[HDNG]INTRODUCTION:[EHDNG][PARA][BULL] The Medical College is part of University of Wales and students are entitled to use its facilities.[EBOLD][PARA][BOLD]For general information about Cardiff:[EBOLD] see [ULNE]Cardiff, University of Wales[EULNE]. UWCM is on the outskirts of Cardiff with the countryside in sight, but still no more than 3 miles from the city centre. Being a medical school (and a university college in its own right), the College is attached to a hospital next door and only offers courses in healthcare subjects. The College and hospital, made up of low-rise 70s blocks, are small with few student facilities of their own. If students want more, they get down to the larger and completely separate [ULNE]Cardiff, University of Wales[EULNE], whose facilities they're allowed to use.[HDNG]ATMOSPHERE:[EHDNG][PARA][ITAL]Medical types take a professional, serious-minded and quiet attitude to study, working closely together and with hospital staff. The College trots along on a friendly plane, but it's small and a tad cliquey. Escape into town is possible and there students can take a less quiet attitude to fun. Locals like to stay on the right side of those who may be stitching them up or fiddling with their most valued attachments tomorrow. [EITAL][HDNG]THE CITY:[EHDNG][PARA][STAT][BULL] Population: 272, 600 [BULL] London: 143miles [BULL] Bristol: 30miles [BULL] Swansea: 40miles[ESTAT][PARA]The University, along with the civic buildings, dominates the city centre, most of which is closed to cars. But the traffic flows through unfussed and the people leave little litter. It's just 5 miles into the South Wales countryside. As the major urban centre for the whole of Wales, Cardiff is well kitted out: shopping malls and supermarkets; banks and book shops (including 2nd hand); late-night shopping and many provisions designed for the tourists, including lots of museums, galleries (National Museum of Wales, Turner House Gallery, Welsh Industrial and Maritime Museum, etc) and the Castle (1/2 Roman, 1/2 Norman, 1/2 medieval, 1/2 mathematical impossibility).[HDNG]TRAVEL:[EHDNG][PARA][BOLD]Trains: [EBOLD]Direct trains from Cardiff Central: London (2hrs, 1/hr); Birmingham; Bristol; Edinburgh; and so on.[PARA][BOLD]Coaches: [EBOLD]National Express to most places: London (ú14.75, 3:05hrs, 7/day), Bristol (ú4.35, 1:15hrs, 1/hr), Birmingham (ú16.50, 2:20hrs, every 2hrs), Swansea (ú3.25, 1:10hrs, every 2hrs).[PARA][BOLD]Car: [EBOLD]Parts of the city centre are for pedestrians only. To get to Cardiff, there's the M4, A449 and A48. [ITAL]A car's not really necessary since the invention of feet. Nice for the countryside, though.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Air: [EBOLD]Cardiff Airport has flights to the Channel Islands, Ireland, and even the USA, as well as inland trips.[PARA][BOLD]Hitching: [EBOLD]The M4's a bonus - only 5 mins walk from the campus - and the Welsh are willing.[PARA][BOLD]Local: [EBOLD]Cathays BR station is the closest (just a couple of mins) and ú1 takes you to Cardiff Central Station. Local bus services run every 20-30 mins all round town. They're reliable with an average trip costing 50p.[PARA][BOLD]Taxis: [EBOLD]Lots of firms [ITAL]will happily extort [EITAL]about ú1.50 for the privilege of a ride it'd take 10 mins to walk.[PARA][BOLD]Bicycles: [EBOLD]Everything's within cycling distance and there are sheds at all the halls. Bikes have been known to ride off by themselves though.[PARA][PARA]Heath High Level and Heath Low Level stations are 3/4 mile away. [ITAL]Reliable [EITAL]local buses (Nos 8 and 9) run from the city centre through the campus every 20mins till around midnight, however, they take exact change only [ITAL]and demand ridiculous sums[EITAL], like 65p or 52p cheap rate to the halls, 2 miles away.[HDNG]NOS and REQUIREMENTS:[EHDNG][PARA][BOLD]Dentistry[EBOLD] 188 20pts[BOLD][PARA]Medicine[EBOLD] 427 26pts[BOLD][PARA]Nursing (degree)[EBOLD] 158 18pts[HDNG]LIBRARIES and COMPUTERS:[EHDNG][PARA][STAT][BULL] Books: 100,000 [BULL] Periodicals: 1,000 [BULL] Study places: 250 [BULL] Computer workstations: 30[ESTAT][PARA]5 libraries and 4 reading rooms (2 24-hour).[HDNG]CAREER PROSPECTS:[EHDNG][PARA]Unemployment is always rare for graduates from any medical school but there is a careers service, operated by staff of the postgraduate departments.[PARA][PARA][ITAL][HDNG]SPECIAL FEATURES:[EHDNG][EITAL][PARA][BULL]All 4th year medical, dental and Bachelor of Nursing students do an 'elective' - an opportunity to spend time on a research project for 6 to 8 weeks, often abroad.[HDNG]FAMOUS ALUMNI:[EHDNG][PARA]Prof Bernard Knight (forensic pathologist and crime writer); Dr Thomas Stamps (Health Minister, Zimbabwe).[HDNG]FURTHER INFO:[EHDNG][PARA]Prospectuses for undergrads and postgrads, and loan of a video.
