Do I firm UCL medicine or Imperial medicine

I've received offers from both and am having trouble choosing between the two. Could someone please help with choosing between the two?

Reply 1

TSR Hippocrates

10

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Reply 2

goldehunter273

4

what date was your ucl interview?

Original post by eellzz8

I've received offers from both and am having trouble choosing between the two. Could someone please help with choosing between the two?

Reply 3

Scotland Yard

Clearing and Applications Advisor, Universities Forum Helper

20

The entry requirements are the same and both will reject you if you miss the conditions - which should be the same, so in that sense there's no advantage to firming one over the other. Both of them are also very prestigious universities with very prestigious medical schools so there is little advantage over one another in that regard as well. You really should just visit UCL and Imperial and firm which one you like the most!

(edited 1 year ago)

Reply 4

Medic Mind

11

Hi

Congratulations!

Similarities - ranks, price, compulsory intercalation, good BSc options (you can always go externally for this though), dissection, early clinical experience, London.

I am super duper biased as a current UCL med student, but I will try to outline the reasons that I chose UCL;
- I liked how the focus of the medical school and university wasn't just on academics but becoming a rounded person. There is a thriving social scene and huge collection of societies and sports to choose from. I personally have tried baking society, salsa society and art just to name a few. Imperial felt a little more science/academics heavy.
- At the time I wanted to follow the traditional teaching style but everyone is different and PBL at ICL may suit you better.
- It seems silly but as someone interested in pursuing paediatrics, I thought it was really cool to have the option of studying a BSc in this and having a placement at GOSH.

The best thing to do is go to the open day and if you have time, go and tour around yourself to get a feel for the place and talk to students. Check out both of the universities social media (medical school societies) and students union websites to see if there's anything standing out to you.

Choose what's best for you but I'm here if you have any questions about UCLMS, studying medicine in London or general.

Molly
Medic Mind

Original post by eellzz8

I've received offers from both and am having trouble choosing between the two. Could someone please help with choosing between the two?

Reply 5

Toparti

6

Original post by eellzz8

I've received offers from both and am having trouble choosing between the two. Could someone please help with choosing between the two?

How many times? Imperial is wayyyy better than UCL. Imperial is independent from the univerity of london group. It has ranked 2nd best in the world in 2014 and consistently ranks among the top 10. Imperial has connections with US partners for example the MIT-Imperial Student exchange program and also NATO DIANA is hosted by Imperial. Only down side is that you won't sleep much and since it's in the poshest area of London, it is very expensive. Also have friends who went to UCL and Imperial... Imperial gets wayy more respect.

Reply 6

user9423

4

Hi, what do you mean by gets way more respect?

Original post by Toparti

How many times? Imperial is wayyyy better than UCL. Imperial is independent from the univerity of london group. It has ranked 2nd best in the world in 2014 and consistently ranks among the top 10. Imperial has connections with US partners for example the MIT-Imperial Student exchange program and also NATO DIANA is hosted by Imperial. Only down side is that you won't sleep much and since it's in the poshest area of London, it is very expensive. Also have friends who went to UCL and Imperial... Imperial gets wayy more respect.

Reply 7

Bionet

9

Original post by eellzz8

I've received offers from both and am having trouble choosing between the two. Could someone please help with choosing between the two?

I'm biased as an Imperial student! But defo recommend it. From what I've heard our course structure is a lot better and more organised than at UCL. The teaching also seems a lot better. There is more science content but it is all interesting and makes you a better doctor IMO. Social life is what you make of it, its great for me and lots of other medics here. Although UCL does have more humanities and different people, but a lot of people at imperial have a similar mindset so its is nice being around so many like-minded people. The work really isn't that crazy if you just do a few hours a day on top of lectures you can stay on top of it all. Also our course is integrated but still has quite a few lectures like traditional courses, with a little bit of PBL thrown in (which is quite well run so it is a good variety). Huge number and type of societies to choose from as well! Highly recommend it.

Reply 8

rcah3

8

Original post by Toparti

How many times? Imperial is wayyyy better than UCL. Imperial is independent from the univerity of london group. It has ranked 2nd best in the world in 2014 and consistently ranks among the top 10. Imperial has connections with US partners for example the MIT-Imperial Student exchange program and also NATO DIANA is hosted by Imperial. Only down side is that you won't sleep much and since it's in the poshest area of London, it is very expensive. Also have friends who went to UCL and Imperial... Imperial gets wayy more respect.

'Respect' is pretty irrelevant for medicine because at the end of the day it's the same degree you get regardless of what medical school you go to. Also rankings are pointless because they don't actually mean anything for your education/experience and they're constantly changing. UCL is ranked 6th in the world for medicine in 2023 but imperial is 8th. But then last year Imperial was one spot above UCL. It really doesn't mean anything.

Reply 9

Scotney

20

Original post by aj.03

'Respect' is pretty irrelevant for medicine because at the end of the day it's the same degree you get regardless of what medical school you go to. Also rankings are pointless because they don't actually mean anything for your education/experience and they're constantly changing. UCL is ranked 6th in the world for medicine in 2023 but imperial is 8th. But then last year Imperial was one spot above UCL. It really doesn't mean anything.

100%This!Go where you will be happiest.

