Imperial medics London's most satisfied, according to National Student Survey

Graduating medicine students enjoy Commemoration Day 2018 at the Royal Albert Hall

Imperial has topped the London medical school table for student satisfaction with its highest-ever overall rating.

The release this week of the 2019 National Student Survey results saw the School of Medicine leap up five percentage points from 2018’s results, reaching 93% overall satisfaction for graduating MBBS students. Overall, Imperial College London’s student satisfaction sits at 82%, unchanged from last year.

Other London medical schools included in the table are Queen Mary’s University of London, St George’s, University College London, and King’s College London.

Vice Dean (Education) and Head of Undergraduate Medicine, Mr Martin Lupton, said: “I am honoured to work with so many fantastic people who have contributed to an MBBS course of which we can be so justifiably proud.

“For me it is a huge personal pleasure, because I care very much about what the students think about the education we offer them. They are, after all, at the centre of the Medical School.”

Focussing on the student experience

The School of Medicine has placed the student experience at the heart of the ongoing MBBS Curriculum Review, which will see an evolved programme launch for incoming first-year students this September.

The MBBS will now see a further-developed integration in the teaching of the science and clinical areas of the curriculum. Moving through carefully constructed modules each year in a structure incorporating three ‘phases’ of learning, students will also gather expertise in vertical ‘domains’ that run through the entire course, including areas such as Professional Values and Behaviours and Communications Skills, critical to working in clinical or research environments.

Ensuring Imperial is the best choice for medicine in London

Head of the School of Medicine Secretariat, the team responsible for student experience in the School, Trisha Brown, said: “I am delighted to see that our graduating students were satisfied with their experience at the School.  The significant rise in student satisfaction levels this year shows that our ongoing commitment to delivering an excellent learning experience is having a positive impact. 

“The team are proud to deliver an outstanding student experience, and we will continue to review the NSS data and reflect on areas where we can do more to ensure we demonstrate our commitment to working with our students, as partners, to ensure Imperial College School of Medicine is the best choice for Medicine in London.”

The School also saw increases in satisfaction in a number of other areas including Learning Opportunities, where students praised the course’s encouragement of in-depth exploration of concepts. Also commended were opportunities for students to apply their learning – an area that will be magnified in the integrated design of the evolved curriculum.

Incoming School of Medicine Students’ Union President for 2019-20, Ben Russell, said: “This substantial improvement in Student Satisfaction represents the fantastic work done in recent years by the Faculty and student representatives to engage with our students.

“It shows the School's tireless commitment to improving an already high quality of student experience. We look forward to working closely with the Faculty to maintain this high level for students in years to come.”