The Student Room Group
Halls of residence, St George's, University of London
St George's Hospital Medical School
London

Virtual Tour - Best Spots on the St George's Campus

With the COVID-19 lockdown, you may not have got a chance to see the best bits of the George’s campus, so here’s the places I think you should know about before you arrive at St George’s.

1) The SU Dragon bar



The SU bar on the 2nd floor of Hunter wing is the place to be in the day and in the evening with subsidised drinks, pool tables, good music and more, it’s a great place to hang out, both at day and at night!

su bar.jpg

2) The Library and the area outside



Our library on the 1st floor of Hunter wing is fantastic, well equipped for everything you might need and the staff are really friendly. Just outside the library, there’s lots of communal seating areas which are a great place to eat lunch, catch up with friends, or chill and work if you want to chat whilst you work.

library.jpg

3) The fish garden



When you walk towards St. James’ Wing, on your right-hand side there’s a lovely little garden with a pond full of brightly coloured fish. It’s a very relaxing place and my friends and I mostly use it for study breaks and relaxation close to exams watching the fish swim is a great stress reliever!

4) Prets and Peabody’s



Within the uni, we have 2 Pret a Mangers and 4 Peabody’s coffee shops, so you’re never far away from somewhere to get your daily caffeine fix. I personally like Pret’s food better and Peabody’s drinks better, but Peabody’s pasta bar is delicious too. It’s definitely worth exploring to see where your favourite food will come from.

peabodys.jpg

5) SU Shop



The SU shop on the ground floor of Hunter wing is your one stop shop for pretty much anything you need as a student stationary, food (including Krispy Kreme!), drinks, cards and clothing, they’ve got it all! It’s staffed by lovely students willing to help you out with anything you need if you need something and you don’t know where to buy it, try the SU shop.

6) The Dance and Music Rooms



On 2nd floor Hunter wing, you’ll find the well equipped SU, including the dance studios and music room. They’re fantastic for hosting events, practicing for university shows, or just popping in to blow off some steam whilst they’re not in use. The music room is equipped with two pianos, several guitars and a full-sized drum kit for you to use, and you can also bring your own instrument.

ahr.jpg

7) The SU Office



Right next to the Dragon Bar you’ll find the SU Office, where our top 4 all have desks and where you can get advice or help with pretty much anything. The SU execs are kind, approachable, and will always do their best to help you or point you towards somebody that can. If you have an issue, this is the place to go.

I hope that makes you feel more prepared to join the George’s family. We’re looking forward to meeting you!

Lauren
2nd Year Biomedical Science Student
St. George's Official Uni Rep
(edited 3 years ago)
Hey guys!

Amazing post by Lauren. If you have any further questions about societies and any of the facilities available at St. George's, please do ask us and we are happy to help!

Best Wishes,
MJ
4th Year MBBS
Official Uni Rep St. George's
Halls of residence, St George's, University of London
St George's Hospital Medical School
London
Just wanted to pop in and bring this post back up to the top of our forum so that our 2021 offer holders can see a bit of the campus!

Lauren
3rd Year Biomedical Science Student
SGUL Official Rep
Original post by St George's, University of London
Just wanted to pop in and bring this post back up to the top of our forum so that our 2021 offer holders can see a bit of the campus!

Lauren
3rd Year Biomedical Science Student
SGUL Official Rep

Hi

So... I’ve heard a couple of discouraging things abt the facilities, student union etc

Is it true that:
- the music facilities are awful; out of tune pianos, getting told off for ‘playing too loud’ in the music rooms
- there’s no free sports/gym facilities anymore
- there’s no languages opportunities... the closest u can get is ‘Spanish’ or ‘French’ etc societies which are more abt the food and music than anything else
- it’s dead ‘campus’ apart from the bar
- it’s hard to join other uni things bc of the sgul reputation
- it’s a bit like barts (the uni and the area) 🤢
- there’s awful admin which makes planning nights out etc with friends who don’t go there a lot harder
- there aren’t great opportunities in electives (most med schools help students go abroad in final year)
- there’s not much support with foundation training applications eg sjt etc
- very few people who are very (when I say very I mean like diploma level) good at music or very (national level) good at sport
- not many sports opportunities in general, especially competing in more obscure sports
- basically a kinda naff student union unless ur mediocre at everything (apart from academics)

