MBChB student Desandhi Parakramawansha discusses the medical implications of the recent meningitis outbreak in Kent. For many medical students, Neisseria meningitis exists only on a lecture slide – yet another gram-negative diplococcus to memorise for our exams. It is easy …
MBChB student Hannah Yoncer reflects on how volunteering for a charity shop changed her perspective. Medical school has a way of occupying your entire world—attending lectures, tutorial prepping, society events, and more studying. Starting medical school, I expected that routine. …
Rob Gilmour, final year medical student, reflects on research he co-authored with Dr Mekhola Hoff, exploring how drones could transform the way organs are transported for transplantation. What did you do and what did you find? Dr Mekhola Hoff …
Mona Eskandaripour meets Professor Sarah Tabrizi and discusses recent advances in gene therapy We’ve all read it – or at least the BBC headline – “Huntington’s disease successfully treated for first time”. Coming from a neurosciences background, I was especially …
MBChB student Lucy tells us about her experience on the 16-day APEX 7 research expedition to Bolivia. I am not the outdoorsy, adventurous type. The cold, the lack of amenities, the discomfort – this is not where I thrive. Or …
Mona Eskandaripour and Hannah Yoncer discuss the challenges of working part-time while studying. Studying medicine isn’t easy. Every week introduces a new system to learn, ten diseases to memorise, 15 acronyms to decode and about 400 new Anki cards to …
MBChB student Kavya Shankar on trying to find comfort in idleness I’ve been trying to add “doing nothing” to my weekly routine, the way one might add yoga or journaling – and it’s going terribly. I’m bad at it. I …
MBChB student Ruby explores some of the best swimming spots around Edinburgh. Growing up in north-east England, just a stone’s throw from the North Sea, meant that every Boxing Day started with slathering on goose fat and a bobble hat …
Year 1 medical student, Cassidy explores the boundaries around activism and professionalism and discovers and discusses a few of the grey areas and obstacles. Lately, with so much happening, with the pandemic, environmental challenges, widening health inequalities, and uncertainty around …
Year 5 medical student, Joe discusses the new preference informed allocation system for prospective resident doctors and weighs up a couple of possible scenarios. “You mean you could be sent…down south?!?” she lamented with the horror reserved only for Scots …
Year 1 medical student, Cassidy discusses imposter syndrome. One day, you’re thrilled to have made it into medical school. Full of excitement and ambition, you realise all the hard work you poured into your application paid off. The next, you’re …
MBChB student Joe Bulman explores the phenomenon of the doctor turned comedian. Robin Williams (as the now iconic fictional funny-doctor Patch Adams) once declared, when his character was finally brought to justice for practising medicine without a licence, that “If …
Year 5 medical student, Amberley Evans weighs up the benefits and risks of medical TV. When they asked me why I wanted to be a doctor at my medical school interview, the most truthful answer would have been that it …
Hi, I’m Hasan, a Year 6 medical student from Newcastle Upon Tyne. Congratulations on securing your place at the University of Edinburgh. You are about to embark on an exciting journey, one that will be intellectually stimulating, challenging and immensely …
I’m Joelle, a 5th year medical student, and am originally from Malaysia. I’m currently on my psychiatry placement at St. John’s Hospital. I hope you are all looking forward to the coming year: it’s going to be an exciting one. …
Medical student Jinken Li discusses the pros and cons of the current lifestyle trend for full-body scans. As a medical student, it’s ironic that I don’t have the healthiest lifestyle. Be it sleeping in on weekends, or a woefully unvaried …
