Welcome
H
ey there! Welcome to Imperial College School of Medicine!
First and foremost, congratulations for making it over the endless hurdles that they call UCAS and securing your place at inarguably the best medical school in the country! I hope you’re strapped in and ready for THE best time of your life. Trust me, I’m a medical student. My name’s Steve and I’ve just finished my 4th year. I’m taking a year out of my studies to run the ICSM Students’ Union this year, together with a strong team of 16 student officers. You might be wondering what the Students’ Union does – put simply, we’re here to make sure that you have the best time at med school that you could possibly imagine! We organise pretty much anything and everything outside the lecture theatre, ranging from social events right through to providing you with educational and welfare support. Being a medical student is a truly unique experience, especially here at ICSM! We’re extremely privileged to have our own clubs & societies, each of which has a fantastic community spirit, as well as being very successful! We also have our very own bar, the Reynolds, which will be your second home for the next 6 years. You are in the very fortunate position of being a member of both Imperial College Union (ICU) and ICSM Students’ Union, which basically means all your needs and potential wants will be catered for. This handbook should be used in conjunction with any information provided by ICU; however within your hands right now should be almost everything you could possibly want to know about life as a medical student at ICSM, from advice on living in halls to an overview of our packed social calendar. As for the rest, you will just need to experience it first-hand. We’ve been working tirelessly to plan your first couple of weeks at ICSM to make sure that they’re as amazing as possible! There’s also plenty more information on our website: www.icsmsu.com. My office is based on the ground floor of the SAF building at the South Kensington campus, so feel free to pop in anytime you like – my door is always open. I look forward to meeting you all very soon! Steve Tran ICSM Students’ Union President 2013-14 [e] icsm.president@imperial.ac.uk
3
ICSMSU Freshers’ Handbook 2013 Your Union Sites Events Education Clubs and Societies Have you got one yet? The freshers’ passport holds all the information regarding your first two weeks of events at the medical school, including the infamous Freshers’ Ball! The passport will enable you direct access to all the events for a massively discounted rate. So have a read through it, raid the bank of mum and dad and log onto shop. icsmsu.com to buy yours. Trust me, it will be the best fortnight you have ever experienced. Don’t delay as we have only a limited number of places, so it’s done on a first come first serve basis! For our
4
even more information visit website at freshers.icsmsu.com
Your Union Your Students’ Union
p6
Graduate Entry
p10
Biomedial Sciences p12
President Steve Tran
Deputy President Sybghat Rahim
Why do you love the med school? Because no one else will understand you or love you back more. Ever. Fact
Life ambition? Its hard to explain in words, but if you YouTube “Dwayne Johnson does a pec dance”, then you should understand
What would you name your autobiography: ‘#TRANsforming ICSM: A very short introduction‘
Most played song on your iPod? ‘Does your mother know’ – ABBA. No shame felt whatsoever
Life ambition? To become a Blue Peter Presenter Favourite ICSM event? Circle Line
Why do you love the med school? ICSM is a true home away from home because the community is made of loving people and great friends
Treasurer
Secretary
John Golden
Drink of choice? Shandy
Kavian Kulasabanathan
What would you name your autobiography: Back Yourself
What would you name your autobiography: A head above the rest: How to cope with being the best
Life ambition? To have a Wikipedia page. With a photo
Favourite Clubs & Socs? Netball and Rugby for different reasons
Why do you love the med school? The people have no boundaries. Academically or socially
Most played song on your iPod? Candy Shop - 50 Cent
Favourite Clubs & Socs? Football Idol? Atul Gawande
Favourite ICSM event? Sports day
6
Communications Kristina Earle
Favourite Clubs & Socs? LIGHT OPERASOC! Life ambition? To host an amazing dinner party with the lovely Nigella Lawson
Drink of choice? I am a self-confessed Diet Coke addict (none of that Pepsi max nonsense) Favourite body part? Definitley the 7th costal cartilage
Clubs & Socs Patrick McGown
Favourite ICSM event? Sports Dinner
Welfare
Sunila Prasad
Life ambition? To be as awesome as Syb Drink of choice? Cheeky sambuca shot
What would you name your autobiography? ‘Being a short brown medic - defying all expectations’ Favourite body part? My outie belly button Favourite ICSM event? Circle Line
Sites & Services Tim Hall
Drink of choice? Snakey B What would you name your autobiography? TIMMY (but can only be said with a south park accent)
Drink of choice? Anything that isn’t Snakebite Life ambition? To own a table tennis table which doubles as a dining table and to catch all 63,491 Pokemon
Most played song on your iPod? Some yodeling song from a video game
Favourite Clubs & Socs? Don’t think my role permits me to have favourites...but the Gazette, Football, Drama, & Ski Tour all feature highly on my list of equals
Most embarrassing ICSM moment? Sprinting into a closing tube carriage during Fresher Olympics on my own and falling on the floor...the looks I got
7
Alumni & Careers
Academic 1, 2 & GEP
David Thompson
Anju George
Why do you love the medschool? Bops and Black tie Balls!! Drink of choice? Reynolds poured Blackthorn cider
Favourite Clubs & Socs? Muslim Medics - they know how to do a tutorial! Perfect antidote to exam season stress.
Life ambition? To become the drummer for ‘Wicked’
Why do you love the medschool? In the best city in the world with the best teachers, what’s not to love? Plus it’s the perfect location for ‘Made in Chelsea’ spotting. Favourite ICSM Event? I love any black-tie event but Snow Ball is the classiest way to end the easiest term of the year.
Academic 3, 5 & 6
BSc, Biomed & Pharm
Most embarrassing ICSM moment? Stripping down and oiling myself up on the Reynolds stage to “you can leave your hat on” for a ‘dance’ competition...
Rahul Ravindran
Lucinda Osbourn
Most embarrassing ICSM moment? Asking a consultant endocrinologist: ‘Can you really do anything for diabetic foot?”
Most played song on your iPod? Coloris - She Drink of choice? White wine Life ambition? To travel the world
What would you name your autobiography: ‘The Transformed Monk’
Favourite Clubs & Socs? Boat club Favourite ICSM event? Doctors and Nurses
Life ambition? Become a double doctor Favourite Clubs & Socs? Music Soc
8
Entertainments Chair Sophie Beverley
Drink of choice? Something strong - just how I like my men Favourite Clubs & Socs? Light Opera
Favourite ICSM Event? 24 hour Opera/Pirates Boat party/Sports Dinner/RAG Dash/Circle Line/Doctors and Nurses/Sports Day/Interclub bowling/ Snow Ball/UH Sports Night/Varsity/ Valentine’s Ball/Arts Dinner/Pub Quiz Night/Mums and Dads/Reynolds bops... So many to choose from!
Summer Ball Chair Helena Budarkiewicz
Most embarrassing ICSM moment? Tripping over a cable at Summer ball whilst holding a glass of red wine in each hand. Did not end well... Favourite Clubs & Socs? Netball Favourite ICSM event? Summer Ball
Social Secretary Callum Brehany
Favourite ICSM event? Varsity Most embarrassing ICSM moment? Being clean shaven was pretty bad
RAG Chair
Erika Refsum
Favourite ICSM event? Obviously all of RAG Week. Plus Sports Day, Medics Ski Tour, Varsity
Most embarrassing ICSM moment? Turning up a day late to Friday lectures Favourite Clubs & Socs? Lacrosse and Snowsports Life ambition? Go to Neverland and never grow up
Favourite body part? My beard
Social Secretary Josh Lucas
Life ambition? To have facial hair Favourite body part? My embarrassingly short tongue Favourite Clubs & Socs? Hockey Idol? Callum Brehany - because he has facial hair
9
Graduate Entry Programme
F
or all graduate or Oxbridge-direct entry medics starting at Imperial College this year - we are your ultimate support and social network. We provide a range of welfare support networks, social events and academic support to any and all graduate students. Over the past 3 years, we have grown in number, established many new events and have our largest committee yet supporting your social, educational and welfare needs! We also have a dedicated international rep to help out with anything and everything related to studying in London as an international student. In
10
addition, committee members span all years of the programme and can therefore provide advice and guidance on all aspects of the four-year programme. Our events each year kick off in Freshers’ fortnight with various nights out including the Drs and Nurses bar crawl, the “Mum’ and Dads” social and other Fresher’s week events, then onto a Christmas ball… with several further events to suit all tastes scheduled throughout the year! On a welfare level, we’re streets ahead of the rest. You may have already joined us for the ‘Meet-and-Greet Day’ this July
and met some of your colleagues and potential housemates. When you get to London, you’ll get a Grad Mum or Dad to look after you. They can provide you with any notes and support you require. We also have a dedicated Welfare Rep to keep an eye on you all throughout the year. With regards to education, our education officers will run exam-based tutorials to help you focus on the key areas when it comes to revision and also organise mock exams to give you further exam practice. In fact, our community spirit extends across all four years of your degree; we provide tutorials and mocks for your practical OSCE exams in second year, run Oxbridge integration events and even present our own prize to contribute towards a research project. So don’t hesitate to join our society, we can’t wait to meet you! Matthew Murden (Chair) email: gradmed.society@imperial.ac.uk
11
Biomedical Sciences
I
f you are reading this then that means you’ve met your offer and are officially part of the BMS class of 2016, congratulations!! My name is Mike and I am your BioMed Science Society President for this year. BioMed is a small course with only 50 people in each year, and the society committee is here to look after you all. You’ll meet other year groups through our events (mingles, cocktail nights, dinners) and also through our ‘Mums and Dads’ scheme. This is where you are paired up with a student in an older year who becomes your ‘Mum’ or your ‘Dad’. This is a great way of getting to know students in older years and your BioMed family will help you out with notes and advice whenever you need it. This close-knit community is one of the reasons BioMed here at Imperial is such a great course.
