Student Stories: “It’s the perfect place to be a medical student”
Third-year BSc (Hons) Medicine student Ruth Adler shares her journey into medicine at St Andrews.
I didn’t always want to study medicine, but after exploring all the options, I felt that a career that mixes science, problem-solving, research, teamwork and helping others would be perfect. Medicine is so versatile, with many paths and opportunities; there’s something for everyone. While being a medical student is challenging, it’s incredibly rewarding, and studying a degree with academic, practical, and social elements makes it really enjoyable.
My name is Ruth and I’m going into my third year studying medicine at St Andrews. There are so many great medical schools across the UK, but I think St Andrews is an amazing place to be a student. The course is well structured and eases you into medicine, and the small size of the University and medical school means there’s a lot of support available. We even have personalised timetables on a medic-only website called Galen, which I find really helpful – something many other medical schools don’t offer.
At St Andrews, we follow a systems-based approach, cycling through different bodily systems each semester. My highlight so far has been starting second year with the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, which allowed us to incorporate biology knowledge into real patient interactions. Seeing first-hand the effects of the conditions we studied helped deepen my understanding of the patient experience. Beginning in-person placements in second year was also exciting; it gave a glimpse into hospital life and reminded me of what I’m working towards.
Many people think St Andrews doesn’t offer clinical experience, but we actually have regular clinical skills sessions where we learn practical skills like taking blood and performing cardiovascular and respiratory exams. These sessions, along with fortnightly placements in second year, have provided a gentle and valuable introduction to hospital life.
Beyond academics, the traditions at St Andrews are some of my favourite parts of university life. Academic families (where older students ‘adopt’ younger ones) create a fun and supportive community, leading up to the University-wide Raisin Weekend where everyone heads to the beach at sunrise. I’m also part of Teddy Bear Hospital, a society that visits local primary schools in Fife to help children feel less scared about going to the doctor.
Overall, I’ve had the best time here and would absolutely recommend St Andrews as a medical school. It’s the perfect place to be a medical student.