HYMS or Leeds???

**aysh** · 04-04-2007, 12:55 AM

Hi, sorry for creating another one of these threads but I am SO confused! I have offers from both HYMS and Leeds and I don't know which one to pick! (I am VERY indecisive :S) Any help you can give me would be really welcome! thank you!

**Fawaz** · 04-04-2007, 12:57 AM

I'd choose Leeds. The courses are completely different, but Leeds is a way better city then York and especially the dreaded Hull.

**fishie** · 04-04-2007, 01:36 PM

Alternatively you could decide which course would suit you best. I'm not sure whether Leeds has PBL or not, but if the courses are completely different, then think about which course you think you would enjoy more.
Like I say, don't know much about Leeds, but Hull and York are nice enough places to live, with Hull having the advantage of being one of the cheapest places!

**yeliab_cram** · 04-04-2007, 01:51 PM

I think you need to look at the courses, see which suits you best (think why you applied there in the first place!). Leeds is an integrated systems based course with a significant ammount of 'self-directed learning' but only a very small ammount (1 term in 3rd year) of what would be classed as PBL. The Leeds Teaching Hospitals are trully excellent and represent the largest teaching hospital site in Europe. The anatomy teaching is truly first rate and just go and google the Worsely Building - definately one of the true architectural feats of our time!!!

Then think about where you want to live for the next 5 years of your life! Leeds is one of the most popular universities in the country, has an excellent social scene and nightlife and a massive student district. Rent is still relatively cheap and there are a good selection of bars, restaurants and cafes both in the centre of town and in headingly (studentville).

I'm sure students from both Leeds and HYMS will tell you that theirs is THE best medical school to go to. So i'm afraid its up to you really! dont worry, im sure you will be very happy wherever you chose to go! best of luck,

**thom5455** · 04-04-2007, 07:36 PM

I agree with the point of view that you should pick the couse that is best for you; both medical schools have very different ways of teaching. The city you would prefer to study is a personal one, don't be swayed by emotive comments, check out each place for yourself :-)

Some interesting points about HYMS:

It has the best clinical teaching ratio of any UK medical school: 2 students per clinician.

HYMS continually outperforms most medical schools in the guardian league tables.

Well done in gaining 3 offers, good luck in making your decision.

**yeliab_cram** · 04-04-2007, 07:46 PM

Originally Posted by thom5455

It has the best clinical teaching ratio of any UK medical school: 2 students per clinician.

I am intruiged about this stat. I have no idea what the clinician:student ratio is in Leeds, but I am wondering what this actually means anyway.

How is it derived, i mean. Because surely it could just represent a big teaching hospital and a small medical school? Do u actually have "one doctor between two" in all your clinical activities??

For the next 5 weeks im with a GP in Keighly... just me, one GP, thats a student:clinician ratio of 1:1! does that mean you should come to Leeds post-haste or is this possibly a quite useless way of asessing the teaching quality of a medical school?

I dont know, what do u think?

**sopho** · 04-04-2007, 08:21 PM

NOOOOOOOO NOT HULL!
i am from Hull and i advise you to spend the next 5 years of your life anywhere but here!
if i were you i would chose leeds without even having to think!
good luck whichever you decide on tho!

**thom5455** · 04-04-2007, 10:14 PM

Originally Posted by yeliab_cram

does that mean you should come to Leeds post-haste or is this possibly a quite useless way of asessing the teaching quality of a medical school?

I dont know, what do u think?

Hi Marc,

Fewer students per clinical tutor is a definite advantage, wouldn't you say? No idea how its calculated but I have no reason to disbelieve it. While ratios aren't the be all and end all of assessing tuition quality they form a useful part of the overall picture.

A teaching ratio of 1:1 you have a leeds sounds great, is it the same in hospital placements? How much of your course is in primary care? :-)

**thom5455** · 04-04-2007, 10:22 PM

Originally Posted by sopho

NOOOOOOOO NOT HULL!
i am from Hull and i advise you to spend the next 5 years of your life anywhere but here!
if i were you i would chose leeds without even having to think!
good luck whichever you decide on tho!

The hull/york thing is only for the first 2 years of the course. You don't have to spen 5 years in Hull, lol.

From year 3 onwards you are placed across the entire region from north lincolnshire to north yorkshire, so the Hull/ york distinction ends at the end of year 2 in practical terms, although you're advised to have accomodation in your base city throughout phase 2.

**yeliab_cram** · 05-04-2007, 01:59 PM

I understand what the stat is trying to show, but i am suspicious if it is actually an accurate representation of events. Do you really have 1 doctor per 2 students in your clinical teaching?

It varies widely in my experience, sometimes you will be in a group of six, sometimes in clinic with 1 doc, sometimes two of u with one etc etc etc. I suspect the stat is derived from the number of doctors affiliated to the medical school. However i know from my own experience that much "real" teaching is from F1/F2 and SHOs rather than staff who are really expected to be teaching. I dont really think it tells you anything useful. Also, it is stats such as these which govern the Guardian's league tables, which in my opinion tell you little about the realities of the course. You can learn much more by reading the GMC reports of each medical school avaliable in pdf form on their website!