As a Biomedical Scientist at Imperial you’ll be part of the ICSM Student’s Union, which will look after your academic and welfare needs, as well as being responsible for packing out your social calendars with all kinds of events all year round. Freshers’ fortnight will be the first and best two weeks of your life so make sure
12
you come along to all the events that are on offer, especially the Dr’s and Nurses Pub Crawl, Beach Bop and the infamous Roadshow. There is a wide range of clubs and societies here at Imperial, from sports to music to arts to educational and everything in between, so you’ll definitely find something to get involved with. The Biomedical Science course is an excellent mix of Biology and Medicine, taught on 4 different campuses scattered over West London. It is challenging and hard work at times, but you’ll get the best of both worlds and meet people you’ll never forget. Please come and find us at Fresher’s Fair on the first Tuesday of term, where we’ll be handing out a BMS handbook and answering any questions you may have. If you have any questions now about anything or just fancy a chat about BioMed or life at Imperial please email me (details below). It’s our job to look after you guys and make sure you get the best out of the Imperial experience. I’ll be chatting to you all when you arrive in October, but until then enjoy what’s left of your holiday and look forward to the amazing years ahead in Biomedical Science. See you soon, Paladd (Mike) Asavarut BioMed Soc President 2013-2014 Email: pa2210@ic.ac.uk; bmssoc@ic.ac. uk
Sites History
Campuses Halls Shops
p14
p17 p21 p23
A History Lesson...
F
or years, the schools that constitute ICSM have been renowned for producing a special breed of student: friendly, enthusiastic, fun. Here’s a taste of ICSM history and tradition. ICSM is a fairly young institution, founded in 1997, from the medical schools of St Mary’s, Charing Cross and Westminster. The ideals and traditions of the old institutions have been built upon by the new school.
Charing Cross
C
haring Cross, or CX, is the oldest of the schools, founded in 1818 by Dr Ben Golding to meet the needs of the poor who flocked to the cities in search of work in the new factories. This was a revolutionary notion at a time when doctors mainly practiced privately. The hospital was, unsurprisingly, well patronised, and soon had to move to larger premises off the Strand, where it first became Charing Cross.
14
In the 1960s, the hospital needed to grow again and moved to its present site on Fulham Palace Road. The hospital elders elected to retain the name Charing Cross, despite now being a good distance from this area, a decision that continues to have ramifications decades later, as fresher’s turn up at the Strand expecting to find a medical school there. Getting lost appears to be something of a feature of CX students, as one of their most famous alumni is Dr Livingstone, of “...I presume” fame, who went missing in Africa for five years. Charing Cross remains a hospital at the forefront of medicine; in recent times pioneering the use of CT scanning, reflecting its position as one of the most important neurological centres in London, and chemotherapy, with oncology another of the foremost departments of Charing Cross. In 1976, the Reynolds Building was completed. The CX students’ union building houses a mysterious elephant/dinosaur skull (investigations are on going) in the
Reynolds Bar and it is now the epicentre of ICSM’s social activities. Essentially, the hospital looks like it might fall down at any point, but the fire service has assured us that the bar is far away enough from the main building to allow any on going party to continue should the hospital itself spontaneously combust.
Westminster
T
he Westminster Hospital opened in 1719, following a meeting in a coffee house, where four men met to discuss a ‘charitable proposal for relieving the sick and needy and other distressed persons’. I had a similar discussion myself in Starbucks the other day, but unfortunately it degenerated into a spirited debate on mango frappuccinos, blighting the hopes of the sick and needy (and other distressed persons) of Hammersmith. The medical school was founded in 1834 by George Guthrie, an ex-military surgeon, whose forceful urgings on retaining the location of the hospital and school resulted in ructions between staff that ended in a pistol duel between two surgeons, who steady-as-a-rock, promptly missed each other. In a nod to tradition, pistol duelling remains the preferred method of settling disputes with consultants over firm grades. The winning majority remained in central London, but the losers went to St. George’s Hospital (some things never change). A student at Westminster at this time was John Snow, not a name that may mean much to you at the
moment, but who became the founder of modern epidemiology. His greatest accomplishment, however, was to achieve every medical student’s dream, and get a pub named after him (The John Snow on Broadwick St). In 1984, in a move that no doubt brought out the pistols again, the medical school merged with its rival Charing Cross. This was a trend-setting move, heralding a flurry of mergers between the London medical schools in the following years. The two medical schools combined their resources, and together focused their rivalry on their old enemy, St. Mary’s. Oh, wait a minute...
St Mary’s
S
t Mary’s is the youngest of the schools, founded in 1854 as part of the new hospital in Paddington. Mary’s was traditionally the refuge of sons of Welsh farmers and miners, stumbling off the train at Paddington to study medicine in the big smoke; consequently became renowned for its prowess on the sporting field, with the rugby club actually predating the Rugby Football Union.
The sporting traditions of Mary’s have
15
been a constant theme throughout its history, and the school can count amongst its alumni the Welsh rugby captain JPR Williams (commemorated in the annual ICSM vs. Imperial Varsity match, the JPR Williams Cup) and Roger Bannister, the first man to run a mile in under four minutes, and after whom a lecture theatre is named (I still think I’d prefer a pub).
If there is one thing for which Mary’s will always be remembered however, it is the work of Alexander Fleming, the father of antibiotics, following his discovery of penicillin at the hospital in 1928. The room in which the discovery took place can be seen from the road outside the medical school. The piece of mouldy bread upon which he made his discovery has long since been served in the hospital café.
Unfortunately, the Boxing Club has been disbanded, and so no longer holds its bouts in the Outpatients department (seriously, you just can’t make this stuff up). Mary’s has an equally rich history in the arts. Despite a faltering music society (which has nevertheless taken off in recent years, following the influx of talent from Charing Cross and Westminster), the dramatic society staged performances of operettas, which on occasion were graced with a royal visit. This royal association continued until recent times with the Queen Mother being the patron of the Soirée, the opera and drama comedy night, until her death in 2002 (the post has remained unfilled following its failure to be won in the post-soirée raffle of the same year).
Mary’s continued comparatively unaffected by the other nomadic medical schools in the area, until its merger with Imperial College in 1988, and the foundation of ICSM in 1997.
Imperial College
T
16
he foundation of medicine at Imperial College resulted in the largest medical school in Europe. Imperial College was established in 1907, following the cultural and scientific revolution instigated in Kensington by Prince Albert (which also spawned the local museums and the Royal Albert Hall). It has a world-class scientific reputation, having produced fourteen Nobel Prize winners, owns its own
nuclear reactor, supplies wind tunnel facilities to top F1 teams, masterminds cutting-edge medical research, encompassing the National Heart and Lung Institute and Hammersmith hospital and counts Brian May of Queen amongst its past students.
The Campuses...
T
his guide is meant to be a gentle introduction to the various places you will go/be sent to during your medical school career. I say gentle because there is absolutely no mention of the GP year 6 placement in Northern Ireland, nope, none at all. The rest of the hospitals are a little closer to your new home:
South Kensington
Academically, ICSM students are part of an institution that brought the world the valuable field of public health medicine, and spearheaded the attack on infectious disease, saving, without hyperbole, millions of lives. You’ll have the chance to be taught by, and work alongside, the foremost research groups in the world. Socially, you’ll be a part of traditions stretching back three centuries, in a vibrant college with the best students on the best course. Everywhere you go from now on, when people see you are from Imperial College School of Medicine, they’ll know that they’re dealing with someone special. Be proud of it.
Sir Alexander Fleming Building (SAFB)
T
his is where you’ll spend most of your first year doing school-related stuff. You may have noticed that we have used the term ‘School’ more than once so far. This is not because you attend the ‘School of Medicine’ but is actually due to the fact that it stops us worrying that we’re actually in the grown ups’ world now. The SAFB, as it’s called, is where you’ll have most of your lectures in the first year. It houses four billion computers, a
17
load of small tutorial rooms, two enormous labs for practical’s such as looking at little things under microscopes and sticking each other with needles to get blood to examine under these microscopes. Biology students also live here and we like them because they’re fit. There’s also a coffee shop that not only sells coffee but lots of sandwiches and the infamous SAFB paninis. The most important thing in this building however is the ICSM Students’ Union common room with lots of big comfy sofas and a fussball table. Here you’ll also find my office, the door of which is always open for you to come and chat with me about any problems you may have or just for a chat.
You may on the odd occasion, for whatever reason, decide to go to the central library which hosts a whole floor devoted to medicine with yet more computers, open-plan working areas, as well as a big old silent study area. The medicine floor is a more social area than a floor for studying but there are some great areas in the library to work in. The main Imperial College Union building is located within Beit Hall. There are 3 bars, a concert hall, a gymnasium and meeting rooms.
Outside the SAFB
T
he campus also has many other buildings, most of which you’ll never go in to, as in order to enter you need to be wearing corduroys up to your nipples, a tweed jacket with leather elbow patches and a pair of your dad’s old Buddy Holly replica glasses.
18
Five years ago, the new Imperial College sports centre ‘Ethos’ opened its automatic doors and it is currently free to all students. It is run by a Big Brother super computer that tells you if you have been improving your fitness or slacking off. Every mile you run or dumbell you raise is logged into the computer. Those computer science geeks are useful to have around after all!
CX Hospital
B
etter start with the basics. We tell the freshers every year that Charing Cross isn’t on the Strand anymore, it’s in Hammersmith. However, every year there’s a poor fresher who rocks up at Trafalgar square for the first evening of debauched Freshers’ Fortnight related activity only to find a couple of pigeons and not a snakey B (magic purple stuff, you’ll soon find out if you don’t know already) in sight. Also, don’t confuse the Charing Cross hospital in Hammersmith with the Hammersmith Hospital in Acton; this bad-boy is next door to Wormwood Scrubs prison, so you really don’t want to end up there by mistake.
