A FOURTH YEAR
Tamara, 22
Why did you want to do Medicine?
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A fascination with the complexities of the human body, in particular how it goes wrong and how we can fix it. This coupled together with my love for working with people and meeting people from all walks of life drove my passion to want to study medicine.
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What is the best thing about student life?
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Absolutely everything! Living with your best friends, owning more fancy dress than normal clothes, the long summer holidays which allow you travel the world (and earn some money), the all nighters at the library before deadlines, the coffee addiction, the sports socials, your families overwhelming pride, independence and all the student discounts to help you say goodbye to your loan.
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What does a typical week look like?
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Monday:
8:30am: GP Placement
2:30pm: Meeting with project supervisor
5pm: Gym class with friends
7pm: HIVE (HIV Education) Charity Meeting
Tuesday:
8:30am: Patient recruitment for project
4pm: Tutorial on how to analyse your data for your project
7pm: 2 for Tuesday Dominoes Pizza and film night with the housemates
Wednesday:
9am: Teaching session at a local school to give a talk about HIV and Global health issues surrounding it to a year 10 class
2:30pm: Patient recruitment for project
8pm: Gym class with friends
Thursday:
8:30am: Dermatology Placement
2:30pm: Patient recruitment for project
7pm: Hockey training
10:30pm: MedSoc Social
Friday:
8:30am: Patient recruitment for project
4pm – 8pm: Evening Sexual Health Placement
What has been the highlight of medical school?
My favourite part of medical school is the patients you get to meet during your time on placement. It is such a privilege to be part of some of the worst and best (when you watch a mother hold her baby for the first time) times of their lives. Through meeting patients on the ward not only have I been able to develop my clinical knowledge but my general knowledge as well! Building a rapport with patients gives you the opportunity to discover different cultures and traditions and hear first hand account of historical moments that patients have lived through.
What are you looking forward to most?
During your fifth and final year you get 4 weeks to do a student selected unit (SSU) in any area of medicine you wish and in any country in the world! I really want to do my SSU in trauma and emergency medicine and currently looking into doing this in South Africa - home to one of the biggest trauma centres in the world!
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If you could give advice to a younger you, what would it be?
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ï‚· Buy a diary; it’s a life changer!
ï‚· Go over your lectures when you are home otherwise it can get pretty overwhelming when it comes to exams
ï‚· Join all the societies, and try out every sport! You’ll be surprised by what new things you will enjoy
ï‚· Don’t buy all the textbooks, you don’t need them - the library has them all!