St Andrews Medical School Applicants - 2016 Entry

Thanks. Are you assigned to academic parents or do you choose yourself?

And How do you not get all the foam in your eyes lol

Hey everyone, I just read some bits from the "St Andrews: A Warning" thread and was wondering how much of that is actually true, especially for medics? Can anyone who's at St Andrews studying now tell me what the social scene is like for medics?

Not sure specifically what bits you're talking about, but it depends on the person.
St Andrews is amazing for student-led events and societies. Medics tend to be quite busy so can't do everything, but there are a fair few medic events to get your teeth into as well.
Whether or not you like that stuff is down to you. I don't really like 'student life' and, for me, St Andrews doesn't have enough going on outside of the student scene. It does also feel like its own little bubble at times.
I now live in Dundee and much prefer it because I feel like I'm living in the 'real world', have friends outside of uni, etc.
Most people I know love the St Andrews student life, but it isn't for everyone.

You choose. Second years tend to be quite desperate to adopt so should have no issues

I wouldn't ask me that question, I could hardly breathe or see by the end. Thankfully there are people with water so I could wash it out and find my way home. Though that has the downside of making you even colder. Persuade your academic parents to hang around outside with towels!

Do you regret choosing St Andrews over another med school?

But how do you choose if you don't even know the people LOL. Are you supposed to just choose randomly
And noted, thanks

Not really. The teaching is top-notch, I've met some great people, in-built intercalation is handy etc.
There are things I don't like about the place, but that would be the same for anywhere. Though I will admit the main reason I chose St Andrews over my other choices was because I got an offer for the Barts route.



There are loads of events on in the first few weeks. If you go to any of them, chances are you'll get offers from higher year students to adopt you.
Generally people tend to exchange numbers / FB details with more than one potential 'mum' / 'dad' and choose whoever they get on best with.

Not sure specifically what bits you're talking about, but it depends on the person.
St Andrews is amazing for student-led events and societies. Medics tend to be quite busy so can't do everything, but there are a fair few medic events to get your teeth into as well.
Whether or not you like that stuff is down to you. I don't really like 'student life' and, for me, St Andrews doesn't have enough going on outside of the student scene. It does also feel like its own little bubble at times.
I now live in Dundee and much prefer it because I feel like I'm living in the 'real world', have friends outside of uni, etc.
Most people I know love the St Andrews student life, but it isn't for everyone.

Also can you change the preference you put for the clinical years when your there. So for example I put the Scottish pathway on my application. Would that make it impossible for me to choose an English uni if I went to St Andrews?

If you dont mind, can you please elaborate on why\how you feel that Dundee is more like the real world whereas St As does not have enough outside of the student scene ?
Is Dundee the one you transferred to for your latter 3 years, if so which one do you prefer the teaching methods \ teachers of?

Possible but very few people manage it. Don't bank on being able to change.

I'm still at St Andrews (third year). Going to Barts next year.

Thanks for the reply . Just one last thing. Is it difficult to find people to live with once you leave St Andrews? Also do you worry about making friends in London since most peeps in your year at Barts will already have established social circles etc?

Thanks

I wouldn't know as I haven't left yet, sorry

London is big enough though, I'm not particularly worried!

Lol thats the thing Im worried about, the fact you arent really settled down permanently anywhere just yet so it might be hard to make good friends when youre a newcomer ! Or if you make good friends at St A but then you get separated off to different places after Y3

True - but to be honest, if it were a normal three-year degree, you'd be graduating and moving away anyway!
I live about 400 miles from my hometown and still stay in contact with some friends from school. Moving back down south, I'm sure I'll keep in contact with friends I've made at uni who are staying in Scotland.
As for making new friends.. I imagine it'll happen naturally. I think around 20 or so people get allocated to the Barts route? In my year, as it was the first year of official partnership, I think there are only 8 of us.
I don't know any of the others particularly well, but at least I won't be completely alone.
I'm also hoping Barts year groups are big enough that nobody really notices I haven't been there for the past few years

Thats a great point thanks for your reassurance ! Do you think, in your years at Barts, you will be doing the same exact things as the people who were there the whole time Is that how it works? I hope no one makes the St A transfers feel like outsiders

Just as a heads up to anyone with an upcoming interview - there are currently major roadworks outside St Andrews at Guardbridge. It normally takes me ~25 minutes to drive in from Dundee, but took me over an hour today because of the temporary traffic lights.
Work is continuing until April, so pretty much - if you have an interview, either avoid Guardbridge or allow at least an extra half an hour.

If you're getting a train to Leuchars, the roadworks also affect that. Buses are still running but have to follow a large diversion and still get stuck at the traffic lights.

Thank you for the heads up! Have my interview tomorrow, so will definitely leave earlier

Hellooo

Does anybody know if St. Andrews have given out any rejections at all? Pre or post interview? I haven't heard a peep from them; not expecting an interview this late, I would just like some closure 😂 But yeah just curious! Also good luck to anybody who has an interview coming up