5th Year Medic @ Imperial; AMA

I wouldn't say it particularly cliquey, any more so than you would see in a normal school environment like secondary school etc. Imperial is a bit different because some of the medic lectures are on a separate campus and the medics have their own union and some sports societies so they do feel a bit more separate than what may happen at other unis, but there are defo ways to meet people from other courses and you'd be a fool if you didn't. Everyone definitley gets along, although as you may expect there is a slightly competitive atmosphere especially during exam seasons, especially since Imperial is considered a "top institution".

Hello fruitshoot,
thanks for the reply.
I have a few more last questions...
How often do you commute to teaching hospitals? Is your average timetable, say, mostly made up of medical lectures or can it be either way around from time to time?
Also, when you're in the teaching hospital then what else could you be expected to do in addition to observing patients?
I appreciate your help its really valuable.

Does Imperial have a competitive atmosphere?

So what you mean to say is... yes it is massively massively cliquey

Does Imperial have a competitive atmosphere?

It definitely can do at time. Especially during exam season, everyone is a bit more "individualistic" as they want to do the best they can compared to others. Generally everyone strives to do their best, which can also translate into trying to be the best. It's the sort of thing I would expect in other unis like Oxbridge/UCL etc.

Good morning @laloon
Hi sorry to barge in, and I must admit I have not read the numerous posts on this thread, but just saw your Q, and thought I would try to help out while @fruitshoot recovers from his/her last night on take!

Just to mention what else you will be required to do either from 3rd year OR earlier depending on the course structure at your chosen uni/hospital (I did my medicine a while ago, but most things are similar today):-

a) Some patients will be assigned to you each week; you will be "clerking" them i.e. taking a full history (Open history, then history of main complaint, related symptoms, past medical history [PMH], Review of Systems [asking specific Qs about each functional system of the body e.g. cardiovascular, respiratory, urinogenital, etc. - as you will know, any part of the body can have effects on any other part], family history [FH], drug history, social history [smoking, alcohol consumption, etc.]), performing a physical examination and ordering the necessary blood tests, ECG, radiographs (X-rays), etc. DON'T PANIC AT THIS STAGE AT ALL - the skills will be taught and you will learn by experience, although it might be daunting the first few times.
b) You will present the patients in a) to your consultant on that firm during the ward rounds, in which the consultant will ask you and your colleagues detailed Qs about the illness/possible causes of the patients problems, the results of the "tests", diagnosis and treatment options.
c) As mentioned in b) above, you will attend ward rounds in which you will see a number of patients in one/two wards. The round will normally be done by the consultant of the specialty [you will do the various medical specialties in 10-12 week firms], and a qualified junior doctor will be present together with a registrar.
d) You will attend out-patient clinics, in which you will do similar to the work in a) but much briefer, with the history and examination more geared to the patient's problem, of course due to the shorter time available.
e) You will be on "take" from time to time in a rota system with your class-mates. This means you will be on call 24 hours OR whole weekend, when you will be called out [including at night] to see newly admitted patients, mostly from A & E at night time, but also others referred urgently by GPs, etc. You will do similar to a) with them, but a little more expediently as the patients might be very unwell - DON'T WORRY! There will be doctors there to support you and to learn from.

THIS MIGHT SOUND LIKE A LOT OF WORK - yes it is, medicine is not for the squeamish! But you will manage, and you will enjoy it.

Best of luck!
M

gcse grades, and imperial accommodation costs?

This is also something I've heard about Imperial specifically from at least 3 (now 4) independent individuals.

I have never heard it about Cambridge and in my perception Oxford wasn't like that at all, although I have been accused of being naive in the past and I wasn't exactly interested in aiming for top marks!

I don't really know what to say about it tbh. As someone 5 years in, I feel like I've both seen it all and am used to it by now. My extended friend group has some of the smartest people in the year in it so I don't even think twice about hearing people do well.

please answer this!
okay so a 5th year medic at imperial told me that "a level" content is only like 0.3% of what u need to know for medical school and that scared me quite a bit. i wouldnt say a level biology is a lottttt of content now that i'm done with the course, but when u are first learning it, it's a LOTTTT!

so how much more do u think it is? is it like learning 5 a level biologies? just trying to put it into perspective

2) do u just get chucked a textbook and are expected to just memorise all the information? how does learning differ from learning ur a level info? i did almost 100% independent studying at a level thanks to bad teachers

So you routinely talk about who has done well and who hasn't? Because that's not something I ever did - I couldn't tell you who did well at all, except someone who was a contender for my closest friend in first year who came top of the whole year group, and I didn't even hear that from them, nor did I ever mention it to them because they would have hated it.

If this is true, do you think it might be because of the degree of segregation you describe? I mean, most of my friends at uni until 5th year were chemists/physicists/English/PPE. You can't compete with people you have no competition with!

It definitely can do at time. Especially during exam season, everyone is a bit more "individualistic" as they want to do the best they can compared to others. Generally everyone strives to do their best, which can also translate into trying to be the best. It's the sort of thing I would expect in other unis like Oxbridge/UCL etc.

No we don't routinely talk about it, I just have friends who are smart so I am surrounded by people who tend to work hard and do well. Like I said before, Imperial is just a competitive uni because it has high entry requirements etc, it's not a ruthless cutthroat environment.

I think that what I have heard from and what I know that UCL and Oxbridge are nowhere near as competitive as Imperial.

Other Universities such as UCL have higher entry requirements but it is not as competitive.