27 April 2016

Intercalation year

Hello,

Long time no speak as per! This junior doctor contract malarky led me back to the Blog-sphere reading Doctor's opinions, and I thought it was about time I revisited this old place. I still get weekly emails from GCSE students asking me about their grades, but sadly my friends, and even my friends siblings, are far from GCSE age and I honestly don't know what the situation is at the moment.

I have heard applications for medicine are down by 18%, so maybe this is the best time to apply!

I have taken a year out of clinical medicine to intercalate this year, and I'm really glad I did. I chose a degree that was 50% research based (I missed science a little bit) and I feel like I've learnt a lot of invaluable skills, not to mention possibly getting a publication out of it (fingers crossed).
Even simple things such as genuinely being able to critically analyse papers, write abstracts, and perform statistical tests haven't really been covered in my degree thus far, but are obviously really important for being a 'doctor and a scientist' and I feel like it will serve me well in my career.

Additionally, having actual free time has been a God-send. On clinical placement you're (supposed to be) on the wards 9 - 5pm, and then have a huge amount of SDL to do. This can be very draining, to the point where it feels like placement is a waste of time because you know the mountain of conditions and drugs you have waiting at home to be learnt. Evenings, weekends and holidays are quickly eaten up by all the things you could and should be learning. The medic type 'A' personality is no help here; things quickly become slightly competitive and stressful, and before you know it you're memorising the waves of the JVP because someone mentioned it once came up in the OSCE 6 years ago.
Intercalating has allowed me to have a job, be on two society committees, volunteer and still have time to take evenings and weekends off work. I've been on three holidays in 2016 alone, and it's just been fab. Having afternoons off and dedicated lab time, with work loads that actually reflect 10/20 credit modules (instead of the ridiculous 100+ lectures for 20 credit modules we got in years 1 and 2) makes a huge difference, allowing you to actually learn and digest the material, instead of desperately cramming it.

I would really recommend it if you have the financial means/ interest in doing so. The majority of my friends who've intercalated are glad they've done so, and I feel like it's boosted my confidence now that I have a greater knowledge in pharmacology, physiology etc.

So if you're thinking about it, research it and go for it! And don't worry too much about Student Finance etc.. Even with my year of Biomed before starting Medicine I still got a loan.

Goodbye for now, once my clinical placements start up again I am hoping to blog more regularly - and thank you to all the Doctors out there protesting, as a medical student whom this contract will greatly affect, I am exceedingly grateful.

Also a little disclaimer: I am quite ready to get back to clinical medicine now. Whilst I have loved having free time and getting back to my scientific roots, staring down a microscope has limits to it's interest, and I have definitely missed placement and all the highs and lows it has to offer.