What are the advantages of going to Medical School in London?

[sa119]

Approval for teaching the 4th year at Swansea is being sought and should hopefully be in place by the end of 2013. All medical schools have to start somewhere. I know lots of people who have graduated from the course at Swansea and they have not been limited in the slightest.

[allypally1]

Cheers guys. I'm really glad I posted this question - very interesting advice.
Profanius - That's a very good point about Swansea being recognised abroad. Hopefully it should be in the next 5 years though! But you are right - it's a risk. Swansea has been conducting postgraduate medically related degrees for a while so maybe it will fare better than Keele. Worth asking though.
As sa119 says, medical school is medical school - I think you can get amazing experiences out of each of them if you put enough effort in. I feel much more positive + relaxed about the whole thing now. The waiting is just making me obsess slightly.
I have done some reading up on the way into foundation school - medical school name is hidden - it's based on a combination of your relative position in your class and a situational jusdgement test. You are ranked and assigned the most desired place still available according to your choices. That's absolutely fair - well done to the GMC.

[Profanius]

IMHO recognition abroad isn't important, I just mentioned it as something to be aware of - just to balance out the thread so you could make an informed decision. It's nothing to do with the quality of the institution, it's simply an inefficiency in the legislation of the country concerned. If Swansea is certified by the GMC then it will be certified by the WHO and 99% of countries will accept it. The U.S. is just a bit different, and while Keele isn't currently recognised it's only because it's new and this could change at any time.

One thing to consider with Swansea is that you have an entire faculty working their balls off for GMC accreditation and a relatively small student base. This could translate into greater tutor/student interraction and a better quality of education over some of the bigger, more established Universities with less to prove.

Swansea has a much lower cost of living and is set in one of the most beautiful areas of the country, with teaching hospitals spread all over west and south Wales. This presents opportunities for extra-curricular medical experience such as with the RNLI and mountain rescue which you wouldn't get in London.

Whats counts is the standard of education you receive and how well you work as a doctor after it - beyond this no-one will give a monkey's about where you graduated from. If you've lived in London a long time you might find Swansea gives you more experience of life and people in general which could be invaluable as a doctor.

Just to confuse you a bit more ... ha ha

[ceih]

Cheers Dr Crunch. Very helpful.
St Georges - it's full PBL - I was also told the anatomy is almost completely self-taught there. I like the idea of mixed lectures and group study. Some students that have been there hated it, some loved it. But you do have the extra opportunites like you say! It's London!!

Define "full PBL"? We get two PBL tutorials a week, that's it. We still get lectures (full Tuesday morning, Friday PM and some others here and there) that cover huge chunks of the basic clinical sciences. Anatomy is done in the dissecting room, you just have to do a bit of prep before turning up to the session.

[allypally1]

@Profanius - will be interesting to see where you end up . I think Swansea will try to look after you but still be a bit disorganised - their handling of the admissions has been pretty dire though they are absolutely fine when you get there. I have been in that area a couple of times...the sea is awesome. Worth being confused over.

@ceih - would be good to have your opinion. By full PBL, I mean that it is used as the central focus of teaching - the teaching is based around the case. Also that in the second year, the amount of PBL increases whilst the number of lectures reduces. I have heard quite conflicting things about sgul - both that the teaching is good and fully supports the PBL but also that you are left alone with little support which doesn't help you learn via PBL so well. Probably depends on your own input + motivation?
I went to the open day a while back and I didn't come out with a feeling that I had really seen anything - but I didn't know much at the time so also didn't have the questions I do now. It was quite similar at the interview - come in - go round - get out. I understand that they are busy & having lived in London for a few years, it pretty much sums up how London works - but it is unusual not to have any current students at the interviews.
My first degree (Maths) was extremely rigid and the teaching was very poor - I only feel some concern about SGUL because I don't know enough about it via direct information from the people that are a part of it - the students, tutors, teachers etc.
The anatomy teaching at Swansea + Notts is fantastic. As well as the teaching, you can get involved as much as you want. Is the same available at SGUL?
Swansea + Notts have some teaching done by clinicians - which I think is great. What about SGUL?
There is a strong feeling of community between the students and if you need help, they will try and do what they can?
Would appreciate your thoughts. I will be going to the next open day!
I would assume the answer to all the above questions is yes - but I would rather know. Cheers!