Student reviews
What is studying medicine at University of Plymouth actually like?
The interview gets you a place; these reports are about the five or six years after that. Gathered from current student and recent graduate forums, weighted by how many independent sources agree. These are unverified community reports, not official university information.
7 reports · 1 widely reported
Plymouth uses no cadavers or prosections whatsoever, dead or alive, anatomy is taught entirely through the Anatomage virtual dissection table, plastic models, and living/surface anatomy with actors, and multiple students independently flag this as making anatomy noticeably harder than at cadaver-based schools.
Widely reported · 4 sources(spans several cycles)
Plymouth uses no cadavers or prosections whatsoever, dead or alive, anatomy is taught entirely through the Anatomage virtual dissection table, plastic models, and living/surface anatomy with actors, and multiple students independently flag this as making anatomy noticeably harder than at cadaver-based schools.
"Because the university doesn't use cadavers or pro-sections, anatomy can be a little difficult sometimes."
Life of a Medic blog, named Plymouth student Sneha"Peninsula Medical School does not do dissections, but instead has plastic models available to use."
The Student Room thread, Peninsula Medical School..."No Plymouth does not offer dissection, but anatomy is learnt over LSRC sessions where students learn with real-life models, anatomical models, and the Anatomage table."
Medic Mind, Insider's Guide to Plymouth Medical School by named 5th-year student Lakhan S.V.A Ajmeria"LSRC sessions where content is taught in smaller groups using anatomage tables (digital dissection tables) or surface anatomy with actors... the university notably does not perform actual dissections."
The Student Room thread, Medicine at PlymouthAssessment isn't a single end-of-year exam gauntlet, preclinical progress is judged on 4 progress tests per year as an aggregate (year 5 only needs 2 of 4 passed), but the AMK (applied medical knowledge) exam is the one students flag as the real hurdle, with some reporting they only just scrape a pass.
Several reports · 2 sources(older cycle)
Assessment isn't a single end-of-year exam gauntlet, preclinical progress is judged on 4 progress tests per year as an aggregate (year 5 only needs 2 of 4 passed), but the AMK (applied medical knowledge) exam is the one students flag as the real hurdle, with some reporting they only just scrape a pass.
"4 progress tests throughout the year... you pass based on your aggregate; in year 5 you only need to pass 2 of the 4."
Life of a Medic blog, named Plymouth student Sneha"the AMK exam is their weakest point and they either only just pass or get a borderline mark"
The Student Room thread, Question for current Peninsula medical students (3rd-year student post)Clinical exposure starts almost immediately, community, GP, ward and even coroner's-office placements from the first couple of weeks of year 1, but the tradeoff is a full year based away from Plymouth in Torbay or Taunton during stages 3-5, spanning Devon, Somerset and Cornwall with weekly specialty rotations.
Several reports · 2 sources(spans several cycles)
Clinical exposure starts almost immediately, community, GP, ward and even coroner's-office placements from the first couple of weeks of year 1, but the tradeoff is a full year based away from Plymouth in Torbay or Taunton during stages 3-5, spanning Devon, Somerset and Cornwall with weekly specialty rotations.
"GPs, hospital wards, clinics, local alcohol and drug rehabilitation centers, Coroner's office... from literally the first week!"
Life of a Medic blog, named Plymouth student Sneha"Pre-clinical years still include early patient contact from as early as two weeks of starting the academic year... Stage 3-5 is majority placement led within the hospital where you will cycle between the different specialties each week."
Medic Mind, Insider's Guide to Plymouth Medical School by named 5th-year student Lakhan S.V.A AjmeriaThe EBL small-group learning model genuinely divides students, real accounts describe one current student loving the course and another hating it, with recurring gripes that too much weight rests on being taught by other students rather than experts.
Single report(older cycle)
The EBL small-group learning model genuinely divides students, real accounts describe one current student loving the course and another hating it, with recurring gripes that too much weight rests on being taught by other students rather than experts.
"there's a little too much alternative medicine and reflection... one [current student] who loves the course and one who hates it... they place way too much emphasis on students being taught by students"
The Student Room thread, Peninsula Medical School - good or not? please help!Self-directed learning hits hard early on, with only 7-8 one-hour lectures per fortnight, students describe real stress from not knowing how much they're supposed to be learning, though most say they adjust with help from an assigned older-year medsoc family.
Single report(spans several cycles)
Self-directed learning hits hard early on, with only 7-8 one-hour lectures per fortnight, students describe real stress from not knowing how much they're supposed to be learning, though most say they adjust with help from an assigned older-year medsoc family.
"Medicine is peculiar in the sense that as you learn more and more, you identify more and more gaps in your knowledge. This can be particularly stressful for new students."
Life of a Medic blog, named Plymouth student SnehaThe school tried to cap external intercalation places at just 4 spots, which triggered visible student pushback over restricted opportunities.
Single report(older cycle)
The school tried to cap external intercalation places at just 4 spots, which triggered visible student pushback over restricted opportunities.
"tried to cap the number of students who can intercalate from an external University at 4 places. A lot of students weren't happy with this and there was lots of noise around it."
Life of a Medic blog, named Plymouth student SnehaStudents rarely complain about cost, Plymouth is repeatedly called cheap and coastal, the recurring gripe is remoteness: if family or friends are north of Bristol or Cardiff, visiting means a full day of travel unless you fly.
Single report(spans several cycles)
Students rarely complain about cost, Plymouth is repeatedly called cheap and coastal, the recurring gripe is remoteness: if family or friends are north of Bristol or Cardiff, visiting means a full day of travel unless you fly.
"The only disadvantage of Plymouth is that it is arguably too far south... if you want to visit family or friends north of Cardiff/Bristol, you have a full day of travelling ahead (unless you want to hop on a plane!)."
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