List of all UK university student radiology societies
Consider joining a radiology society at your local university. You will meet others interested in radiology and have the opportunity to organise events, attend teaching sessions and learn more about this important specialty.
Here’s a list of all the undergraduate radiology societies in the UK. Does your university have one?
If you don’t see your university society listed here then please let us know. If you don’t have a radiology society then consider setting one up!
Setting up a radiology society
How to set up a radiology society at your University
Why?
Radiology is relevant to lots of areas of medicine even if you are unsure what you would like to specialise in after university. Being part of a society is a great way to make new friends, meet like-minded individuals and complement your learning. Plus it is rewarding and looks good on your CV!
What should I do first?
Talk to the Student Union and check that the society doesn’t already exist. You may need to meet with a society coordinator. A risk assessment may need to be carried out depending on Health & Safety requirements at the university. Some universities require a ‘show of support’ from a list of students to allow a new society to form. You will also need to set up an email account and a Facebook group for the society.
Approach the Royal College of Radiologists (RCR)
The Royal College of Radiologists is keen to support medical students interested in a career in radiology and is looking to engage with medical school radiology societies. The RCR has set up the Undergraduate Radiological Societies Association (URSA) to provide a central link for radiology societies and encourage the development of new societies. If you join the URSA not only will the college support you but there are many other benefits including use of the RCR logo on any society pages and resources. The RCR may also be able to support you in promoting local events, marketing the society and providing access to teaching and learning resources.
Undergraduate Radiological Societies Association (URSA)
- URSA aims to bring together radiological societies from medical schools across the UK. The Association provides membership benefits including affiliation with the Royal College of Radiologists (RCR), use of the RCR logo and an annual meeting of society leads. Online resources, hosted by the RCR, include an individual society page, an events listing page to promote the work of the societies and access to career profiles and role guides. Access to radiological resources such as i-refer, the Clinical Radiology Journal and the RCR Newsletter are also available. URSA membership is free to radiological societies.
- Visit the RCR website to find out more and download an application pack: https://www.rcr.ac.uk/clinical-radiology/careers-and-recruitment/undergraduate-radiology
Roles and ideal qualities
Below are some of the suggested roles to have in a successful society.
| President | Dedicated leader, responsible for running the society. Must attend training and read/action emails from the Student Union. |
| Vice president | Supports the president. |
| Secretary | Ideally an organised person to book rooms for events, write minutes of meetings, and pick event dates after looking at schedules. |
| Treasurer | Manage the society’s finances, need to be good with numbers and budgets. |
Other possible roles include event coordinator, social secretary, head of advertising etc.
Recruiting members
A great place to recruit new members is at the Freshers fayre. This is the ideal place to increase subscriptions to the mailing list and encourage people to pay subs. Try to make your stand ‘stand out’ from the others and perhaps offer some freebies. If you have a sponsor they may be able to give you small tokens e.g. subscription to a magazine, free pens or USB sticks etc.
Advertise the society – posters, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, University bulletin/magazine, emails, ‘shot outs’ at lectures, social events and hold joint events with other societies.
Event Ideas
- Careers talks e.g. A Day in the Life of a Radiologist
- CT Anatomy
- Society trip to the RCR public talks held in London
- Social events
- Mock anatomy exams
- How to read chest x-rays. This may be especially useful for final year students
Offering certificates for sub-paying members can be a way of increasing the number of paying members and encourages more people to come to the events.
Holding joint events with other societies can be a good way to boost numbers e.g. ‘Identifying and Treating Fractures’ with an Orthopaedic Society or a talk on Interventional Radiology with the Surgical Society.
Subs and sponsorship
Aim for 30+ paid members. Larger societies may be able to receive more sponsorship from the university and other companies.
Ongoing issues to consider
- Training for committee members – this is often provided by the Student Union.
- Regular meetings and good communication with the committee – a Facebook or Whatsapp group can be a good idea.
- Encourage all member’s contribute to the society and allow everyone to voice their opinions.
- Hold an AGM to share ideas and reflect on the year’s activities. This is usually when the committee for the next academic year are selected.
Remember, being part of a society is a great way to make new friends, meet like-minded individuals and complement your learning. It can be very rewarding, gets you recognised in the radiology department and looks good on your CV!
