Student reviews
What is studying medicine at UCL 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.
8 reports
UCL's course leans traditional and lecture-heavy in the preclinical years, with only modest small-group case-based or PBL teaching layered on top. Compared with some other London medical schools, hands-on early patient contact is limited because of how many students need to be placed.
Several reports · 3 sources(spans several cycles)
UCL's course leans traditional and lecture-heavy in the preclinical years, with only modest small-group case-based or PBL teaching layered on top. Compared with some other London medical schools, hands-on early patient contact is limited because of how many students need to be placed.
"UCL employs a fairly traditional curriculum layout, with a clear divide between preclinical and clinical education... If you want to get stuck in seeing patients in your second week, that's not something UCL does."
Ahmed Al-Shihabi, UCL medical student, guest post on Scrubbed Up"the problem with London is the amount of clinical contact you do get... it happens less frequently in earlier years in London medical schools because of the sheer amount of students they have to place"
Katie Hodgkinson, UCL medical student, Times Higher Education student blog"paraphrase from search snippet: UCL leans more toward traditional lecture-based teaching with only a little PBL, whereas Imperial timetables more applied and PBL sessions"
The Student Room, PBL at UCL vs Imperial threadLondon cost of living is a genuine financial strain that real students say the course's prestige doesn't offset, and the very large single cohort of 330 plus per year makes the medical school feel less cohesive and more anonymous than smaller schools, even though the peer-driven medic society scene is strong.
Several reports · 3 sources(spans several cycles)
London cost of living is a genuine financial strain that real students say the course's prestige doesn't offset, and the very large single cohort of 330 plus per year makes the medical school feel less cohesive and more anonymous than smaller schools, even though the peer-driven medic society scene is strong.
"Prestige on a table means nothing when you're away from home in a massive city wondering if you will be able to afford your next rent payment... you become part of an absolutely massive cohort and it's easy to feel very isolated and like no one in the medical school even knows who you are."
Katie Hodgkinson, UCL medical student, Times Higher Education student blog"Rent, amenities and groceries are obviously more expensive in central London than they are elsewhere in the UK"
Jenna Hafidh, final-year UCL medical student, guest post on Life of a Medic"paraphrase from search snippet: the medic community is really supportive, all the older years are really friendly and more than happy to give advice"
The Student Room, UCL medicine discussionUCL is one of the few UK medical schools still doing full-body dissection, not just prosection, in the preclinical years, and students describe it as a genuine highlight of the course. The sheer breadth of anatomy content is dense and can feel overwhelming without preparing before each session.
Several reports · 2 sources(spans several cycles)
UCL is one of the few UK medical schools still doing full-body dissection, not just prosection, in the preclinical years, and students describe it as a genuine highlight of the course. The sheer breadth of anatomy content is dense and can feel overwhelming without preparing before each session.
"UCL is one of the few medical schools in the UK to offer fully body dissection in both preclinical years, which is regarded as one of the most enjoyable and valuable aspects of the preclinical course."
Jenna Hafidh, final-year UCL medical student, guest post on Life of a Medic"Anatomy can be a daunting subject... a vast breadth of knowledge to learn... the dissection lab's huge range can be overwhelming as well as exciting."
UCL medical students, A Realistic Guide to Medical School student blogPlacements run across UCH, on the same street as the medical school, plus the Royal Free and Whittington, which need up to a 20-minute tube or bus journey. Access to prestigious specialist sites like Great Ormond Street and neurology and eye hospitals is a plus, but real early clinical contact is diluted by the huge single cohort size.
Several reports · 2 sources(older cycle)
Placements run across UCH, on the same street as the medical school, plus the Royal Free and Whittington, which need up to a 20-minute tube or bus journey. Access to prestigious specialist sites like Great Ormond Street and neurology and eye hospitals is a plus, but real early clinical contact is diluted by the huge single cohort size.
"placements include Great Ormond Street, neurology, orthopaedic, and eye hospitals"
Ahmed Al-Shihabi, UCL medical student, guest post on Scrubbed Up"it happens less frequently in earlier years in London medical schools because of the sheer amount of students they have to place"
Katie Hodgkinson, UCL medical student, Times Higher Education student blogStudents comparing UCL with Imperial describe UCL medicine as having a comparatively better work-life balance and a chilled reputation, though the six-year length still produces real burnout: one student's own account describes failing and resitting first-year exams and calls the experience confidence-shattering.
Several reports · 2 sources(spans several cycles)
Students comparing UCL with Imperial describe UCL medicine as having a comparatively better work-life balance and a chilled reputation, though the six-year length still produces real burnout: one student's own account describes failing and resitting first-year exams and calls the experience confidence-shattering.
"paraphrase from search snippet: UCL apparently has a better work-life balance according to some students; UCL medics have a reputation for being quite chilled"
The Student Room, Imperial vs UCL medicine threads"I never quite found my footing in first year and ended up failing and having to resit the exams... Six years is a long time to be on your A-game and a lot of us will have a wobble or two."
UCL medical student, Managing Medical School (even when it's really hard), student blogThe compulsory intercalated BSc in year 3 is generally viewed favourably by students who complete it: it's seen as valuable for research and critical appraisal skills, and because everyone at UCL does it, students don't lose their year group the way they might at a school where intercalation is optional. Students are honest that it is not a break from medicine and remains demanding.
Several reports · 2 sources(spans several cycles)
The compulsory intercalated BSc in year 3 is generally viewed favourably by students who complete it: it's seen as valuable for research and critical appraisal skills, and because everyone at UCL does it, students don't lose their year group the way they might at a school where intercalation is optional. Students are honest that it is not a break from medicine and remains demanding.
"It's challenging but really rewarding, and it helps you see oncology as both a science and a clinical practice... I've improved at reading papers, designing presentations, and thinking critically about trial data."
UCL medical student, personal iBSc reflection blog"paraphrase from search snippet: UCL, like Oxbridge where it's also compulsory, offers an advantage in that you will not have to re-enter clinical years with a different year group"
The Student Room, discussion referencing compulsory intercalation at UCL and OxbridgeClinical and Professional Practice (CPP), the taught component covering wider health and professionalism topics, is a specific recurring student complaint: badly timetabled and inconsistently structured across small groups.
Single report(spans several cycles)
Clinical and Professional Practice (CPP), the taught component covering wider health and professionalism topics, is a specific recurring student complaint: badly timetabled and inconsistently structured across small groups.
"paraphrase from search snippet: CPP is an annoying and poorly taught part of the course which is about wider health issues; the timetabling is bad and it's not structured well"
The Student Room, UCL medicine discussion threadYear 1 assessments have a real fail and resit rate: one discussion thread cites roughly 75 of 280+ students in a year needing resits after May exams, with essay-style MEQ papers the most commonly failed component and resit papers seen as harder than the originals, with around 15 students a year reported dismissed after failing resits.
Single report(older cycle)
Year 1 assessments have a real fail and resit rate: one discussion thread cites roughly 75 of 280+ students in a year needing resits after May exams, with essay-style MEQ papers the most commonly failed component and resit papers seen as harder than the originals, with around 15 students a year reported dismissed after failing resits.
"paraphrase from search snippet: approximately 75 people out of 280+ in the year failed the May exams and had to do resits; a vast majority of failures were attributed to the MEQ exams; about 15 students get dismissed from failing resits each year"
The Student Room, UCL medicine year 1 resits threadGet into UCL
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