Sorry that’s such a long list but I’d really appreciate specific answers to each one :smile:
I’ve also heard that there isn’t enough space for students at lunchtimes etc or in the library during exams :frown:
Original post by Anonymous
Hi

So... I’ve heard a couple of discouraging things abt the facilities, student union etc

Is it true that:
- the music facilities are awful; out of tune pianos, getting told off for ‘playing too loud’ in the music rooms
- there’s no free sports/gym facilities anymore
- there’s no languages opportunities... the closest u can get is ‘Spanish’ or ‘French’ etc societies which are more abt the food and music than anything else
- it’s dead ‘campus’ apart from the bar
- it’s hard to join other uni things bc of the sgul reputation
- it’s a bit like barts (the uni and the area) 🤢
- there’s awful admin which makes planning nights out etc with friends who don’t go there a lot harder
- there aren’t great opportunities in electives (most med schools help students go abroad in final year)
- there’s not much support with foundation training applications eg sjt etc
- very few people who are very (when I say very I mean like diploma level) good at music or very (national level) good at sport
- not many sports opportunities in general, especially competing in more obscure sports
- basically a kinda naff student union unless ur mediocre at everything (apart from academics)

Sorry that’s such a long list but I’d really appreciate specific answers to each one :smile:


Hey!

A lot of negative opinions about George's there lol! Not sure who has said this but would love to clear it up. I will answer it according to each question:

1. Music facilities are great. We do have a music room, whenever I walk past it I hear nothing when people are playing i.e. not heard people telling them to quieten down. We also have lots of societies for music and events such as Tooting show, Fashion show and Diwali show where everyone with musical abilities (there are A LOT of talented musicians at George's). And if this doesn't tickle your fancy then you can partake in activities in universities in London in general (one of the perks of being part of University of London). I hope that answers your queries around music
2. We don't have a gym facility however we have a partnership with Tooting Leisure centre where you can get swimming, sauna, courts, gym etc all for £16 (normal amount would be £50). So I think it's a pretty sweet deal. We also have an indoor sports hall where a lot of our sports do happen i.e. basketball, cricket. Places like Wimbledon are also utilised for sports courts access i.e. for hockey/netball courts use!
3. Unsure about the languages part but I do know there are quite a few societies that do teach you languages. Would recommend emailing the University if you are itching to know about this though!
4. To be honest, I think one of the best things about St. George's is that it is a healthcare University. An even better thing is that it is located inside a Hospital. You are around healthcare from the get go and can meet and network with HCPs from day dot. It's honestly how you take it. The campus may be small but I think it depends on the person, what they would like. Tooting is literally St. George's campus though with that being said, students live around this area and Tooting becomes your campus! St. George's also has a community feel due to people looking out for you a lot (much to do with our Mum's and Dad's scheme!). Feel free to explore other Universities though if this doesn't appeal to you.
5. This is a bit of a surprise to me! Very easy to engage with other Universities and their events. Not sure what you mean by the SGUL reputation but from what I know and from quite a bit of statistics, SGUL produces competent, well rounded graduates who are not only good with their clinical skills, but with their communication also. People excel academically, socially and strive to become leaders who are challenging the problems of the world. One of our graduates has met with Michelle Obama to address gender equality, another student has created Mind the Gap (which has received international recognition due to its focus on equality, diversity and inclusion especially with BAME and their health problems) and there are so many more students I can give further examples of! So to me, I think St George's reputation is quite something and definitely something to be proud of.
6. Unsure what you mean by comparing it to Barts - I'm sure Barts is an amazing medical school.
7. Admin is a problem everywhere if I am honest; but with COVID I suppose it has become even more difficult with staff shortages etc. Again not something I can comment on.
8. Electives - I'm in my 4th year so I wouldn't know but will find out and get back to you! In hindsight, a lot of my friends have gone abroad for their electives - India, Malaysia, Singapore, USA, Nepal. So it would seem there are a lot of international opportunities if I am honest!
9. No one has complained about Foundation training process. In fact, last week we had a talk about Final year and UKFPO applications (4-5 months before applications open!). We also have a designated person who we contact should we have any difficulties.
10. Sport: we have many societies - literally ranging from fencing to cricket. And if there isn't a society you like, you can make one. You can also join University of London sport events - fencing, hockey, karate and a few other sports take place in central London in conjunction with other Universities. So you basically get all the perks of being in central London :smile:
11. There are lots of places to eat during lunch: student union bar, canteen, 2nd floor rooms. Library: sure during exam time it gets busy but spaces to become available. Also we have three computer rooms and plenty of personal study spaces on the 5th floor, 4th floor, 2nd floor, 1st floor and basement.

