download your essential freshers' survival guide

BYTHEROYALMEDICALSOCIETYMeetyourRMSCouncil,Unihintsandtips,Edinburghdayandnightlife,books,andsomuchmore! 

YourEssentialSurvivalGuide 

Welcometo…

EDINBURGH!

Firstofall…

CONGRATULATIONSonmakingittoEdinburgh–thedoorisopentoendlessopportunities,people,funandindependence.MovingtoUniversity–whetheryou’vecomefromabroad,orliveinEdinburgh–canbedaunting.Itisthefirsttimeyouarefendingforyourself,budgeting,meetingnewpeopleandbalancingmedicineontop of everything else.DONOTWORRY. This guide iswritten bycurrent Edinburgh Medical Students to prepare you for the mostamazing5yearsahead!

CONTENTS… 

WhatistheRoyalMedicalSociety MeetyourCommittee Unilife–hintsandtips WelcomeWeek

WishtocontacttheRMS?www.royalmedical.co.uk01316502672

Lots of Love,

The RMS

WhoAreWe?We aren’t just any normal MedSoc. We are the Royal Medical Society –establishedin1737,wearetheonlystudentsocietyinBritainwithaRoyalCharter. We are BIG DEAL and we’ve got some pretty big name pastmemberstoo!TheRMSisrunbyagroupofstudents(thecouncil)andourtwowonderful(andbeautiful)secretaries–ElizabethandEnid.Wehostavarietyofeventsthroughouttheyearincludingtalks,tutorialsandaNationalConference,aswell asmany socials such as theWhite Coat Pub Crawl (duringWelcomeWeek),BurnsSupperandourAnnualDinner.WearealivelyandapproachableCouncil,socometousifyouhaveanythingtoaskortellus–wearealwayslookingforwaystoimprove.

JOIN THE FACEBOOK 

GROUP: 

Edinburgh Medicine 

Freshers 2015 

MeetYourCouncil! Chris

Ellie

Doug

Michael

SENIORPRESIDENTYear3Loves:Travelling,sports,foodanddarkhumourHates:MosthorrorfilmsandmessNotetoFresherSelf:Makemore‘metime’Best Moment in Edinburgh: Fending off Professor Maxwell toclaim‘bestlecturer’FavouriteSociety:MedicsFootball10Years’Time:NoIdea…theworldismyoysterJUNIORPRESIDENTYear3Loves:Iloveanyopportunitytogetoutside.Running,cycling,walkingandyogaaremyfavourites.Ialsolovefood–everythingaboutit–especiallygoodbread.Also,OrangeistheNewBlackandHouseofCardsarecurrentlythebestshowsonNetflix.TRAVEL.Hates:BeinginsideandthedarkNotetoFresherSelf:Tryeverythingthatinterestsyou–don’tbescared!BestMomentinEdinburgh:I<3EdinburghFavouriteSociety:YOGA–Iurgeeveryonetogiveitago!10Years’Time:inabeautifulforeignlandwithmyveryowndog

JUNIORPRESIDENTYear3Loves:Scubadiving,golf,watchingfilms,eatingout, travellingandgoingtothegymwithMichaelHates:RainNotetoFresherSelf:MakeasmanynewfriendsasyoucaninthefirstweekBestMoment inEdinburgh:That’sahardquestion. I can’tpickasinglemoment–allmytimeinEdinburghhasbeengreatsofar.FavouriteSociety:athleticsandtheRMS(ofcourse)10Years’Time:savinglivesofcourse…andbeingJamesBondJUNIORPRESIDENTIntercalatinginReproductiveBiologyLoves:HendricksGin,goingtothegymwithDoug,beingtanned,lifedrawing,spontaneousnightsout,makingEdinburghSnapchatLiveHates:Tequila,9amlectures,baggyjeansNotetoFresherSelf:Don’tstressaboutworktoomuchinthefirstfewweeks–youareatuniversityandyoushouldmakethemostofsocialisingandgoingout.Meetnewpeopleandjoinclubs.BestMomentinEdinburgh:TheMysteryBustourinfirstyearandendingupinNewcastle.AnddidImentionIwasontheEdinburghSnapchatLive?FavouriteSocieties:AthleticsClub10Years’Time:Savingchildren’slivesatGreatOrmondStreetandsellingartformillions.

