University of Oxford

Four stars: Great

2024, 1st year student, Modern Languages

Four stars: Great

2024, 1st year student, Modern Languages

The Medicine course is very comprehensive and most of the lectures are either clinical doctors, world-leading researchers, or both! There is a lot of practical experience that you get from the course and Oxford is one of the few medical schools in which you are able to study cadavers, which is an excellent way to learn anatomy. In your third year, you get to pick your own research project with a supervisor at one of the many labs around Oxford, and some students even go on to get their research published in peer-reviewed articles. You can also study many extra modules, including one on the History and Philosophy of Science! Most of the textbooks required are availible in every college library as well as the Radcliffe Science Library. As well as this, the university has an online library system so many of the books can be accessed online. Colleges also provide generous book grants, though these vary from college to college. All the medical buildings are found in and around the Science Area on South Parks Road, and this also includes the Radcliffe Science Library, the Muslim Prayer Room, and several cafes for a quick lunch on the go. The downside of the course is that because the terms are eight weeks long, and because the preclinical course is covered in 5 terms, the timetable is very intense. On a typical day, you can expect to have 4-5 hours of lectures and practicals, usually starting from 9 am, as well as tutorials and extra study time needed to write essays. There is also not much patient contact in the first three years of the course (you shadow a GP twice a term for an afternoon) so it is not ideal for someone who learns in a hands-on way and would prefer to be on the wards from their first year. Some colleges, such as St Annes and St Hughes, are quite far away from the medical school which makes the commute in and out quite long.

2024, 2nd year student, Medicine

University accommodation varies from college to college but on the whole is quite good. Many colleges will also make allowances if you need specific facilities due to health or religious reasons. All first years are guaranteed a room, and in some colleges, 2nd and 3rd years will receive rooms as well, though there is the option to live out in private accommodation after your first year. Every college has a Porter's Lodge that is staffed around the clock, which is excellent in terms of safety and security. Some accommodation has shared kitchens but a lot doesn't, and appliances such as waffle makers and rice cookers are not allowed in student rooms. There is food available from the college Hall three times a day. The food is mostly of a good standard but sometimes there are no dishes that are suitable for certain dietary requirements. There are also many cafes and restaurants in Oxford which could be viewed as an alternative to Hall food. There are more than 100 libraries in Oxford, and most are accessible by any university student regardless of department or college, making them an excellent place to study. Each college also has at least one library, although these are only accessible by members of that college. The university has an online library, SOLO, and a lot of books are available in an online format. There are also extensive archives and collections of rare books held by the university.

2024, 2nd year student, Medicine

Excellent teaching and all the lecturers are world-class with the opportunity to carry out further study or research at any of the university departments. The university is also very beautiful with a lot of old buildings and Oxford itself has many parks, rivers, and canals to explore. There are also lots of university libraries dotted around the city and the colleges have guaranteed accommodation for your first year. The tutorial system is really helpful academically. The term is a manageable 8-9 weeks long with 5-6 week holidays and 3 months off for summer. However, the university can be quite stress-inducing and sometimes is very disorganised, leaving students to liaise between their lecturers and tutors. There are mock exams (known as collections or formatives) at the beginning of each term and so the holidays are often packed with revising for them. The 8-week terms are also very intense and since they are so short, there is no reading week. This means that a lot of students begin to feel burnt out during 5th week (the Week 5 blues). Oxford itself is quite an expensive city and although some colleges have accommodation for the entire term, some do not and renting in the city can be quite difficult.

2024, 2nd year student, Medicine

Four stars: Great

2024, 2nd year student, Medicine