Blah blah (can't think of a title)

Well it is Wednesday already, time is really going too quickly, it is now only 12 days until my exams start. I had my first tutor group meeting on last night, from 7 'til 9.30 pm... which meant that I missed hockey:(
The tutor groups comprise a few students from each year (totaling about 14/5 people) which is 'parented' by a fully fledged doctor (we got a psychiatrist). It is meant to be a support network and a kind of peer mentor thing. It went well, everyone seemed nice and funny. Oh that means I missed the special episode of casualty @ holby city last night!!! (we all have our vices)
It was nice lectures today, a couple on 'healthcare ethics and law' and then another 'behavioral science' exercise. I only started at 10 and was finished by 1... So it meant that I have had lots of time to read up on my firm 'learning prescription' from last week. This is in conjunction with my Firm 1 placement (excellent!!!) and it basically means that I have to single out one or two things that I found particularly interesting and read about them to improve my knowledge about them for next time.. So I have been reading up on botulinum toxins- not because a patient presented with hem during observations (it is a seriously harmful and sort of fast acting toxin), but because we were researching some data for a presentation and I came across the name of a drug= 4,aminopyrine and I was curious as to what it did- so my tutor recommended that I read about it. I also have loads of preparatory reading to do... But little and often- I'll get it done by next Thursday.
yesterday we had a lecture on the 'cultural issues in health'- and the professor was my old ex- next door neighbor, it is a small world!
I am going to the Medchoir tonight. I joined six weeks ago but haven't quite managed to attend yet- but there is a first time for everything.
The whole flat situation is getting better- I had (or rather my flat- mates) had problems maintaining basic levels of sanitation and I had had enough of doing all the cleaning and washing up etc... So I 'had a word' and all is starting to get a lot better now.
What else??? Oh I went to see the new Wallace and grommet movie on Saturday, I got free tickets at fresher's fair- great things go for free at those so watch out for them!!! The movie was incredible! Oh, I also have managed to devise a way to get tesco to deliver to me- so no more arm-wrenching grocery dashes!
I am looking forward to going home a week on Saturday (Bonfire night!!!) and I shall meet up with a couple of my old friends from school... and take washing home; not because I am lazy though, but because the washing machines here are rubbish- they barely get the clothes wet, yet alone clean!
Tea tonight is going to be an interesting combination of eggs, potato, beetroot and broccoli- that all desperately need eating up!
Bye for now. I'll post again soon, unless I die of food poisoning.
D

Firm 1 (community medicine) Placement

Wow, wow, wow!!!!
What a truly amazing day.
This week has been good, more lectures and anatomy sessions delivered at a high pace. Yesterday we had some blood tests to satisfy the GMC.
Oh and today half of us had our firm 1 placement!
Basically in groups of about four you go to a GPs surgery somewhere in Birmingham (I got Kidderminster- quite far away). I spent the morning observing which was really endearing, and truly reminded me why I am doing this course... the we (uniquely) got to practice venpuncture and flabotomy!!!- I was the only one in the group to be successful in taking someone's blood. I loved it. We also had to analyse our findings, from histories taken from the observation, and compare these to the national averages. We did all of this in a presentation format (powerpoint) with graphs and everything to a load of GPs, and amazingly they genuinely thought that it was one of the more successful and 'thorough' presentation they had seen in a long time!!!! My smile literally is spreading from ear to ear!!!!!
I will post again when I have calmed down a bit.
D :)

The weekend... At last!

