Curious about medical research? Join the St Andrews Medical Research Society to hear from researchers, build research skills, discover opportunities and explore how research shapes healthcare.
St Andrews Medical Research Society is for anyone curious about how research shapes the medicine we understand and practise today and how the discoveries being made now could shape the healthcare of tomorrow.
Medical research is behind far more than new treatments. It helps us understand disease, improve diagnosis, develop medical technologies, prevent illness, and ultimately give patients better outcomes. We want to make that world of research more accessible to students, whether you are already interested in it or have never explored it before.
And despite the name, you don’t have to study medicine to join. Students from biology, chemistry, engineering, psychology, computer science, and beyond are all welcome. If you have an interest in science, healthcare, or simply how we can solve some of medicine’s biggest problems, you’ll fit right in.
Research isn’t one particular career path or one particular type of work. It can mean investigating disease in the laboratory, analysing patient data, developing new technologies, running clinical studies, or asking better questions about how healthcare is delivered. There are countless ways to get involved, and we want to help students find the ones that interest them.
We’re planning a range of talks and practical workshops with researchers and clinicians, alongside opportunities to develop research skills such as critical appraisal, literature searching, study design, scientific writing, and presenting. We’re also working towards launching a student research competition, giving members the chance to develop and present their own ideas.
We hope to connect students with researchers and clinicians, making it easier to learn about research opportunities and take those first steps towards getting involved. For medical students, in particular, research can also be an important part of building a portfolio and demonstrating academic interests, while students considering research careers can gain a better understanding of what working in research involves.
You don’t need to arrive with experience - the society is designed to help you build it. Whether you already love research, want to strengthen your portfolio, are considering getting involved in a project, or are simply curious, there’s something here for you.
Come along, meet other students, learn something new, and see where an interest in medical research might take you.