We are now onto Case 18 in pre-clinical programme at Newcastle University. This week we're learning about Malaria and Global Health. Learning about diseases that we may never see clinically in the UK but are likely to in other areas of the world. Its new and different so learning in second year feels fresh and exciting.
Society commitments with the Emergency Medicine and Academic Medicine committees are ongoing with various levels of success. Disappointments of having the Charity Pub Quiz and passing on the Glasgow Trip have lingered. Feeling that you've let down committee and society members is very tough.
Having a clear boundary between social and professional friends has been an area I've always had at my time at university but since many of my close friends are society or committee members, this boundary is not so clear-cut. As a result, how I handle myself has to change and this comes down to sculpting yourself around the person that you want to be. An oncologist? A dermatologist? A plastic surgeon? An AFP trainee.
Only once you become more true to yourself in both your goals and mannerisms will you end up becoming that person.
Sunday, 25 November 2018
Tuesday, 11 September 2018
Being Useful
Second year of medicine at Newcastle is now just under two weeks away! A long summer to reflect and think about the future - those professional, social and academic goals. It feels strange to think about being on the 'back nine' of your university experience (sixth year of a projected nine) but having now had the journey of being a first year medical student, it really is still all to play for.
When I think back to the best year I had academically, it also was the year I was most useful socially. In November of 2014, I was elected to be the Academic Secretary of the Plymouth Biomedical Society. A very proud moment but also was finding out out my second year degree average to be 73.5% and nonchalantly handing over that transcript to my mother in the Summer of 2015.
And now fast forward to September of 2018, as I begin my post as President of the Newcastle Academic Medicine Society, this is also a time where I'm realising how useful I can be socially. Inspiring a committee, providing advice and engaging with presenters. Through planning for this opportunity over the summer, my academic goal - an AFP interview, has only been heightened. Having clarity on what that goal was, has certainly helped me realise what I'm playing for. All the previous rejections, people counting me out and still a greater opportunity lies ahead.
And now back to fixing a server connection to my SQL database!
When I think back to the best year I had academically, it also was the year I was most useful socially. In November of 2014, I was elected to be the Academic Secretary of the Plymouth Biomedical Society. A very proud moment but also was finding out out my second year degree average to be 73.5% and nonchalantly handing over that transcript to my mother in the Summer of 2015.
And now fast forward to September of 2018, as I begin my post as President of the Newcastle Academic Medicine Society, this is also a time where I'm realising how useful I can be socially. Inspiring a committee, providing advice and engaging with presenters. Through planning for this opportunity over the summer, my academic goal - an AFP interview, has only been heightened. Having clarity on what that goal was, has certainly helped me realise what I'm playing for. All the previous rejections, people counting me out and still a greater opportunity lies ahead.
And now back to fixing a server connection to my SQL database!
Monday, 11 June 2018
Year 1 Results
Passed.
Ranked 267/456
6 OSCE stations passed with 1 fail (CPR).
Relief to have passed but a tinge of disappointment with my overall ranking. OSCE and SBA marks overall were below average and SAP just above average.
Exam Papers:
Surprised to score highly in the more social medicine-based paper (SAP - 65%) than in the more scientific paper (SBA - 61%). Poor performances were noticeable on Skin, Respiratory, Nervous System and Genetics questions in the SBA while investigations and histopathology of bowel diseases proved costly in the SAP.
Spaced repetition proved useful in memorising key definitions and concepts but a lack of knowledge of finer more biomedical details was evident. Clearly a need to structure learning throughout the year and effectively use mindmaps to draw out areas that are not as well understood, flashcards to test learning and write out answers to questions on definitions, symptoms and common pathologies.
OSCEs:
A lack of continued OSCE preparation throughout the year proved to be costly. If you fail to prepare, prepare to fail and BLS was no surprise. Remembering to wash hands, ask for consent and systematically work through. Being fluent and taking time to think especially in examinations and patient histories will be elements to improve upon for next year.
Summary:
A similar story to the first year of Biomedical science degree. Back to being average with a lot more to prove. Margins are a lot closer in this degree but the rewards are significantly greater.
Ranked 267/456
6 OSCE stations passed with 1 fail (CPR).
Relief to have passed but a tinge of disappointment with my overall ranking. OSCE and SBA marks overall were below average and SAP just above average.
Exam Papers:
Surprised to score highly in the more social medicine-based paper (SAP - 65%) than in the more scientific paper (SBA - 61%). Poor performances were noticeable on Skin, Respiratory, Nervous System and Genetics questions in the SBA while investigations and histopathology of bowel diseases proved costly in the SAP.
Spaced repetition proved useful in memorising key definitions and concepts but a lack of knowledge of finer more biomedical details was evident. Clearly a need to structure learning throughout the year and effectively use mindmaps to draw out areas that are not as well understood, flashcards to test learning and write out answers to questions on definitions, symptoms and common pathologies.
OSCEs:
A lack of continued OSCE preparation throughout the year proved to be costly. If you fail to prepare, prepare to fail and BLS was no surprise. Remembering to wash hands, ask for consent and systematically work through. Being fluent and taking time to think especially in examinations and patient histories will be elements to improve upon for next year.
Summary:
A similar story to the first year of Biomedical science degree. Back to being average with a lot more to prove. Margins are a lot closer in this degree but the rewards are significantly greater.
Sunday, 29 April 2018
A Week in the Life
Monday
6:20am. Land at London Heathrow after an 8 hour flight from Heathrow. Feeling surprisingly refreshed.
