50 at 50: Transforming healthcare: High explosive treatment for treatment of stroke

I have been in Nottingham since 1998 having previously been a Clinical Lecturer then Senior Lecturer in South-West then South-East London. My research and clinical interest in nitric oxide, a gas comprising a molecule of just one oxygen and nitrogen atom, started when working for my MD postgraduate research degree at the “University of Beckenham”, …

50 at 50: Celebrating Diversity

With Black History Month upon us we realize the importance of our shared culture and dedicate time to celebrate the amazing and diverse community in which we live in.  We celebrate passionate and driven medical students such as Malone Mukwende. A medical student at St George’s, University of London who in only his second year …

50 at 50: A message from the MedSoc President

My name is Pascal Vogiaridis and I am going into my 3rd Year of Medicine, here, at Nottingham. In June, I took over as President of MedSoc from the wonderful Callum McIntyre. MedSoc is a student-led organisation that every single medical student is automatically part of at no cost. The committee is responsible for ensuring that every member feels like they are fully involved in this …

My BMedSci research experience: a peek into academia

It was Friday afternoon, on a turbulent 45-minute bus ride from Derby to Nottingham…whilst my friend complained about motion sickness from the perilous swerves, I exclaimed with unintended passion “now imagine the neonates!” That awkward split-second was when it dawned upon me: my BMedSci* Honours Year research project, in Academic Child Health in the School …

Medical school: Education or Competition?

It is widely acknowledged that medical school is a competitive environment. It is worth thinking about, even as you consider applying, who exactly we should be in competition with – ourselves, our peers, the sibling your parents promise isn’t their favourite? Most people apply to medical school with the simple intention of improving other people’s …

Graduate entry medicine – realising a childhood dream

For me, medicine was a childhood dream, one that I had thought would remain a dream until two years ago when a chance bout of chicken pox and pneumonia meant I had a day’s stay at the Royal Derby and drove around the hospital on discharge, stumbling upon the medical school and found out about …

Coping with anxiety at medical school

People often ask me what anxiety feels like and I normally respond with something like this: “You know that feeling in your stomach when you are going down stairs and miss a step? It’s that, all the time.” Then they tend to ask me: “But… you do medicine? Isn’t that a really stressful course?” Truth …

A day in the life of a medical student

– 6.30am – Time to start the day. It’s an early start because I’m on placement today at a GP surgery. I make some breakfast and get ready to head out. – 7.20am – I get the bus to the GP surgery at West Bridgford. I’ve also done placements at Queen’s Medical Centre and King’s …

Home away from home

“Eye opening”, “challenging”, “incredulous” are some words I would use to describe living away from home from the first time. There are many immediate contemplations most first-years would feel before coming to university. Living away from the luxuries of our own homes, facing the dares of managing oneself and studying a myriad of modules; is …

Hosting the Student Wilderness Medicine Conference 2017

The SWMUK Conference is one of the largest events in the Student Wilderness Medicine calendar, attracting hundreds of healthcare students, of all ages and experiences, from universities across the UK (and beyond!) The term “conference” is deceptive, however, and those expecting a sedentary weekend of lecture halls and awkward small-talk will be sorely disappointed by …