Hope this answers your questions - have answered as truthfully as possible! Ultimately it is your decision where you would like to go and what you are looking for from a University. The teaching style, extracurriculars and people matter a lot so I can completely understand your concern. Whatever you choose, I hope you enjoy your medical school experience - it only happens once!

Best Wishes,
MJ
4th Year MBBS
Official Uni Rep St. George's
Original post by St George's, University of London
Hey!

A lot of negative opinions about George's there lol! Not sure who has said this but would love to clear it up. I will answer it according to each question:

1. Music facilities are great. We do have a music room, whenever I walk past it I hear nothing when people are playing i.e. not heard people telling them to quieten down. We also have lots of societies for music and events such as Tooting show, Fashion show and Diwali show where everyone with musical abilities (there are A LOT of talented musicians at George's). And if this doesn't tickle your fancy then you can partake in activities in universities in London in general (one of the perks of being part of University of London). I hope that answers your queries around music
2. We don't have a gym facility however we have a partnership with Tooting Leisure centre where you can get swimming, sauna, courts, gym etc all for £16 (normal amount would be £50). So I think it's a pretty sweet deal. We also have an indoor sports hall where a lot of our sports do happen i.e. basketball, cricket. Places like Wimbledon are also utilised for sports courts access i.e. for hockey/netball courts use!
3. Unsure about the languages part but I do know there are quite a few societies that do teach you languages. Would recommend emailing the University if you are itching to know about this though!
4. To be honest, I think one of the best things about St. George's is that it is a healthcare University. An even better thing is that it is located inside a Hospital. You are around healthcare from the get go and can meet and network with HCPs from day dot. It's honestly how you take it. The campus may be small but I think it depends on the person, what they would like. Tooting is literally St. George's campus though with that being said, students live around this area and Tooting becomes your campus! St. George's also has a community feel due to people looking out for you a lot (much to do with our Mum's and Dad's scheme!). Feel free to explore other Universities though if this doesn't appeal to you.
5. This is a bit of a surprise to me! Very easy to engage with other Universities and their events. Not sure what you mean by the SGUL reputation but from what I know and from quite a bit of statistics, SGUL produces competent, well rounded graduates who are not only good with their clinical skills, but with their communication also. People excel academically, socially and strive to become leaders who are challenging the problems of the world. One of our graduates has met with Michelle Obama to address gender equality, another student has created Mind the Gap (which has received international recognition due to its focus on equality, diversity and inclusion especially with BAME and their health problems) and there are so many more students I can give further examples of! So to me, I think St George's reputation is quite something and definitely something to be proud of.
6. Unsure what you mean by comparing it to Barts - I'm sure Barts is an amazing medical school.
7. Admin is a problem everywhere if I am honest; but with COVID I suppose it has become even more difficult with staff shortages etc. Again not something I can comment on.
8. Electives - I'm in my 4th year so I wouldn't know but will find out and get back to you! In hindsight, a lot of my friends have gone abroad for their electives - India, Malaysia, Singapore, USA, Nepal. So it would seem there are a lot of international opportunities if I am honest!
9. No one has complained about Foundation training process. In fact, last week we had a talk about Final year and UKFPO applications (4-5 months before applications open!). We also have a designated person who we contact should we have any difficulties.
10. Sport: we have many societies - literally ranging from fencing to cricket. And if there isn't a society you like, you can make one. You can also join University of London sport events - fencing, hockey, karate and a few other sports take place in central London in conjunction with other Universities. So you basically get all the perks of being in central London :smile:
11. There are lots of places to eat during lunch: student union bar, canteen, 2nd floor rooms. Library: sure during exam time it gets busy but spaces to become available. Also we have three computer rooms and plenty of personal study spaces on the 5th floor, 4th floor, 2nd floor, 1st floor and basement.