Marie

Alisha

Aparna

Hannah

SENIORSECRETARYIntercalatinginPhysiologyLoves:Tennis,BigCheeseandtheChristmasMarketHates:HangoversNotetoFresherSelf:Don’tbuyeverybookrecommended,findoutwhatyoulikeandACTUALLYUSEotherwiseyouendupindebtwithabookshelfofunusedbooksBestMoment in Edinburgh: Ice Skating at the Christmas MarketafterexamsJUNIORSECRETARYIntercalatinginNeuroscienceLoves:Coffee,puppiesandpaintingHates:Peas,insectsandexamsBestClub:CAVNote to Fresher Self: Join every society you can! You don’t knowwhoyouwillmeet!BestMomentinEdinburgh:PicnicsonthemeadowsinsummerFavouriteSocieties:ArtintheCommunity,TeddyBearHospitalandKickboxingClub10 Years’ Time: practicing medicine back in Asia and hopefullytravellingtheworldBUSINESSYear2Loves:PROW‐ing,tea,baking,paintinganddrawingHates:9ams,lecturersusingcomicsans…Note to Fresher Self: Time flies butmemories stay! Be organisedandmakesureyoukeepyourselfbusywithavarietyofthings.AlsotakeachancetoexploreEdinburgh,trynewthingsandgettoknowlotsoflovelypeople.FavouriteSociety:TeddyBearHospital10Years’Time:Idon’tevenknowwhatI’mgoingtohaveforlunchtomorrow….hopefullyhappyandwithagoodcareerENTERTAINMENTSYear2Loves:Dogs,Skiing,ProfessorJamieDaviesHates: HES, Sambuca, accidentally hospitalising one of your bestfriendsNote to Fresher Self: Asmuch as I lovemedics it is nice to havefriendswhodo other subjects so join uni clubs and get chatting topeopleinyourhallsBestMoment inEdinburgh:Watching the sunset up Crags at theendoffirstyearFavouriteSociety:athletics10Years’time:hopefullygraduatedwithatleast2dogs 

Emma

Mathew

Jason

Philippa

PUBLICITYYear2Loves:Dancing,singing,P‐rowingHates:Writingessays,vodkashotsand9amsNote toFresherSelf: It’s not the things youdo, but the things youdon’tdothatyouwillregret,sogetinvolved!BestMomentinEdinburgh:Watchingsurgeryforthefirsttime!Favourite Society: Modern dance society and Edinburgh Uni acapella10Years’Time:TrainingforthespecialtyofmydreamsandknowingsomuchmedicaljargonthatI’mpracticallybilingual.COMPUTERSYear2Loves:Tea,Edinburgh,SpicyDoritosHates:HES,beinga“responsibleadult”andcheesyDoritosNotetoFresherSelf:DoEVERYTHING,gooutmore,theassessmentyou’reworriedaboutcountsforwaylessthanyouthinkBestMoment in Edinburgh: Paul Mill’s Freshers’ Address, WhiteCoatPubCrawlandsummerBBQsonthemeadowsFavourite Society: RMS, Edinburgh Students Surgical Society andPaediatricSociety10Years’Time:hopefullyfinisheduni(it’sonlybeen8yearssofar)andhopefullynotquestioningwhyIgotmyselfintothis

TUTORIALSIntercalatinginImmunologyLoves:BenandJerrysHates:MushyPeasNote toFresher Self: Don’t rush into buying textbooks in the firstweek!Trythemoutinthelibraryfirst.AlsomentallyprepareforthecrazinessofACFAMS(AcademicFamiliesnightout)BestMoment inEdinburgh:Watching thesunriseonArthur’sSeatafterourfirstyearpostexamsnightoutFavouriteSociety:RMSofcourse!10Years’Time:beinganexpeditionmedicgoingaroundtheworldLIBRARIANYear3Loves:Sunshine,coffee,cooking,andtheoutdoorsHates:RainNotetoFresherSelf:GetALLtheloyaltycardsavailableBestMomentinEdinburgh:AllRMSBallsandCeilidhs!FavouriteSociety:Coppafeelfortheamazingworktheydo!10Years’Time:Idon’tknowbuthopefullydoingsomethingIenjoywhateverthatmaybe 

