Results

So I passed (lowpass) the OSCE! Do feel a bit bad, but then again, I didn't really do any work, something I need to start rectifying...

I need to stop thinking that being fourth quartile doesn't really matter to me and get competitive about the whole thing not just infectious diseases. I have started by learning in a fun way, more on this in the new year, possibly on Yownstube!

Also GOOD NEWS EVERYONE, reading the bbc news website Health section:


A study has shown that even though this man cannot see, due to his cortex being damaged, the other optical pathways in his brain are allowing him to do many everyday tasks that we do such as avoiding obstacles.

It is a bit strange to think that it is not really the image we are perceiving in our heads that is helping us avoid objects, and maybe explains why someone can have great vision, but is rubbish at catching and is generally clumsy, it may be those pathways that are a little screwed up. I had better not go blind...

also how much do you love BBC news?

Portfoliwho?

I just had my portfolio review, I cobbled together a few reflective pieces from last year, created a SWOT analysis and tried to remember some medical education buzz words and hoped for the best.

I did not even get to show any of my reflective pieces, not really reflecting the supposed importance of reflective practice eh?

The only good that can come out of it really is perhaps to have to give proof of practicing my examinations to someone, maybe it will make me do them more, probably not, all the patients i will see for the next few months, won't know what is going on, be able to move or think they are from a different planet or something oh well.

and WTF is a SWOT analysis, never seen a bigger pile of crap in my life.

ANYWAY

In other news, NHS Scotland have BANNED white coats, although most Drs i know down here stopped wearing them years ago. Nurses now have a national uniform so you can tell who is who and at what level.

This is meant to be good for the public, but i reckon that it will be good for the Medstudent at least if you can decipher the code of the uniforms then you will know who to ask a question to, not get your head bitten off because you have asked some high up nurse something stupid, or on a ward where they are all called Pam you can actually get the one you want, maybe it will lead to a more harmonious life for all!

Also apparently they stop MRSA and CDiff (really how?), do they stop drug miscalculations, do they wash themselves, make patients friendlier? do they save the NHS?

Decisions?

Sorry for the long time no blog!

Quick history since last blog (come back from US, get dumped, start class, work, go out, dog dies, get undumped, work, get sick (manflu))

So it has been quite hectic in the last few weeks, but I have had a good placement: paediatrics in a wee hospital with friendly people who are happy to teach you. Life is good! or is it...

1. Exams are on their way, how many children have i actually interacted with in a medical setting: other than lots of babies not so many.
2. Does anything from PBL stick in my head.
3. Tubulosclerosis why are you the only thing that I feel i have learnt about?

and now THE DILEMMA: Paediatrics or Microbiology

should i do my project option on one of them, if i do will i be stuck down that line for ever?

I love microbiology but you dont see patients....

I like working with kids but can i deal with the mental parents....

We keep being told we should be deciding what we want to do, what if we want to do two things? I know you can have a special interest and everything ahhhh!

and then there is infectious diseases: but i am not a medic superstar....

Pretentious Me?

Pretentiousness:

Only a quick post today, had a few days off recently has been fun. I ran the flea market trip today, was two hours of walking around a car boot sale trying to stop kids buying prohibited items. Being the giant geek that I am, I bought a blood sugar meter so i can show the kids what happens to blood sugar after drinking soda, a bit more interesting than just waiting for the pulse rate and blood pressure to increase, and the added bonus of blood, freaking them out a bit!

In good news, got a good mark for my time in microbiology, means more eventual doctor points!

Ohh and the pretentiousness, here is a picture of me from photobooth on my new mac in a certain coffee house chain, my life is complete...

A Hard Day's Night

Welcome to my first post!

I'm in the states right now teaching human biology to hyped up preteens. Hopefully I have started this soon enough before I go back to hospitals so I can keep this up when I get back.

I want to give people an idea of what life is like as a med student in the UK. I feel as though I should be completely honest as I hope to use some of what I write as the reflective pieces I have to hand in to pass my degree!

Summer Brain Drain:

Yeah I work at a science camp, and yeah I teach some medical type things (and chem this year) but I think I am suffering from serious brain drain. The oxford handbooks which I brought have stayed firmly on the shelf. A friend got a tick bites, I couldn't remember Lyme's disease( I had a teaching session on it like a month ago), I was asked to name a part of the gut which friends had seen on tv and the name totally escaped me. When did I last study the GI tract, oh you know, only three months worth just before I left for the US. The only medicine i've done is watch one episode of grey's anatomy but being at an all boys summer camp for the last 7 weeks, only certain parts of the anatomy stuck in my head...

Should I constantly be studying like many medstudents I know? or is this Brain Drain a vital part to stop my brain popping, will it pop next year when I only have three weeks off?

I have two weeks of no thought left, maybe I will read a page a day, or maybe i'll just keep vegetating, maybe an episode of house at rest hour!