VikMcG
9th March, 2003, 11:16 PM
Hi
I don't know if this will be any use cause I am writing it when it is quite late and I feel tired but here we go.
The University: St Andrews is probably the closet one will get to a campus uni without it actually being one. It is situated in the small sea side town. One advantage of this is that it makes you feel secure, it is friendly and you generally meet loads of peole out with your studies. Since it is small, you can walk every where and there is not much need for car (except to get to st andrews) Personally it is good for those who feel that at the age 17/18, city universities may be too daunting. It has loads of bars but no clubs. However there is a bus put on every wednesday night which takes you to dundee clubs and allows you into that club(Mardi. circus)for only a fiver. The union is small but hosts bops (chessy discos) certain nights of the week. The unfortunate thing about this town is that everything is shut by 1am so you will probably end up being in your bed by 2. Since Prince William has come to study at this uni, all the prices have gone up. It is more expensive to rent and to eat out. However the student union still supplies food for a good price.
The course: The Medical school( recently called this cause it use to be a part of the school of biology) is situated in the Bute building in one of the main three streets called South Street. In your first year, you study anatomy (semester one is spent on upper limb and back, semester two is on the lower limb and thorax), physiology(semester one: cellular stuff, semester two is on circulation, respiratory and urinary system), cellular medicine ( a mixture of biology and genetics) and behavioural sciences( don't even ask - for short it is bs but you could be mistaken to believe that it stands for something else). You also do first aid and clinical skill one: taking blood pressure. In second year, same stuff i.e anatomy, phys, cmm and bs. For anatomy, there is weekly dissections so your anatomy knowledge will be very extensive. The truth is going into the dr for the first time is not a pleasent experience but after a while you generally don't think about it. Since they do weekly dissection, we have frequent vivas which are oral examines (the first time again this is scary but it gets better after a while). In second year phys, we do neurophys and by the end of semester 1, we have a big viva about clinical examination(based on examining the patient for nerve damage). We also do practice of medicine which is the ethics behind medicine and also medical based evidence. In semester one, second year students go out with a GP for day( this is to remind you why you are constantly in lectures). In second semester, you choose a self study module which allows you study an aspect of medicine. I am studying rheumatology which is good. In third you study, pharmacology, pathology and mircobiology with more emphasis on clinical techniques.
Societies: If you are a medic, the society to be in is the Bute Medical Society. It is generally alot of fun. At the start of the uni year, there is the first ball which is called the FAF ball ( if anyone wants to know what that means please e-mail me - it is quite rude). This is good to get to know your year and the other two years above you. Soon after there is the three legged pub crawl(enough said - drink plenty of water after my advice and have a good dinner). Also in the first weeks of term, there is the hecklings. There are alot of nightmare stories about this but it generally a good laugh. It is when first years are truely accepted into the society. You are made to drink loads by the older years and do silly stuff and get flour chucked at you. In concerns with the university, there is rasin weekend, This weekend is carnage for all first years (by now you are immuned to alcohol). Traditionally it wasn't like this but over pass 40 years it has turned out like this. One the sunday lunch time you go to your mother's (a third/fourth year student adopts you and sort of looks out for you) house. Here she plays drinking games with you and the rest of your brothers and sisters. By five your academic father picks you and takes you a party and the drinking continues. The next day at 10 your mother dress you up and takes you to quad where you have a foam fight. Your father gives you a gift which is usually something stupid. My actual dad was give a ladder.
Anyway I am so tired so if you want to know anything else just email me
Vicki
I don't know if this will be any use cause I am writing it when it is quite late and I feel tired but here we go.
The University: St Andrews is probably the closet one will get to a campus uni without it actually being one. It is situated in the small sea side town. One advantage of this is that it makes you feel secure, it is friendly and you generally meet loads of peole out with your studies. Since it is small, you can walk every where and there is not much need for car (except to get to st andrews) Personally it is good for those who feel that at the age 17/18, city universities may be too daunting. It has loads of bars but no clubs. However there is a bus put on every wednesday night which takes you to dundee clubs and allows you into that club(Mardi. circus)for only a fiver. The union is small but hosts bops (chessy discos) certain nights of the week. The unfortunate thing about this town is that everything is shut by 1am so you will probably end up being in your bed by 2. Since Prince William has come to study at this uni, all the prices have gone up. It is more expensive to rent and to eat out. However the student union still supplies food for a good price.
The course: The Medical school( recently called this cause it use to be a part of the school of biology) is situated in the Bute building in one of the main three streets called South Street. In your first year, you study anatomy (semester one is spent on upper limb and back, semester two is on the lower limb and thorax), physiology(semester one: cellular stuff, semester two is on circulation, respiratory and urinary system), cellular medicine ( a mixture of biology and genetics) and behavioural sciences( don't even ask - for short it is bs but you could be mistaken to believe that it stands for something else). You also do first aid and clinical skill one: taking blood pressure. In second year, same stuff i.e anatomy, phys, cmm and bs. For anatomy, there is weekly dissections so your anatomy knowledge will be very extensive. The truth is going into the dr for the first time is not a pleasent experience but after a while you generally don't think about it. Since they do weekly dissection, we have frequent vivas which are oral examines (the first time again this is scary but it gets better after a while). In second year phys, we do neurophys and by the end of semester 1, we have a big viva about clinical examination(based on examining the patient for nerve damage). We also do practice of medicine which is the ethics behind medicine and also medical based evidence. In semester one, second year students go out with a GP for day( this is to remind you why you are constantly in lectures). In second semester, you choose a self study module which allows you study an aspect of medicine. I am studying rheumatology which is good. In third you study, pharmacology, pathology and mircobiology with more emphasis on clinical techniques.
Societies: If you are a medic, the society to be in is the Bute Medical Society. It is generally alot of fun. At the start of the uni year, there is the first ball which is called the FAF ball ( if anyone wants to know what that means please e-mail me - it is quite rude). This is good to get to know your year and the other two years above you. Soon after there is the three legged pub crawl(enough said - drink plenty of water after my advice and have a good dinner). Also in the first weeks of term, there is the hecklings. There are alot of nightmare stories about this but it generally a good laugh. It is when first years are truely accepted into the society. You are made to drink loads by the older years and do silly stuff and get flour chucked at you. In concerns with the university, there is rasin weekend, This weekend is carnage for all first years (by now you are immuned to alcohol). Traditionally it wasn't like this but over pass 40 years it has turned out like this. One the sunday lunch time you go to your mother's (a third/fourth year student adopts you and sort of looks out for you) house. Here she plays drinking games with you and the rest of your brothers and sisters. By five your academic father picks you and takes you a party and the drinking continues. The next day at 10 your mother dress you up and takes you to quad where you have a foam fight. Your father gives you a gift which is usually something stupid. My actual dad was give a ladder.
Anyway I am so tired so if you want to know anything else just email me
Vicki