Sophia

Ian

Jacqueline

LIBRARIANYear2Loves:CoffeeShops,thewidearrayofdogsinthemeadowsandTheBigCheeseHates:Spiders,goingtothedentistandbeingforcedtoplay“nevereverhaveIever”NotetoFresherSelf:Don’tworryaboutmaking friends– thebestand most permanent relationships take time. You’ll meet greatpeople in curious places.With that inmind, visit asmany curiousplacesaspossibleBestMomentinEdinburgh:ClimbingupArthur’sSeattowatchthesunriseFavourite Society: The Boat Club (I started novice rowing thenchangedtorecreational).It’sagreatwaytomeetpeople!10 Years’ Time: Qualified and owner of a Labrador and maybeslightlybetteratdrinkinginmoderationHOUSEKEEPERYear4Loves:Nerdystuff,cheesymusic,theoccasionalginandtonicHates:earlymornings,fancydress,cats(apartfromthefunnyonesdoingsillythingsontheinternet)BestClub:BigcheeseishardtobeatNotetoFresherSelf:TequilatastesevenworseonthewaybackupBest Moment in Edinburgh: that’s a tough one… too many tochoose from.Probablyhosting theRMSAnnualDinnerat theRoyalCollegeofSurgeonslastyear.Itwasgreattoseemonthsofplanningandhardworkcometo fruition,andtobeable tospenda fantasticnightwithfriendsandfamilyenjoyinggreatfoodanddrinkinsuchaprestigiousvenueANNUALDINNERYear2Loves: Prow (The Big Cheese), singing, a capella, ice‐cream andtennisHates:TheP‐rowqueue,alsoIdespisetheneverendingHESessaysNotetoFresherSelf:InFresher’sWeekit’sgreattomeetandtalktoasmanypeopleaspossible,youneverknowwhomightturnouttobeyourclosest friends in the future(althoughrealityyouprobablywon’tspeaktothemajorityofthesepeopleeveragain).Alsoalotofpeoplewillbenervousaboutstartinguniandhavingtomakingnewfriends,sodon’tignoreanybodyandinvolveeveryone!BestMomentinEdinburgh:Ihavelovedseeingthemedicspulloutallthestopsforsomeamazingacademicproposalsthisyear!FavouriteSocieties:EdinburghUniversityAcappella(SoundDynamics)10Years’Time:HopefullysuccessfullygraduatedfromMedSchoolonthewaytosavinglives

WELCOMEWEEKRMSTIMETABLE!

MONDAYMedicalSportsandSocietiesFair

12pmand2.45pmRMSRooms(abovePotterrow)

GETYOURWHITECOATSHERE!!!!!!!!TUESDAY

WhiteCoatPubCrawl7pm.MeetinRMSRooms

WEDNESDAYMedicalSocietiesFair

1pmChancellor’sBuilding,RIE

BOOKSBOOKSBOOKS! 

ThefirstpieceofadviceaboutbooksistoNOTPANICaboutbuyingallrecommendedtexts.Plentyofcopiesofallrecommendedbooksareinthelibraryforyoutoborrow.Beforeyou thinkaboutbuying, research thedifferentbooksandseewhichyou thinkwillworkbestforyou!Hereisabriefreviewoftheoneswhicharemostimportant.1.Davidson’sPrinciplesandPracticeofMedicine–notneededmuchinfirst semester but can be more useful which you start studying bodysystems during second semester. Gets more and more useful as youprogress.

2.MedicalSciences – VERY useful from the very start and is themostusefulbookforthefirstcoupleyearsofstudy.3.PsychologyandSociologyasAppliedtoMedicine–thisbooksaves lives during the Health, Ethics and Society Module. Thelecturesfollowthisbook.4. At a Glance Series – there is a book on every system sodefinitelywouldnotadvisebuyingthemall,howevertheyareveryusefultogetoutoflibraryduringrevisiontimes.

5.RangandDalesPharmacology –ProfessorMaxwell’spharmacologylectures are BRILLIANT so not many students feel the need for apharmacologytextbook,butifyoudothenthisisthebestoutthere.

UNIHacks!

SomeUnmissableOffersfromBlackwells!

Iknowthisgreatlittleplace…

Clubs1. WhyNotClub–thefirstofthe‘GeorgeStreet’Clubs,WhyNotistheplacetogoonaMondaynight.

Featuring four cocktail bars, a large central dancefloor with on‐looking booths, a huge outdoorcourtyardandLEDlightroom.Itisalwaysbuzzingwithstudents.

2. OpalLounge–anotherGeorgeStreetClub,Opalrecentlyaddedanotherstudentnight to itsweekand so currently has 3 student nights from Tuesday to Thursday. Tuesday isMilk,Wednesday isMansionandThursdayisthepopularSugarClub.

3. CAV‐ifyoulikepopulartunes,andcheesytunesfromthelasttwodecades,thenCAVistheplaceforyou. Studentnights areFridayandSunday. Situated inTollcross,CAV isoneof the larger clubs inEdinburgh, and boasts a multi‐coloured dancefloor, for all those cheesy tunes and a largerundergrounddancefloor.

4. Silk – Silk is situated on King’s Stable Road and has itsmain Student night on a Thursday night,calledTemple.Silk isalwayspopularandofferssomeof thebestdrinksdealsofall theEdinburghclubs.Silkhasmultiplefloorssoplentyofchoiceofmusicstyles.

