Two weeks late but with a good reason!
Passed.
Ranked 234/422
10 OSCE Stations passed.
Great sight to see! New record highs in OSCE, SBA and Coursework has definitely been pleasing. A drop in SAP is possibly a reflection of a greater commitment to the SBA (weighted more).
A tough year. That is another takeaway. A rise from mid-pack to the top ranked students requires a real plan at the start of the year. A plan that is an evolution from the previous year. Learning this has been tough to take but I'm glad I've taken it.
Throughout the second half, I felt that this year was really about commitment. How badly do you want it. Across all my years at university, you really have to get out of bed every morning feeling like there is nowhere else I would rather be.
And for the reason why this is two weeks late:
After those long January mornings, hunger is running high. Late June and its a very mild Summer Evening. Summer Research Project is two weeks in. Lots of plots, lots of preparation and lots more to learn. This level of hunger really is very similar to my first Summer Research Project in Plymouth '13. Back then, I was a passenger - developing my project under the direct guidance of a supervisor. This time, I'm the driver - developing my project independently with assistance of supervisors. More responsibility. More devotion. More care required.
Seeing how badly things have fallen to rescuing my ranking is pleasing but more can definitely come.
For now, bed for an early start to prepare my data presentations!
Wednesday, 26 June 2019
Thursday, 16 May 2019
End of Y2
With sincere apologies for the delay, please find attached a letter outlining the outcome of your Research Scholarship application.
Brilliant. A pit of sheer despair in my stomach. I have to read a letter of rejection now. But....
The Panel was impressed with your application and consequently has decided to offer you a Research Scholarship for your project entitled: “Classification of Patients with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia into Clinically Applicable Genetic Subgroups through Machine Learning Enabling Delivery of Precision Medicine”
The show goes on! For the first time since 2014, we have a Summer Research Scholarship!
Ever since those January results, it's been a really tough five months. A lot of pensive moments of:
- Is this as good as it gets for me? Am I just set out for clinical work? Can I be an academic oncologist? Am I good enough to be a research student again?
But you turn up to lectures each day, get your notes done. Take a quiet study room over a group study room. Practice your OSCEs nearly every day in Easter. Condense and synthesise your notes. Address your society commitments - Emergency Medicine and Academic Medicine (Conference went well!). Maybe, just maybe, your Summer Research Project application gets accepted. And lo and behold, we are back!
Its a bright sunny day in Newcastle - summer is truly here!
OSCEs have also just rounded-up and here are my uber-quick thoughts:
Day 1:
1/10 - Hand Exams
Felt fluid. Covered the major bases before failing to do a Phalen Test! Examiner said 'Well-done' at the end. What a jokester.
2/10 - Information-Giving to a Mother with a Child with Viral Ear Infection requesting Antibiotics
Quite straight-forward to explain that antibiotics aren't recommended at all for viral infections. Six minutes is a long time so easy to waffle (guilty!) but overall managed to address concerns of the patient's mother.
3/10 - Cranial Nerves (except Eyes + Ears) Exam
This is a tip. Assume the volunteer is a patient not healthy. Covered all the major nerve components and concluded the station. Job done? No, just before the end I asked the patient if her loss of smell was real. Turns out she was a patient. Oh dear.
4/10 - Lower Leg Swelling History
Covered this well as I could have (given my very open questions leading to lengthy verbose replies). A slightly too focused family history may cost me.
5/10 - Blood Pressure
The sound of Korotkoff sounds was simply music to my ears. Remember to write the date of the BP.
Day 2:
6/10 - Sexual History of Vaginal History
Empathy sensitivity and delivery critical with this one. Felt I covered those domains well (despite some slight day two first station nerves!).
7/10 - Breast Exam
Another highly sensitive station. I felt I covered this well.
8/10 - GI Exam
Time was tight for this one! Inspection was lengthy but comprehensive. It was a race to finish on time and I did not quite manage to squeeze in our post-examination recommendations. Good otherwise.
9/10 - Headache History
A lot of systemic symptoms to get through beyond the headache and general symptoms. Felt I managed the best I could. Oh yeah and listen to the patient. They'll tell you a lot more that may tick further boxes.
