UCL Medicine Applicants 2012

Original post by purplefrog

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/news-articles/1112/111219-Medical-School-No-1?dm_i=UAA%2CNXAV%2C3YPHB1%2C1XKHC%2C1

Just in case if anybody is struggling to make a choice between UCL and another medical school :tongue:

Haha...I'm still torn between UCL and Imperial, but I'm kinda sorta hoping that the decision will be made for me. Well...not really, but you get what I mean :tongue:

How has it been since Christmas? :smile:

Reply 1002

Original post by NP473L

Haha...I'm still torn between UCL and Imperial, but I'm kinda sorta hoping that the decision will be made for me. Well...not really, but you get what I mean :tongue:

How has it been since Christmas? :smile:

Well, when I was applying 4 things tipped it for me towards UCL over IC:
1) UCL is multifaculty - you meet people studying different courses (to a very high level) and they give you unique academic perspectives. And it makes a nice change of conversation to hear about what others are studying. You'll find the science subjects are quite inaccessible in conversation the higher up you go, whereas its easier to discuss in a group more artsy things.
This also means if you're interested in medical humanities (philosophy, ethics, law, history, sociology, global health) you will get the opportunity to hear lecturers directly from their department etc. who lead in their field. You will also get some SSC options that allow you explore this issues in depth in small groups (5-12 people usually) with said leaders.

2) Year 3 iBSc options at UCL are plentiful (around 20 I think) and they encourage you to tweak them to suit your interests. They also let you spend a year out at other unis to study something they don't offer. However from this year UCL won't accept BSc students from other medschools but will still let us go out.

3) Imperial are slowly but surely shifting their curriculum and course content to be more PBL styled. While we do have minute amounts of PBL and it is fun and useful, I much prefer the traditional approach as you can always PBL things in your own time tbh if you have the core science lectures and fundamentals in your head. Though saying that, I'm certain Imperial have very high academic standards within the course - they are just changing its delivery not the expectations!

4) Imperial seemed to have a incredibly workaholic and competitive feel to it. Medicine is tough enough as it is without the added pressure of you feeling you've got to constantly work more than others all throughout the year. I picked this up in the open day, chats with IC students on work exp and during the interview. My three friends doing medicine there now confirm this and UCL seems very chilled out in comparison. That is not to say IC Medics have a fantastic social life, just as UCL ones do.

As for how things are since Christmas... that's a very open question... care to be more specific? Bear in mind this term has only been running for one week! A highlight has been we've started dissection, which is fascinating - though learning the anatomy is incredibly painful and dull, its sheer memory work and there is LOTS AND LOTS of it.

Reply 1003

studentnumber2

Original post by NP473L

Haha...I'm still torn between UCL and Imperial, but I'm kinda sorta hoping that the decision will be made for me. Well...not really, but you get what I mean :tongue:

How has it been since Christmas? :smile:

Same, the campus at Imperial is soooooo nice :eek:

But then I kinda feel drawn towards UCL more...

Lol we need to actually be in a position to make that choice before we start thinking too much haha

Reply 1004

Original post by purplefrog

Well, when I was applying 4 things tipped it for me towards UCL over IC:
1) UCL is multifaculty - you meet people studying different courses (to a very high level) and they give you unique academic perspectives. And it makes a nice change of conversation to hear about what others are studying. You'll find the science subjects are quite inaccessible in conversation the higher up you go, whereas its easier to discuss in a group more artsy things.
This also means if you're interested in medical humanities (philosophy, ethics, law, history, sociology, global health) you will get the opportunity to hear lecturers directly from their department etc. who lead in their field. You will also get some SSC options that allow you explore this issues in depth in small groups (5-12 people usually) with said leaders.

2) Year 3 iBSc options at UCL are plentiful (around 20 I think) and they encourage you to tweak them to suit your interests. They also let you spend a year out at other unis to study something they don't offer. However from this year UCL won't accept BSc students from other medschools but will still let us go out.

3) Imperial are slowly but surely shifting their curriculum and course content to be more PBL styled. While we do have minute amounts of PBL and it is fun and useful, I much prefer the traditional approach as you can always PBL things in your own time tbh if you have the core science lectures and fundamentals in your head. Though saying that, I'm certain Imperial have very high academic standards within the course - they are just changing its delivery not the expectations!

4) Imperial seemed to have a incredibly workaholic and competitive feel to it. Medicine is tough enough as it is without the added pressure of you feeling you've got to constantly work more than others all throughout the year. I picked this up in the open day, chats with IC students on work exp and during the interview. My three friends doing medicine there now confirm this and UCL seems very chilled out in comparison. That is not to say IC Medics have a fantastic social life, just as UCL ones do.

As for how things are since Christmas... that's a very open question... care to be more specific? Bear in mind this term has only been running for one week! A highlight has been we've started dissection, which is fascinating - though learning the anatomy is incredibly painful and dull, its sheer memory work and there is LOTS AND LOTS of it.

Yeah...sorry about the vagueness :tongue:

. I realised once I'd written it. I think I just meant generally...I've been reading a thread titled 'no-life as a medic' and just wanted to know if it was/wasn't totally robotic at UCL (which you've answered).

