• Question: What was your personal experience of medical school?

    Asked by Sarah B to Rob, Phil, Kit, Charnelle, Ali on 6 Nov 2017.
    • Photo: Robert Cullum

      Robert Cullum answered on 6 Nov 2017:

      This is a really tough question to answer as there are so many things that I could talk about!

      Overall I loved my time at medical school as it gave me so many opportunities to do new things and meet new people which I would never have had if I hadn’t gone to university. Some of the highlights for me included the opportunity to spend 7 weeks in Australia at the end on my elective, the opportunity of being in charge of the production of a musical where the whole cast were 4th year medical students and contributing to a group of students (a very big group!) who raised over 1.4 million pounds for charity in my first year at Uni by going out and about in different cities collecting.

      Equally for all the good times there were also some challenges and I think that most people reach a point somewhere in the middle of all the exams and shorter holidays compared to everyone else that they just want to give up. In those times you have to just pick yourself up, press on and make sure you have a good group of friends around you to help you through. Everyone is going through the same challenges so there will always be someone around to help you. And those friends are now the people I know I will be friends with for the rest of my life 😀

    • Photo: Philip Williams

      Philip Williams answered on 6 Nov 2017:

      I absolutely loved medical school! Everyone was brilliant. The lectures (mostly) were great. Loads of clubs & societies from sporting clubs to cheese & wine society through Neighbours Society (Neighbours was a soap on TV in the 80s/90s if you don’t know what it is!). We had a third year musical which was Oliver! and was simply incredible. I was heavily involved in the political side of things as well, making sure students’ voices were heard in the medical school and working with the BMA (that’s the doctors’ union). I think the best thing about university is that there’s friends for everyone. Lots of people who struggled to make good friends at school suddenly found that they did have friends at university, and many appreciated a “fresh start”. A few did really struggle in the first few weeks, and that’s completely normal. it’s the first time away from home for many students. The main tip would be to go along to some of the activities that are put on and realise that you’re not alone! Everyone feels a bit lost the first few weeks, but similarly they’re hoping that someone will talk to them! Some of my best friends I met in the first week when we found each other queueing for the same thing (even if it is just the dinner queue!)

    • Photo: Kit T

      Kit T answered on 12 Nov 2017:

      I think it was one of the best things I’ve done and I’d probably like to go back and do it again, if there was less work! Going to uni for anyone is a great experience of freedom, making friends, discovering new things about yourself and others and you do make friends for life. There are so many opportunities for new interests, skills and experiences in and out of your course. It’s also inspiring being part of that atmosphere of learning and knowing that you’re building your future. Of course there were plenty of times when work seemed like too much; it’s a long intense course compared to most which is why having those friends and experiences outside studying is so important.

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