Merry Christmas

Back home in Weston for the holidays. Missing London already but been Christmas food shopping with my mum and very excited. Had a very serious talk with my dad yesterday about medicine and if I still want it to do. I really do, but I've started considering other things as backups. Maybe I should be arranging internships etc.

Anyhow that discussion is for another post.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Charity

Another post about Christmas. Firstly, very excited. I'm literally shouting "Merry Christmas" at people.

Secondly, thanks to Medicine I've done voluntary work from a young age. I think charity is very important and I think that people should donate small amounts. I'm literally talking less than £5. I think the NSPCC are an amazing charity. They provide support to children in need and would recommend dropping them a donation of just a £1 or so.

And I would also like to big up my Dad at this point. Every Christmas since I can remember, he has always asked for two things. A box of walnut whips and a charity donation. He doesn't care what charity it goes to, just as long as we all donate to charity instead of buying him a present. He is very insistent on that. I wish I wasn't materialistic and could say that as well...

IT'S CHRISTMAS

I know we still have two weeks to go but today is the last radio show before we break up for the Christmas holidays. Subsquently, my co-host has planned probably the cheesiest Christmas show alive and I've been downloading songs ranging from Michael Buble to T.O.W.I.E's Last Christmas. I'm in the Christmas Mood and very excited.

Spent the Friday and Saturday working at the pub, so two days of studying lost to working. Can anyone say money? I sat in my student union coffee shop on Sunday doing work. It was completely unrelated to my course but instead is related to my role at a student representative.

In my levels of procrastination, I managed to convince a very hungover friend to come to the pub and we ended up have a pub crawl (Is three pubs a pub crawl?) of Mile End. We called it a day at 11. I say we, the last pub we could find that was open closed so we were forced to retire.

I have then spent this morning downloading songs for my radio show and meeting with the wonderful VP of Communications (my student union mentor) to discuss how I'm doing as a student rep. I honestly feel like I'm not doing enough and that I am not a representative at all. However, apparently I'm a "student rep extraordinaire!" and doing great. I'm blowing my own trumpet on here, because I'm not crass enough to do it on twitter in front of all the other councillors :P

No news from Barts still. Probably won't hear till January/February now. I keep forgetting and then remembering every time someone asks me what I'm doing after university. I hate that question. It use to be such an easy one to answer, but now I'm starting to be filled with dread. Student Politics and Journalism are starting to attract me but I would need to seriously step up my game for either and would be a big deviation from my course, medicine and everything I have worked for so far.

As always, I'll keep you posted.

Procrastinating

It seems to be a theme today. I have a hockey Christmas meal tonight and two coursework deadlines for Friday.

Instead I have tidied me room to the point of spotless. I've organised my work (wetherspoons) key and badges into an appropriate container.

I've also got in the Christmas mood and built myself a Christmas tree. Feeling pretty happy right now :D

Guide book

BTW, if you ever go to Paris. Get this guide book.

It is amazing or Il est très bon. And the itinerary for a weekend, you can do in a day. Just sayin'

Where I'm Going

September 2008 - Applied to Medical School while at college
Spring 2009 - Rejected from all four choices without interview.
Summer 2009 - Deferred back up choice (Biomedical Science at Queen Mary).

August 2009 - Took a gap year and worked for a government department.

September 2010 - Started Biomedical Sciences at Queen Mary, University of London
September 2011 - Applied to Barts and The London Medical School a year early (benefit of my biomedical degree)
Spring 2012 - Interviewed at Barts and The London. See here.
Summer 2012 - Received deferred offer for five year medicine course at Barts, conditional on a 2:1.

Summer 2013 - Achieved 2:1 in Biomedical Sciences at Queen Mary
September 2013 - Start medicine at Barts and The London Medical School.

What I've Done So Far

Grades
University
2:1 - BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science, Queen Mary, University of London '13
A-Levels
ABBBb - Law, Biology, Chemistry, Maths, Critical Thinking
GCSEs
3A*, 6A, 1B The B was in Graphics. I'm really not artistic.

University Extracurricular
Station Manager of Student Union Radio
Station Writer for Student Union Newspaper and Magazine
Liveblogger for Independent Student Newspaper
Played hockey for the first team Elected as a non-portfolio officer in student union elections

Work Experience
1 week - A&E, ENT and audiology
2 weeks - A&E shadowing an F1
1 week - Forensic lab 1 week - GP surgery

Volunteer
4 years - Local hospital radio station

Jobs
Worked at a local pub
Worked for a government department
Worked at a local supermarket

Awards and Certifications
Several awards from school, university and volunteer work
First aid certification since I was a teenager

Edits - This page is repeatedly updated to reflect my progress towards obtaining a place to study medicine

Where's Wally?

Bonjour. I've been on holiday. For the weekend.

Me and my fellow biomeds planned a last minute get away to Paris. Booked it a month ago and spent two and a half days stuffing my face with crossiants. It was amazing. The views from the Arc de Triumphe are amazing and being soaked on the top of the Effiel Tower was a highlight (weird I know). I've come back with the travelling bug and worst of all I've started looking at other careers...

I still want to be a doctor. Its a dream that has never died. But I'm now 21 and I think I'm mature enough (not too much though) to realise that this may not be a reality. I am still going to try and I will give it my all. I could hear from Barts anytime now until Feburary. I feel 18 all over again. Nervous and full of excitment. If I am rejected, I will be disappointed, I will get drunk and I will pull myself up and try again.

This blog post was sponspored by procrastination of a PBL about Long QT syndrome.