Hull york medical school, does anyone go there?

Hello, I just wanted to know your views on hyms, is it good? Bad? Whats the teaching like. What activities do you do? Pictures of accomodation would be appreciated as well. I'm thinking of going to hyms. Thanks! :smile:

Reply 1

ab192

Hi I'm a second year at HYMS based at Hull,
Your first two years will either be based at Hull or York so your experience might be different if you're in York (teaching is the same, accommodation and social aspects will obviously be different).
I'll try and take you through a typical first year week so you can know what the teaching is like:
Each week will be about a particular organ/ disease/ system depending on the topic
Lets say one week is about red blood cells:
The teaching week starts on a Thursday in year one and starts with a couple of lectures in the morning to introduce the topic. You'll then have PBL in the afternoon for 1 and a half hours (this has a doctor as facilitator unlike other med schools, which can have lay people who can't really help), with two or three virtual patients that you glean learning outcomes (in this case one might be to learn about the development of red blood cells) from, the PBL tutor usually gives you the official outcomes at the end the exercise is mostly to get you thinking. You'll then have half an hour break after which you'll have clinical skills for another half hour where you practice consultations (history taking) with actors or learn how to do physical exams on each other. This is all very integrated with the week so if you're learning about the heart you'll learn how to do a cardiovascular examination that week.
On Friday, there are more lectures usually two or three. I should mention that lectures aren't compulsory so you don't actually have to go to any of them and they are recorded and put online a week later so you don't really miss anything. I try and go to all of them as they are pretty good and usually help with PBL/ cover things not in PBL that are examinable. Occasionally there are workshops (seminars) and biopracticals.
Monday more lectures and more PBL, if relevant to the week there is also anatomy which is done with prosections (though you can get to dissect as an optional SSC).
Tuesdays, you have the morning off and placement in the afternoon, this alternates each week between GP and hospital. Travel expenses are reimbursed by the med school and a bus is arranged to hospital unlike other med schools.
Wednesdays you have SSCs which you can choose at the opposite campus as well.

On the whole I'd say teaching is pretty good. Some people complain we don't get enough teaching/ we don't go into enough detail especially with anatomy. But I'd say it is what you make of it and there is a lot of self directed learning like with any medical course. You'll get out what you put in and it's just about what level of depth you try and get out.
You can look up accommodation on the unis websites. In Hull everyone lives either in student houses adjacent to campus or in halls which are on campus. The halls are ensuite, but small and relatively expensive. The houses are variable quality but can have large rooms.

I think quite a lot of people are put off by Hull's reputation, but I don't see any problem with Hull after living here. It has rough areas like any city but the area around uni is lovely. Cities like Manchester, Leeds and Southampton are a lot worse from my experience. NIghts out and accommodation are very very cheap. Another thing with the medical school is the small size (70 each at Hull and York) means you get to know everyone really easily as well as other years. Plus you actually get to know your tutors personally and can contact them personally on their mobiles in many cases for any support. All in all I think HYMS is great and highly recommend it.