How much time do you have to put into the course

[BASE]

How many hours per week do you have to work, go to lectures, revision sessions, extra reading, "homework". essays, clinical practice etc, basically how much time do you have to put into the medicine course to get by. Does it leave much time for fun or part time jobs to supplement income?

[Cheeks]

Depends where you go and what you do. Get involved in the union and you'll never have the time for a job - that's a good thing!

[Cymro]

It depends on the individual. At Cardiff I guess we average 20 hours a week teaching in the pre-clinical years. I'd estimate that I have an attendance of 70% and I wouldn't put any hours of extra work in in an average week. Obviously if you have an assignment it would take a few hours of your free time. Around exams I try to keep revision to a minimum. I have plenty of time to socialise and pursue my interests. I'd say it's quite feasible to hold down a part-time job too, as long as your employer can be a bit flexible with your hours around exam time or if you have a fair bit of coursework to do in a particular week. All of that does come with a health warning however. I only do enough work to scrape a bare pass. If you want to aim higher, you have to put a lot more effort into it.

Cymro.

[axh264]

Can't say that I find that hairstyle too appealing!

[joyabbott]

Clinicals...

In the hospital from 9-5 (means setting off at 7.30 and getting home 6ish usually). Then a couple of hours of work each night and at weekends.

[dantheripper]

At Aberdeen my regent advised me not to get a job as it would interfere with the work but I have found that i can easily fit in about 12 hours or so of part time work without any kind of bad effect. Others from my year work every day after lectures and still pass by a good margin too.
It's mainly just before exams (so about a month or so) when you are revising that you start to feel time constraints affecting your working and social life, but thankfully thats only like 2 or 3 times a year and therefore leaves you 3/4 of a year to do as little or as much work as you are comfortable with.

Dan

[DamianUK]

At Warwick GEP there is not really time for a job in the pre clinical 18 months, i know some people do it but in general the consensus is working impacts on your studying, and if you have a partner it seems to be work or see them.
I hear from many people in phase 2 that you can have a part time job then as the time table is much more structured.

Damian

[laura Flora]

Hiya,
I've just finished my first year at Leicester med school. I had a brill time this year! You definitely have to work hard at med school to get by and pass all your exams, but there's also enough time to party and socialise. It would definitely be a good idea to join some clubs and meet new people (particularly a good idea to meet people who aren't doing medicine).
I know at Leicester we are supposed to do about 40hrs of study a week. We do about 18hrs of lectures and group study and so that leaves you with about 22hrs of self study, which is a bit unrealistic, cos noone really bothers that much, but it's definitely a good idea to do some. We only have to go into uni in the mornings in our first year, so that leaves all afternoon to work and then we have the evenings free to do whatever we like.

There's definitely enough time to socialise, etc. but you also have to work hard too. So it's really a case of getting a good balance between the 2.
Cya
Laura xxx

[honeyglaze]

im on the 4yr GEP same as Damian at Warwick im able to have a job usually work most weekend evenings and maybe one week day evening but my social life is slightly compromised by this.

I didnt work every evening you need to have a break time off to relax, i tended to build up my studying towards exams and yes i guess i did cram but its whatever suits you!

[DamianUK]

Slightly compromised Honey? or totally?

Damian