You’ll be over at the Charing Cross site for various things including PBL, lectures and communication skills in your first year, but mainly for dissection. As we are a good medical school (in fact, the best) we do dissection properly with real dead bodies (not the fake kind). You’ll be in the dissecting rooms at the end of your first week.
The Reynolds Building on the campus is where the medical school is housed with a library, books, journals, yet more computers (again it’s a wireless building) and a huge lecture theatre. Regardless of the teaching aspect of the Charing Cross site, the best bit is the Reynolds Bar. We wanted to call it the hilariously witty Epstein’s Bar, (you’ll get that joke in the 3rd year) but it was decided that it should be named after a secret benefactor whose identity we shall never know. This is the heart of the medical school; it keeps everything else alive and keeps you sane for six years. It was renovated a bit last summer and is being done again this time round, so it’ll hopefully be nice and shiny by the time you all arrive for Freshers’ fortnight! It is here that we hold all our infamous bops (these are evenings at the Reynolds which sound like a party your parents would go to but, take my word for it, they are unmissable) and many of the events throughout the year. There’s a bit on the bar coming up later in this novel so I won’t go on about it too much here, I’ll just say that it is awesome. Below the bar area is a common room where you can play video
19
games and use the computers, and there are plenty of other rooms available for drama/music rehearsals, and even a gym. The other special thing about this campus is that it is where most of the formal teaching takes place in the second year. The good news is that we’ve created a little ICSM empire around the site. Hammersmith is where most of you will move to in your second year, so once more you’ll have that 5-minute stroll to lectures. All of the houses and flats in the area are inhabited by our students and Australians working in the various pubs in Hammersmith.
St Mary’s Hospital
A
few years ago this place, located in the heart of Paddington, used to have a bar in the medical school basement called Gladys’ which was home to all our bops. What there is at Mary’s these days is another big common room and a student run gym and pool. It’s very reasonably priced, £45 for a year’s gym and swim. Really handy for those over at
Wilson House in Paddington. It’s great for a really good work out with not too many people at one time. A must buy for the “Wilson House crew”. Other than that, the hospital is my personal favourite for some reason. It’s where Alexander Fleming built a swimming pool and created the precursor to ICSM Waterpolo Club, and also where he did that whole discovering penicillin thing. St Mary’s also houses the greatest medical invention in the world, Da-Vinci - not the code or the inventor/artist but the robot. There’s a newly revamped £3m medical library with books (surprise, surprise) and lots of little private study areas which remarkably are empty until May and then seem to fill up quite quickly for a month, can’t possibly think why. You may also recognise this place if you have ever seen a newspaper or website before. I think I read that a certain important baby was born to certain important parents at St Mary’s back in July...
Chelsea & Westminster
T
his hospital is smart, and I mean really smart. I’ve been told it’s the flagship hospital of the NHS. It’s more like a grand hotel than a hospital, and Mr MRSA is nowhere to be seen. Again there’s a big common room but you’ll be too absorbed in the modern art dangling from the ceilings of the hospital to go down there. This
20
is the final one of our 3 central hospital sites and you won’t see much of it until year 3. By which time you’ll all be medical experts.
sharing and online games, so bring your laptop...
Other Sites
W
e’ve got lots more hospitals to which you will be sent to in due course. All have common rooms for medical students with TVs so you’ll still be able to squeeze some Neighbours action into your lunch hour, and you’ll find out more about these places in your clinical years 3, 5 and 6.
Halls:
An indispensable guide
Y
ou will be delighted to hear that Imperial College halls are spacious and the ultimate in palatial luxury apartments furnished and decorated at a great expense by Laurence Lewellin Bowen and all the other geniuses at Changing Rooms. There is however one tiny, run-down hovel of a room with a cracked mirror, picasso stained bed and a dripping tap. If you arrive at the end of September to find a tiny, run-down cupboard of a room, then that means the College has discovered that you lied on your UCAS form and you are being punished accordingly. If however by chance you do get a different hall, they’re actually ok and they have a super-fast network for all manner of file
Most halls are a two-minute stagger from the South Ken lecture theatres, all the boring details on the type of wood panelling used and the total surface area of the room will be provided by our colleagues who write the ICU Handbook.
Oyster Cards
Travel around London isn’t cheap. Be sure to pick yourself up a Student Oyster Card (£10), which saves you up to 30% against adult prices for travelcards. If you are doing a lot of travelling around, it may be worth paying for a weekly or monthly travel card.
Railcards
16-25 railcards are a must have if you live outside of London or plan on doing ANY rail travel in the UK. You pretty much save the price of the railcard on one trip! You can apply for one online, or get them at a rail station. Additionally you can register it onto your Oyster which means that your Oyster card will cap earlier.
21
Your room will contain:
You need to bring:
• A sink with two taps: One cold and dripping, the other just cold • A bed: Perfectly sized for a small child or carnival folk • A minifridge (if you’re very lucky) • A wardrobe: Big enough to store stolen signs, traffic cones • A desk and chair: Wasted items for a fresher • A broken lamp: Item for a wasted fresher • A huge notice board: Covers the entire wall and the dry rot. You can put photos of you and your signs/traffic cones here • A huge window: Glass is cheaper than bricks.
I
t is important that every day you leave your bin outside your door and once a fortnight you put up a post it note on your door (In Spanish/Polish) saying you don’t want your room cleaned. Failure to do so will result in you being caught butt naked and awoken at some ungodly hour, like midday. If you don’t intend to go home every couple of months, you will need to get to grips with the washing and drying devices. Chemicals such as ‘Persil’, ‘Wash and go’ and ‘Ariel’ will be handy.
22
• Toiletries and towels (some people forget, remember it’s not a hotel) • Clothes and shoes (again people forget) • Dinner Jacket/ Ball gown • Coat hangers • Blu-tack and drawing pins • Multi plug adaptor (fire officers love them) • Sound system • Aspirin/ Alka seltza/ Rehydration Salts • Alarm clock • Camera • Bed linen • Pillows • Ambi pur: Puff thingy to make your room smell like a summers breeze • Mousetrap • Pans (frying pan and one saucepan) • Crockery (get the unbreakable, plasticky kind) • Cutlery • Tin opener • Bottle opener (for those civilised evenings in) Watch your food like a hawk, especially milk and bread, the two golden nuggets of halls.
Don’t bring: • Cuddly toys (They’ll get disemboweled, launched out the window or microwaved) • Pets (They’ll get disemboweled, launched out the window or microwaved) • Cookery book (you will never use it)
How to find the Reynolds Building
23
Living in London Places to go
L
I
ondon is one of the most fantastic and cultural cities in the world, with so much to do and to offer. Not only do you have the V & A, Science and Natural History museums right on your doorstep in South Kensington, but you also have so many other nooks and crannies to explore. Heaps of museums and galleries in London are free and are worth having a mooch around if you want to get away for a while. A few good sites to have a look at are:
Medicine in London
f you JUST cannot get enough of Medicine and fancy going to see a few more things, London has a selection of Medical bits and bobs that are for us to have a look at.
The Hunterian Museum
Based at the Royal College of Surgeons (in LSE territory boooooo) but is free for all and open from Tues-Sat 10am-5pm. There is a free curatorial tour every Weds at 1pm. There are also opportunities for medical students to have free positions at events. These can be found at http:// www.rcseng.ac.uk/museums/events and advance booking is usually required.
http://www.timeout.com. The Wellcome Collection london “A free destination for the incurably Gives you a good list of different bars, events, restaurants and clubs that you may want to go to.
http://www.visitlondon. com/events
Comprehensive listings of “What’s on in London” theatre, comedy, arts etc. etc. http://www.allinlondon.co.uk/whatsonshows all the latest events, and generally a good guide to bits around London.
24
curious” in Holborn has a little bit of everything. You can even adopt an animal (that you don’t even have to look after), it has exhibitions, tours and medical artefacts for you to get stuck into. www.wellcomecollection.org/
http://www.medicalmuseums.org A great site that has a selection of unusual and interesting museums that you can go and visit…from anatomy to psychology. Many museums also hold medical exhibitions at some point. For example, the National Portrait Gallery has previously held an exhibition on Leonardo De Vinci’s anatomical drawings.
Shops & Discounts
B
eing a Medical Student in London can be expensive. This is not helped by the fact that Medical degrees are twice as long as most other degrees and the fact that we live in central London. Additionally, we are students so are going to want to live as cheaply as we can. The first thing to remember is quite a lot of stores offer student discounts, if you just ASK. For example Topshop, New look, Ryman, Warehouse and Office all offer 10% discounts. You don’t know until you try. There are also lots of discount sites and vouchers available - here are a few of the things worth getting your hands on…
Bite Card
So we come to uni via a train… train stations have Millie’s cookies, Upper Crust, Pumpkin… Bite cards offer 20% discounts for students.. grab one now, why not (they are free!!!) http://www.bitecard.co.uk
Groupon Student Beans
Become a member of student beans. This is a great website that sends you weekly emails on discounts on anything and everything. It is also handy for finding vouchers and jobs and can give you hints on how to save money here and there. http://www.studentbeans.com
Yes, they send you a million emails, but Groupon is a fantastic website offering great deals on good restaurants, Spa dates, Teeth whitening, weekends away in the Cotswolds… you name it Groupon offers it. http://www.groupon.co.uk/deals/london
25
Events p27
The Year
p31
RAG
p32
The Bar
The year in a nutshell...
Y
ou don’t need us to tell you that six years is one hell of a long time to be studying; when your mates from home are graduating you’ll be at your Halfway Dinner! If you did nothing but work, you would end up going barmy and sit mumbling to yourself whilst going round the Circle Line endlessly. Fortunately at ICSM, there are approximately one million and four different things for you to do over the course of the year. That’s a lot.
