For current students: Barts, Birmingham or manchester?

**vio_mo_lin** · 18-04-2007, 10:23 PM

Heya
This is for current med students at Birmingham.
I'm trying to decide which Unis to put down as my 1st and 2nd choice.
I'd potentially go to any of them, but have thought of some pros and cons and wonder if you'd be able to offer your own opinions with regard to Birmingham.
Barts Pros: In London, good course as it's a mix of teaching and PBL (correct me if I'm wrong). Cons: dodgy area? Whitechapel is quite run down and I'm not sure if I want to study there for the next five years of my life...
Birmingham Pros: Good course, not too much PBL. Nice Uni. Cons: not sure about accomodation - is it all in hotel style acc. i.e. big block with lots of individual rooms as opposed to flats shared by several students? Also is the music e.g. orchestras, concert bands and chamber groups good? And what about getting about - do most people have a car?
Manchester Pros: Good area, great city Cons: Entirely PBL - I've heard mixed views about this and how well you learn from it. And the course is everything.
I'd be grateful of your views/experiences of med school so far.
Cheers

**DrKK** · 19-04-2007, 02:50 AM

Birmingham cons:
-rubbish course
-currently making it even worse
-too many students for them to deal with
-lack of organisation
-it's in bham
Birmingham pros:
-ppl seem to think its a good medical school

**bennett** · 19-04-2007, 02:54 AM

Ouch!!

**emeleo-layc123** · 19-04-2007, 03:03 AM

hahahaa Dr K soo ain goin 4 birmingham then !

lol

if i woz in ya shoes ryt now ... id be thinkin more towards goin 2 brum as opposed 2 ne of the others ......

dnt no much at all bout QMUL cept for the fact tht the area lyk ya said ain xactly orange county!

on the other hand, with manchesta ... i've heard lotsa different things bout PBL! on the positive side i guess it proactively prepares you for revision for woteva exams your gonna av to take . nd ive heard that from a manchesta medic's sis

i guess ya no the downsides 2 PBL ...

**infinity** · 19-04-2007, 10:56 AM

Originally Posted by DrKK

Birmingham cons:
-rubbish course
-currently making it even worse
-too many students for them to deal with
-lack of organisation
-it's in bham
Birmingham pros:
-ppl seem to think its a good medical school

it aint that bad, surely?

**fairyemily** · 19-04-2007, 02:46 PM

thats a load of crapt, how culd u possibly say that?! It shows ur complete lack of knowledge which is merely based upon ur own 'sterotypical' opinions on pre conceived facts which you actually do not whether are true or not.

Birmingham firstly does not have accomodation which is a hotel style, it has the best campus after nottingham, and its nite life is second to none. Elgar court, aitcken, are hardly hotel styles?! Also you could go off the vale which certainly arent hotel like. Yes it is true maybe chamberlain is slightly like a hotel block but generally the students who go there have the most fun. They have just spent millions of pounds on new lecture rooms, the medical school is the best out of the 4 unis i have offers from and the pupils welcoming, friendly and extremely enthusiastic. The pupils at manchester were not very enthusiastic and one even said to me that she regrets doing an entirely Pbl course!! Also birmingham has an excellent reputation, great hospitals to work at unlike manchester where u have to go to Sailsbury to go to the hospital. London on the other hand though diverse and you will see very rare cases, is firstly hugely expensive and does not have a student university feel.

DrKK i think you should keep ur deregotory comments to urself.

**infinity** · 19-04-2007, 02:51 PM

Originally Posted by fairyemily

DrKK i think you should keep ur deregotory comments to urself.

(s)he does/did study at bham if i recall correctly, but the med school didnt come across that way when i went...

**DrKK** · 19-04-2007, 04:05 PM

I didn't keep my comments to myself because somebody asked for peoples opinions. (pro's and CON'S) Although i did try to delete my message incase it upset people like you, but it wouldn't let me. I am guessing that I'm in a better position to comment then anyone else in this discussion as I have spent nearly 5 years at Bham. I know there are a lot of students who would agree with me and also many who would not.