Life as a medical student is a lot of work but it's also a lot of fun; it's a very social subject, you meet people from a variety of backgrounds and from all over the world.You spend a lot of time with other medical students in groups at medical school and in clinical placements, but often socially too, both on and off campus. There are many societies and activities to join, suiting all tastes, and so it's easy to have a busy social calendar. Outside of medical school there is plenty to get involved with, another opportunity to meet more people. Many medics take part in various sports, playing on medic and university teams.
One part of the degree course, which can be the most exciting and rewarding, is the elective. This allows you to travel to almost anywhere in the world to study whichever speciality you like. It may take a lot of organisation but it is an amazing opportunity where you can chose exactly what you want to do. Another opportunity to study specialities you may be interested in is the student selected components part of the course. This is where you can explore a variety of specialities, including those which you may not have come across before, such as wilderness medicine, drug missuse and even photography.
There are often opportunities to take a part-time job, but in medicine it has to fit around a busy timetable and can clash, especially at exam time. A balance needs to be found between studying medicine, maintaining a job and having time left over for yourself. The further into the course, the harder it becomes to manage a job.
The timetable generally consists of lectures, seminars, practical sessions such as anatomy and clinical skills, and clinical placements. A medical students' timetable is basically 9am to 5pm, compared to friends or flat mates who may only have a 7 hour week. Clinical rotations often have the steepest learning curve, but may remind you why you chose medicine in the first place. However, as these take place in hospitals, clinics and practices, they often involve a lot of travelling, and you may even have to move to attend a particular rotation.
All in all, studying medicine can be difficult at times but it is fun, rewarding and well worth it. After all, it's not the destination that matters; it's the journey you take to get there.
Typical timetable
- 9-10am: Anatomy Lecture
- 10-12pm: Anatomy Practical
- 12-1pm: Pathology Lecture
- 1-2pm: Lunch
- 2-3pm: Medicine in the Community Seminar
- 3-4pm: Study Break
- 4-5pm: Histology Lecture
- Full timetable and lots to study
- Many social events to keep your free time busy
- Plenty opportunities to explore new fields within medicine
- A lot of fun!
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