Aberdeen or Edinburgh for Medicine
I have offers from Aberdeen and Edinburgh to study medicine and currently trying to decide between the two. What would you choose and why?
I like the rural placements Aberdeen offers and the course is highly rated in the UK.
Edinburgh ranks highly and has a good reputation internationally for medicine, especially research. They also have the royal infirmary and western general for clinical years!
I like the rural placements Aberdeen offers and the course is highly rated in the UK.
Edinburgh ranks highly and has a good reputation internationally for medicine, especially research. They also have the royal infirmary and western general for clinical years!
(edited 1 year ago)
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Medicine A-Level subjects queries
Work Experience and Voluntary Work
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Official Undergraduate Medicine 2023 Entry
Graduate Entry Medicine 2023 Entry
Medicine 2023 entry for resit / retake / gap year applicants
A100 Medicine for International Students 2023 Entry
Medicine Interview discussion 2023 Entry
2023 entry A100 / A101 Medicine fastest and slowest offer senders
Index of Individual Medical School Applicants' threads 2023 Entry
2024 Applicants :
Official Undergraduate Medicine 2024 Entry
Graduate Entry Medicine 2024 Entry
GAMSAT 2024 / 2025 entry discussions megathread
UCAT 2024 Entry Discussions Megathread
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Graduate Entry Medicine 2025 Entry
Official Undergraduate Medicine 2025 Entry
Useful Articles:
GCSE Requirements for Medicine
Everything you need to know about the BMAT
Work Experience as a Graduate or Mature student
Medicine Personal Statement Advice
Medicine Personal Statement Advice (Graduate Entry)
Interview Frequently Asked Questions
MMI Medicine Interview Tips
What to do after an unsuccessful first application
If your query is answered by one of the Megathreads or articles linked above, and you would like us to close this thread for you, please reply to this thread with just the words "thank you". A member of our team will then get it locked.
Original post by cammy5
I have offers from Aberdeen and Edinburgh to study medicine and currently trying to decide between the two. What would you choose and why?
I like the rural placements Aberdeen offers and the course is highly rated in the UK.
Edinburgh ranks highly and has a good reputation internationally for medicine, especially research. They also have the royal infirmary and western general for clinical years!
I like the rural placements Aberdeen offers and the course is highly rated in the UK.
Edinburgh ranks highly and has a good reputation internationally for medicine, especially research. They also have the royal infirmary and western general for clinical years!
Congratulations for getting both medical offers.
One man's meat is another man's poison.
If your long term goal is to work as a GP in the rural area, Aberdeen may be more suitable. On the other hand, if you would like a career in academic medicine or to work internationally, I would go with Edinburgh.
For medicine, "ranking" makes no difference if you plan to work in the UK. The only provider of postgraduate medical training posts is the NHS, which considers all medical schools equal in line with the GMC (which accredits the medical schools). Also specialty recruitment is blinded to your medical school to ensure that where you studied cannot bias the process.
You should probably focus on other aspects, like which location you prefer, which placements seem preferable (also consider the location of placements and how you will travel to them/where you may stay while on placement), facilities of the uni, teaching format(s) at each (e.g. does one have cadaveric dissection vs prosection at the other?) etc.
Edinburgh I gather is quite expensive to live in so there is that to consider too.
You should probably focus on other aspects, like which location you prefer, which placements seem preferable (also consider the location of placements and how you will travel to them/where you may stay while on placement), facilities of the uni, teaching format(s) at each (e.g. does one have cadaveric dissection vs prosection at the other?) etc.
Edinburgh I gather is quite expensive to live in so there is that to consider too.
Hey, first of all congratulations!
I've also got 2 offers so far from Aberdeen and Edinburgh and I'm having trouble deciding too haha.
Although Edinburgh has its advantages, I'm leaning more towards Aberdeen at the minute because of the teaching style and course structure. From what I've seen, Edinburgh is more traditional and research focused whereas Aberdeen has an integrated approach to learning which appeals more to me. The remote and rural program at Aberdeen will be a great, new experience but I also really like the medical humanities SSC, early patient contact and working with patient partners.
Additionally, intercalating at Edinburgh is compulsory whereas at Aberdeen it's optional. I like the option to choose as this gives me time to decide whether or not I'd like to intercalate in a particular field that I'm interested in.
But all medicine reasons aside, the community and people at Aberdeen seem very nice and friendly too! There's plenty of societies/clubs on offer and it's much cheaper to live in Aberdeen than at Edinburgh.
I've also got 2 offers so far from Aberdeen and Edinburgh and I'm having trouble deciding too haha.
Although Edinburgh has its advantages, I'm leaning more towards Aberdeen at the minute because of the teaching style and course structure. From what I've seen, Edinburgh is more traditional and research focused whereas Aberdeen has an integrated approach to learning which appeals more to me. The remote and rural program at Aberdeen will be a great, new experience but I also really like the medical humanities SSC, early patient contact and working with patient partners.
Additionally, intercalating at Edinburgh is compulsory whereas at Aberdeen it's optional. I like the option to choose as this gives me time to decide whether or not I'd like to intercalate in a particular field that I'm interested in.
But all medicine reasons aside, the community and people at Aberdeen seem very nice and friendly too! There's plenty of societies/clubs on offer and it's much cheaper to live in Aberdeen than at Edinburgh.
Original post by Raphgutierr
Hey, first of all congratulations!
I've also got 2 offers so far from Aberdeen and Edinburgh and I'm having trouble deciding too haha.
Although Edinburgh has its advantages, I'm leaning more towards Aberdeen at the minute because of the teaching style and course structure. From what I've seen, Edinburgh is more traditional and research focused whereas Aberdeen has an integrated approach to learning which appeals more to me. The remote and rural program at Aberdeen will be a great, new experience but I also really like the medical humanities SSC, early patient contact and working with patient partners.
Additionally, intercalating at Edinburgh is compulsory whereas at Aberdeen it's optional. I like the option to choose as this gives me time to decide whether or not I'd like to intercalate in a particular field that I'm interested in.
But all medicine reasons aside, the community and people at Aberdeen seem very nice and friendly too! There's plenty of societies/clubs on offer and it's much cheaper to live in Aberdeen than at Edinburgh.
I've also got 2 offers so far from Aberdeen and Edinburgh and I'm having trouble deciding too haha.
Although Edinburgh has its advantages, I'm leaning more towards Aberdeen at the minute because of the teaching style and course structure. From what I've seen, Edinburgh is more traditional and research focused whereas Aberdeen has an integrated approach to learning which appeals more to me. The remote and rural program at Aberdeen will be a great, new experience but I also really like the medical humanities SSC, early patient contact and working with patient partners.
Additionally, intercalating at Edinburgh is compulsory whereas at Aberdeen it's optional. I like the option to choose as this gives me time to decide whether or not I'd like to intercalate in a particular field that I'm interested in.
But all medicine reasons aside, the community and people at Aberdeen seem very nice and friendly too! There's plenty of societies/clubs on offer and it's much cheaper to live in Aberdeen than at Edinburgh.
good valid reasons
I would add that, in addition to accommodation costing much more in Edinburgh, there is a scarcity of student housing there which adds the stress of house hunting each autumn for the next academic year’s home
ie adds that avoidable stress to the unavoidable pressures of studying for an intensive degree
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