10/10 - CPR
With work on my oxygen delivery technique, I think we'll be okay with this one in the future.
And that wraps up second year! Results in just under a month. Clinical placements start next week in North Durham (lots of new people to meet!).
Even better days are still ahead!
Brilliant. A pit of sheer despair in my stomach. I have to read a letter of rejection now. But....
The Panel was impressed with your application and consequently has decided to offer you a Research Scholarship for your project entitled: “Classification of Patients with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia into Clinically Applicable Genetic Subgroups through Machine Learning Enabling Delivery of Precision Medicine”
The show goes on! For the first time since 2014, we have a Summer Research Scholarship!
Ever since those January results, it's been a really tough five months. A lot of pensive moments of:
- Is this as good as it gets for me? Am I just set out for clinical work? Can I be an academic oncologist? Am I good enough to be a research student again?
But you turn up to lectures each day, get your notes done. Take a quiet study room over a group study room. Practice your OSCEs nearly every day in Easter. Condense and synthesise your notes. Address your society commitments - Emergency Medicine and Academic Medicine (Conference went well!). Maybe, just maybe, your Summer Research Project application gets accepted. And lo and behold, we are back!
Its a bright sunny day in Newcastle - summer is truly here!
OSCEs have also just rounded-up and here are my uber-quick thoughts:
Day 1:
1/10 - Hand Exams
Felt fluid. Covered the major bases before failing to do a Phalen Test! Examiner said 'Well-done' at the end. What a jokester.
2/10 - Information-Giving to a Mother with a Child with Viral Ear Infection requesting Antibiotics
Quite straight-forward to explain that antibiotics aren't recommended at all for viral infections. Six minutes is a long time so easy to waffle (guilty!) but overall managed to address concerns of the patient's mother.
3/10 - Cranial Nerves (except Eyes + Ears) Exam
This is a tip. Assume the volunteer is a patient not healthy. Covered all the major nerve components and concluded the station. Job done? No, just before the end I asked the patient if her loss of smell was real. Turns out she was a patient. Oh dear.
4/10 - Lower Leg Swelling History
Covered this well as I could have (given my very open questions leading to lengthy verbose replies). A slightly too focused family history may cost me.
5/10 - Blood Pressure
The sound of Korotkoff sounds was simply music to my ears. Remember to write the date of the BP.
Day 2:
6/10 - Sexual History of Vaginal History
Empathy sensitivity and delivery critical with this one. Felt I covered those domains well (despite some slight day two first station nerves!).
7/10 - Breast Exam
Another highly sensitive station. I felt I covered this well.
8/10 - GI Exam
Time was tight for this one! Inspection was lengthy but comprehensive. It was a race to finish on time and I did not quite manage to squeeze in our post-examination recommendations. Good otherwise.
9/10 - Headache History
A lot of systemic symptoms to get through beyond the headache and general symptoms. Felt I managed the best I could. Oh yeah and listen to the patient. They'll tell you a lot more that may tick further boxes.
10/10 - CPR
With work on my oxygen delivery technique, I think we'll be okay with this one in the future.
And that wraps up second year! Results in just under a month. Clinical placements start next week in North Durham (lots of new people to meet!).
Even better days are still ahead!
Monday, 4 February 2019
Two Weeks Later
The sun is out. Springtime in Newcastle has never seemingly looked so good in early February.
A relaxing weekend back home also included a trip back to Cambridge to visit the old stomping grounds - Wolfson Court. Sadly, it is in a early stage of disrepair after losing down just after we all left. Three of the Girton Boys are motoring on with PhDs, two are in employment and one is at Medical School (me). PhD students have the unique responsibility of supervising young undergraduate students. From this, it was insightful to appreciate that students can come up with perspectives that are different to the supervisor. These perspectives come from a deeper understanding of the topic area - not simply regurgitating slide material. Over the last five and a half years of university, I have been guilty of this. Taking material, revising material and synthesising material into a mental model or carefully crafted essay has been my staple. Taking a step back and thinking about the deeper reasons for why situations are occuring in the way in which they are is an area I have not particularly thought about - providing time for yourself.
