Let’s go to London!
When: The program runs from the end of May through all of June 2025, with 17 full days abroad
Where: We will stay in London, England with a day trip to Bath
Who can go: This program was designed with pre-health majors in mind (pre-med, pre-dent, pre-PA, pre-vet, etc.), but anyone with the pre-requisites and the desire is invited!
Pre-reqs: C or higher in at least one of the following courses: BIO2400, BIO2440, BIO2450, or BIO2451
Courses: You must register for both courses, which count for six credits of advanced biology electives.
- BIO4363 / BIO5363 – History of Medicine
- BIO4364 / BIO5364 – Explorations in Physiology
How do I sign up?
- Find all the information you could want on the Education Abroad website.
- Find the specifics for this program here.
- Meet with your advisor to get the Academic Advisor Form completed, which is the first form on this site.
- Explore the many options for scholarships and financial aid.
- Submit your application to Education Abroad starting in mid-October.
About London
London is the capital and largest city of England, and it is consistently ranked as the best city in the world for university students to study abroad. It features World Heritage sites such as the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey, and includes famous landmarks such as Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, the Tate Modern art gallery, and the London Bridge.
Students will stay in shared bedrooms within shared apartments that have wi-fi, kitchens, and other modern amenities. Student apartments are surrounded by restaurants, shops, and a grocery store all in easy walking distance.
The classroom is a short commute from student housing. Students will be provided with a fare card to move around the city easily via the London Underground (“tube”) or bus system.
We will spend our days visiting museums, attending seminars, meeting experts, and participating in activities and day trips that immerse us in medicine and physiology. Most days will include breakfast and dinner on your own. Between those meals we’ll have class time, discussions, one or two activities, and lunch on the go. Two full days interspersed throughout the program will be free days for students to explore the city on their own.
History of Medicine
Much of modern medicine has its roots in London, including the development and discovery of germ theory, surgical interventions, and antibiotics. There are darker phenomena too, from the bubonic plague to the start of the eugenics movement. We’ll dive into the history of medicine through museum visits, walking tours, and meetings with experts, including stops to the Wellcome Collection’s rotating medical exhibitions, the Old Operating Theater Museum, the Alexander Fleming Laboratory Museum (founder of penicillin/antibiotics), the Chelsea Physic Gardens (with a focus on medicinal plants), and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society Museum. We’ll also discuss the heroes and villains that have played significant roles in our path to current medicine. HistoryofMedSyllabus2025
Explorations in Physiology
Traditional physiology courses take a systems approach through the body with minimal focus on application outside the classroom. By pairing learning with activities and cultural experiences, plus attending seminars from experts in the field, we’ll explore physiology more holistically and give it real-world relevance, such as by pairing a trip to the hot springs in Bath with thermal physiology, pairing international food tasting with sensory and digestive physiology, and pairing hiking excursions with cardiac and respiratory physiology. ExplorationsinPhysSyllabus2025
Tentative stops and activities
- Royal Pharmaceutical Society Museum
- Hunterian Museum
- Wellcome Collection
- Chelsea Physic Gardens
- Old Operating Theatre Museum
- UCL Pathology Museum
- London Science Museum
- Medical walking tours
- Day trip to the Roman Baths at Bath
- International food markets
- Several guest lectures from experts in the field
- Day hike at Hampstead Heath
- Student choice museum (e.g., Alexander Fleming Laboratory Museum, Anaesthesia Heritage Centre, British Optical Association Museum, Florence Nightengale Museum, Francis Crick Institute, Royal College of Nursing Museum, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, etc.)
Questions?
Email Dr. Davenport davenport@txstate.edu.