Hope this answers your questions - have answered as truthfully as possible! Ultimately it is your decision where you would like to go and what you are looking for from a University. The teaching style, extracurriculars and people matter a lot so I can completely understand your concern. Whatever you choose, I hope you enjoy your medical school experience - it only happens once!

Best Wishes,
MJ
4th Year MBBS
Official Uni Rep St. George's

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer...
I feel like most unis simply ignore when they get asked abt negative things they’ve heard.
So the fact that u replied makes me feel even better abt the uni :biggrin:

What I mean by relating to barts was the area (idk how much u know but it’s a little dodgy, some people say it’s ‘ghetto’) isn’t very nice as in it has a pretty high crime rate and it isn’t the safest area in London...
I wanted to know what tooting is like... although I guess it’s not far from Wimbledon so I assume it’s a lot better than Whitechapel!

It’d be great if u could find out more abt electives tho... :smile:
My initial thought when u responded with ‘India, Malaysia, Singapore, USA, Nepal‘ was that maybe it’s bc they’re international students so they have their own contacts there (but u said they’re ur friends so ofc you’d know!) ?

I think my main question is acc...
for someone with no contacts, would the uni be able to give them support with international electives?

Thanks again for replying!
Also (slightly unrelated)
Intercalation is optional... so how does it work?
- when do u decide (and when do u do it?)
- how common is it?
- how common is it for people to go to another uni for it (some med schools allow intercalation in nonmedicinerelated subjects)

- could u do a list of pros and cons of intercalation? :colondollar:

Thanks!
Also how does all the university of London stuff work??

Sorry for all the questions!
I’ll pop in here, I am not at medical school but have lived near St. George’s for 20+ years. I actually go to university over by Barts.
Tooting is a great area,won best food place in the world last year. Then you have clapham very close which is more of a night out /bar place (5 mins on tube).
Original post by Catherine1973
I’ll pop in here, I am not at medical school but have lived near St. George’s for 20+ years. I actually go to university over by Barts.
Tooting is a great area,won best food place in the world last year. Then you have clapham very close which is more of a night out /bar place (5 mins on tube).

Thanks!
Original post by Anonymous
Also how does all the university of London stuff work??

Sorry for all the questions!

Also I thought I should clarify the point abt sgul reputation... I’ve heard abt how some people have found it harder to interact with people from other unis bc sgul isn’t a ‘top uni’ and it’s not Russel group... perhaps it’s just a minority of narrow-minded students that make people from sgul feel uncomfortable?

(ofc it has a great reputation in the medicine world!
It’s just that it’s such a small uni (only healthcare subjects) that its obvious that it wouldn’t get that high in league tables)
Original post by Anonymous
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer...
I feel like most unis simply ignore when they get asked abt negative things they’ve heard.
So the fact that u replied makes me feel even better abt the uni :biggrin:

What I mean by relating to barts was the area (idk how much u know but it’s a little dodgy, some people say it’s ‘ghetto’) isn’t very nice as in it has a pretty high crime rate and it isn’t the safest area in London...
I wanted to know what tooting is like... although I guess it’s not far from Wimbledon so I assume it’s a lot better than Whitechapel!

It’d be great if u could find out more abt electives tho... :smile:
My initial thought when u responded with ‘India, Malaysia, Singapore, USA, Nepal‘ was that maybe it’s bc they’re international students so they have their own contacts there (but u said they’re ur friends so ofc you’d know!) ?

I think my main question is acc...
for someone with no contacts, would the uni be able to give them support with international electives?

Thanks again for replying!


No worries!

Tooting is a good area - obviously if you go out at certain times you have to be safe. But there are lots of nearby areas like Balham, Earlsfield, Wimbledon, Clapham common etc which are lovely and have lots of family friendly areas (and student friendly).