12.30pm. Arrive at Newcastle University. Scoff down some scampi and sprint off to lectures.
7pm. Emergency Medicine event on Gynaceology and Obstetrics emergencies. Feeling tired after munching two Mayo Chickens on the way home.
Tuesday
9am. Peer Mentoring training session in preparation of being a Peer Mentor for second year. Engaging and exciting session. Not feeling tired.
Wednesday
12pm. Lecture on Pharmacological Intervention of Gastric and Oesophageal Disease. Rarity this year where I actually felt prepared after pre-reading but also linking aspects of previous lectures together. Still on feeling balanced.
Thursday
10am. Meeting with a Writing Tutor to assess my writing style but more simplifying my writing approach. Writing as a student that is being challenged by ensuring I demonstrate an understanding of the subject before applying, analysing, evaluating and synthesising. Realising that the World is built around models and taxonomies.
Friday
1pm. Team-based Learning. Team fared very well and ended up ranking as the highest achieving team. Frustrated at my performance individually. Had a broad skim over case lecture notes but failed to pick out individual details. Also failed to schematically prepare for the types of questions i.e. differential diagnoses and questions that are likely SBA questions.
7pm. London 2012 on PS3 with flatmates. Helped to put my mind at ease after earlier's disappointment.
Saturday
9am. Newcastle Academic Medicine Society Conference. Enjoyable day. Setting up, helping run stands and attending the odd lecture. Great to meet the full committee and looking forward to committing myself more.
Sunday
11pm. Feeling refreshed after an easy day of Case-embedded and End of Case questions with some simple GI blood anatomy. Not feeling overworked but inspired to return to work.
And that's a week. How quickly fortunes and events change throughout the week. Important to move onto the next day with a mindset of always looking to improve.
6:20am. Land at London Heathrow after an 8 hour flight from Heathrow. Feeling surprisingly refreshed.
12.30pm. Arrive at Newcastle University. Scoff down some scampi and sprint off to lectures.
7pm. Emergency Medicine event on Gynaceology and Obstetrics emergencies. Feeling tired after munching two Mayo Chickens on the way home.
Tuesday
9am. Peer Mentoring training session in preparation of being a Peer Mentor for second year. Engaging and exciting session. Not feeling tired.
Wednesday
12pm. Lecture on Pharmacological Intervention of Gastric and Oesophageal Disease. Rarity this year where I actually felt prepared after pre-reading but also linking aspects of previous lectures together. Still on feeling balanced.
Thursday
10am. Meeting with a Writing Tutor to assess my writing style but more simplifying my writing approach. Writing as a student that is being challenged by ensuring I demonstrate an understanding of the subject before applying, analysing, evaluating and synthesising. Realising that the World is built around models and taxonomies.
Friday
1pm. Team-based Learning. Team fared very well and ended up ranking as the highest achieving team. Frustrated at my performance individually. Had a broad skim over case lecture notes but failed to pick out individual details. Also failed to schematically prepare for the types of questions i.e. differential diagnoses and questions that are likely SBA questions.
7pm. London 2012 on PS3 with flatmates. Helped to put my mind at ease after earlier's disappointment.
Saturday
9am. Newcastle Academic Medicine Society Conference. Enjoyable day. Setting up, helping run stands and attending the odd lecture. Great to meet the full committee and looking forward to committing myself more.
Sunday
11pm. Feeling refreshed after an easy day of Case-embedded and End of Case questions with some simple GI blood anatomy. Not feeling overworked but inspired to return to work.
And that's a week. How quickly fortunes and events change throughout the week. Important to move onto the next day with a mindset of always looking to improve.
Wednesday, 25 April 2018
Across the Table
As I revised over Easter, across the table from me is my sister. Received numerous academic awards, 10 A*s at GCSE, 4 A*s at A-Level and a Natural Sciences graduate at Cambridge University. She had goals and visions and she has accomplished them - first time, without fault and usually before me. She passed her driving test, attained a publication and got into Cambridge - all before I did.
She is currently the 2nd ranked student in her first year of her accelerated dental degree.
And thus, as a sibling, you always wish to be recognised for yourself. For your achievements, for what you did and how you did it. She has set the bar and continued to do so to this very day. Continually I have challenged myself to meet it but it has been just that.
The only way you can be remembered is by being the best. For that is my goal, to one day, be remembered as the one who led, the one that set the standard and the one who was the best.
She is currently the 2nd ranked student in her first year of her accelerated dental degree.
And thus, as a sibling, you always wish to be recognised for yourself. For your achievements, for what you did and how you did it. She has set the bar and continued to do so to this very day. Continually I have challenged myself to meet it but it has been just that.
The only way you can be remembered is by being the best. For that is my goal, to one day, be remembered as the one who led, the one that set the standard and the one who was the best.
Saturday, 20 January 2018
Middle of the Pack
This is unofficially the middle of the first year of my Medical Degree at Newcastle University. We have 13 different cases and we are currently halfway through the sixth. October and January exams have come and been passed. I am currently the 223rd ranked student out of 454 medical students across both Newcastle and Malaysia campuses. That places me roughly in the middle of the pack.
This is also the middle point of my projected nine year university voyage and a convenient time to reflect on what has happened previously and what is to come now.
Certainly the first four years have proved that I can be great, galvanise opinion, become an effective team leader and understand critical situations.
But of course, a few failures remain including the lack of a publication, becoming president of a society and never finishing at the top of my degree class.
Those still linger as I am currently at the halfway point but I feel very clear about the end-goal at this point in my medical school career. All that needs doing now is to put in the work.
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