Maria Rubbani I BLSA PRESIDENT

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 Maria, 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!

Marina Chan and Martha Bradley

VICE PRESIDENTS

Welcome to Barts and The London! We are Marina (VP Barts) and Martha (VP London), and we are thrilled to have you join us. You're now part of a legacy spanning over 900 years and a member of one of the world's best student communities.

As full time students, we support Maria, our BLSA president, in managing daily operations and  organising flagship events like the Association Dinner (our black tie dinner celebrating achievements of individuals and groups within the BLSA) and Rites of Passage (for graduating doctors & dentists at St Paul’s Cathedral).

Marina handles events & engagement, while Martha supports the student reps in activities (sports, RAG, volunteering and societies). Please feel free to email us with any ideas, concerns or expectations you may have. BL Love, Martha & Marina

Barts and the london students association

With the merging of St Bartholomew’s Medical College and The London  Hospital Medical College in 1993 came the merging of both institutions  Student’s Associations, and thus the Barts and The London Students  Association was born. Following this, Barts and The London School of Medicine  and Dentistry merged in 1995 with Queen Mary and Westfield Colleges, to become  part of Queen Mary University of London. 

The BLSA remains the only medicine and dentistry, healthcare-specific  Student’s Association in the country. This year we celebrate 30 years of the BLSA’s  existence, the cherry-on-top of 903 years of medical  history at Barts and The London. While we work closely with our friends at QMSU (all of us are members of both QMSU and the BLSA)  we continue to have the privilage of an independently functioning board of represesentatives dedicated solely to BL students, that closely work with the staff at all six of our institutes. The BLSA provides a unique experience and community for all of our students, from undergraduate to post-graduate, with our own sports teams and societies run by people like you, for people like you. Every day our students show why we are insanely proud of our long  history here at Barts and The London; this pride remains at the heart of  all of our student groups, and we hope it will remain in yours throughout your time here, and for many years to come.

Whats on offer

FRESHERS FORTNIGHT

Freshers Fortnight is a two week long event schedule that is jam packed with events, talks and activities designed to introduce you all to the Barts and the London community!

EVERYTHING ELSE…

Freshers Groups

September 2025 Freshers may want to join our Freshers Group on Whatsapp to be the first to hear about Freshers Fortnight, induction events and any other relevant BLSA information.

This group is intended for students joining Barts and The London in the 2025/26 academic year only. If you don’t use Whatsapp - get in touch at vps@bartslondon.com. You can also check out our linktree found in the bio of our instagram!