The first thing that made Hull York Medical School stand out to me was the friendly atmosphere of the interviews. Medical interviews can often be daunting and, if you feel intimidated, you can come out feeling like you were not able to give your best performance. I actually enjoyed talking to the interviewers and I felt like I was able to say everything I wanted to. This reflects in the course as well as I have found the staff to be very helpful.
Problem based learning
The problem based learning (PBL) structure of the curriculum really attracted me to the course because I like to work independently as well as be supported.
At the start of the week, you are presented with a case to discuss with your group. At the end of the week, you present your findings to the group and your tutor. Hull York Medical School does this through the feedback sessions and providing learning outcomes for each case. So you are never unsure of what you have to learn.
You are given independence with the depth you want to study each topic in, which is unique to a PBL course. If you find yourself being particularly interested in a certain topic, there are also opportunities to do Student Selected Interest Projects.
Clinical contact
Early clinical contact is vital to becoming a good doctor and it helps you get accustomed to the environment you will be working in after you leave medical school. And also prepares you to be a good communicator and therefore a good doctor right from the start.
Alternating between general practice and hospitals each week, you get to see a range of patients and interactions. This really hones the crucial soft skills you need as a doctor.
My favourite thing is the variety of learning styles you get to experience straight from Year 1. In a normal week, you have everything from lectures to anatomy labs and ethics workshops. It is always dynamic and there is something for everyone.
Student life
The medical school has its own strong and vibrant community through MedSoc. It offers everything from medic netball to music. So you get to know your year group as well as the other years really well.
After being allocated to the York campus, I quickly found my place within the city. York has lots to do and the university has amazing facilities for a range of sports. Plus different styles of study spaces to suit your learning.
Even though I love living in York, from third year we get placements in a variety of hospitals across the North. This means we get to experience a range of clinical settings and how they vary depending on their funding and population types. And all this before you even leave medical school.
So far, I am really enjoying my course and would recommend Hull York Medical School to anyone who is an independent learner and enjoys both the science and the social side of medicine.
Read more reasons to choose York
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