A little note, we realise that not everybody drinks alcohol and there is no reason you can’t have just as much fun as everybody else if you don’t drink. In fact, you’ll probably have more fun as you won’t make a fool of yourself on such a regular basis constantly losing your belongings and getting tagged in ridiculous drunken photos on Facebook (which later make it into IC’s student newspaper: The Felix’s: ‘Drunk Fresher of the week’ section...). There are even boys in the rugby club who abstain and there is no pressure on you to drink if you don’t want to.
Many of the events are long standing traditions from the days of Mary’s and Charing Cross. Traditionally Wednesday evenings are Sports Nights, where all the sports clubs come down to the Reynolds to celebrate yet another hard Wednesday’s work crushing GKT! You don’t have to play a sport to enjoy the festivities, so just come on down! Friday nights are the stuff of dreams with our fortnightly bops. Each has a different theme so don your best fancy dress and spend the evenings with cheap drinks and ‘bopping’ to ICSM’s finest DJ’s playing your favourite tunes. The Reynolds Bar Ultimate Beer Pong and the Darts leagues run before bops, so chance your arm for some great prizes whilst enjoying cheaper bop entry too! The other special thing about being at ICSM is that YOU LIVE IN LONDON! Literally anything you ever want to do is on your doorstep. I won’t do a guide to this; you’ll get a free copy of Time Out magazine in Freshers’ week that will tell you all you need to know.
27
Autumn Term
Y
our life at ICSM kick starts with the awesome marathon that is Freshers’ Fortnight, as we have far too much fun planned to fit into just 1 week. It is the perfect opportunity to get a real flavour of what ICSM social life is all about, as well as meet others in the medical school. As part of this epic fortnight you are cordially invited to Freshers’ Ball, your first ICSM ball. This year the fantastic black tie event is being held at Ruby Blue, Leicester Square, so dust off your dinner jackets and slip into that evening dress to boogie away in style. For those of you with a creative flair and performing side there are some fantastic opportunities. Freshers’ plays, directed by older years and performed by you, is always a great evening to get involved in. Your first Big Chill, a Reynolds open mic night, is happening during your Fortnight. They continue throughout the year and are a FAB, informal way to show off some musical talent.
28
The highlight of the performance calendar has to be Opera week. Each year our very own ICSM Light Opera Society put on a musical with glorious results. Recent years have included “Beauty and the Beast”, “Oklahoma!” and the incredible “The Producers”. This year “The Drowsy Chaperone” promises more of the same! Get involved or join the rest of the med school and come to one of the shows, a great evening is guaranteed! If sport is more your thing, autumn term’s Inter-year Rugby is the place to be. While first and second years settle their score on the pitch, the girls’ half time food fight allows all to battle for honour. The final week of this term is always great fun. With Snow Ball, our final ball of the calendar year and the packed Christmas Bop; make sure you don’t book your flights home too early and miss out!
Spring Term
B
y now you are settling into ICSM but this does not mean the fun settles down. Spring term means RAG term; with RAG Dash, RAG week and Valentines Ball there is plenty of opportunity to get your RAG on for a good cause. This is also the term of our ICSM RAG Fashion show, where our medic talent struts its stuff in the name of charity.
Sport features highly this term and allows our sports teams to flex their muscles and show how awesome we truly are, traditionally crushing every med school in sight. The UH Cup, particularly the rugby final, pulls a large crowd, not just for the rugby but also the infamous yet myster-
ious ‘Mary’s Fairy’. The rowers also get a chance to show off at the annual Head of the River race. Ultimately though, all our sport is building to Varsity. Sport is held throughout the day seeing dozens of matches played against IC and climaxes in the JPR Williams 1st XV rugby match were a 1,000 strong crowd gathers to show our support for the Phoenix and prove that medics really do have more fun!
Spring term ends with the annual Drama Soc production. Recently ‘Some like it Hot’ and ‘Pride and Prejudice’ broke new boundaries, bringing in record numbers as well as putting on a stellar show.
29
Summer Term
A
lthough the summer term is somewhat marred by the prospect of exams, there is still a lot to distract yourself with. The term fires up with the infamous Sports Dinner, that gathers all sports clubs under one roof to celebrate all their years triumphs together, as well as recognise particular teams and individuals for an outstanding season. 5 a-side football competitions and Athletics rev up to keep the sport fix going for those that want it. This is also the term that most societies hold their AGMs and dinners. These vary from AGMs in the Reynolds to black tie dinners at the Inner Temple! Either way, these are exciting evenings, where you can celebrate the year as a club or society as well as decide your committee for the following year. As the year draws to a close we prepare to both congratulate and say farewell to our final years. Music Soc’s Summer Con-
30
cert brings an opportunity to hear some musical talent in a variety of styles from your 6th years as well as others, and is a fantastic evening of music and wine. The highlight of the social calendar however must be Summer Ball. As medics, not only do we get to go to IC summer ball, but also our very own event of epicness, not to be missed. It is a great evening to see off the graduating final years and come together as a whole med school before departing for our summers. Remember, these are just a selection of highlights form the year. There is SO much more out there! Get involved in the multitude of Clubs and Socs that ICSM has to offer. Get your groove on at bops and balls and make sure your Fresher year is one not to forget. We genuinely believe there is not a better place to be, so go out and make this year at ICSM your own.
ICSM RAG
nual Valentine’s Ball. This is a chance to go all out: so suit up, polish those dancing shoes, and get ready to boogie the night away at one of London’s finest venues – Love will definitely be in the air.
AG (Raising & Giving) is an integral part of the ICSM experience. There is something for everyone and absolutely no reason not to get involved.. The aim of the game is to raise as much money as possible and donate it to our chosen charity – this is where you come in!
And if this wasn’t enough we then bring you RAG-DASH as RAG takes you across the country, yet again heroically raising money for charity. Half hitchhiking, half coaching, you will DASH to Antwerp in Belgium for a weekend of compulsory debauchery and barbaric fun! But fear not, the fun doesn’t end there - The epic Party Bus back home is a long-standing Med School tradition that will blow your mind! You will have to keep up and you will have the time of your life! I hope you are ready!
R
During the autumn term, RAG welcomes you into the ICSM family with several collects in which you must put to use both your best and worst qualities in order to raise the most money. So dust off your best costumes and get ready to be outrageous. There are prizes for the top raisers and a crazy night of clubbing for everyone, but of course the best prize is having the time of your lives, all for a good cause! In November RAG will then give you the chance to show us what you’re made off at RAG Centurion – This is definitely an event not to be missed. During spring term RAG becomes colossal, exponential, monumental... The fun has only just started. RAG brings you RAG week. Think Fresher’s: Round 2! This week is packed with a Commuter Collect, RAG Invasion, RAG Games, the big and bad Circle Line Pub Crawl and more! Oldies and young’uns alike throw themselves head first into this truly unforgettable week of fun, frolic and buckets full of cash. RAG then goes classy for our an-
RAG requires 100% attendance and every ounce of enthusiasm you can muster in order to raise a maximum amount of money. Remember, by taking part in this madness, you help make a difference in the lives of people less fortunate than yourselves. So get ready for the best 6 years of your life and get excited for RAG! Looking forward to seeing you soon! Your RAG Chair, Erika Refsum Contact email: err11@ic.ac.uk
31
The Reynolds Bar
H
idden from view behind Charing Cross Hospital, the Reynolds Bar is a gem in the heart of Hammersmith – serving a variety of alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks.
At Reynolds the best tasting drinks (questionable) are served by the best looking people (unquestionable) at Imperial College. The most popular drink served here is Snakebite (you may know this simply as ‘purple’ if you are of a northern persuasion) – a blend of cider, beer and blackcurrant – however we also serve hot drinks and snacks. Newly refurbished this summer, you have definitely joined ICSM at the right time! Reynolds is where we hold the vast majority of med school social events and it is open five nights a week from 6pm to 11pm. Over your Freshers’ Fortnight you will become well accustomed to it and learn to love this essential institution of ICSM. On Wednesdays and Fridays we stay open late so our students can party on into the small hours. By day the bar also doubles as a student
32
common room and a cafe serves cheap food and hot drinks to keep you nourished through lectures. Wednesday night is Sports Night where the sports clubs come down to celebrate the day’s victories in the usual raucous style. On Fridays we host our legendary bops in which 450+ happy ICSM students meet to party away their week’s stress. We also have 2 giant screens where we can screen films, Sky, and major sporting events – if there is anything particular you would like us to show just ask us in advance and we will happily oblige. If you’re looking for a quiet drink after lectures or a place to relax with your friends where you won’t have to pay extortionate London prices, then look no further!
As well as being medical students by day, by night we double up as managers of the Reynolds Bar. On our nights off when we are not serving drinks or clearing up after a heavy night of fun, we can be sighted on the other side of the bar enjoying a casual drink. The Reynolds is the home of med school events and the main venue
for Freshers’ Fortnight events, RAG week and our infamous bops to name a few. In 6 years time you will be fondly looking back at your best bits at med school and most (if not all) will be spent inside these walls. The Daily Mail would lead you to believe we are a den of iniquity and that we have too much fun but don’t listen to them; they probably spend their nights patrolling our borders and stalking celebrities. The Reynolds Bar is where everybody knows your name (no copyright infringement intended). We can’t wait to meet you all in Freshers’ Fortnight! Matt and Lena
33
Education p35
Year 1
p36
Year 2
p37
Year 3
p37 p38 p39
Year 4 Year 5 Year 6
p40 Welfare
The next 6 years of your life... Year 1
Y
our first year of medical school will whiz by but during this time they manage to teach you lots of things without you actually realising. There are four broad topics within the first year. Teaching is predominantly lecture-based, supplemented by enjoyable practicals, tutorials and PBL (problem-based learning) sessions.
Molecules, Cells & Disease
This bad-boy takes up most of your first term - it’s essentially all about the little things in your body that do things. From Immunology to Pathology, from Genetics to Microbiology - It’s a bit like A-level biology, but in more detail.