5. HIVE–SituatedjustoffCowgate,HIVEisfreeentryformostnightsoftheweek(notweekends),andso is attractive when the funds are running low. Drinks are also very cheap in HIVE and beingsituatedinCowgatemakesitwalkingdistanceformostfirstyearhalls.

6. Cabaret Voltaire (Cab Vol) – another Cowgate club, Cab Vol is famous for its ‘Hector’s House’TuesdayswhichofferadifferentclubscenetothemainstreamGeorgeStreetclubs.WellknownDJsoftendosetsinCabVol,andwithitsvarietyofroomsalwaysoffersagreatnight.

7. TheBongoClub–thisCowgateclubisbigonaTuesdaynightandcelebrateshiphopmusic, fromclassicstonewandup‐and‐comingartists.

8. TheLiquidRooms– a large venue,wheremanyDJs and artistshave come toperform, includingItchyFeetandKYGO. 

Iknowthisgreatlittleplace…

Thingstodo1. NationalMuseumofScotland–museumwhichsharesthehistoryofScotland,ofnatureandworld

cultures.Free(donation)entryandfreetours.Opendaily10am‐5pmonChambersStreet.2. NationalGallery– Situated in thePrincesStreetgardens, theNationalGalleryhousespermanent

collectionsaswellasticketedexhibitions.Freeentrytomostofthepermanentcollections.Alwaysworthalook.

3. Arthur’s Seat – the extinct volcano is a nice walk on a pleasant day, taking no longer than 30minutestogetup,itgivesapanoramicviewofthewholeofEdinburgh.ThisisaMUSTdoespeciallyasitisrightnexttoPollockHalls.

4. EdinburghZoo–takethebusfromPrincesStreetorthenewlyopenedtramstotheZoojustoutsideofEdinburghCityCentre.Seethefamedpandasandtakepartinthepenguinparade.Noshamenomatterwhatyourage.

5. Blackford Hill – another smallish hill which provides panoramic views of Edinburgh. SituatedbehindMarchmontitisashorterwalkupthanArthur’sSeat,andyou’llgetaviewofArthur’sseatitselfaswellasthecastle.

6. Edinburgh Dungeons – open most days (please check), and a discounted offer of £10.80 forstudents, this is amust for anyone new to Edinburgh. Be prepared to be frightened. Located onMarketStreet.

7. EdinburghCastle–ExploretheoldestbuildinginEdinburgh.Openuntil6pminsummerand5pminwinter.Discounted£13.20entryforstudents.

8. GhostWalks– learnsomeof thehistoryofEdinburghduringoneof theseevening/nighttoursofEdinburgh.Visitof someof thespookiestplacesandhear thestories that theseplaceshold.Moreinfoonthecityofthedead.comwebsite.

9. CameraObscura – situated at the top of the RoyalMile next to the castle, Camera Obscura is amulti‐story museum of Optical Illusions. Approximately £10 entrance fee but totally worth themoney:youcouldspendawholeafternoonthere.

10. Shopping!–Edinburghisfullofhiddengemsandyourmainhighstreetbrands.PrincesStreetandGeorgeStreethavethemorecommonbrandsbutanywhereyougotherewillbelittleone‐of‐a‐kindshops.

11. Beaches!–Hardtobelievethatacapitalcitycanhavebeachessoclose!Portobelloisaseasidetownjusta20minutecycle/busridearoundArthur’sSeaandCramondbeachisabitfurtheron.Greatfordaytripsthroughouttheyear,andnotjustsummer.

PlacestoEat!

1. BlackMedicine–2NicholsonStreet.Apleasantrusticcoffee/snackshoptograbaquickbite,orsitandworkoveracupofcoffee.Theirbagelsandsmoothiesaretodiefor.

2. Teviot– the oldest Students’Union in theUK, situated inBristo Square, it serves quality food atstudentprices.Thenachosarefamous.Goon,youknowyouwantto!

3. SNAXCafé–BuccleuchStreet.Thisprovidestheperfect,postPotterrowfryupbreakfastorlunch.A‘doeswhatitsaysonthetin’typeofplace.Small,cosyandquick.

4. TheMosque Kitchen – Nicholson Square. Freshly prepared, cheap, Indian cuisine a very shortdistancefromtheuniversitycampus.

5. TingThaiCaravan–aformerpopuprestaurantforthefestivalthatnowhaspermanentresidenceonTeviotPlaceoppositetheMedicalSchoolandMcEwanHall.Maincoursesfor£5‐7.

Welookforwardtoseeingyousoon!

Eventstolookoutfor!

NOVEMBER

Presidents’AnnualDinner

JANUARY

BurnsNightSupperandCeilidh

MARCH

RMSNationalConference

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