Muskaan Mahandru-Gill is currently a Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Discovery BSc student at London Met, and we caught up with her recently to ask her a few questions about university life and how she's finding her course.
What are the most enjoyable aspects of your course so far?
"I'm really enjoying working on coursework and lab reports. It helps me to delve deeper into the world of chemistry as a whole. The content itself is really interesting and I really like the teaching style too. The lecturers actually explain, support and promote discussion."
How do you think your studies at London Met are preparing you for work?
"I strongly believe the University has helped me become more confident and develop my transferable skills. I was used to the constant support from teachers at sixth form and I was worried that university teaching wouldn’t be supportive enough. I've definitely become more disciplined in my studies and London Met has showed me I have the ability to spread my own wings and explore. The University has also given me the independence to grow my knowledge and gain more clarity in this field."
Can you tell us a bit about your background and what led you to London Met?
"Throughout sixth form, I just couldn’t decide what I wanted to do. The day before results day, I realised that I wasn't completely sure about my chosen degree. I started looking online at other available degrees that I could choose and I finally found out about Medicinal Chemistry and it was exactly what I was looking for. I shortlisted London Met and after looking in more depth at the course structure and content, I called the Clearing hotline and secured a place! I was amazed this was a brand new course to the University and I couldn’t have asked for better support."
What has been your favourite project or work experience so far on the course – and why?
"I really enjoyed the data analysis coursework in our Laboratory Science module. It helped me explore the importance of analytical chemistry. It's also helped me decide that I would like to study this in more depth for my PhD. The coursework was extremely engaging and interesting, and we were really put into the shoes of a junior analyst!"
What is your favourite spot at the University and why?
"The library is extremely well resourced, there's a floor where students like to get their heads down and get some work done without being disturbed. There's also another floor where you can chat with friends for study sessions. The chemistry lecturers hold drop in sessions in the library too, offering support for chemistry students like me."
Do you feel supported by the lecturers on your course?
"I definitely feel supported by Dr Tandy, Dr Sykes and Dr Patel in particular. Dr Tandy is very helpful during tutorials and offers invaluable support. Dr Sykes is very friendly and approachable, so I don't hesitate to ask for help if I need it. Dr Patel has also played a crucial role in my studies so far. He provides his utmost support to us. His explanations help me to understand the complexities of the course. He's also been very encouraging, especially with my aspirations to do my PhD."
Has anything surprised you so far about your course or London Met?
"Yes, when I first thought of university I thought I’d have to work completely independently. However, when I started at London Met, I was taken aback by the amount of support that's offered. I didn’t realise how exciting the course would actually be and how engaging the lectures are."
If you could choose one word to describe your experience here so far, what would it be?
Empowering.
What topics are you looking forward to covering on your course over the next couple of years?
"I'm really looking forward to covering analytical chemistry in more depth. I think it will further ignite the fire within me and inspire me to do my PhD."
Why did you pick London Met and particularly Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Discovery over other institutions and courses?
"When looking at London Met and the criteria of the course, I really liked the course structure and layout. The Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Discovery BSc is quite unique and not like other medicinal chemistry courses I came across. The drug discovery element interested me the most. London Met is known for its focus on graduate employment and of course it's amazing SuperLab, which is one of the largest teaching facilities in Europe so that was a big selling point."
What career path would you like to take once you have finished your degree?
"I would like to do a PhD in analytical chemistry to develop my knowledge and allow me to apply my knowledge to the real-world study of forensics and treatments."
Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about your time so far at London Met that isn’t covered above?
"I would also like to say how helpful our academic mentor, Jack Earl, has been for coursework and mini tests. Jack has continued to motivate and encourage us to do the absolute best we can!"
How have you adapted to learning remotely because of the current lockdown? Do you feel supported by the University and your lecturers?
"The transition from university life to lockdown was hard to begin with as I found it hard to motivate myself. However, the adjustment to online lectures has been good, I feel like I'm still receiving the support that I need through emails and Google Hangouts!"