Reply 10

curiousappa

9

Why no one here talked about exam style and how many exams a year and how they assess them and whats the pass mark etc.
Do you guys have any data on numer of students resitting on first year and second year and thirs year etc.
Roughly how many students leave the course due to the failure in exams
What sort of support system these both colleges has and how easy to approach them to get help if needed
What about the saftey in and arpund of these universities
And which teaching method you like and why
These details will help aswell

Reply 11

Bionet

9

Original post by rcah3

'Respect' is pretty irrelevant for medicine because at the end of the day it's the same degree you get regardless of what medical school you go to. Also rankings are pointless because they don't actually mean anything for your education/experience and they're constantly changing. UCL is ranked 6th in the world for medicine in 2023 but imperial is 8th. But then last year Imperial was one spot above UCL. It really doesn't mean anything.

True obvs Im just saying that cause I'm at Imperial and we have beef with UCL xD. But rankings also don't mean anything, the Imperial course is better taught and structured with more contact hours from what I've heard from people at UCL and older years. That is slightly more objective. UCL being a massively larger uni does have slightly more research output than us which would lead to slight variations in ranking. But both places are great.

Reply 12

Bionet

9

Original post by curiousappa

Why no one here talked about exam style and how many exams a year and how they assess them and whats the pass mark etc.
Do you guys have any data on numer of students resitting on first year and second year and thirs year etc.
Roughly how many students leave the course due to the failure in exams
What sort of support system these both colleges has and how easy to approach them to get help if needed
What about the saftey in and arpund of these universities
And which teaching method you like and why
These details will help aswell

Imperial has a LOT of multiple choice questions or max 4 word answer questions. In first year for example only 3 end of year exams. Hard exams but not too many. Imperial recently has had quite a few students resitting the year but that's more due to covid and online education, so many people didn't properly attend lectures and needed to resit. At both very few would have to leave due to failure but you shouldn't be aiming for that obviously. Support at Imperial is better than it used to be, there are lots of people to talk to. Imperial is at South Ken, UCL is in Bloosmbury so both are equally safe. Imperial has some really good lecturers and I've from what I've heard from UCL students our course seems more organised but this is objective of course. We also have tutorials and a mix of different things so not everything is fully lecture based, with some PBL as well. Both are great unis though overall so doesn't matter too much.

Reply 13

Labradoodle1

16

Original post by Toparti

How many times? Imperial is wayyyy better than UCL. Imperial is independent from the univerity of london group. It has ranked 2nd best in the world in 2014 and consistently ranks among the top 10. Imperial has connections with US partners for example the MIT-Imperial Student exchange program and also NATO DIANA is hosted by Imperial. Only down side is that you won't sleep much and since it's in the poshest area of London, it is very expensive. Also have friends who went to UCL and Imperial... Imperial gets wayy more respect.

I definitely wouldn't say it's way better. If you asked the average person which is better they'd probably say Imperial, but that on its own doesn't matter much. What matters more is the individual course and personal factors, and for medicine rankings/prestige of a university doesn't really matter. Also, out of curiosity, why do you think imperial being independent from the university of london a good thing?

Reply 14

Bionet

9

Original post by Labradoodle1

I definitely wouldn't say it's way better. If you asked the average person which is better they'd probably say Imperial, but that on its own doesn't matter much. What matters more is the individual course and personal factors, and for medicine rankings/prestige of a university doesn't really matter. Also, out of curiosity, why do you think imperial being independent from the university of london a good thing?

I'm assuming because the University of London has a lot of smaller, less academically rigourous and less popular unis, that dilute its name and make it weaker. Imperial being separate from that gives Imperial its own recognition.

Reply 15

akapoo11

2

Original post by Bionet

Imperial has a LOT of multiple choice questions or max 4 word answer questions. In first year for example only 3 end of year exams. Hard exams but not too many. Imperial recently has had quite a few students resitting the year but that's more due to covid and online education, so many people didn't properly attend lectures and needed to resit. At both very few would have to leave due to failure but you shouldn't be aiming for that obviously. Support at Imperial is better than it used to be, there are lots of people to talk to. Imperial is at South Ken, UCL is in Bloosmbury so both are equally safe. Imperial has some really good lecturers and I've from what I've heard from UCL students our course seems more organised but this is objective of course. We also have tutorials and a mix of different things so not everything is fully lecture based, with some PBL as well. Both are great unis though overall so doesn't matter too much.

I understand that, Imperial is only at South Ken (for medical students) for 1st year, for remaining years, it is Charring Cross Hospital. How is campus feel at Charring Cross Hospital ?

(edited 10 months ago)

Reply 16

Bionet

9

Original post by akapoo11

I understand that, Imperial is only at South Ken (for medical students) for 1st year, for remaining years, it is Charring Cross Hospital. How is campus feel at Charring Cross Hospital ?

Nope not at all. First year and second year are both half and half across both SK and Charing Cross campuses, with first year slightly more at SK and second year slightly more at CX. Then 3rd, 5th and 6th year are all over the place depending on what hospital you are placed in for placements, although majority of the time in North West or Central London. Most Imperial hospitals are excellent so the training here will be pretty great. 4th year is entirely at SK campus because you are intercalating in your BSc subject, so you essentially have the same timetable as any other Imperial uni student for that year.

Charing cross campus is right next to the main hospital. It is relatively small, but enough room. The main bar (Reynolds bar) is being completely refurbished and will be reopened late 2023, so it will be very nice. Everyone is very friendly, the area (Hammersmith) is also quite student friendly and Hammersmith is full of all Imperial students anyway, so its a great Hub. Overall its fun!