Our graduates describe sports teams, friendships, inspiring historical figures, research collaborations and unlikely encounters which have defined their student experience, with this first set of memories ranging from 1958 to 2025.
Edward Alan Shaw (MBChB 1958)
“Does anyone else have memories of the “Ward Cup” at the old RIE? It was a trophy for a rugby competition between the wards, played as a knock-out competition on one day at Craiglockhart. Any male, whether junior doctor or student on attachment was conscripted to play! The numbers in the teams varied depending on how many they could raise. Anything from 8 to 15.
At that time, 1955-56, I was on Rae Gilchrist’s wards – 22/23. We got through to the final round and beat J K Slater’s team and won the cup. The matter of his team winning gave great pleasure to the chief who unfortunately had to foot the bill for a celebration dinner at the Royal British Hotel then on Princes Street. All the wards 22 and 23 staff were invited as well as the losing finalists and Dr Slater. I had to buy my first dinner jacket for that splendid occasion which sticks in my memory 70 years later.
One really felt part of the Edinburgh medical family.
The photo is of the winning team. The faces I remember are Bill Patterson, Gordon (AGL) Smith, Hugh Murray, Ian Riach, and me. Malcolm Smith is standing by. Anyone recognize the others?”
Keith AA Fox (MBChB 1974)
“We met in the Anatomy Dissecting room on either side of a body! It’s essential to trust your colleagues wielding scalpels and we became great friends. In 1969 six of us did a London to Edinburgh charity walk in aid of the students charities appeal (The Egg walk), and the next year we did it again with friends! Six of us were involved in both walks (Keith Fox, Graham Douglas, Ian Halliday, Rod Combe, Dave Collins, John McCallum)”
Susan Morrow (Edinburgh Medical School: Programme Director and Director of Quality)
“I completed my BSc in Pharmacology at the University of Edinburgh between 1986 and 1990. At that time, Pharmacology sat within the School of Biology, but after graduating I moved to the Edinburgh Medical School to undertake my PhD.
During the second year of my PhD, a new postdoctoral researcher, John, joined our lab from the University of Glasgow. Having made the big move from west to east, John didn’t know many people and was living in a rather grotty bed and breakfast. Feeling sorry for him, and keen to make him feel welcome, I took it upon myself to introduce him to some of the local pubs. One of our regular haunts was the Canny Man’s, conveniently close to our lab within the grounds of the Royal Edinburgh Hospital in Morningside.
As we got to know each other, we discovered shared interests not only in pub visits, but also in squash and hill walking. Over time, our friendship deepened into something more, and we became boyfriend and girlfriend (as it was called then!).
John was my strongest support as I navigated the challenges of completing and writing up my PhD, for which I will always be grateful. In 1993 we became engaged and married in August 1994, just three months after my viva and successful completion of my PhD. We were then delighted to welcome two children in the years that followed.
Although we both left the University not long after marrying, including a spell working in the USA, we have since returned. John now works at Edinburgh Innovations, and I am delighted to be back at Edinburgh Medical School — a fitting return to where it all began.”
Bibiana Ama Zirra Shallangwa (MSc 2007)
“I was so excited to be in Edinburgh. Attending the same university as Charles Darwin was fascinating and even more exciting. I still remember standing in front of Charles Darwin’s plaque; it was a dream come true. I was filled with joy standing at the same place that has shaped great minds. It’s a moment that has stayed with me and has never left me.
Coming from Nigeria to experience a different environment and pursue my dreams at the university was inspiring. Since graduation, I have been driven by a desire to understand life and improve it. The spirit of inquiry and dedication has continued to guide me. The Edinburgh Medical School is more than an institution to me, it’s a living legacy. I’m proud to be part of the story.”
Sidra Ahmad Gillani (Basic Human Anatomy 2021)
“It was in year 2019; when I joined the Anatomy Department of Edinburgh Medical School, in the beautiful city of Edinburgh. Our Principal, in his welcome address; advised us to ask for help; if we did not know any subject topic. My teachers were kind, approachable and excellent mentors. They instilled good study habits in me; which included; to revise daily lectures and also go through the next morning lectures. I was particularly impressed with one teacher who was a textbook in himself and still very humble. One of my teachers instilled ethics knowledge in us, with general questions and discussions, in such a way that it will remain with me, hopefully forever. One was an expert in showing us how easy is the most complex structure of our body-the brain. I wish to be like them one day. Who knows, our paths may cross again.”
Mahir Amer Haque (MScR Biomedical Sciences (Life Sciences) 2025)
“The year I spent in Edinburgh for my master’s is, without question, one of my most cherished memories. As a master’s by research student, I had the opportunity to fully immerse myself in the best scientific environment, not just through my work, but through the people who made that experience so meaningful. I formed lasting friendships with my cohort, as well as with members of the labs I rotated through and even neighbouring groups.
There are far too many people to name, but a few stand out in special ways. My friend, Ollie, and I still check in on each other every other day, occasionally laughing about our failed western blots and the chaos of lab life. Tamara, whom I met during my rotation at the Edinburgh Cancer Research Centre, has also remained a constant source of support. Despite the demands of her PhD, she always finds time to encourage me, lifting my spirits and pushing me to keep applying to programs. We often joke about one day becoming well-established PIs, running our own labs filled with cutting-edge equipment, free from malfunctioning centrifuges and faulty aspirators.
Beyond friendships, I was fortunate to work alongside incredible researchers who left a lasting impression on me. The members of the Sproul and Crow group at the MRC Human Genetics Unit, as well as the Frame/Brunton group at the Edinburgh Cancer Research Centre, were all deeply inspiring. I am especially grateful to Rebekah from the Tillotson group, who guided me during my first real exposure to a research lab. Her mentorship helped shape me into the researcher I am today. She also gave me the opportunity to attend my first international conference in Manchester on the Epigenomics of Rare Disorders, an experience I can hardly forget.
While I deeply miss the Institute of Genetics and Cancer and the long hours I spent in tissue culture, I also find myself reminiscing about the wider university and city. The Edinburgh Futures Institute and the Old Medical School, especially the anatomy lecture theatre and anatomy museum with its towering elephant skeletons, hold a special place in my heart.
Edinburgh itself was just as unforgettable. A city without towering skyscrapers, yet rich with history in every cobblestone, it offered calm and beauty that is hard to find elsewhere. From the serene atmosphere of the meadows to its vibrant beaches, it was a place that quietly shaped both my personal and professional growth.
I can only hope that one day I’ll return, not as a student, but as a researcher, ready to collaborate again with the incredible people who made that year so special.”
Feeling nostalgic about your student days?
We’ll be publishing more Edinburgh Medical School alumni memories throughout 2026. Whether you met a special person here, discovered a new-found interest through a society or colleagues, or celebrated completing exams at a favourite local place, we would love to hear from you!
Please submit your reminiscences via the form below:
