, 5-day courses, up to a 6-week summer school in Laboratory Skills, Clinical and Medical Research, Biomedical Science, Cardiac & Pulmonary Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Medical School Preparation, Orthopaedic Care and Medical Ethics. | Click Here > | |
ProEd | Course | Future Doctor Summer Programme | Click Here > | |
Cafe Scientifique Oxford | Events | The Oxford branch of Cafe Scientifique meet monthly to open up conversations on a wide range of scientific topics open to all | Click Here > | |
Summer Schools in Europe | Events | The most complete directory of summer courses in Europe. It includes courses for high school, undergraduate and graduate students, so ensure you read the descriptions to find options right for you. | Click Here > | |
Young Doctor Programmes | Events | Conference | Gain an immersive experience of Medicine alongside top doctors. Choose below either our Young Doctor Weekend or our Young Doctor Summer Experience. | Click Here > | |
The British Medical Journal | Journal | News and Research in the field of medicine | Click Here > | |
Research from the University of Bristol | Journal Articles | Website | Explore cutting edge research from the different faculties and departments from the University of Bristol, including free access to their published journal articles. | Click Here > | |
BSMS Virtual Work Experience | Online Course | This course provides a 'virtual' work experience for those looking to apply to medical school in the UK | Click here > | |
Coursera | Online Course | Coursera is an online platform for distance learning. They have a range of free courses delivered by universities. Search in this section to find courses of interest to you, often these are courses you can follow at your own pace. | Click Here > | |
EdX | Online Course | The X Series courses on the EdX platform are free online courses delivered by universities and aimed at helping you explore areas of interest. | Click Here > | |
FutureLearn | Online Course | FutureLearn is a free online platform where universities from around the globe host FREE online courses you can undertake in your areas of interest. Browse courses by categories or use the search bar to find courses relevant to your interests | Click Here > | |
ProEd | Online Course | Online Future Doctor Programme | Click Here > | |
On-line on-demand Work Experience Courses | Online Course | Work Experience | Scroll down on the weblink to find a range of internship courses across a range of subjects but all with a link to Operation Wallacea's key missions around biodiversity and conservation. | Click Here > | |
BBC Inside heath podcast | Podcast | Series that demystifies health issues, separating fact from fiction and bringing clarity to conflicting health advice. | Click Here > | |
Talk Medicine from the British medical Journal | Podcast | Podcasts from the British Medical Journal and other specialist journals on a range of medicine and healthcare topics. | Click Here > | |
Cafe Scientifique Oxford - Archive 2021 | Recorded Lecture | The Archive of the 2021 Cafe Scientifique sessions - held on Zoom due to the pandemic | Click Here > | |
UCL Medical Sciences Lecture: 'One-shot' radiotherapy safer and as effective for treating breast cancer as longer course | Recorded Lecture | Hear about a pioneering breast cancer therapy that requires one shot of radiotherapy rather than conventional weeks-long treatment and the evolution of a patient-centred treatment from an idea to worldwide adoption. From October 2021 | Click Here > | |
Bench to Bedside | Video | An interactive video guide introducing you to different roles within healthcare including both practitioners and research scientists. This resource from King's College London takes you through the case study of one patient to explore how the different roles interact and support that patient. | Click Here > | |
Hull-York Medical School YouTube Advice channel | Video | The Hull York Medical School (HYMS) have created some useful videos for students considering applying to medicine in the UK | Click Here > | |
Observe GP | Video | Observe GP provides is a free, online interactive video platform providing insights into general practice. | Click Here > | |
ExeTalks | Video | Recorded Lecture | ExeTalks are a chance to discover some of the fascinating research undertaken at the University of Exeter. | Click Here | |
British Heart Foundation Online Events | Webinar | Events | Recorded Lecture | The British Heart Foundation hold monthly online events talking about topics related to Cardiology and the heart. There is also a library of past sessions you can watch on demand. | Click Here > | |
Medical Schools Council | Website | The MSC is the representative body for UK medical schools. They have a helpful section on studying medicine. | Click Here > | |
Medics Portal | Website | A website full of resources to help you understand and prepare for the process of applying to medicine in the UK. | Click Here > | |
NHS: Find your health career | Website | Take the health career quiz, explore the roles within healthcare and find out about the different routes into these professions | Click Here > | |
HE+ | Website | Podcast | Blog | Video | The HE+ website has supercurricular resources created and written by Cambridge students and academics including challenging activities, engaging videos, reflective questions and much more. | Click Here > | |
Studying Healthcare | Website | Video | Blog | Webinar | A useful website for anyone interested in medicine, dentistry or pharmacy. Their resources section is particularly useful including videos of webinars, published guidance from key bodies and insights into individuals careers. | Click Here > | |
Springpod Virtual Work Experience | Work Experience | Virtual work experience Opportunities across a range of companies and sectors. Most of them are free. | Click Here > | |
Doctor's Live | Work Experience | Online Course | Run by a team of NHS Doctors, Doctors live run a variety of interactive virtual programs from anatomy club to surgery live offering certificated work experience and a chance to explore careers in medicine and healthcare. | Click Here > | |
WEXLibrary from Medic Family | Work Experience | Online Course | Online Courses from Your Medic Family, including Vet Mentor, Medic Mentor and Dental Mentor. Some have a fee but there are also free courses that are recordings of live broadcasted virtual work experience that took place during COVID | Click Here > |
Page 1 of 1
Relevant Posts from the Careers Blog
bottom of page