Life Support Systems
Here you’ll learn about all the body systems. Cardiovascular and Respiratory take up the most part but there’s everything from Urinary to Alimentary. Essentially this is where you learn how all your giblets work together to keep you alive. Anatomy is also squished into this module. Since we are a proper medical school, we do proper anatomy. You’ll be in the dissecting rooms from your first week - it really is the best way to learn anatomy!
Life Cycle & Regulatory Systems
Here you’ll learn loads: The Human Life Cycle (a fancy way of saying embryology); Endocrinology (hormones etc). There’s also Neuroscience and Mental Health. It’s all topped off with Musculoskeletal.
Foundations of Clinical Practice This one teaches vital communication skills and houses your First Clinical Attachment. You’ll get the chance to follow the life of a chronic patient, go into clinics, and refine the all important art of speaking to patients with simulated interviews. Other equally exciting topics include Epidemiology; where you discover you don’t want to be an epidemiologist, and Sociology; you get to watch entertaining videos and it is actually quite an important module, but don’t buy the book.
35
Year 2
Y
ear 2 at ICSM is undoubtedly one of the most fun years of med-school, but is also one of the most challenging. Here, you expand on your systems learning started in Year 1 but in a more clinically orientated manner. Many of the lectures are given by practicing doctors and are entirely clinically based, with numerous interactive patient demonstrations. The highlight of the year is at the end of the first term with your first extended in-hospital attachment - you are assigned to a firm at one of our teaching hospitals for 3 weeks. The year starts on the first week of October, diving straight into lectures for the first 7 weeks. Teaching is equally split between the Drewe Lecture Theatre in Charing Cross Hospital and in the Sir Alexander Fleming Building at South Kensington. The Life Cycle and Regulatory Systems theme introduced in Year 1 is expanded upon in Year 2, with new topics such as Pharmacology and Therapeutics, and a Psychology module. Anatomy teaching continues focusing on Head, Neck and Spine, and the Limbs. The Molecules, Cells and Disease theme also continues with new topics covering Haematology, Diagnostics and Cancer. In preparation for your clinical attachment, the Clinical Communication course continues with sessions on taking a medical history and presenting a patient. There’s also Medical Ethics teaching
36
which is summarised neatly for you here: Curing patients = good, killing patients purposefully = bad, killing patients by accident = controversial. Your first firm starts in the last week of November, with you and 3 other students spending the next 3 weeks as an active member of a clinical team, participating in ward rounds, clinics, procedures, clerking and presenting patients. You also receive clinical skills training in tasks such as venepuncture and cannulation. Term 2 starts early January and comprises 11 weeks of LCRS and MCD lectures. This will be one of the most challenging terms at med school, but as long as you stay upto-date it’s not too stressful. Easter holidays won’t be the best fun you’ve ever had as exams are at the beginning of term 3 on the last week in April. How- ever, after this you can really relax as other years begin to panic about exams. The last 5 weeks are composed of a module called Science & Patient, covering specific topics such as Water & Electrolyte Balance, Sepsis, and Nutrition; as well as skills in critical appraisal and writing up a practical. This theme aims to bring together all knowledge acquired over the past 2 years for a holistic understanding of the myriad of problems patients present with, as well as to emphasise the pivotal role the research world plays in clinical decision-making. It is designed to prepare you fully for making the transition from lecture based learning in Year 2 to a full year of being on the wards in Year 3.
Year 3
A
rguably the best year of medical school, and definitely the most chilled out! It’s the year that you’ve been waiting for and will quickly sum up why you applied for medicine, as you have endless opportunities to do things that you could only have dreamed about in first and second year. It’s a lot like work experience, but you’re actually allowed see patients and do stuff! The year consists of three 10-week clinical attachments, or ‘firms’, two medical and one surgical, which are designed to equip you with core skills and knowledge in general medicine and surgery. You might be on firms ranging from Cardiology to Colorectal Surgery; Medicine for the Elderly to Endocrinology. You will also rotate through different hospitals in North West London to ensure you get as varied an experience as possible. As one doctor put it: “the hospital is your playground” so what you learn very much depends on what you put in. If you’re keen you may even end up putting in stitches in the middle of the night in A&E or assisting with emergency operations in theatre! You also have the odd few lectures dotted around the year, which is a nice way to catch up on your friends’ firms stories. This year, however, it’s really up to you to take responsibility for reading up on topics as you see them in hospital, but fortunately there are many online lectures and quizzes to help you with this.
The exams at the end of the year are rather like a driving test. You have a practical test, called the OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination) and a theory test, which is essentially a multiple choice written paper. The OSCE is the first practical examination at med school and this assesses your ability to communicate with and examine patients, as well as performing some practical procedures. Most people find this a welcome change from all the written exams you’ve had so far. Above all, 3rd year gives you the chance to explore various career options and get really involved in what interests you, as well as taking part in extracurricular activities since you don’t have a rigid timetable. The downside is a reduction in your holiday time. Christmas break is only two weeks long (compared with three weeks in 1st and 2nd year) and Easter break is slashed to a mere two days, down from the good old four weeks. This might come as a shock to the system, but fear not - as you’ll be treated to the longest summer break you’ve ever had…four months – not bad after such a relaxed year!
Year 4
Y
ear 4, otherwise known as the “BSc year”, provides a welcome break from clinical medicine! With a highly structured lecture course, followed by a project or taught modules – you feel like you’re back under the phoenix’s warm wing! Year 4 brings a chance for you to pick something you are particularly interested in and might therefore put that
37
extra bit of effort into and consequently reap the rewards.
hind a topic and being at the forefront of research. Lab work is both rewarding and interesting and the project is definitely a time to catch up with all your friends on different BScs who you may not have seen for a while. Just make sure you make a start on your write up early so you don’t put unnecessary pressure on yourself at the end!
In a much smaller class of around 25, your teaching feels much more personal and there is always plenty of time for questions without feeling shy to ask! Each BSc is individual in its requirements outside of lectures, some require more wider reading than others; but if you pick something you are really interested in this will become irrelevant. There is also plenty of time for sports and other ‘leisure’ activities, unless you’re doing cardiology or management, which are just hardcore and completely different, respectively. The complete list of all 12 options is as follows, and for a quick and handy tool to tell you what past students thought of their BSc, look no further than ICSM Gazette’s BSc Guide which comes out in their Spring edition around February each year. It may help you make your mind up early!
There is a selection of taught modules that can be taken instead of a project; these consist of Medical Humanities, History of Medicine, and Death, Autopsy and Law. On the whole, your BSc is like going back to A-level chemistry with either a big piece of coursework at the end or a few more essays to do!
Year 5
W
Cardiology; Endocrinology; Gastroenterology; Global Health; Haematology; Immunology; Management; Neuroscience; Pharmacology; Reproductive Science; Respiratory Science; Surgery and Anaesthesia.
ho said there are 52 weeks in a year? 5th year has 53. It starts with Pathology (read: a month back in the lecture theatre). To add to the excitement, you start in July when the rest of the med school is well into their summer holidays. Lucky you. Fortunately the exam isn’t for another 50 weeks, so if you do decide to go on an extended summer holiday, all is not lost…
Having completed the 3rd module of your chosen BSc, exams are about two weeks later in February (except for management, which has exams both after Christmas and at the end of the course). After this there is a ten week project to be done! Projects are fantastic – you can look forward to learning the science be-
It does get better however, as you then progress through a series of clinical attachments in lots of different medical specialties, and pick up from where you left off in 3rd year, albeit with a tad more responsibility (as the doctors now expect you to have at least some idea of what you’re on about)!
38
There are a number of specialties that you will cover over the course of the year: Oncology, General Practice, Radiology, Infectious Diseases/GUM/HIV, Dermatology, Rheumatology, Orthopaedics, Critical Care and Teaching Skills. However, the main three are covered below:
Obstetrics & Gynaecology
Often described as the most rewarding time during med school, when you have the privilege to deliver babies (and as you’ll quickly discover, become something of a celebrity with the family as you appear in all their snaps of their newborn)!
Paediatrics
Children are not small adults, however Paediatricians are big children. This means most of them are quite nice. Paediatrics is challenging since it is essentially all of medicine (but for kids); however, it all comes in one book written by a consultant at St Mary’s so it’s just a matter of sitting down and learning it. You also get a little holiday, called residency, during your Paediatrics attachment. During this you will learn to ponder the unanswerable question: why do house officers have to live in worse accommodation than your average prison inmate?
Psychiatry
This is like medicine from the Dark Ages but you do get told some great stories by the patients – just make sure you’re always sitting between them and the door…
5th year is examined in three parts: two written papers, one for Pathology and one for the specialties, and one practical exam, called PACES (Practical Assessment of Clinical Examination Skills). Then after a 2-week summer holiday, you enter final year.
Year 6
S
o you’re almost at the end. Everything gets serious as you embark upon a rollercoaster year frantically trying to put together all the knowledge you’ll need for life as a junior doctor (that you should have been learning over the past five..!). You will complete seven three-week clinical attachments in the remaining fields of medicine that you’ve yet to cover, as well as two professional work experience attachments, where you will shadow a junior doctor and prepare to come out of the other end of med school as a doctor. Final year will be one of the most memorable years of med school, especially as you get to embark on one big long holiday, called the ‘elective’, where you can choose to travel to any part of the world and spend ten weeks there doing what you do best (saving lives of course)! The best way to find out more about any particular year is to talk to lots of different people in the med school through events, clubs and societies. There is a fantastic community spirit amongst medical students at ICSM so don’t be shy to ask anyone for advice!
39
Welfare
Money
H
i everyone! My name is Sunila and I’m your Welfare Officer for this academic year.
As you start your first year at medical school I will be here to guide and support you in whatever way I can. As you will soon find out, first year is one of the best years you will experience at ICSM. It’s my job to make sure you get the most of out of this year by looking out for your welfare through being a constant point of call should you need it. Regardless of how you approach your first year, I will do my very best to help you navigate through any challenges you may face and my door will always be open to you. Whether it’s advice you need or simply someone to talk to, no problem is too trivial - my priority is to make time for you!
