h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

lol, not content on putting your body through nocturnal grief, you insist on doing a adrenaline run at the gym. lol, good for you I say! d'ya go often? Any particular reason or do you just want to please yourself and feel healthy? hehe, i guess seeing lots of people that haven't done the right stuff in life makes you appreciate it a whole lot more! I used to gym but since the IB (cursed be thee IBO! lol) I haven't had any time to do it at all, even though there is a sports centre right next to the college! I shall pick it up again some time tho, I do like working out!

Is the non-dissection norm across medical schools in the UK or are there some that do do it? How come the quality students get to do it and not the just-underneath-best-and-below students?

I will probably go into the DGH and see if they will let me stand around whilst someone performs an autopsy, especially under your recommendation!

Letter to the A&E consultant has gone off, now am just waiting for a reply! seems that all of my time recently has been waiting for someone to send me stuff - universities, doctors, the samaritans (i sent off seeing if i could become part of the organisation altho i have no idea where i am gonna fit it in!).. ah well, i shall carry on waiting.

Why are you on liver-affecting drugs (if you dont mind me asking)? Good on you for cutting back too, whatever the reason

Have fun now!

BenniBi!

p.s why was there "Tell" at the bottom of that last message?

I have no Idea what the button was doing. If you fancy doing volentry work for the samartians there's not need to write just give them a ring (there minamun age for volenteers is 17) but I warn you it does take a few months before you get started. But I did it for a while and it is a valuable experience.

I think non dissection is the norm across medical students. but if you have a special interest in antomy then you can choose to do it for a Special study module, (6 weeks where you can choose one of a number of topics to study) the anatmony one is very very oversubcribed so only the people who did well in exams seem to get onto it.

However you do learn about Anatomy when observing surgery in your clinical years, so even if you don't get to activly dissect things then you still do learn it.

Hey Z!

Yeah, I would give them a ring but, seeing as I am a self-proclaimed net-junkie, I applied through the web.. lol, same effect I think and they'll be getting to me soon I hope - I want to go through the training thing (for which I reckon I'll do just grand) and get some hours of pure, unadulterated helping under me belt!

I am interested in anatomy but, seeing as it is mainly oversubscribed and there are lots of other choices that may or may not appealing to me at the crunch time, I might give that one a miss. I will write to the hosp and see if they'll take me for a post-mortem (NOTE TO SELF: Write to hospital!) lol

Oh, I was going to ask you a question - what happens before the interview stage? I get all the stuff about they consider you and yada-yada-yada but what do they send to you after they have decided to give you an interview? i.e do they offer you accomadation in the houses or do they give you numbers for places to stay? Do they give you the run-down of events as they'll happen etc etc? lol, fill me in! hehe

Have fun, hope you're well!

Oooh at interview time, well that depends on where you're applying too.. At most places apart from Oxbridge the interviews are a one day affair so you don't need to worry about accomodation. At Glasgow I trailled all the way up their for a 15 mintue interview, at St Georges in London we were met by medical students taken on a tour, had to write an essay and compleate a quesionairre, then given lunch and had to wait for the interview. At Birmingham there is a lunchtime tour by students and if you have a morning interview you go home after lunch in the afternoon you just arrive for the tour and then go home after your interview. But when you get your envalope then you'll find out what's happening with it all.

If you've got a long way to travel then you'd ususally need to arrange your own accomodation though some of the more far flung uni's let you stay in halls. Oxbridge do as well. But I'm sure you'll be OK.
Oh and don't worry too much about the whole Post Mortem thing, I'm the only person I know who did that at sixth form college.

Oh and the reason I go to the gym obbessively is because I saw a person about my size being operated on and there was an awful lot squidgey yellow stuff and the surgeon was making disparaging comments about how she was a great fat lump. Now I've actually started enjoying it!

Hey Z, apologies for the lack of posting yesterday

Quite a big variety of the ways to get 'interviewed' and I am sure that I shall find out very soon (bleddy well better had, am getting ed)
As for accomadation, even though some unis may be quite close comparitively, I will get accom. when i go up and stay the night before so I can be all fresh and ready and not be travelling in my clothes etc. also so I can find my way to where I am sposed to be the night before and then know exactly where i am going! pre-planning!! hehe

Yes, if I had witnessed lots of yellow squidgy stuff and the surgeon saying comments like that, I might be encouraged to maybe pick up on the exercise front! Good that you are enjoying it, is it starting to feel actually worthwhile? i love that feeling after you come out of a gym, where you are sweaty, tired but happy with yourself!

Anyways, I have maths to do, will have to get on with that. on the subject of maths, how much depth does medicine go into with maths - you have already it has stats, stats and stats but is there more than that, like mathematical modelling etc? lol, at the rate my maths is going, i sure hope not! lol

Well, speak to you soon

BenniBi

Ooh there's not much maths at all. Only for the occasional research project you have to do that is. And they go over what you need to know in first year. Except no one goes to that because they think it' s pointless going to something that you won't need to know until you're third year project.

Do go because in third year you'll really really regret it. Am rather pleased with my progress at the gym I've lost 3kg's so far that works out at about 1 kg a week and I feel a lot fitter and I can walk faster well as long as I haven't come out of the gym cos then I don't .

Anyway speak to you soon.. don't worry too much about the interviews. that's rich coming from me I was wondering at lunchtime if I'd have post when I got home!

Hey Z!

You alright?

