Tips For Starting Medicine At The University Of Liverpool

Laura started studying Medicine at Liverpool back in 2018, and found starting Medical School to be pretty nerve-wracking. She shares her best tips for how you can embrace life as a first year Med Student at Liverpool.

Teaching and Independent Study At Liverpool

First-year teaching can be very demanding, because you’re immersed into seven blocks across the year, learning the anatomy and physiology of each body system. Each block is around a month long, with an average of 20 lectures a week. You can also expect to learn clinical skills and be taught anatomy in the HARC (human anatomy resource centre).

At first, the volume of lectures felt overwhelming. It may seem difficult to juggle everything whilst settling into your new city and making friends, however, it soon becomes second nature to stay on top of teaching and manage your time effectively.

In my first term I made sure to keep on top of my lectures and write them up as soon as possible. I would allocate maybe two to three hours a day to write up lectures for the day, which meant I could keep my weekends and most evenings free.

Don’t Worry About The Learning Curve

In the first two weeks of term you will have welcome lectures and introductions to the different themes on the course – like anatomy, clinical skills, communication for clinical practise etc – giving you plenty of time to immerse yourself in freshers week.

In terms of the learning curve, I found the depth of knowledge equal with A-level expectations. However, the breadth of knowledge significantly increases, with physiology, anatomy and clinical skills for each body system, the volume of content is significantly higher.

I found that if you keep on top of your learning from the start, it’s very manageable. If you are ever struggling with the increase in volume, the Medical School has a wellbeing team that are very accessible and supportive with anything you are finding challenging.

What To Expect In Your First Semester

In your first semester it can feel very daunting due to numerous factors such as a new city, a large cohort, and finding a balance between work and socialising. But there are ways to make this transition easier, one being the LMSS (Liverpool Medical School Society).

If I could recommend only one thing to help you in your first month, it would be to join the LMSS. They are super supportive with the freshers, and have a scheme called mentor-mentee, where you essentially get assigned to an older year to help you with first year and answer any questions you have. They also hold a mentor-mentee night where everyone meets both their mentors and other first years for a night out!

When To Expect Your First Exams At Liverpool

One thing I do love about Liverpool is the assessment methods. Each year, the only exams you sit that contribute to your grade are two exams at the end of the year in June, and one piece of coursework.

Throughout the year there are end-of-block tests after each system to give you an idea of the content they expect you to have learnt, however these are formative only and so are for your own learning. You can also expect a formative exam in February time, which again is for your own learning and does not contribute to your grade.

My top tips for the exams is to try and revise throughout the year. Just a few hours a week, on top of writing lectures up, will mean the learning isn’t too overwhelming. It’s also a good idea to get used to the question styles too, as the exams in first and second year use multiple choice questions that are a mix of extending matching questions and single best answer.

Liverpool’s Extracurricular Activities

If you’re looking for some extracurricular activities, make sure you join the LMSS! They’re there to support you when finding your feet in Liverpool, with a welfare officer to support anyone finding it difficult too. They also host mid-course and annual balls, as well as nights out and other social events. It’s the perfect opportunity to meet other students!

There are also Medics’ sporting societies, including sports such as rugby, netball, and hockey. These are great, as you can meet other Medics and participate in regional tournaments with other Medical Schools.

Tips For Settling In At Liverpool

My tips for setting in to your new home at the University of Liverpool’s School Of Medicine are:

• Get involved in the Medical School and what it has to offer! That could be the LMSS, sporting club or other Medical societies based on what you may be interested e.g. paediatric society
• Reach out if you need help with the transition to Medical School. There is plenty of support available and the Medical School know how overwhelming it can be
• Work on your time management, so you can appreciate your first year at university
• Explore Liverpool. It’s an amazing city with so much to offer, so get yourself down to the docks, the museums, and the bars (especially concert square!).
• Enjoy yourself! Medical School will be the best few years of your life, so enjoy it all, make friends and get stuck in.