Halls of Residence

[strippins]

I am thinking about the halls too. I live in london though so I could commute. However, I worry I will be socially isolated if I live at home. Any comments?

[Jul!eT]

Originally Posted by strippins

I am thinking about the halls too. I live in london though so I could commute. However, I worry I will be socially isolated if I live at home. Any comments?

The halls! the halls! (for my own selfish reasons - since it looks like it'll be my only option for now, I'd love to be with lotsa GEPers)

So yea, the halls!!!

[Imhotep]

Thanks for the photos Dick Cheney - they do look very nice.

Strippens - I'd think it depends on how long it would take you to get in and out if you lived at home and you're financial situation (although with the price of transport in London it might not work out much different to live in halls). If you can afford to do it I think it would be a good idea - if only to avoid the whims of the London transport system. However, like Jul!eT, I think it would be good to be with other GEPers (not that I'm suggesting wholesale segregation!)

I do wonder whether they will put GEPers together or spread us around with the 5-year people and those studying other courses? If we're spread around I guess it'd be pretty lonely for the first few weeks until everyone else starts (if I am correct in thinking that other courses don't start until late September or early October).

Stephen

[Dick Cheney]

I think the GEPs are normally placed together in halls. This year there are around 18 GEPs in halls. People are grouped in flats of 6 (5 on the ground floor) each with a huge kitchen. Each kitchen has 2 cookers, 2 microwaves and a dishwasher. There is a common room on the top floor of each block but social life is based around the kitchens and shared meals.

There is a laundry on site, but it is quite expensive: £2 to wash and £1 to dry.

The walk to med. school takes 15 minutes.

[TXelco]

Thanks for the run-down Dick Cheney. I'm looking forward to the roof-top common rooms, settling in to my room and making my first independently-made meal.

Do they give preference to the 5 year MBBS Students or GEPers on who gets to live in the New Halls to the students that have to come quite far to get to London? Someone in school was muttering that, so i wondered if the claims were accurate? For example, i live in Swansea, South Wales, and have to travel quite far to get to London. Would i be certain, or more likely, to get a room in the New Halls? (It's probably a load of bull, but i thought i'd ask)

[Dick Cheney]

I think there are something like 350 places in halls, and I was under the impression that everyone who wants a place in their first year gets one.

[claneyuk]

Yeah - I think everyone pretty much gets a place!

As for conditional offers: it's conditional on the CRB check (so as long you have no offences or are on the child protection register, etc - you're fine). Also you need to be passed as fit to practice by occupational health so you NEED to be Hepatitis B surface antigen NEGATIVE.

[Imhotep]

I've had CRB checks before and so barring some administrative error I'm fine on that front. I also have my pre-vaccination blood test showing no Hep B surface antigen (I've only had the first dose of vaccine and am due the second on 1st May with the final on 1st October, which I hope is ok with them).

Does anyone know when do they get round to looking at the health/GP forms and letting people know whether they need to be scrutinised by occupational health (before starting)?

Stephen

[claneyuk]

You Hep B stuff will be fine - some people start without having actually even started their Heb B course!!!

As for the GP forms - it will be a while. Probabaly June if I recall - they are still interviewing applicants and you don't start until September. I know it's nice to get something firm beforehand but occupational health at least are busy with my year as we need to give vaccination reports from occ health to our new employers for starting in Aug.

[Jul!eT]

Hi again, could somebody please expand on the wifi - internet subject? I thought the halls had broadband and me and my laptop are inseparable. I do my studying and my research on it and I will depend on it to skype my kids and family every night... Please don't tell me there isn't any