I never thought it would come!
What a week, we started by getting our 'anatomy workbooks'- a folder containing over 2000 pages of A4 black and white text and diagrams- that we have to work through mostly on our own, but also in small groups. I lugged the whole thing down to the med school on Tuesday, going to hockey straight afterwards... And as there was no room in a dugout left I out my 'waterproof' bag outside on a bench. Then it rained (great match though!) so my folders and stuff got - SOAKED :(
everything dried out OK, I have since learnt my lesson and have decanted only currently relevant sections of my workbook into a plastic folder. The work in which is very interesting- challenging, but extremely interesting. I think that I have had to source from all of the books that I have bought so far- so definitely great value in getting them in the sale (from my experience, when people say 'get it from the library' it isn't the best idea) I would recommend getting your own copy of the text books... Not as soon as you get the reading list though. Wait until you have had a few lectures, remember these lecturers set the exam questions, so get a feel for what their favorite book is (they reference them all the time)- then get that one, it seems to be working for us.
On Wednesday there were lectures as normal, however in the evening there was a voluntary lecture on the new FY1/2 system (that we will all be going into). I attended and thought it was useful. I also signed up to another society- Surg Soc (UBMS surgical Society) and look forward to having a few practical sessions with them.
Yesterday I stood for the Academic rep, and presenting to 400+ peers wasn't so bad, it seemed quite positive, but unfortunately the result today was not positive (not for me anyway), but it means less work as appose top more!
Tonight I am going to go out with some friends to the MedBar in Selley Oak, and probably make a detour to the Chinese take away over the road (I have had a craving for sweet and sour chicken for ages)!!!
Tomorrow is another HUGE hockey social... We are playing Peninsula (Plymouth med school) on Sunday.
Bye for now
Duncan

Opportunities galore!

Well, last week seemed to fly by too quickly.
I had a hockey match on Tuesday (my team won!!!) and on Thursday I had my first lesson in Fencing- not as in garden fencing... With swords and stuff. This was good, and another opportunity to meet new people.
During the day, I had lectures- just as normal really, we are now studying things at a noticeably higher level- but I am enjoying it. On Friday I bought my ticket to the Toga party, just a social for all 1700 medics in Brum clubs... What should I wear? Oh and I also registered to run for the First year Academic Rep... I have got to go to a meeting about it tonight and also go up on stage on Wednesday, to talk about it and try to get people to vote for me!!!
On Saturday, I went into the city centre and got most of my books (7 really huge, and heavy books) , totaling £230, but I did got to a specific shop were they had a 20% discount! I also met up with my sister and had a look around at all sorts of things that I couldn't buy. I then walked back...Inn the rain (but my books didn't get wet- which is the main thing).
Sunday was great- I played in a hockey match against the Brum Dentists. We didn't exactly win- butneitherr did they. It was technically a draw- but we were the best and therefore 'won'.
I now have to pluck up the courage to grocery shopping- which I hate, but I am sure I would dislike starvation equally.
Bye for now.

One week ends, another begins.

Hello everyone. I am sorry for the delay in this update.
Last week seemed to get quite intense towards the end... the University (of Birmingham) states that lectures aren't compulsary. I didn't just pay my tuition fees to not turn up to lectures (unlike some people), but beginning at nine in the morning, breaking for 45 mins at about 1pm. Then not finishing 'til about 6pm was hard. All the medics had a big night out planned for friday but I for one, embarrasingly, fell asleep- others just didn't bother to go.
The course has really taken off now. We are into protein synthesis, at a level just a little higher than A level (biology and chemistry) I would say that I havn't really struggled but I have had to go back on my notes, consolidate a bit and revisit the computerised learning called WebCT (really cool resource).
We have even started to get set homework- called Self Directed Learning, which is basically supplimentary to a lecture. We get given a case study, read a BMJ article and brainstorm how we would deal with the situation and what sort of areas could be explored etc...
We have also had a lot of lectures on a rather boring subject called Learning Medicine- we are actually assessed on this. (Imagine my eyes rolling as I say it). We are instructued (repeatedly) on how to access resources, how to behave, how certain things work- mostly discipliniary... all that jazz.
However this afternoon I have my first SGT (small group teaching) session, where we will discuss communication skills.
Right now though I must go and pick up my Firm 1 Pack- a folder fetailing which GP's surgery I will be based in every other Thursday for the next two years.
Bye for now.