I'm dreaming of...

Its been just under a week since my interview and I am obsessing. All I can think about is Medicine.
And I have repeatedly thought what I would do while I was on the degree.

Well first of all I'll be spending five years minimum at Barts.
Then I may want to intercalate in something like Medical Education.
I definitely want to be a Sabbatical Officer at Barts.
I also want to be the editor of Student BMJ for a year.

So currently, that's eight years in medical school. Am I crazy?
Maybe I shouldn't get my hopes up like this till I know if I've got an offer.

Interview

"Why do you want to come to Barts?"

"Well it's in East London, and there is a brilliant 24 hour bagel shop in Shoreditch"

I shit you not.

But they loved it.

Interview in Two Days...

Excited. Nervous. Eating chocolate fingers by the truck load. I don't normal binge eat from nerves. Odd.

So I have met with three medical students. One the Student Union President. I have read the following two books cover to cover:
Medical School Interviews - Lee, Picard
Succeed in Your Medical School Interview - Dr See
I prefer the second one by Dr See. He writes from experience and I found that his questions were much more open, making you consider where they could go and what the panel were looking for. Picard seems to waste a lot of questions on what they could ask you in the NHS. This could have been set as a learning point and several pages saved. If you plan to buy any books, I recommend both for the key motivation questions, but if you are short for cash then the second one is the better of the two.

I'm getting too excited. I'm imagining everything I am going to do as a med student. As a doctor. This is bad. I was devastated in August 2009 and three years on, I know that if I don't get this, I will be devastated again. I'll get over it. But being told no to a career that I've given a lot already is... trying to say the least.

Several of my friends and course mates have also got interviews for both undergraduate and graduate medicine at Barts. I think we originally all agreed, non-verbally, not to mention the interviews but as it has got closer, it dominates our conversations. Even friends who aren't applying are probably sick of me talking about it. Without being cocky, I may not be the strongest academic candidate by far, but I have the best extracurriculars. I have a life and all these skills will relate to medicine. My personal tutor at Queen Mary once told me that Barts love people who are well rounded. They look beyond the grades.

The only thing I can hope is that my passion will show at interview. I need to remember to smile. And related EVERYTHING back to Barts. I think I finally understand what X-Factor contests mean when they say "I really want this". I really want this. So much. Wish me luck.

Less than 2 weeks

Excitement!!!!

1st of the Month

Pinch Punch.

Up early. Off to talk to the Presidents of Barts and the London Student Association (BLSA) for interview tips. I love visiting Whitechapel!

Why be a Doctor Over a Nurse? (Update)

Update: This is one of the most popular posts on my blog. I assume that it is mainly potential medicine applicants looking at it for ideas for their personal statement and blog. To help my knowledge and yours I thought I would update it with a better understanding.

• Doctors gain trust very easy in comparison to other caring professions.
• The combination of an mental challenging job with daily interaction with patients and staff is rare in other roles. While I'm not saying that a nurse's job is not challenging, there is only so much they can progress and even specialised they follow protocols. 
• Teaching and research play a key role in the job. While nurses are involved in research, it is common for the doctor to take the lead and a nurse be involved in the practical execution. 
• By studying medicine, you have the choice of being a GP, hospital, surgeon or a lab doctor. This level of variety is not afforded by a career in nursing. This initial training is very general so you can literally do anything. When a patient's management exceeds a specialty, they have this knowledge to rely on. This knowledge is also developed through clinical skills that must be tested by Royal College exams
• Also doctors are financially rewarded for their work and with clear pay grades that can exceed higher than a nurse.

This is in no way a dig at nurse or any attempt to insult doctors. A question that rises in most interviews which I could be expected to answer one day is "Why do you want to be a doctor?" or "Why a doctor instead of a nurse?". This post will incorporate my feelings and career knowledge so I can answer that question myself. I know I want to be a doctor, but I want to be able to explain it fully and here's my chance.

Above are print screens taken from the NHS website describing the careers of the two areas. To me there is an immediate difference. Nursing is described as a more caring and supporting job, while Doctors are more scientific and diagnostic. Yet I know that many nurses can prescribe, create treatment plans and are independent. Both aim to cure the patient but have different means and procedures. Also Doctors are not just leaders, they are dependent on the team (Nurses and co.) for support and help. It is a group effort.

Many people would beg me not to say these in an interview (People on TSR :P) but I feel they are honest answers to the question. I would of course phrase them differently but money, status and job certainty (in the world not necessarily the UK) are also reasons for medicine. Anyone who is doing it purely to repay the world or help others is kidding themselves. I've done enough work experience and read enough blogs to know this is simply not true. People abuse and use the NHS. Not every patients will want to be saved. You may have a kind heart but unless you are completely dedicated to medicine other reasons must drive.

Blog Theme

Messing around with my blog. Not sure about it yet. It's very limited in customisation.

In other news. I am very excited about my interview!!!!! Doing a lot of prep right now so hopefully it will pay off.

I have also purchased a brand new Apple Macbook Air :D
My laptop broke last week and I've been putting off getting a replacement. I've wanted one for ages. I finally took the plunge and bought one. It's so... SEXY

INTERVIEW!!!

I can HAPPILY announce that I have an interview for undergraduate medicine at Barts in February. WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!