No they aren't international students. But as soon as I find out more information regarding elective I will let you know. I think because of the current COVID situation they are probably not going to allow international travel unless things are set in stone.

Best Wishes,
MJ
4th year MBBS
Official Uni Rep St. George's
Original post by St George's, University of London
Hey!

A lot of negative opinions about George's there lol! Not sure who has said this but would love to clear it up. I will answer it according to each question:

1. Music facilities are great. We do have a music room, whenever I walk past it I hear nothing when people are playing i.e. not heard people telling them to quieten down. We also have lots of societies for music and events such as Tooting show, Fashion show and Diwali show where everyone with musical abilities (there are A LOT of talented musicians at George's). And if this doesn't tickle your fancy then you can partake in activities in universities in London in general (one of the perks of being part of University of London). I hope that answers your queries around music
2. We don't have a gym facility however we have a partnership with Tooting Leisure centre where you can get swimming, sauna, courts, gym etc all for £16 (normal amount would be £50). So I think it's a pretty sweet deal. We also have an indoor sports hall where a lot of our sports do happen i.e. basketball, cricket. Places like Wimbledon are also utilised for sports courts access i.e. for hockey/netball courts use!
3. Unsure about the languages part but I do know there are quite a few societies that do teach you languages. Would recommend emailing the University if you are itching to know about this though!
4. To be honest, I think one of the best things about St. George's is that it is a healthcare University. An even better thing is that it is located inside a Hospital. You are around healthcare from the get go and can meet and network with HCPs from day dot. It's honestly how you take it. The campus may be small but I think it depends on the person, what they would like. Tooting is literally St. George's campus though with that being said, students live around this area and Tooting becomes your campus! St. George's also has a community feel due to people looking out for you a lot (much to do with our Mum's and Dad's scheme!). Feel free to explore other Universities though if this doesn't appeal to you.
5. This is a bit of a surprise to me! Very easy to engage with other Universities and their events. Not sure what you mean by the SGUL reputation but from what I know and from quite a bit of statistics, SGUL produces competent, well rounded graduates who are not only good with their clinical skills, but with their communication also. People excel academically, socially and strive to become leaders who are challenging the problems of the world. One of our graduates has met with Michelle Obama to address gender equality, another student has created Mind the Gap (which has received international recognition due to its focus on equality, diversity and inclusion especially with BAME and their health problems) and there are so many more students I can give further examples of! So to me, I think St George's reputation is quite something and definitely something to be proud of.
6. Unsure what you mean by comparing it to Barts - I'm sure Barts is an amazing medical school.
7. Admin is a problem everywhere if I am honest; but with COVID I suppose it has become even more difficult with staff shortages etc. Again not something I can comment on.
8. Electives - I'm in my 4th year so I wouldn't know but will find out and get back to you! In hindsight, a lot of my friends have gone abroad for their electives - India, Malaysia, Singapore, USA, Nepal. So it would seem there are a lot of international opportunities if I am honest!
9. No one has complained about Foundation training process. In fact, last week we had a talk about Final year and UKFPO applications (4-5 months before applications open!). We also have a designated person who we contact should we have any difficulties.
10. Sport: we have many societies - literally ranging from fencing to cricket. And if there isn't a society you like, you can make one. You can also join University of London sport events - fencing, hockey, karate and a few other sports take place in central London in conjunction with other Universities. So you basically get all the perks of being in central London :smile:
11. There are lots of places to eat during lunch: student union bar, canteen, 2nd floor rooms. Library: sure during exam time it gets busy but spaces to become available. Also we have three computer rooms and plenty of personal study spaces on the 5th floor, 4th floor, 2nd floor, 1st floor and basement.

Hope this answers your questions - have answered as truthfully as possible! Ultimately it is your decision where you would like to go and what you are looking for from a University. The teaching style, extracurriculars and people matter a lot so I can completely understand your concern. Whatever you choose, I hope you enjoy your medical school experience - it only happens once!

Best Wishes,
MJ
4th Year MBBS
Official Uni Rep St. George's


Hey,
I'll be starting at St George's next week. How do you go about getting membership at Tooting leisure centre? Do you have to bring your ID card with you when you sign up?

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