what is student life like for imperial medics?

I got an offer for Medicine at Imperial and I wanted to know some students' opinion of the community. Is it the sort of place you're going to make the best friends of your life? Do people hang out a lot, party a lot? Are students cliquey? Is it hard to make friends? I was also wondering how much time students have for extracurricular activities. Would I be able to take dance classes on evenings?

Reply 1

StockholmBoy

I'll bump this thread.
I also have an offer for Imperial but I'm torn between it and UCL, mainly because of all the **** you hear about Imperial's student life.

Imperial College London

London

Reply 2

Ketchup'n'Mustard

Subbed. I'm interested in hearing about this too.

Reply 3

innerhollow

Original post by StockholmBoy

I'll bump this thread.
I also have an offer for Imperial but I'm torn between it and UCL, mainly because of all the **** you hear about Imperial's student life.

ICSM is virtually a separate institution from the rest of Imperial, they have their own societies and stuff and tend to not mingle very much with non-medics. I don't know what you've heard about the rest of Imperial, but I can tell you that by and large the medics party pretty hard. They have their own bar in Hammersmith (the Reynold's) which is known for extreme binge drinking.

I assume that's what you meant by "student life".

Reply 4

preraphaelite

i'm an international student from the U.S. so hopefully there'd be less of a cultural barrier... but i don't plan on binge drinking so that's not exactly what i mean by "student life"... is it possible to party and not binge drink? i still want to party and have fun! :frown:

Reply 5

Henley24

Original post by preraphaelite

Honestly, I think Uni is what you make of it. If you want to party then you can party, if you don't then you don't have to. I'm the same as you in that, I loooovvee to have an awesome time, but I'm not a big drinker!

I just firmed Imperial for Biology and I was concerned about what the student life was like as I had been told everyone just works, works, works.
But, when I talked to friends who are at/been to Imperial they say that the people who say Imperial student life is bad are the ones who have never actually been there! And they just presume it, as it is such a high-flying university.

When I went on the post-offer day (bio) they said that the most sociable people in the uni, who everyone wants to get to know, are the biologists and medics!

I get the sense that it is very "work hard, play hard" - which I think is a really good balance.

Reply 6

unequivocally qualified

Hi!
I've just finished my 4th year as a medic at imperial, and I pity the fool that went to a different school!!! I have made my best friends here, and have friends not just in my year, but across all 6... Its true that we work hard, but we also party hard, and there isn't any pressure to drink, don't worry. Whilst the sports clubs tend to be on the binge drinking side, its more true for the boys than girls clubs, and if you say you dont drink, or dont want to drink much, then youre certainly not forced to (unlike in other unis!!!)

In terms of time - I have play sport at least twice a week throughout the course, and have no plans on stopping. In my second year i was often playing 4 times a weeks when 2nd year is meant to be one of the hardest in terms of workload.

There is both an IC and an ICSM dance club which you can join for very little membership. There are also lots of dance studios in and around the south kensington area that you can join, and of course there is enough time!!! Imperial has the most student clubs and societes of any university (300+) and a good proportion of those are linked to the medical school, so run by medics, and therefore suiting the medic timetable...

Hope this helps, and is not too late for you.

Reply 7

h2shin

So do medics not really mix much with other students, like are the other students not allowed to join medics specific societies etc?

Reply 8

philisfun

Wagwannn

i am a final year Biologist at imperial, and have to say, RCSU kicks ass. I also live with three medics, and we are all equally as bad as each other when it comes to binge drinking, sleeping around and being generally piss poor academics. Imperial is what you make of it, I hated it at first, but now I love it, even if I am only just scraping a 2.1.

PARTY HARD BITCHES :cool: