Edinburgh Medical School

19/05/2026

Creating positive change and lasting impact is a major focus of our Edinburgh Medical School 300 activities, and our upcoming pop-up blood donation drive is one of the ways you can get involved.

On Thursday 4 June, we’ll be hosting our first ever blood donation drive at the Usher Building, open to staff, students and alumni.

Join us in helping save and improve lives through blood donation, and enjoy a well-earned biscuit afterwards!

Can’t make it on the 4th of June? You can still sign up to donate alongside our 300 year activites on 15-18 June, at the Edinburgh Blood Donor Centre.

Book your place 👉 https://edin.ac/4336i8d

11/05/2026

It was lovely to see colleagues from across our School come together on Saturday to take part in the Edinburgh Tartan Parade, showcasing our newly created Edinburgh Medical School tartan!
We have some new tartan merchandise available at our online shop, link in bio!

05/05/2026

Calling all soon to be year 4 med students for 2026/27! 🩺
Your new scrubs are ready to collect from MicroLab 2 in the Chancellor’s Building.
🕙 10am–4pm
📅 Today, tomorrow & Thursday
Make sure you’ve booked your slot first, check your email for the booking links.

25/04/2026

23/04/2026

Ever wondered what a day on placement looks like? 🩺

Join Andra, a sixth-year medical student, as she takes you through a day in her life during her assistantship.

22/04/2026

“During my nurse training, I began to appreciate the depth of knowledge doctors need. I really enjoyed learning the pathophysiology of conditions, but often felt like I was just scratching the surface.

“Now, I’m taking the next step - and working towards becoming a doctor.

“Going back to studying after several years away has been really challenging.

“The volume and pace of content can feel overwhelming at first, and it takes time to adjust and find an approach that works for you.

“A real stand out moment for me has been my GP placement. I’ve loved getting to know patients over time and seeing the impact of clinical decisions.

“I’ve been fortunate to have fantastic tutors who are genuinely invested in my learning and offer plenty of opportunities to get involved.

“It’s given me a much deeper appreciation of the role primary care plays in the healthcare system.

“There are pros and cons to the course delivery style. There’s a weekly structure of lectures covering different topics alongside team-based learning tutorials every two to three weeks. Working through hours of online content can feel isolating.

“However, being able to pause, rewind and take notes at your own pace is incredibly helpful for reinforcing more complex topics.”

Thanks to Jack Tierney, current HCP-Med student, for sharing his motivation to transition from nursing to doctor, and how the programme is going so far!

If you are interested in finding out more about the programme, join us for an information session in 12 May. Link in bio

20/04/2026

Then & Now: An A–Z of Edinburgh Medicine!

B is for Bruntsfield Hospital.

Although not the best known of the old Edinburgh Hospitals the Bruntsfield Hospital in Whitehouse Loan has a remarkable legacy in that it was run entirely by women for women.

In 1878 Sophia Jex-Blake became Edinburgh’s first female general practitioner and opened a small dispensary to treat the local working-class women and children. As demand for services from the ‘lady doctors’ grew it became apparent that there was a need for some in-patient beds and the Edinburgh Hospital for Women and Children was opened becoming the larger Bruntsfield Hospital in 1899.

Both hospitals were trail blazers for women’s rights enacting Jex- Blake’s vision of providing dignified and compassionate healthcare to women. The Bruntsfield was also set up to be a teaching hospital for female medical students who faced discrimination and difficulties accessing teaching in those days.

Interestingly, the Bruntsfield students received excellent clinical teaching with real hands-on experience such as clerking patients and assisting in surgeries unlike many of their male counterparts who were learning in large lecture theatres.

Students were held to high standards, with a particular emphasis on observation, and were expected to be ‘precise and confident’ on ward rounds. The Bruntsfield was closed in 1989 and has been converted into apartments.

Image credit: Lothian Health Services Archive

17/04/2026

Watch our anatomical curator Malcolm and collections assistant Ruth talk about the Edinburgh: City of Medicine exhibition, now open at Surgeons’ Hall Museum.

With objects on loan spanning over 300 years, they share their favourite pieces and why they matter.

Free for staff and students until the end of April!

13/04/2026

Then & Now: An A–Z of Edinburgh Medicine.

Taking you from A to Z, we’re exploring Edinburgh’s rich medical history, uncovering historic hospitals, buildings and locations, and what they’re used for today.

A is for Astley Ainslie Hospital!

Fondly known by medical students as the ‘Ghastly Astley’ in its heyday the Astley Ainslie in Morningside was anything but, although it does have a dark history being one of the main sites in Edinburgh where people with the Bubonic Plague were quarantined and buried (face down to stop them rising from the dead and spreading infection) in the 17th century.

Opened in 1923 for convalescence with the beautiful grounds being designed by the Botanic Gardens and containing many Himalayan plants and trees and a 9-hole golf course. The fresh air and lovely surroundings were said to provide a ‘gentle return to life’ for patients.

In the late 1900’s with a move to active rehabilitation rather than convalescence large cardiac and head injury rehab units were opened, with medical students still being sent there for Year 4 neurology teaching. Sadly, services are now being wound down and the future of the site is uncertain.

Image credit: Lothian Health Services Archive

10/04/2026

Congratulations to Madeleine Cowie, a fourth-year medical student on being selected as the Emerging Research Lecturer (Science) at the 2026 Society for Endocrinology BES Conference 👏

This nationally competitive platform typically features early-career researchers at doctoral and postdoctoral level, making this an extraordinary achievement.

Madeleine presented her research, “Role of Obesity Gene PLXNA4 in Neurodevelopment and Anxiety,” at the conference in early March, where she was formally recognised with the award.

A fantastic accomplishment and a great example of the outstanding research taking place within our student community.