The Student Room Group

sothampton or plymouth

should i choose plymouth or southampton for my medicine undergraduate degree?
It doesn't matter. Either will train you as a doctor.
The NHS is not going to care where your trained - and neither will your future patients.
Do you have offers for both?

If so consider factors like location of placements, whether an intercalated year is offered (or required - and whether that's something you do or don't want to do), what co-curricular activities and facilities they offer (e.g. societies, sporting facilities etc, whatever is important to you!), average rental prices for students in each city, cost of living in each city, location of the city relative to where "home" is for you (and associated costs relating to transport if you anticipate going home on most of the holidays), stuff like that. The practical side of where you're going to spend the next 5 years of your life! As above which uni you go to won't make a difference in terms of your career if you do get in, so it's just how well your experience of that time will go (no point going somewhere you would hate for the 5 years - that's a long time to spend somewhere you don't like!).

If you haven't yet applied then you need to focus on the shortlisting methodologies of each uni and see how you will score in those - do they score GCSEs, and if so are your GCSEs competitive? If they don't score GCSEs and it's all on UCAT, do you have a competitive UCAT score relative to previous years? The other factors noted above are also a consideration but the primary consideration will be maxaimising your chance of getting an interview (and hence potentially an offer!).
(edited 1 year ago)
Reply 3
Original post by artful_lounger
Do you have offers for both?

If so consider factors like location of placements, whether an intercalated year is offered (or required - and whether that's something you do or don't want to do), what co-curricular activities and facilities they offer (e.g. societies, sporting facilities etc, whatever is important to you!), average rental prices for students in each city, cost of living in each city, location of the city relative to where "home" is for you (and associated costs relating to transport if you anticipate going home on most of the holidays), stuff like that. The practical side of where you're going to spend the next 5 years of your life! As above which uni you go to won't make a difference in terms of your career if you do get in, so it's just how well your experience of that time will go (no point going somewhere you would hate for the 5 years - that's a long time to spend somewhere you don't like!).

If you haven't yet applied then you need to focus on the shortlisting methodologies of each uni and see how you will score in those - do they score GCSEs, and if so are your GCSEs competitive? If they don't score GCSEs and it's all on UCAT, do you have a competitive UCAT score relative to previous years? The other factors noted above are also a consideration but the primary consideration will be maxaimising your chance of getting an interview (and hence potentially an offer!).

I Havent applied and i meet the requirements for both, confused about the location, facilities and stuff as you mentioned
Reply 4
Original post by McGinger
It doesn't matter. Either will train you as a doctor.
The NHS is not going to care where your trained - and neither will your future patients.

no doubt but which location is better and offers more facilities and opportunities
Original post by ggqsf
I Havent applied and i meet the requirements for both, confused about the location, facilities and stuff as you mentioned


Well, this is what prospectuses and open days are for - there's lots of information in uni prospectuses/on their websites besides just entry criteria! Open days are also really helpful to get a feel for what the uni is like.

If you're applying for 2024 entry though I think you need to submit the application today so, maybe just flip a coin...
Original post by ggqsf
no doubt but which location is better and offers more facilities and opportunities


If you didnt go to the Open Days then look for Open Day and Campus Tour films on YouTube.
Original post by ggqsf
should i choose plymouth or southampton for my medicine undergraduate degree?


Hi @ggqsf,

This is the start to one of the biggest yet one of the most fun adventures to come! I have lived in Plymouth now for 4 years having completed my undergraduate degree and currently undertaking my masters here too... and I have loved every single second of it.
Here's my take upon some of your questions.


The location
In terms of general location, Plymouth is ideally situated on the South-west coastline, right on the cusp of Cornwall but lovingly situated in Devon. Because of this, sea and countryside are super accessible and make student living that much more fun and different to other universities. In terms of amenities, in Plymouth, nothing is more than a ~5 minute walk away including shops, the university, the sea, sports facilities, friends accommodation etc. Public transport consists of fairly regular trains linking all the way from Penzance to London Paddington, city buses, water taxis and the newly installed Beryl bikes (very fun) around the city. In terms of for medicine... I'll cover this part under the facilities which Plymouth has to offer.


The facilities
Plymouth has some immense facilities for medicine such as direct connections to the infamous Derriford hospital right on our doorstep. All medical students are provided with a free bus pass to easily access the bus stop and seems to be a fun rite of passage for everyone to catch the bus together to attend practical's and workshops there taught by practicing doctors who provide you with a plethora of opportunities, teachings and experiences.


Medicine placements
In Years 3-5, medical students will spend at least one year either in Torbay, Taunton or Plymouth, and rotate around these sites which friends have told me is a fantastic experience and opportunity. Throughout the years, clinical placements throughout the year are vast giving you an opportunity for testing the different sectors which medicine has to offer. Intercalation is also an option at Plymouth who prides itself in having great connections with prolific hospitals and other universities around the country.
More info on intercalated degrees at Plymouth: https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/study/intercalated-degrees

Extra-curricular activities
There is so much to do in our Ocean City! Especially when it comes to the sports and societies which are open for you to join if you join our university community. I could speak for days about them but have a look for yourself as we have 100+ to possibly join: https://www.upsu.com/
Medical society at Plymouth: https://www.upsu.com/societies/medsoc/

The course: https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/bmbs-bachelor-of-medicine-bachelor-of-surgery

Hope this answers some of your questions and let us know if you have anymore :smile:

Thalia - University of Plymouth Postgraduate Student Rep:parrot:

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