By Izzie Leach
Hi! My name’s Izzie and I am a second year medical student at the University of Sheffield, originally from Lincolnshire. I have really enjoyed my time at Uni so far and I am so glad I chose Sheffield (it is definitely underrated!).
One of the best things about studying medicine here are the huge number of medical sub-societies, from academic to sports to charities to music. I am part of hockey and women’s football which as well as being loads of fun, has also helped me meet medics from all year groups who run revision sessions and mock OSCEs for students in lower phases. There is a really nice atmosphere at Sheffield with helping one another through exams: for example, there is a whole year google drive with collated notes, resources and practice questions which is so helpful.
Teaching is very lecture heavy in the first two pre-clinical years, with a ‘PBL’ type session and an afternoon at a GP surgery once a fortnight. In phase one there is a big focus on anatomy teaching, with four hours of small group cadaveric dissection every week, and access to the lab whenever you like. Only a few universities in the UK still do full body dissection and it’s genuinely one of the best things about studying medicine here. I was nervous about it at the beginning, but you do get used to it and it has been invaluable in helping me understand both physiology and pathology.
Sheffield is a great place to apply if you have a good UKCAT score, as they give a high proportion of offers to interviews. I personally found my Sheffield interview to be the least stressful (even though it was my first!) and much more welcoming than other medical schools I was interviewed at. They also send you all the questions out beforehand which helps you feel more prepared. This year I was one of the student interviewers and even though you should plan your answers, beforehand my top tip would be to not rehearse them too much as you risk sounding too scripted.
My favourite thing about living Sheffield is the proximity to the peaks: within half an hour walk from halls (choose Endcliffe/Ranmoor over City) you can be in the middle of nowhere! Rent is cheap too and the student’s union is consistently voted the best in the country. I hope this gives you a good insight into studying at Sheffield, good luck with your applications!
Commentaires