1st Year Medical School Advice

Would really appreciate some advice for first year, I'm planning on going to the University of Nottingham where they do CBL and an integrated course. Thank you

Hi @zkan

Firstly, congratulations on your place at medical school!!!

This sounds similar to the course at Lancaster. CBL can take a bit of getting used to, but please remember that everyone is in the same boat. The medical school will take this into account, and help you build up your study skills. My advice would be to try and view CBL as a learning process, not a deadline- don't worry if you don't get the hang of it straight away, it will click at some point.
Also don't be tempted to spend too much time in the library! The course might feel very overwhelming at the beginning, but it's really important that you join the societies you want to join and make friends outside of medicine. You can always come back to modules later in the year if you feel that you didn't cover them properly at the beginning. Hope this helps!

Nellie (Third Year Medical Student)

Hi Nellie,

Thank you so much for your detailed response and kind words of encouragement! It's really reassuring to hear from someone who has gone through a similar course structure. Your advice about approaching CBL as a learning process rather than stressing over deadlines makes a lot of sense, and I'll definitely keep that in mind. It's good to know that the medical school supports students in building study skills over time.

By the way, I've heard from a few people that many students find it challenging to keep up with the workload during the year and often need to catch up during the holidays. Is that something you've experienced as well? I'm trying to get a sense of what to expect and how to manage my time effectively. Thanks again for your advice. Wishing you all the best in your third year.