Looking for current Bute medical students opinion on the course.

**Plisken** · 27-02-2008, 05:07 AM

Hi there!

I have an interview on the 17th of March and I have been currently preparing for it. I thought maybe it would be a good idea to ask some medical students who know what they are talking about (if they have time!) some of finer details about St Andrews and Bute alike.

It seems like questions about the course structure and content seem fairly standard and I was wondering if someone could help explain what defines the St Andrews course.
- I hear it is traditional, in what way?
- The pros and cons of that?
- Why does Bute have you spend your final 3 clinical years at a different Uni?
- Is there much problem based learning? What are the pros and cons of that?
- Anything you feel is really worth mentioning about the course?

Also I was wondering about the actual area itself. Unfortunately I haven't been able to visit St Andrews (YET!) but I was wondering if someone who lives there can really give me an insiders opinion. My own understanding is that it is unique in it's geography - close to the scottish hills and by the coastline. Smaller than most other cities it has a quaint feel to it and very student orientated in terms of help and comfort. To me it suits me down to the ground, historic, romantic, a perfect location to continue my fitness (is there a good gym?) Plus it's smaller more natural placement is somehwere I think I can focus on my work because that is what I will be there for but that is not to say that St Andrews is boring. Infact I am looking forward to checking out the drama society for example!
So.....am I completely deluded? What makes or breaks St Andrews? What attracted you? What do you enjoy most? Anything I ought to know if I plan to talk about it?

Please don't think that this is an exhaustive list of questions

NO! I'm only looking from an insiders opinion on the subject

Thanks! - I'll keep the boards informed on how the interview goes!

**VeerTheTIGuy** · 28-02-2008, 05:32 PM

Originally Posted by Plisken

Hi there!

I have an interview on the 17th of March and I have been currently preparing for it. I thought maybe it would be a good idea to ask some medical students who know what they are talking about (if they have time!) some of finer details about St Andrews and Bute alike.

It seems like questions about the course structure and content seem fairly standard and I was wondering if someone could help explain what defines the St Andrews course.
- I hear it is traditional, in what way?
- The pros and cons of that?
- Why does Bute have you spend your final 3 clinical years at a different Uni?
- Is there much problem based learning? What are the pros and cons of that?
- Anything you feel is really worth mentioning about the course?

Also I was wondering about the actual area itself. Unfortunately I haven't been able to visit St Andrews (YET!) but I was wondering if someone who lives there can really give me an insiders opinion. My own understanding is that it is unique in it's geography - close to the scottish hills and by the coastline. Smaller than most other cities it has a quaint feel to it and very student orientated in terms of help and comfort. To me it suits me down to the ground, historic, romantic, a perfect location to continue my fitness (is there a good gym?) Plus it's smaller more natural placement is somehwere I think I can focus on my work because that is what I will be there for but that is not to say that St Andrews is boring. Infact I am looking forward to checking out the drama society for example!
So.....am I completely deluded? What makes or breaks St Andrews? What attracted you? What do you enjoy most? Anything I ought to know if I plan to talk about it?

Please don't think that this is an exhaustive list of questions

NO! I'm only looking from an insiders opinion on the subject

Thanks! - I'll keep the boards informed on how the interview goes!

OK, here I go again...

-St. Andrews is traditional in the sense that it isn't a PBL course. We are very much lecture-based, and seem to get a better education because of it.
-Pros: Material is taught, lots of help
Cons: ...can't think of any off the top of my head. lol
-Since you obviously have not seen St. Andrews yet, I will let you know that it is quite a small town, and does not have a patient population large enough to support a teaching hospital. Therefore the clinical years are done elsewhere.
-Yes, there is a teensy bit of PBL in the patient strand, but the info you would have to look up if you were on a PBL course is handed to you in lecture, so no need to worry. I refer you to other threads in this forum for more info
-It's f'ing awesome.

We have an Athletic Union which has an OK sized gym, it's a bit expensive but the other alternative gyms are few and far between, and [i believe] more expensive than the AU. Nightlife is good; town is very student-oriented (as is noticed if you are ever here during a student holiday).

Like I said, good insights have been given in other threads, so have a peek around at what we've all said before.

Btw, did I mention it's awesome?

**iona** · 29-02-2008, 01:17 AM

Thank you VeerTheTIguy for all the very useful information I'm managing to get off the back of other folk's questions.

If you've got any time and patience left, could I ask your advice about halls? Do first years get to choose at all? I'd really like a self-catering, single en-suite... is that outrageously optimistic or a possibility? And, should I be looking for halls nearest to the medical school or is St Andrews sufficiently small for position not to matter? Cheers.