Something to think about in the future.
A relaxing weekend back home also included a trip back to Cambridge to visit the old stomping grounds - Wolfson Court. Sadly, it is in a early stage of disrepair after losing down just after we all left. Three of the Girton Boys are motoring on with PhDs, two are in employment and one is at Medical School (me). PhD students have the unique responsibility of supervising young undergraduate students. From this, it was insightful to appreciate that students can come up with perspectives that are different to the supervisor. These perspectives come from a deeper understanding of the topic area - not simply regurgitating slide material. Over the last five and a half years of university, I have been guilty of this. Taking material, revising material and synthesising material into a mental model or carefully crafted essay has been my staple. Taking a step back and thinking about the deeper reasons for why situations are occuring in the way in which they are is an area I have not particularly thought about - providing time for yourself.
Something to think about in the future.
Monday, 21 January 2019
Highs and New Lows
New Year. New decisions.
Assignment 1: 89%
Short Answer Paper: 59% - 389th out of 421 students.
Single Best Answer Paper: 59% - 320th out of 419 students.
We're making real progress in coursework from first year. A huge improvement in coursework mark from thinking through feedback from last year's essay. This was a fulfilling mark as the key area I needed to improve in was clear:
- Critical analysis of papers by reflecting on limitations > broad over-arching review giving yourself an opportunity to give your own opinion.
Reflecting on Limitations.
My exam results have set new lows for my ranking within the cohort. Reflecting on limitations is crucial and after employing notes per learning outcome and flashcards with the aim of boosting my long-term retention of pre-clinical material, I have seen large drops in my Single Best Answer Paper mark. This is reflective of a huge shift (after my January exams last year) in my learning style from repetitive memorisation of models by writing and condensing during Biomedical Science to revising a series of key facts.
During both exams, I felt unable to draw upon experience of thinking through a problem I've not seen explicitly seen before because I had not learnt the material as a model but rather a fact. Learning material as model first rather than fact first is reflective of my learning style as an Abstract Learner. As someone who learns through experience and generating a visual model during my Biomedical Science days rather than someone who remembers concrete facts and builds knowledge through a series of defined principles, I have appreciated this much more now.
Knowing what it took to get here and understanding various learning methods and how they apply to my strengths has been vital. Focusing on my core learning skills will help me right the path I'm on.
For now: A Charity Pub Quiz to prepare for! [Very Abstract!]
Assignment 1: 89%
Short Answer Paper: 59% - 389th out of 421 students.
Single Best Answer Paper: 59% - 320th out of 419 students.
We're making real progress in coursework from first year. A huge improvement in coursework mark from thinking through feedback from last year's essay. This was a fulfilling mark as the key area I needed to improve in was clear:
- Critical analysis of papers by reflecting on limitations > broad over-arching review giving yourself an opportunity to give your own opinion.
Reflecting on Limitations.
My exam results have set new lows for my ranking within the cohort. Reflecting on limitations is crucial and after employing notes per learning outcome and flashcards with the aim of boosting my long-term retention of pre-clinical material, I have seen large drops in my Single Best Answer Paper mark. This is reflective of a huge shift (after my January exams last year) in my learning style from repetitive memorisation of models by writing and condensing during Biomedical Science to revising a series of key facts.
During both exams, I felt unable to draw upon experience of thinking through a problem I've not seen explicitly seen before because I had not learnt the material as a model but rather a fact. Learning material as model first rather than fact first is reflective of my learning style as an Abstract Learner. As someone who learns through experience and generating a visual model during my Biomedical Science days rather than someone who remembers concrete facts and builds knowledge through a series of defined principles, I have appreciated this much more now.
Knowing what it took to get here and understanding various learning methods and how they apply to my strengths has been vital. Focusing on my core learning skills will help me right the path I'm on.
For now: A Charity Pub Quiz to prepare for! [Very Abstract!]
Sunday, 25 November 2018
Dealing with Off the Field
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.
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.
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.
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