Any questions?

If you have a question that you would like to ask the medical students at Lancaster University, then please post a comment below and we’ll answer as soon as we can.

Fuzz's question about essays...

Hi Fuzz,

There is not that much essay writing on the course as most of the work is based aroung PBL though we do have 4-week projects called Special Study Modules. In the SSMs you are given a list of topics from which you select your top 7 and you are asked to write 3000 words on the topic you are allocated. You have one of these in first year and two in second and third year, to pass each year you must pass the SSMs you have done.

Personally, writing essays has never been my favourite thing but the SSMs provide a nice change from PBL and it gives you a chance to do something you're interested in.

Max

Fuzz's personal statement

Hi Fuzz,

you know that almost all applicants will have good academic records and the rest of your application should provide plenty of information on that area anyway so I would suggest focusing on your personal interests and relating them to how they make you a well rounded and balanced potential doctor.

If I remember correctly mine started with 'ever since i can remember i have wanted to be a doctor...'. Another possible way of starting is with a famous quote that means something to you.

I would suggest you make it as personal to you as possible and try not to be too formal. Also get someone like a school's career advisor or head of year/form tutor etc to read through it if you can.

Ranjit (3rd year)

another question from Fuzz...

Fuzz said...

Thanks a lot for your feedback was very insightful. Just wanted to ask, if you have not done biology at a level but done chemistry does this make you disadvantaged in any way, although I am aware that in Lancaster you need biology to A level, in other universities you don't, e.g. Manchester. And also what was the main factor which made you choose medicine as I am finding it tough to decide whether I should do medicine or another course.
Thank You,

6 April 2011 15:50

Commuting

Hi Tahira,

I commuted for the first year of medicine and so I can add a bit of my own personal experience here. Even though the timetable demands are not as intensive as in higher years (see Leanne's previous post), commuting even in first year can be exhausting. Not only did I feel I could better spend the 3 hours a day I drove, reading and doing work, but I also felt I missed out socially. For my first year at least, as I was constantly travelling backwards and forwards and I probably missed out on building new friendship and support networks. However, from my second year I lived nearer and soon made up for this! Hindsight is a wonderful thing and if I could do my time again I probably wouldn't commute, as first year is especially important for laying down the foundations of physiology and anatomy.

Hope this helps.

Liz

In Response to Fuzz's Question

I feel that the workload in first year depends greatly on your perspective. I remember at the time I felt like there was a lot to do, especially during the first term whilst you are getting used to the PBL process, but looking back now I realise that in comparison to later years there was very little. PBL works in two week modules. You meet as a group of 7-8 people on the first day of the process to set objectives. These are created in the context of a scenario set by the medical school and in first year are based around four themes: Structure and Function (Anatomy and Physiology), Individuals Groups and Societies (Sociology), Population Perspective (Epidemiology), and Pr0fessional Values and Ethics. You then decide which of your objectives you will research for the following meeting and go away and learn about them. You come back the following meeting (a week later) and discuss what you have learnt. You then repeat this with the other half of the objectives. The sessions are all supervised by a facilitator (ususally a member of medical staff) and a nominated student is chairman. Im afraid it is rather difficult for me to give examples as you do not do PBL in 5th year- maybe one of my colleagues could help with this. Aside from PBL there is a plenary every morning during first year that I beleive are still video-linked from liverpool- again I am probably not the best person to discuss these. During your week you will also have two hours in the Clinical Anatomy Learning Centre, two hours of clinical skills at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary and Communication Skills Sessions. All in all, I think there is a lot of work in first year as you settle into how the PBL process works and into medical school in general but I don't think would be particular to Lancaster. You do require good self-motivation on the medical course though as you need to be able to take responsibilty for your own learning- there is nobody who will nag you to do the work but it will be noticed if its not done. I hope this helps a little with your question and if you want any clarification of things that I have said do not hesitiate to ask Leanne

Any Questions?

If you have a question you would like to ask the medical students at Lancaster University then please post as a comment below and we'll answer as soon as we can.