Thank you for your 'dissection' (<--see what I did there :tongue:

) of UCL's benefits; I'm really unsure at the moment, although I have been constantly recommended UCL over Imperial in the last few weeks. I don't even know if I'll get an interview at Imperial tbh, so I think I'll cross that bridge when, no, if...I come to it. What you have written will definitely be taken into consideration though, I keep hearing the 'workaholic' Imperial, but it's news to me that the course is becoming more PBL.

My EPQ is on something ethical/philosophical surrounding Medicine, and it's something I've thought about doing further if I ever get the opportunity. That's one of the reasons I chose Unis that have compulsory intercalation. I think it will be a great (but really difficult) way of exploring something unique and interesting to the individual concerned.

On an unrelated note, how much do you think it will affect your travel since Euston will be getting disruptions? (I'm an underground noob...sorry about that) Not that it'll be a factor for where I want to study, I'm just being curious :smile:

Original post by studentnumber2

Same, the campus at Imperial is soooooo nice :eek:

But then I kinda feel drawn towards UCL more...

Lol we need to actually be in a position to make that choice before we start thinking too much haha

Yeah...I prefered the Imperial open day (but it was a subject specific, unlike UCL) but when we went for our interviews, I really enjoyed UCL. But I agree, pointless until we have news from Imperial :smile:

Reply 1005

Original post by NP473L

On an unrelated note, how much do you think it will affect your travel since Euston will be getting disruptions? (I'm an underground noob...sorry about that) Not that it'll be a factor for where I want to study, I'm just being curious :smile:

I don't see how Euston will affect anything at all apart from the people that use it to travel home and back? Your accommodation will most likely be within 15 mins walk max from UCL (apart from those who get allocated Camden where its 30 mins walk) and even for those further out in Camden, you can always take the bus/tube in should you want to do that. And there are the Boris bikes in London that cost £1 a day and you can ride them as many times as you like for free provided your journeys are <30 mins. I take it that answers your question, unless I'm missing something?

Reply 1006

Original post by NP473L

That's one of the reasons I chose Unis that have compulsory intercalation. I think it will be a great (but really difficult) way of exploring something unique and interesting to the individual concerned.

Sorry, was meant to reply to this bit as well. Just so you know... the research project you do in your iBSc is almost pot luck. Yes, you have a application process to choose your BSc (which you should hopefully get unless its something competitive like neuro) and yes, you can choose from a range of projects given by supervisors... but they are not your projects to make from scratch. You're basically a free lab assistant for a PhD student or professor for several months! And it is like this at all medical schools apart from Oxford. At Oxford you actually create your whole project from the ground up which is pretty cool, but they spend 4 terms on it (1 year + 1 term)

Reply 1007

Original post by purplefrog

I don't see how Euston will affect anything at all apart from the people that use it to travel home and back? Your accommodation will most likely be within 15 mins walk max from UCL (apart from those who get allocated Camden where its 30 mins walk) and even for those further out in Camden, you can always take the bus/tube in should you want to do that. And there are the Boris bikes in London that cost £1 a day and you can ride them as many times as you like for free provided your journeys are <30 mins. I take it that answers your question, unless I'm missing something?

Definitely enough information :smile:

. Like I said, not being much of a London pro, just being curious.

Original post by purplefrog

You're basically a free lab assistant for a PhD student or professor for several months!

Haha...this isn't how it's advertised :smile:

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 1008

shooby_doo

4

Original post by 768mango

If u dn't mind me asking, when did you get to know about your interview?

6th of january

Reply 1009

Mandy92

They said they would interview gap year students in january and since people have already got offers for interview for the end of january does that mean there is no hope? :frown:

Reply 1010

Original post by Mandy92

They said they would interview gap year students in january and since people have already got offers for interview for the end of january does that mean there is no hope? :frown:

It's more the fact that most of the Jan interviews are held for grads and gap year applicants as opposed to most of the offers for grads and gap years are given out in January - if that makes sense? Gap year students are pretty much treated the same as the standard school-leaving applicants and you can still get interviews past January.

Reply 1011

lwh

conditional offer! AAA :biggrin:

Reply 1012

manic_fuzz

17

Offer - AAA :awesome:

Reply 1013

Original post by lwh

conditional offer! AAA :biggrin:

Original post by manic_fuzz

Offer - AAA :awesome:

Congrats to everyone with offers today! :grin:

Reply 1014

laross

Original post by manic_fuzz

Offer - AAA :awesome:

How did you know, via UCAS or they sent you an email???? Also, how do you know the conditions AAA??

Reply 1015

Original post by laross

How did you know, via UCAS or they sent you an email???? Also, how do you know the conditions AAA??

I know this isn't directed at me...but it comes through UCAS, and if you click the 'Conditional' text, it comes up with the conditions for the offer

EDIT: Welcome to TSR by the way :smile:

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 1016

laross

Original post by NP473L

I know this isn't directed at me...but it comes through UCAS, and if you click the 'Conditional' text, it comes up with the conditions for the offer

EDIT: Welcome to TSR by the way :smile:

Hey thanks :smile:

Btw do you know how many places there are for international students???

Reply 1017