City of London · London
Barts Health NHS Trust
Barts has stood on the same City of London site since 1123 and is home to Barts Heart Centre, one of the largest specialist cardiovascular centres in Europe.
About this hospital
St Bartholomew's Hospital, known as Barts, was founded in 1123 and is the oldest hospital in England still operating on its original site. It sits in the City of London near Smithfield Market and is part of Barts Health NHS Trust, which also includes the Royal London, Whipps Cross, and Newham hospitals. Barts is now primarily a specialist centre: the Barts Heart Centre (one of the largest specialist cardiovascular centres in Europe, covering a cardiac catchment of around 6 million people), the St Bartholomew's Cancer Centre, and specialist endocrinology. Bed count on-site and annual admissions TK. Teaching affiliation with Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry (Queen Mary University of London).
What it's like as a student here
Barts is different from the other London teaching hospitals because it is now largely specialist rather than general. The Heart Centre is the focus of the site and runs high-volume PCI, structural heart, electrophysiology, and cardiothoracic surgery lists. Students on a cardiology firm will see angiography, pacemaker implantation, and tertiary-level valvular assessment within their first two days. Cancer services occupy a second building on-site with SACT administration, outpatient oncology clinics, and clinical trials. Rounds start between 8am and 9am, and clinics are a big part of the day. The hospital buildings themselves are a working museum: the North Wing, built by James Gibbs in 1732, houses the Great Hall and the Hogarth Staircase. Teaching culture here is formal and proud; consultants tend to have long tenure on-site and take the apprentice-student model seriously. Ask to sit in on tumour boards and cardiology MDTs early; they are worth the effort.
Notable specialties
- Cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery: one of Europe's largest specialist cardiovascular centres; PCI, electrophysiology, CABG, valve, transplant.
- Oncology: St Bartholomew's Cancer Centre; specialist tumour MDTs, clinical trials.
- Endocrinology: tertiary pituitary and adrenal service.
- Haematology: acute leukaemia and lymphoma service with transplant pathway.
- Interventional radiology: strong IR presence tied to the cardiac service.
- General internal medicine: acute medicine is limited on this site (most goes to Royal London).
- Clinical trials: the site runs a large volume of phase 1 to 3 trials.
Location & vibe
Smithfield is quiet in the evenings and on weekends but busy midweek. The Barbican, Farringdon, and St Paul's are all five minutes on foot. Students tend to live in Clerkenwell, Old Street, or Whitechapel (closer to the Royal London). Barbican tube is a five-minute walk; St Paul's is also five minutes. Central location means almost any commute is feasible but Zone 1 rents are steep. The area is architecturally striking and walkable.
Who does well here
Students who want deep specialist exposure, particularly in cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery, or oncology. If you want generalist acute medicine or emergency experience, you'll want the Royal London site instead. Barts is tertiary and elective by design.
One honest caveat
There is no A&E on this site; emergency presentations go to the Royal London in Whitechapel.
Fully booked (current cycle)