I got an offer for an interview today, from York

Very happy am I but it is hard for me to get up to, being all the way here in lic'l ol' Cornwall! Am managing it opportunistically because my grandparents are going up to London around the date of the interview (16th December) so I am training it up to theirs, they are driving me and then training it up to York.. then reverse order on the way back should be cool!

This is my last choice though, the one I actually least want to go to so I have to make up some stuff as to why I want to go to HYMS other than "because they offer low grades"! Like, oh the wonderful architecture and the dynamic community etc etc et-bloody-cetera! lol I shall be having a good day beforehand to check out the town though so it'll be ok hopefully!

I have spent the first half of the day in a Saturday surgeru with a GP whilst he treated them, it was really good! Thoroughly enjoyed myself other than the fact that the surgery was too enclosed, no air going through it at all and I now have a migraine again (third one in about 6 days, I really must go to the doctors for it..). I think I will put of all work that I was planning on doing today and try doubly hard tomoz!

How are you then Z, what have you been up to? Working hard?? Did B'ham ask you to buy a skeleton for your course? What non-book materials have you bought on your course? And are there any really very good general physiology books that you would like to recommend to me at all? lol, already on the look out for materials!

Will speak to you soon, I shall go and lie down now!

Till Whenever!

BenniBi

Ooh good luck for the interview I'm sure you'll be fine.. What you need to do is convince yourself that you want to go there I know this can be difficult but itis a really nice town at York. Birmingham was my last choice but I don't regreat the fact I came here for a minute.

Whereever you go you'll have a great time! complement their course when they asked you why you applied though.

I'm fine in the middle of revising for my first clincal exam and I'm scared, I'd got quiet good at the written one. Still at least my handwritting won't let me down.

No the skelton thing is all a myth which is a shame because I'd rather like one. but you can't have everything can you? I do have to have a stethoscope and a white coat but you don't usually need that until third year and they'll usually have a stall from where you can buy them from.

Same with books. When you get there spend a few hours in the library with the books, find one you like and then buy it. I brought the reccomended one and it's useless. Let me know how your interview goes.

have fun

Z

lol yeah, it'll be a bit hard trying to convince myself that I want to go to York when I have a) never been there b) had that down as my last choice only because it offered the lowest entry grade c) is so so so far away from both my family and where my girlfriend will inevitably go (whereever she goes!). Hopefully I shall be able to immerse myself with the town in the 24 hours I shall have in the town before the interview thingy starts. Any suggestions for places to go? A general wander around would be good but anything awe-inspiring.. might go on the thisisyork website in a mo although I shoudl really message Quille back!

Ah I know whereever I end up it'll all be a grand old (duke of york.. how apt..) time and it doesn't matter what uni you go to as long as you go to uni. I must remember that it is medicine I want to do and, it is my last choice because I know I can get in there so I must make sure of it! Ah it'll go fiiiine!

First clinical exam? Good luck if you haven't already done it. If you have done it, congratulations!

AW to the skeleton, although I am sure i can get one if i want one (altho one must use ones money sparingly! lol). I already have a stethoscope although it is just a diaphragm one so i fear i shall have to upgrade to one with a bell on in due course. White coat'd be cool. I remember a poster (for going into chemistry) with an applicant standing in front of a desk with the interviewer saying in a speech bubble "OK is there any reason for you wanting to go into the sciences other than 'lab coats are cool'?"

AAAAAAAAnyways, must run catch you later Z!

BenniBi

Yeah I'd say spend a day convinceing yourself that you want to go there, though I think saying "I love the town" is sufficent.. but do praise their course specifcally. They were involved in designing it so you're praising their work. Which they like. Be quiet specific about it agreeing with what they think of the strengths.


White coats aren't really as cool as they seem, well not in our current placement, because the doctors don't wear them so it just marks you out as a lowly medical student to doctors and as someone who knows where things are to old dears wandering down corridors.

First clinical exam is next Wednesday, a week tomorrow and I'm scared, very scared.

What composes the clinical exam then? Tell me all (good revision )

I must find all the differences about York's curriculum as oppose to all the rest of them - you see, although there are differences in curriculae, there wasn't much differences between the ones i looked at, as far as i can see.. will toothcomb the prossies though.

lol, differentiation - is it fun being recognised as the juniors or is it really dogsbody work? (lol, i don't actually mind either, happy to be learning methinks..)

Anyways, must go and get the water - throat feeling quite rough actually - off to the doctor's i go tomorrow, i hope that he doesn't simply say, oh you've got tonsilitis and that's the reason for polydipsia/polyuria and migraines - just take these.. but my docs a good one so here's hoping!

ta ta!

BenniBi

OOOO a DEAD convo....must live..live oh forum conversation! LIIIIIIVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEE!!! *laughs maniacally as a large spark of lightning strikes the conversation*

I've just realised I didn't answer BenniBi's question A clinical exam consists of, a consultant (or two) you and a patient, consultant askes you to examine said patient and tell them what's wrong with them. Then they ask questions. Then I fail.

nice summary... I'm sure that the last part won't/doesn't always happen..

well hopefully not, but then again you never know, oh and I forgot but on an exam you have several patients.

Hiya! haven't heard from you for ages.. how are things with you? have you heard yet?

Convo still alive. Congrats on subeddom Z . If your comments were directed at Ben, which I believe they were, you may wish to check out his page, where he placed a recent posting. IT explains his absense and that's he'll try to get back soon. If you haven't already seen it that is...
*disappears back into the vast void that is RL*