**VeerTheTIGuy** · 29-02-2008, 04:48 AM

haha you basically just described DRA (David Russel Apartments). they're about 30-45 minutes from the bute (depends how fast you walk/how late you are), and maybe 20-ish to town. the only single en-suites are New Hall, DRA, and John Burnett Annexe. Check out the accommodation website: http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/students...etoresidences/

I have no idea if they let first years pick or not, sorry...

**-Petrie-** · 29-02-2008, 04:58 AM

Veer, you're so helpful!

One more question if that's okay? Do you find that there is much to do in St.Andrews? It's such a small place, is there much to to do away from academic work or even away from the university? I have a friend who turned down her medicine offer for St.Andrews last year because she said 'apart from golf and looking at the countryside, there isn't much too do in St.A' which worried me a bit!

Thanks for all your help

**terpineol** · 01-03-2008, 08:36 PM

I've not found any problem finding things to do.

There is a plethora of watering holes, loads of sports, and far too much work for doing either.

**TMG** · 01-03-2008, 09:03 PM

Hi Petrie - mind if i ask YOU a question?Your choices are all very diffferent in terms of size,teaching methods,location - just wondering how come you chose those unis?

**-Petrie-** · 02-03-2008, 03:07 AM

lol well basically:

UCL - I applied last year, absoultely fell in love with the uni, place, course structure etc etc. 'Cus I got rejected last year and was allowed to reapply I thought I might as well take a chance to go to my dream uni! Similar size to Manc

Sheffield - very similar course to UCL, great city when I visited, nice uni. I honestly couldnt see any drawbacks to applying there especially since they really encourage reapplicants to apply. The only possible thing I can think of is that I guess it's not as 'prestigious' as some places, but I've never been to overly bothered with that kinda thing! It's also close to home, like Manc. It was also a pretty good size - not too big, not too small medical school!

Manc - close to home, love the city, great uni. only possible drawback was the course, as I was a bit worried about it being too PBL-heavy. that's still an issue that I have with now, seeing as I prefer everything about Manc except the course to Sheffield and I can't decide between them. If I could transplant the Sheffield course to Manc or the Manc city to Sheffield then I could!! This is the only one I really had an 'issue' with when I applied.

St. Andrews - really loved the place when I went. I'm usually more of a city person but I could really imagine myself there. Reminded me a lot of Cambridge in that it wasn't big but still had everything u needed within reason and anything else a short train ride away! loved the course as well as it had a lot of similarities to Sheffield/UCL. It was just a cute little medical school and it had a lot more advantages then disadv.

lol I've written more than I meant to but basically, the courses at Sheffield/UCL and St. Andrews are very simialar. And I liked the loacation of each medical school. Though distance wasnt an issue, Sheffield and Manc were close to home. The other places I considered were Glasgow, King's, QMUL, St. Georges, Birmingham and Nottingham.

**the_slob** · 06-03-2008, 04:32 PM

Hey Petrie
Thats an interesting selction of universities you have chosen to apply to! I would suggest to you that of all 4 St Andrews is really quite different from the other 3. St Andrews is a really small uni in comparison terms but I and I believe most of my other class-mates think that is an incredible advantage over other medical schools. What I would suggest is that though the nightlife isn't all clubs, dazzling brigh lights etc. you really wont have enough time to bother with any of that anyway.

Having done another degree before this, I know for sure medicine requires alot more sheer physical effort and much longer hours than other courses. When they say you will study 40 hours a week what they mean is if you dont you wont get good grades. This means that if you spend too many hours on extra-curricular activities you wont do yourself justice. Therefore personally I would suggest St Adnrews to be a top draw, due to its size and location allowing a greater focus on studying and the university experience generally. Also the range of university-led extracurricular activities is excellent and I know alot of people who do drama, sing, debate etc. I think your analogy with Cambridge is possibly a good one in some regards though I would suggest the people here are really down to earth (not a criticsim of Cambridge

).

One of the best things about the medical school is the approachability of the staff. The GMC came to visit the other day and one of the things they said they had heard over and over from the students is the fact that whatever the matter, either big or small, students always felt comfortable taking it directly to the staff invlolved. In all honesty you don't get that sort of relationship at many universities throughout the world.

Good luck making your choice..

**TMG** · 06-03-2008, 05:44 PM

Ques for, 'the_slob' (your choice of name or others opinion??!!

) -

Does Bute have an Open Day for prospective students (hoping for entry 2009)? And -

When did your 1st term start ie.is it the same as UK med schools or diff cos of being part of the Scottish education system.

One of the reasons I am thinking of looking at Bute is because I was also interested in Manchester (not sure about the PBL though) until I saw that my GCSE grades do not meet their entry criteria - so,two more queries really ; do you know if this will be a problem or are GCSE grades of less importance by then?! And secondly,considering the two courses are very different ion teaching style will this be a problem or again,is this insignificant by then?

Ta for reading!