National Undergraduate Neuroanatomy Competition – a student perspective
Medical student Michael Lau travelled to the University of Glasgow to participate in the National Undergraduate Neuroanatomy Competition. The event brought together undergraduate students from across the UK with a shared interest in neuroscience and clinical medicine. Here Michael tells us about his experience.
I was pleased to achieve 13th place overall out of 95 participants and 10th place out of 44 participants in the Clinical Category.
I was grateful for the opportunity to travel to the University of Glasgow to participate in the National Undergraduate Neuroanatomy Competition. The event provided an excellent opportunity to challenge myself academically and engage with peers from different institutions.
The competition involved a range of neuroanatomical identification, problem-solving, and clinically focused questions that tested both foundational knowledge and the application of neuroanatomy to clinical scenarios. I was pleased to achieve 13th place overall out of 95 participants and 10th place out of 44 participants in the Clinical Category. Given the high standard of competition, these results were rewarding and reflected the preparation undertaken beforehand. The experience also highlighted areas for further development and encouraged me to deepen my understanding of neuroanatomy.
In addition to the competition, I attended a workshop on Clinical Neuroimaging, which improved my understanding of neuroimaging interpretation and its role in neurological diagnosis and patient management. I also attended a talk on Paediatric Neurosurgery delivered by Mr Kristian Aquilina, which provided valuable insight into the management of complex neurosurgical conditions in children and the multidisciplinary nature of the specialty.
Overall, the competition was an enriching and motivating experience that strengthened my enthusiasm for neuroscience and clinical medicine. It has inspired me to continue developing my neuroanatomical knowledge and competitive skills, with the ambition of returning next year and competing for first place. I am very grateful for the travel grant support, which enabled me to benefit from this valuable educational opportunity.