Hi! My name is Katy and I’m in my third year of medical school at the University of Manchester, situated in Preston. I am a dual citizen of Canada and the UK, but I grew up in Vancouver! I started medical school in the UK after completing a biology degree at the University of British Columbia.
I decided to study medicine after I developed a deep interest in science while I was in high school. I enjoyed working with people and knew I wanted a career that combined these things. While I was working on my first degree, I volunteered at a hospital as a clinical researcher. I worked directly with patients enrolling them in various research studies and this cemented my career choice. I loved it so much I worked there for six years! I chose Manchester Medical School for a few reasons, firstly that my mum is from Manchester, and I grew up spending my summers there. I also researched the program, and I liked that Manchester used a problem-based learning style, as well as integrated patient contact from first year. I felt these aspects of the course would be beneficial to my learning rather than a traditional learning method. I also enjoyed that Manchester still used dissection for anatomy. I learn best with a hands-on, visual approach, so I thoroughly enjoyed this aspect of the course!
My favourite part of medicine so far has been starting my clinical years. I have enjoyed being able to put my knowledge that I’ve learned over the past two years into practice. It’s also nice to be working with patients and doing more practical skills rather than just studying all day! I like the way Manchester organizes their teaching in third year. We need to get six clinical experiences every week, and any scheduled clinics, ward rounds or surgeries count towards these. On top of this, we have a clinical debrief each week, where we talk to a doctor about what we’ve seen and work a case that one of our peers has brought. We also have a themed case discussion, where we go over a particular case each week with a specialist that works in that area of medicine. On top of this, we have extra sessions that teach us how to perform clinical skills, so we can practice on models before we try on our patients! I find the way teaching is organized at Manchester very helpful, as I like to work through cases on my own time before getting any teaching. It helps me to have a basic understanding of a topic first so I can solidify my knowledge during our sessions, and I can ask any questions I might have.
At the University of Manchester, you can be placed at one of any four base hospitals. I’ve been assigned Preston, which means I could have placement at either Royal Preston Hospital or Chorley and South Ribble Hospital. So far, I have only worked out of the Preston hospital. I have really enjoyed it so far! I have had blocks in respiratory, general surgery and critical care. Each block has been interesting and has allowed me to practice a variety of different skills. Right now I am finishing up my critical care placement and I am thoroughly enjoying it! It’s interesting to see so many different types of patients and I’m enjoying learning more about neurology as head injuries are the most common in this area. It’s a very busy ward but there is lots of staff and they are always willing to teach and help with your learning! Overall, my placements have been good, and I’ve been able to seize a lot of learning opportunities!
One aspect of the course I find difficult is revising! I have had to change my strategies over the course, as the way we are taught has changed. I always study on a case-by-case basis as this is how Manchester teaches the course. Each week, I work through the pre-learning for our themed case discussion. The university makes an online workbook to work through that includes lectures, helpful videos, reading and links to any guidelines or other websites that may be helpful. I compile notes from each of these sources and focus on the NICE guidelines for diagnosing and managing the condition we are studying. The university also includes a short multiple-choice quiz at the end of the case to check your understanding. I work through this after making my notes and further revise any topics I got wrong on the quiz. I also study for our progress test using Passmed. I try to do a few questions every day from any category, and each week I will complete some questions specifically from the block I am currently on. Passmed links the NICE guidelines and any other important information in the answers to the questions, so I make sure to read up on these! For OSCEs, I practice any examinations or practical skills during my time in the hospital. To pass our blocks, we must complete physical examinations and other skills, so I ensure I fully work through these when I am performing them on patients! OSCEs are coming up soon, so I will also practice with my friends and housemate!
Time management is an important aspect of the medicine course! I think I’m pretty good at managing my time. We are given schedules for each block and have a timetable online that tells us when we need to be in the hospital or when we have online sessions. I combined my schedules so that I have it in my calendar on my iPad that the university gave us. I also keep a lot of to-do lists for each day, week and month so I know what I need to get done! I find I have a fair bit of free time if I keep on top of everything. I usually keep my weekends free from work or studying so I have time to socialize and keep up with my hobbies! I picked up medic’s netball when I came to Preston, and I always find the time to attend sessions for that or some other form of exercise. I think it’s really important to maintain a good work-life balance, and I always strive to do this!
Overall, I am enjoying medicine! It comes with its difficulties, but I find it very rewarding. I love speaking with patients and I find the course content interesting. I love that medicine combines science with so many practical skills, so I am always on my feet rather than just sitting and studying! Medicine is such a dynamic course and there is so much to be learned; I’m never bored! My advice for those applying to medicine is to not stress over having perfect grades or the perfect application. Medicine requires people with all kinds of skills from all kinds of backgrounds! No two applications will look the same, so find something that makes you stand out! Good luck and thank you for reading my entry!
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out! My Instagram is @Katy95kat and my email is katy.caverly@student.manchester.ac.uk
コメント