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Reflecting on my time with MPBE
By Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, on 24 June 2022
My best friend and I went on a nostalgic walk around UCL last week, remembering the highs and lows and discussing fond memories we had made over the last four years. As we walked past our favourite meeting spot (Malet Place cafe), sat on the Portico steps in the sunshine, and passed the iconic Jeremy Bentham auto-icon, we realised this was probably our last time on campus together. It was through this walk that I realised how many inspirational people I had met at UCL, both students and staff, and how much I had grown as a person as a result of studying in the Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering Department. If you are starting in September or continuing on to the next year of your degree, I hope that some of these tips will help you make the most of your time in the department and at UCL in general.
Go to department events
The MPBE department puts on many events throughout the year to both welcome newcomers and showcase different areas of the department. In October, we went on a guided boat tour along the Thames, which was hosted by the department. It was a fun day out, seeing the sights, and meeting students from different years who we hadn’t met before. It was a good way to share your experiences with students who were just starting their degree and for new students to meet older students who they could ask for advice.
Don’t be afraid of meeting new people
The MPBE department has a wide range of research groups concentrating on topics from MRI to proton therapy. If you are interested in a topic, do not be afraid to approach new people in the department to discuss it. Completing a research project in my final year at UCL was one of my favourite parts of my four years here. Working with many different people in the department and across UCL, I was able to apply my knowledge and passion for radiation to an experiment. This project helped me realise what I wanted to do with my future career, and I couldn’t have finished it without the help of the people I met in the department.
It’s OK to find things difficult
Starting university is very daunting. Everybody already seems to know what they are doing, where to go and how to do this week’s problem sheet. I found some modules very difficult (looking at you labs!). I remember crying during one of the lab sessions because I didn’t understand something, but then the lab supervisor came over to offer guidance and support, and my classmates asked if I wanted a hug. Don’t be afraid of asking for help when things are difficult!
Here are some pictures from my time studying at UCL:
1st year Medical Physics doing secret Santa (2018)
Some photos taken during the boat trip to Greenwich (2021)
Some photos taken during the boat trip to Greenwich (2021)
Rehabilitation Robotics lab session selfie (with EMG electrodes placed on arm to convert electrical signals to a motor to simulate hand opening and closing) (2022)
Celebration of end of exams with some Medical Physics friends in my year (2022)
Me and my friend took some photos around UCL during our ‘last trip around UCL’. This is me on the Portico steps.
I have loved my four years doing Medical Physics at UCL and am sad to see it come to an end. I’ll always remember the memories made and know that I can count on the friends I’ve met along the way. Thank you MPBE!
This blog was written by Pip, fourth year MSci Medical Physics (graduating summer 2022)
Photo credits: Pip
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