St George's, University of London

Infobox University
name = St George's, University of London


image_size = 161px
caption = http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=St_George%27s,_University_of_London&action=edit
latin_name =
motto =
established = 1733
type = Public
staff =
faculty =
president =
principal = Professor Peter Kopelman
chancellor =
vice_chancellor =
dean =
head_label =
head =
students = 3,785 cite web |url=http://www.hesa.ac.uk/holisdocs/pubinfo/student/institution0506.htm |title=Table 0a - All students by institution, mode of study, level of study, gender and domicile 2005/06 |work=Higher Education Statistics Agency online statistics |accessdate=2007-03-31]
undergrad = 3,220
postgrad = 565
doctoral =
profess =
city = London
state =
country = UK
campus = Urban
free_label =
free =
colours = color box|greencolor box|goldGreen and Gold (Students' Union)
color box|cyancolor box|blueBlue and Blue (Institution)
affiliations = University of London
St George's Hospital
footnotes =
website = http://www.sgul.ac.uk/
address =
publictransit =
telephone =
coor =

St George's, University of London (SGUL), previously known as George's Hospital Medical School (SGHMS), is a specialist medical college of the University of London. The college has its origins in 1733 [http://www.sgul.ac.uk/about/history.cfm] , and was the second institution in England to provide formal training courses for doctors (after the University of Oxford). As of 2008 the medical school accepts around 100 graduates, 175 undergraduates and 10 students from overseas making it one of the larger UK medical schools cite web|url=http://www.study-medicine.co.uk/index.php?pageid=stats|title=www.study-medicine.co.uk British Medical School Statistics|publisher=Study-medicine.co.uk|accessdate=2008-09-08] . In October 2008, St George's announced its intention to merge with Royal Holloway, University of London to create a new unified institution [cite web|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2008/oct/01/universitymergers.highereducation| title=London universities merge| publisher=The Guardian | date =2008-10-01] .

Originally set up in 1733 next to Hyde Park Corner (now the site of The Lanesborough hotel), in central London, the college was transferred to its current site, Tooting in South London in 1980, where it shares a site with St George's Healthcare NHS Trust. Following Quality Assurance Agency inspections St George's gained an excellent score of 23 out of 24 for its teaching of medicine [http://www.qaa.ac.uk/reviews/reports/subjectLevel/q170_00.pdf] — the highest of any of the London medical schools — making it, by academic teaching standards, the best medical school in London and second only to Oxford and Cambridge among England's 25 or so medical schools. The inspection's report was published in January of 2000 and the course, curriculum and teaching methods have been improved at St George's since then.

St George's was also the first university in the country to offer a four year graduate entry medicine degree based on the program from Flinders University [http://www.sgul.ac.uk/dms/F896B7649D5E98A6A8F40DF4D361D38B.doc] with which it has an exchange program. The first intake was in 2000 with 35 students and the course has since been emulated by many other universities. Entry to the course is highly competitive with candidates being required to sit the GAMSAT as part of the application process.

The Students' Union (until recently, the School Club) organises various activities, the best known being its fancy dress discos and its hugely successful Rag Week, the annual series of fund-raising events, which in the year 2007-2008 raised around £80,000 for various charities including Cancer Research, Barnardos and Leonard Cheshire. Year on year St George's raises more money for charity per capita than any other London medical school. In recent years the Union has become more politically aware and shown greater interest in National Union of Students of the United Kingdom and British Medical Association activities.

St George's also boasts a plethora of sports clubs including swimming, rowing, volleyball, rugby, football, netball, hockey and many others. In 2007-2008 the Men's and Women's Hockey teams both managed to win their respective ULU Premier Divisions.

Most recently St George's, along with other London medical schools, has been the setting for new television drama Vital Signs.

Principals

As of 1 April 2008 Professor Peter Kopelman took up the position of Principal of SGUL. He replaced Acting Principal Sean Hilton, who himself took over from Professor Michael Farthing, the current Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sussex.

tudent Life

Housing

The University currently owns one halls of residence site, Horton Halls, a large, modern site first opened to new students in late September 2007. This replaced St. George's Grove, the old halls of residence of the university.

University Challenge

SGUL has, to date, had two televised appearances on the BBC's University Challenge broadcast on BBC2 on the 2nd October 2007 and on the 4th August 2008, losing both times in the first round to the University of York and Queens' College, Cambridge respectively.

Alumni

Famous alumni include:

* Heenal Raichura (Youngest doctor in the UK) [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/2287406/Britain's-youngest-doctor-starts-work-aged-22.html]
* Edward Jenner (Developed Smallpox Vaccine)
* Henry Gray (Author of Gray's Anatomy)
* Harry Hill (Comedian)
* John Hunter (Surgeon)
* William Hunter (Surgeon)
* Patrick Steptoe (Developer of IVF treatment)
* Thomas Young (Scientist)
* Edward Adrian Wilson (Polar Explorer)
* Arthur Sandford Hoseason
* James Lafferty
* Mike Wozniak (Comedian, nominated for if.comedy awards Best Newcomer 2008)

ee also

* Third oldest university in England debate

External links

* [http://www.sgul.ac.uk/ St George's, University of London website]

References