Education
Out of all of the 6 years at med school, you will have the most time in first year to get involved with extra curricular activities and at ICSM you are definitely spoilt for choice. Keeping that balance with the academic side of the course is obviously important though - manage your time well and there’s no reason why you can’t have the best of both worlds.
40
For many of you, university will be the first time that you are in some way financially responsible. It’s a lot easier said than done (as I quickly realized when I was a fresher!) and it can be very easy to lose track of your finances altogether especially in a city like London. There is support available if you need it though, the key is to ask for help as soon as you feel like you may need it.
Health
Remember to register with a GP as soon as you can. With the excitement of Freshers many people neglect their health and suffer for it. Keeping your mind and body in working condition is important, sounds obvious but don’t forget to look after yourself!
Drugs
Drugs are an inevitable encounter at university - make sure you get your facts straight about legal and illegal drugs!
Alcohol
This is probably one of the main things that throws freshers off during their first few weeks at Imperial. Whether you drink or not, remember to look out for each other - that kind of camaraderie is essential in every aspect at uni.
Sexual Health
Short and sweet- stay safe!! Don’t risk it for an STD biscuit.
Safety
London is a big city and whilst your time here should be trouble free, please remember to be careful! Be street savvy and don’t flash your phones, iPods etc around. Use your common sense after a night out by going home in groups and don’t take unlicensed taxis home.
Who can I go to for help?
We are very lucky at ICSM because we have a brilliant network of people who you can approach for help. Within your first two weeks, you will be introduced to your Personal Tutor; a member of staff that is there to support and advise you throughout your time at medical school.
Here are two diagrams of who to contact, however if you’re ever in doubt contact me! (Conveniently I’m first on the list: Sunila Prasad, icsm.welfare@imperial. ac.uk). Remember that in September, you’ll be able to sign up for a Medic/Biomed Mum or Dad who will invite you into their medic families!
41
Clubs and Societies p43 p53
Clubs Societies
Clubs and Societies
I
CSM has an extensive range of clubs, societies, and other opportunities. There is something for every student whether it is a sport, dramatic, musical or educational activity that takes your fancy. Getting involved is a great way to meet lifelong friends, socialise, take a break from academic work and is an opportunity for you to really excel. Although there are equivalent non-medic clubs and societies (e.g. Rugby, Hockey and Music Societies), the ICSM clubs and socs exist to cater specifically for the needs of medical students who are not based solely at the South Kensington campus, and who can have timetables that aren’t suited to the requirements of IC clubs and socs. The older members of our clubs and socs also understand the pressures you’ll face with exams and coursework, and many will be more than willing to give you notes, tutorials and mock exams to ensure your continued success throughout your time at ICSM. Our clubs and societies welcome everyone no matter what their skill level is, so don’t miss out on Freshers’ Fair and don’t be afraid to try things out - the more you get involved with the med school clubs the better your 6 years here will be! If you have any questions about clubs and societies at ICSM, please feel free to get in touch. Patrick McGown ICSMSU Clubs and Societies Officer 2013-14 e: icsm.cs@imperial.ac.uk
Sports Clubs
T
he pedigree of St Mary’s, Charing Cross and Chelsea & Westminster shows through in the success of our sports teams. With strong representation in BUCS, NAMS and the UH cup, we hold our heads up as one of the best sporting medical schools in the country. Indeed, last year was the most successful ever for ICSM based on BUCS points earnt. Wednesday nights see the sports teams congregating in the Reynolds bar for Sport’s Night celebrations/ commiserations. This weekly tradition is
the busiest regular night in the Reynolds. There are many sporting events throughout the year, but undoubtedly the biggest is the Varsity day. Every year, each of the medics’ teams takes on their counterparts at IC in front of big crowds down at Harlington and Ethos. The day then culminates in the evening with the J.P.R. Williams Varsity match at The Stoop, home of Harlequins RFC, where the Rugby 1st XVs battle it out in front of 1500 students and senior staff, to win the J.P.R. Williams cup.
43
ICSM Athletics
ICSM Badminton
ICSM Athletics is an extremely friendly club catering for students of ALL standards. Whatever your commitment or ability, the Athletics Club is for you!
Medics Badminton – one of the friendliest, most exciting, up and coming clubs at ICSM! We welcome people of all subjects (not just medics!) and have a wide mix of ages and abilities.
We have regular track and fitness training, socials, and a number of competitions throughout the year – including BUCS Indoors and Outdoors, Varsity, SESSA, and the United Hospitals competition (an event which predates the modern Olympics!). We are a very relaxed club - allowing you to easily get involved with other clubs throughout the year. The club is a great way of meeting new people from all areas of the medical school in both competitive and social environments. With a history of success and the promise of great fun, it is undoubtedly one of the best clubs in the medical school. We hope to see you at Freshers’ Fair to answer your questions! Any questions, contact Chris Chung: cmc210@ic.ac.uk
44
It’s the best of both worlds, whether you’re playing in one of our four highly competitive teams (2 men’s, 1 women’s and 1 mixed), with coached trainings, or just want some casual exercise with your friends. For our social players, our friendly session boasts an incredible atmosphere and you won’t believe how much you’ll improve throughout the year! We’re also incredibly social! We have great chilled out drinking circles at sports nights, plus bowling, ice-skating, mini tours and dinners throughout the year, not to mention our legendary New Year’s tour to Holland! We are a really friendly group and look forward to welcoming you. Feel free to contact Tom at tpb10@ic.ac. uk for any queries.
ICSM Basketball
ICSM Boat Club
Whether you’re a pro on the courts, just love the game, or if you’re looking for something new, ICSM Basketball is the club for you!
Looking to try something new at Imperial within an incredibly relaxed, social and supportive atmosphere? Look no further than ICSM Boat Club!
The club welcomes players of all levels and is a great way to make new friends on and off the court. Weekly training for both the men’s and women’s team happens every Sunday at the City of Westminster and King Solomon Academy. We also organise socials throughout the year, and at the end of the season hold outdoor sessions for everyone.
As the largest sports team at ICSM with over 120 male and female members, our main aim is to live up to the ethos of work hard and play hard! Doesn’t matter if you’ve never even been near a boat before – you will be mentored by a dedicated captain to make your fresher year fantastic on/off the water.
Aside from the social aspect, ICSM Basketball continues to remain very competitive. With the women’s team being in ascendance and the men’s team achieving 2nd and 3rd places in their BUCS and LUSL leagues respectively, we need you to build on the success of our last season!
Outings are Wednesdays and Sundays in addition to amazing squad socials and educational support! Rowed before? Then you will move into one of our senior squads who are always welcoming new faces. We have the largest circles every Wednesday at the famed sports nights and hold a yearly tour to Leuven, Belgium.
So come find us at Freshers’ Fair and sign up! You may also send any questions to: medbask@ic.ac.uk.
Come see us at Freshers’ Fair to get more information about our Novice Day or contact ph1409@ic.ac.uk.
45
ICSM Darts
ICSM Football
ICSM Darts Club is a welcoming sporting environment for dart and pub enthusiast alike.
Whether you turned down a glittering career in the Premiership, or just enjoy a kick about with your mates, ICSMFC will welcome you with open arms.
Home matches invariably draw enthusiastic support from the Reynolds faithful, away matches usually bring disapproving looks as our star players fling arrows into the walls, ceiling, nearby electrical fittings and occasionally innocent bystanders. We have a wide variety of both men and women of vastly differing darting ability. If you’ve never thrown a dart before or if you’re the next Phil “The Power” Taylor, we have a place for you. We play in the South Kensington Academic Darts League every Monday night from 7pm. Our home venue is the Reynolds bar in Hammersmith and away games are held in pubs and student unions across central London. Everyone is welcome, whether you are a medic or not. Find us at fresher’s fair for a few arrows and info on our first game. Daaaaaaaarts. Contact email: medic.darts@ic.ac.uk
46
With 4 teams playing every week, there’s room for every level of ability, from our double-league winning 1st XI to the more relaxed 4th team. Highlights include participation in the United Hospitals Cup, the second oldest football tournament in Britain after the FA Cup itself. It’s not just about the football however! You’ll find us a vocal presence in the Reynolds Bar every Wednesday for Sports Night, in addition to many team meals and club dinners held throughout the year. Our international pre-season and domestic mid-season tours are the stuff of legend, thanks in no small part to our on-going friendship with the delightful ladies of the Netball Club. Find us at Fresher’s Fair and we’ll tell you more, or get in touch with me (Calum) at cs308@imperial.ac.uk
ICSM Ladies Hockey
ICSM Mens Hockey
Do you want to be part of the best club at ICSM?! Then ICSM Ladies Hockey club is the one for you. We cater for all abilities, from the best at Imperial through to absolute beginners and social members. We boast three BUCS teams who play on Wednesdays, and everyone gets a game.
Congratulations on making the right choice when it came to which Medical School to go to, now why not continue that streak by choosing the best club it has to offer.
Weekly we celebrate our many wins (and few losses) at the infamous Reynolds bar where our fancy dress is pretty much world renowned, and have many socials throughout the year. We also have a Saturday team for all abilities and alumni. Still not convinced? A couple of highlights from last season include... 1st XI promotion, 2nd XI varsity victory, a notorious mixed tour to oxford, a fabulous black tie dinner and so much more. Next season we are welcoming an ex-Olympian as our new coach and are traveling to Trinidad and Tobago on tour! Join us. You won’t regret it. For more information please contact Rosie at rb2310@ic.ac.uk
Famed for our wide ranging abilities, varsity winning ways and the colour of our trousers, the Men’s Hockey club caters to all abilities and interests with our 3 teams. From world beating players to those of you who thought the game was only played on ice, we encourage everyone to come along and give us a go. As well as this we have one of the most active social calendars of any of the clubs and societies here so for those of you looking to try something new and meet new people come along and talk to us any time throughout Fresher’s Fortnight. Looking forward to seeing you then! For more information please contact Dexter at dt1209@ic.ac.uk, or visit https:// union.ic.ac.uk/medic/hockey/join-us
47
ICSM Lacrosse
ICSM Mountaineering
The award winning Lacrosse Club is now one of the largest clubs in the university, with 2 exceptional Ladies sides and a very strong Men’s team competing in the BUCS leagues, as well as the ever-successful mixed side.
