UCL celebrates 2009 and 2010 University of London Gold Medal win

Anish Bhuva (UCL Medical School 2009) yesterday received the 2009 University of London MBBS Gold Medal for his outstanding performance in a special exam taken by the top one per cent of final-year medical students in London.

The Medal was awarded to Anish at the 2010 UCL Medical School Graduation Ceremony at the Royal Festival Hall.

The Gold Medal accompanied by a cheque for £500 is awarded annually to the candidate who most distinguishes him or herself in competition with all candidates at the Final MBBS Examination across the medical schools of the University. Anish was awarded the Medal jointly with a student from King's College London. He saw off competition from other candidates in six successive five-minute oral examinations.

The Gold Medal examination involves being interviewed by experts on pathology, medicine, surgery, clinical pharmacology and therapeutics, obstetrics and gynaecology, and paediatrics. The criteria examined were knowledge, clinical context, therapeutic relevance and evidence-base, social and community context and relevance, recent advances, and judgement and reasoning.

Professor Sir John Tooke, UCL Vice-Provost (Health) and Head of UCL Medical School, presented Anish with the medal at the graduation ceremony attended by approximately 2000 students and guests.

Following the ceremony Anish said: "It is an honour to have won such a prestigious prize, even one year on. Looking back, the examination still seems overwhelming - as does the magnitude of the recognition. I would like to thank the University for their acknowledgement through both a wonderful ceremony and the award itself."

Just before the ceremony, the University of London notified UCL that Ed Casswell (UCL Medical School 2010) is the winner of the 2010 University of London MBBS Gold Medal and that Catriona Mactier is the first runner-up. Ed and Catriona's achievement was noted during the graduation ceremony.

Commenting on this achievement Ed said: "When I first heard about the award I was in shock and it has not hit home fully. It is a huge achievement and I am very proud to do my bit and to keep the award at UCL, I am delighted." Ed will receive his award at an event later in the year.

Professor Jane Dacre, Director of the UCL Academic Centre for Medical Education, said: "I would like to congratulate Anish, Ed and Catriona, It is a fantastic achievement for our students to have won the Gold Medal yet again. In my memory I think it is a six year unbroken record and we are really pleased. The only problem is that I hope we win it again next year. Each year the pressure mounts and we worry about whether our students will continue to win, last year Anish was first equal with a student from King's and we were a bit concerned that they were catching up but with Ed winning the 2010 Gold Medal and Catriona coming first runner-up, we've knocked the competition back."

In congratulating the students, Professor Tooke said: "This is a highly prestigious award, and as almost one third of newly qualified doctors graduate from the University of London, the Medal winner is top of an elite group. The award acknowledges the effort made by Anish, Ed and Catriona, and those that supported their learning, it is very well deserved. The award confirms the place of UCL as a world-class medical school with outstanding students."

Since its introduction in 1903, the Gold Medal has been won on almost half the years by candidates from UCL and its constituent medical schools.

Image 1 (l-r): Ed Casswell,  Anish Bhuva, and Catriona Mactier with the University of London Gold Medal

Image 2 (l-r): Catriona Mactier, Anish Bhuva, Ed Casswell, John Tooke and Jane Dacre