Rahma Hegy|BLSA PRESIDENT 2024/25

Congratulations on getting into Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry!

Welcome to the BL community! You’ve achieved an incredible milestone, and you should be extremely proud.

I’m Rahma, this year's President of the Barts and the London Students' Association (BLSA). Our association helps enrich your university experience, supporting student groups and working on enhancing your academic journey.

We provide a diverse range of societies, including academic, faith-based, cultural, and artistic groups, alongside competitive sports teams and impactful volunteering projects. Our BLSA events and initiatives throughout the year aim to inspire and engage you.

I encourage you all to get involved in BLSA: join a club, start a society, represent your peers, and help champion the student voice. These experiences will help you explore your passions, forge lifelong friendships, and create unforgettable memories.

As you embark on this journey, remember that true success lies in personal growth and community involvement. A quote that has guided me is: "If you leave university with just a degree, know you have failed" (Dr. Wajid Akhter). Work on developing as a person and as a future healthcare professional, and help strengthen our community.

We are committed to make your transition into university as enjoyable and smooth as it can be.

We’re here to support you, so don’t hesitate to reach out or visit the BLSA office. I wish you all the best for start of such an incredible journey!

What is Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry (BLSMD)?

Barts and The London (BL) is the School of Medicine and Dentistry (SMD) within Queen Mary University of London.

Contrary to the name, it does not just run Medical and Dental courses but also many Post-Graduate courses and our range of Undergraduate degrees across all six of our institutes.

Barts and The London’s origins date all the way back to 1123 when St Bartholomew’s Hospital was established. The Royal London Hospital was established in 1740 and is the oldest medical school in the UK. In 1995, the medical colleges for these 2 institutions merged, along with Queen Mary University of London and Westfield College, to form Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry (BLSMD).

Now, Barts and The London is a world renowned institution engaged in pioneering research and world-class teaching.

What is Barts and The London Students’ Association (BLSA)?

Barts and The London Students’ Association (BLSA) is a specific branch of the Queen Mary Students’ Union, QMSU, which caters for Barts and The London students.

Every student at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry (BLSMD) is a member of the BLSA.

We are here to represent, support and provide opportunities for you throughout your time here at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry. We focus on your education, welfare and co-curricular needs as well as working with the university in these and other important areas.

BLSA is led by the Student President, who is supported in their role by a whole range of elected representatives who sit on the BLSA Board. BLSA is also a division of Queen Mary University of London Students' Union (QMSU) who represent students across all of Queen Mary University of London (QMUL).