ICSM Mountaineering meets on Wednesday afternoons at the Westway Sports centre for indoor rock climbing and bouldering in one of the best and friendliest climbing walls in London. We have regular socials in one of the local pubs on Wednesday nights and a committee with a wealth of outdoor experience who are keen to increase the number of outdoor rock climbing and walking trips we do this year.
The club continues to go from strength to strength, with the Ladies 1st XII once again reaching the Premier League playoffs, and the 2nd XII reaching the BUCS final in only their second season. The Men’s side had another strong season, reaching the BUCS Trophy semi final. Everyone is welcome at our club - from seasoned veterans to absolute beginners - so come give it a try! We have matches every Wednesday, with mixed matches on the weekends. We have some great socials throughout the year, from sports nights to black tie meals, so you’ll be sure to have an amazing time with Lacrosse! Come to our Taster Session during Fresher’s Week, and if you have any questions, please get in touch at tre10@ic.ac. uk!
There is a weekend in Snowdon already booked and several day trips on Saturdays to the Southern Sandstone area near Tunbridge Wells are being planned, as well as a Friday night to Saturday night trip to Cheddar Gorge. We will be offering completely free taster sessions at the Westway Sports centre this Autumn term, and will also pay your entry fee and equipment hire charges. The club always has gear for you to hire, and Wednesday climbing is only £3.50 per session so why not join today! Please contact cth11@ic.ac.uk for more info
48
ICSM Netball
ICSM Rugby
Whether you love netball, fancy keeping fit, or just want to have the most fun of your fresher year, ICSM Netball Club is the one for you!
IMRFC is a thriving club at the heart of the medical school with 4 teams playing Wednesdays and Saturdays, from complete novices to our 1st team.
With five teams the club caters for everyone from netball pros in the 1sts to those who are picking up a ball for the first time in the 5ths.
The squad is handled by coach Tom Burwell, assisted by ex London Wasps Will Matthews and Tom Rees, and we pride ourselves on our full inclusivity, with everyone, regardless of ability having personal training time to improve their game. IMRFC competes in 2 exhibition cups; United Hospitals (one of the oldest rugby competitions in the world) and Varsity. Tours are being dispatched to Cardiff, Cornwall and this summer an international tour will be playing across Europe.
We train once a week and play matches on Mondays and Wednesdays. We also take our off-court activities extremely seriously with sports nights every Wednesday after matches, team bonding dinners, inter-year tournaments, pub golf and tours across the country with the football club. We are the biggest, friendliest and most successful female club at ICSM. If you want to win Varsity and beat Imperial there’s no other club for you!
Off the pitch, there are events every week; sports nights in the Reynolds, the infamous third team curry, and the black tie end of season dinner held at prestigious venues such as the House of Lords and the RAC.
We can’t wait to meet you all at Freshers’ Fair, make sure you come and say hello!! If you have any questions at all please email me (Beth) at ern08@ic.ac.uk.
If you have any questions or wish to get in contact, please call me on 07712249934, or email me (Hugh) at hpc09@ic.ac.uk
49
ICSM Snowsports
ICSM Squash
Picture the scene: you’re stood on top of a mountain, knee deep in fresh powder, blue skies overhead, with an entire week dedicated to partying, meeting new people, and all the fun a mountain can offer ahead of you. ICSM snowsports can make this dream a reality.
Squash is a fast paced, high octane game enjoyed by people of all standards. Whether you’re a squash master or a total beginner, Medics Squash invites you down for a game with somebody of your standard every Wednesday and Sunday.
Lots of people you meet at med school will say that freshers fortnight was the best two weeks of their lives. These people have not been on ICSM ski trip. The week combines the thrills of skiing and boarding all day every day with the outrage and scandal provided by the evening entertainment. We welcome skiers and boarders of all abilities – if you haven’t been before, it’s the perfect time to learn! We’re off to Alpe d’Huez from 14th – 21st December, at an unbelievable price of £325. AND you get a free hand knitted hat worth £33. You’d be mad to miss it. For more information please contact wrs09@ic.ac.uk
50
We always look to have as many teams as possible and our men’s and women’s teams play regular matches against other universities. As well as having a passion for squash, we also have a passion for fun! This club combines good quality squash with an even better weekly social scene. You’ll have loads of events to look forward to, from booze bowling to Christmas dinner. Medics squash is a great value club for anyone of any standard, and not just medics so we encourage everyone to have a go and get involved in this awesome sport with some very friendly people! Please contact samuel.tindall10@imperial.ac.uk or thomas.butters11@imperial. ac.uk for more information!
ICSM Sub-Aqua
ICSM Tennis
ICSM Sub-Aqua is the SCUBA diving club for Imperial College School of Medicine. Although we are mainly medics, we do have many non-medic members, and anyone is welcome to join!
With use of indoor courts at the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton and the outdoor Bishop’s park courts, there is no need for tennis to be confined to the summer!
It’s a great way to try something new and adventurous (and it’s the cheapest way to learn diving), or if you’ve dived before in the UK or abroad, it’s a sociable and enjoyable way to continue your dive training.
Whether you’re the new Andy Murray or simply a beginner, we cater for all levels of tennis with both a social and competitive team (mixed and men’s).
We are affiliated with BSAC, and run our training and trips accordingly. However, if you already have PADI training, this is not a problem! You can dive with us, and continue your training with crossover to BSAC. Early in first term, we run try dives in the pool at St Mary’s campus in Paddington. Come along and meet us, see how we dive and get your fins on! To find out more, email medics.subaqua@ic.ac.uk
As you will soon learn, tennis also has a strong reputation off the courts. With a Christmas tournament and pub golf, a sumptuous summer dinner, our annual Wimbledon visit and many other socials in between, there is plenty to look forward to! The club even undertakes a yearly international summer trip to Europe to play on some beautiful sunny clay courts. If you have any questions or want to know how best to get involved, don’t hesitate to email us at medics.tennis@imperial. ac.uk. We look forward to seeing you on the courts!
51
ICSM Water Polo
Weights & Fitness
The ICSM Water Polo Club is arguably the strongest Medical School water polo team in England. Just don’t ask how many other Medical Schools have their own water polo team!
ICSM Weights and Fitness, better know as St. Mary’s Gym, provides a quality gym not only to those based locally or at St Mary’s hospital, but also to those who don’t want the hussle and bussle of Ethos. Time your visit right and you often have a private gym.
Training: We have two coached sessions a week and our buff Croatian fitness instructor runs an (optional) weekly land-training session. The range of ability within the club is vast. Almost all of our players have no experience when they join but develop into water polo monsters by mid-season. Competition: Our mixed-gender team plays in the LUSL league weekly against other London universities. You’ll have plenty of opportunity to rack up experience in our Freshers’ Tournament and League games. When we’re not in trunks: Team dinners, Pancake Party, House Parties, Reynolds, TOUR, foreign countries and academic tutorials are all in the calendar. For more email Nick at nv910@ic.ac.uk
We charge £45 pounds for a year’s membership running September to September. The Gym itself is located within the medical school building on the St Mary’s Campus just a 10 minute walk across the park from South Ken. Membership gets you gym access seven days a week 0600-2230 and full use of all of our equipment, which includes: - Full cardio training: Running machines, stepper, cycles, rowers and cross trainers. - Resistance Machines - Free Weights: Dumbbells 1-60 kg and a full barbell range with two brand new cages and plans for further development For more info please contact Matt at mh229@ic.ac.uk
52
Societies
ICSM Careers Soc
Whether you want to join the Light Opera or Drama Society and perform in front of hundreds of people, or write articles for the ICSM Gazette, there’s a pastime to suit everyone at ICSM.
Whether you come to medical school with your heart set on becoming a cardiologist or you reach final year and still don’t have a clue what specialty you want to go into, we are here to help.
With the Big Chill, Music Society summer concert, Teddy Bear Hospital teaching opportunities and 24 hour opera, there’s the opportunity for everyone to showcase their talents. With students and consultants alike attending, these events are always a great success and a platform for people to springboard to greater things. If you’re not into performing then there’s always the opportunity to get involved with the more philanthropic side of ICSM and help with ICAB or Vision.
For the first time, this year the specialty socs are all coordinated under the SU Careers officer, with each specialty having their own chair and committee.
ICSM Alumni Although the roots of our medical school date back centuries, last year was the 15th annivarsary of ICSM’s doctors graduating. Our ICSM Alumni Association, is a rapidly growing association of graduated doctors, maintaining links and giving back to the medical school they have sadly left behind. It is a fantastic way of keeping in touch with ICSM when you come out the other side!
If you want to arrange conferences, talks, information evenings or just find out a little more about a given specialty we are here to assist. Currently we have socs for: psychology, paediatrics, oncology, obstetrics, cardiology and dermatology – but if the specialty you have an interest in doesn’t have a soc, we can help you get one started. So whether you want to contact us during Freshers’ Fair or come and see us later on during your time at medical school, we will be around... For further details, please contact David at icsm.ac@imperial.ac.uk
Of course, you’ll hear much more about this when you’re approaching med school retirement, but if anyone has any ideas for Alumni or wants to get involved nice and early please get in touch at icsm.ac@imperial.ac.uk
53
ICSM CMF
ICSM Drama
Imperial’s Christian Medical Fellowship is here to equip medical students to live and speak for Jesus. As freshers, you maybe worried about finding fellow Christians or just curious about the Christian faith.
Are you a budding actor or actress? Or have always wanted to write your own play? Perhaps you want to learn how to operate tech equipment or to be a stage mananger? Then ICSM Drama is the society for you!
We are here to support you in every need, whether it be encouragement in your walk as Christian Medics or educational support. We also have monthly socials providing amazing home-cooked meals and time to build lasting friendships. Things to look forward to particularly as freshers: weekly fellowship within your year, the new ‘families’ scheme where we pair you up with older years, the annual Christmas dinner and the National CMF students’ conference. Above all, we just want to get to know you and welcome you into medical school. So see you at Freshers’ Fair or our other events! For more information email Lorna at lorna.hemingway10@imperial.ac.uk
We produce two major plays a year (last year we performed one written by two of our members as well as the much loved classic ‘Pride and Prejudice’), as well as various other events including an inter-med school review show! Even more excitingly for you are the ‘Freshers plays’; an evening of mini-plays designed to get new members involved in the society held in the Reynolds Bar! Throughout the year we have a host of social events including Tour, Formal Dinners and play week socials…if that isn’t enough for you, the number of people you meet will guarantee you at least one set of revision notes for the coming exams. For more info email icsmds@gmail.com, and see you at the Freshers’ Fair!
54
ICSM EMSA
ICSM Gazette
The European Medical Students Association (EMSA) is the parent society for many events going on at ICSM!
The ICSM Gazette is a publication run by students and aimed at both alumni and the current student body.
We are responsible for the famed ‘Teddy Bear Hospital’ – a scheme which takes ICSM medical students into local primary schools and teaches children and their teddies about what it’s like to be poorly and go to hospital and healthy living through play! If teddies and playing pretend aren’t your thing we also run a week long expedition medicine course, teaching you how to treat people using basic supplies in the wilderness.
We produce the ICSM magazine once a term, containing a range of things from the news section, clubs and socs updates, and final years’ elective reports, and there is also an online blog form of the Gazette, the Gazette Extra.
EMSA members also get the opportunity to participate in the Twinning Project with a medical school in Lisbon and see how our Portuguese counterparts learn medicine in a week long exchange programme! EMSA membership is open to all and is a fantastic opportunity to get involved in ICSM! Come find us at Fresher’s fair and find out more or email us at emsa@imperial.ac.uk
This online version, which can be found at icsm-gazette.co.uk/extra, is geared more towards students, featuring interviews, a tongue-in-cheek ‘How to…’ section, and reviews of med school events among other things. We are currently looking for keen artists and people who’ll be in a range of medic clubs and socs to join our team, so get in touch if you’re interested in joining one of the least time-consuming med-school societies around. For more information please see www. icsm-gazette.co.uk or contact icsm-gazette@imperial.ac.uk
55
ICSM ICAB
ICSM Light Opera
Imperial College Aid to the Balkans (ICAB for short) is a student-led charity which sends volunteers to orphanages and other centres in Bulgaria to work with disadvantaged children.
Light Opera – It’s not what it sounds like…
Our volunteers take resources (all sorts of fun and games) to do what we can to bring a smile to these children. We interact with children and overcome the cultural barrier through the universal language of play! It is a really fulfilling experience and a remarkable insight into a completely different way of life. We promise you’ll love every minute of it. You can decide when you go, how long you go for, and who you go with. ICAB can provide as much or as little trip planning guidance as you need. This your opportunity to explore a land steeped in culture and breath-taking natural beauty whilst making a real difference. For more information please contact icab@imperial.ac.uk or visit our website: www.icsmsu.com/icab
56
ICSM Light Opera is a society for big deals, big names and big nights out. If you fancy yourself as one of the former or you like the latter then get involved. What we do: put on 2 musicals per year, one in the first term and a 24 hour musical in summer term to blow away the revision blues. What is required of you: Be interesting, be talented or both. If you like prancing about on stage like me then you can audition to be part of the cast but if not you can get involved with backstage, costumes, makeup, set building, lighting or tech. This year we’re going back to roots – raucus rehearsals, big socials, huge tour, and at the end an amazing production. It’s going to be epic. Be a big deal. Be light opera. Email - js608@imperial.ac.uk
ICSM MedEd
ICSM Music
The Medical Education Society (MedEd) provides peer-to-peer teaching for clinical medical students.
Despite playing absolutely no part in the careers of many worthy musicians (such as Beethoven, Frank Sinatra and Britney Spears), the ICSM Music Society constantly produces top-notch performers.
We are here to supplement your learning and revision for exams during your time at medical school as we believe that everyone benefits most when we share knowledge and resources throughout the medical school. We organise mock examinations, tutoring schemes and small group teaching for all the clinical years, which are always in high demand. We also host a variety of clinical specialty career days and conferences with teaching from leaders in their field. All students are automatically members of MedEd. This means that you are all able to benefit throughout your time at ICSM. If you have any questions, please email us at medical.education@imperial.ac.uk We look forward to meeting you at the Fresher’s Fair and beyond.
Our society encompasses the Orchestra, Choir, Chamber Choir, Jazz Band and Band jams, with weekly rehearsals culminating in concerts at local churches, pubs, and mental institutions (well…mostly churches). Musicians of all standards are welcome, and, apart from chamber choir, there is no need to audition. This year we look forward to escaping London in our annual weekend away in Autumn and also our Summer tour to Lisbon! We have our own ICSM Music Scholarship for one fresher every year to have free lessons at the Royal College of Music and everyone has the opportunity to sing in the Royal Albert Hall. Come along, and you’ll see why we are one of the largest societies in the medical school! E-mail contact: ajc10@imperial.ac.uk or see www.union.ic.ac.uk/medic/music
57
ICSM Muslim Medics
ICSM SORA
Welcome Freshers! Muslim Medics is a society that provides both educational and social support to medical students throughout Imperial. It provides the opportunity to become part of our large tight knit community of people from all backgrounds to provide you with a platform to excel throughout you’re time at Imperial.
SORA is the Society of Research and Academia. It runs within the Faculty of Medicine to help students of all year groups to develop an interest in and get involved in research. Throughout the year we will be running a range of events, including hosting our very own SORA National Conference (22nd-23rd November), which will be a great opportunity to meet likeminded students from all over the country, hear about the research they’ve been doing and present some of our own.
Our renowned tutorials, mock examinations or revision sessions will make sure all you’re educational needs are met. We also offer students the opportunity to relax through our prestigious MM Annual Dinner, or by participating in some of our Charitable Projects such as PotMed for potential medical students. We always strive to cater for all, hence why our name is a bit of a misnomer as you don’t have to be a Muslim or even a Medic to get something out of MM! Our aim is to point you in the right direction and fulfil all your aims! Contact Email: tasnia.khan11@imperial. ac.uk
58
This year we will also be running a range of interactive workshops as well as hosting talks from leading academics and evenings to help inform you about careers in research and academia. We are also starting the first ever student innovation challenge which will give you the chance to work on a research project as part of a team of students and young academics. We look forward to meeting you and hope to welcome you to our events throughout the year. If you have any questions please feel free to email us at icsmsora@ic.ac.uk.
ICSM Surgical Society
ICSM Vision
ICSM Surgical Society was set up to bring you closer to extracurricular surgical training. Founded in 2005, we are part of Imperial College School of Medicine Union, winner of Imperial College Union President’s Award 2008 and are affiliated to the Royal College of Surgeons of England.
Congratulations on getting your place at the best medical school in the country!! Think back to the application process: all the personal statement writing, admissions tests, interview preparation... Applying to medical school must have seemed daunting. Did you have any help along the way?
Surgical Society organises a huge array of events for ALL medical students (not only those interested in a career in surgery). We have a packed year ahead, from mentoring, anatomy revision and skills courses through to exchange programmes, career evenings and international conferences!
Vision is an outreach society, which works to support school/college students from disadvantaged backgrounds who are considering medicine. We feel that if you’ve got what it takes to succeed in medicine, you shouldn’t lose out just because your school/college can’t provide the specific support needed for medical applications.
This is your chance to join in with one of the largest and most exciting societies at Imperial. Plus it’s only £3 to become a member! To find out more about what the society can offer you, drop us an email (surgical. soc@imperial.ac.uk) and come see us at Freshers’ Fair!
Every year we run two large conferences, and a ‘roadshow’ programme in which enthusiastic medics visit our target schools to inspire, encourage and advise potential medical applicants. It’s great fun, and incredibly satisfying! You can do as little or as much as you like. For more info contact visioninfo@imperial.ac.uk or visit us at Freshers’ Fair!
59
The A-to-Z guide to Medicine at Imperial: A is for...Albert Hall, where we have graduation, B is for...Bops, and Friday night fornication, C is for...Circle Line, the best day of the year, D is for...(RAG) Dash, bring the Belgians some cheer. E is for...Electives, and ten weeks spent away, F is for...Fashion Show, be a model for the day. G is for...Gazette, the med school’s magazine voice, H is for...Hammersmith, ICSM’s home of choice. I is for...Interyear, who are the top group?, J is for...JPR Trophy, played at The Stoop. K is for... (South) Kensington, there’s lots to explore, L is for...Lindo Wing, and Royal births galore. M is for...Mums and Dads, a good support base,
N is for...New things, ICSM’s just the place. O is for...Opera Week, a chance to act up on a stage, P is for...President, Steve’s earning a wage. Q is for...Quiz Night, on Thursdays and free, R is for...Reynolds, where else would things be? S is for...Socials, Black-tie Balls and bops, T is for...Teddington, (and Texa and Tops). U is for...United Hospitals, the sports cups and revue, V is for...Varsity, the med school will need you. W is for...Wednesdays, half days and sports nights, X is for...Xmas Bop, see the Reynolds in lights. Y is for...Year 1, just five more to go, Z is for...Zygote, which is a word that I know.
We hope you all enjoy your time here! www.icsmsu.com