Frances Dixon ends year one at medical school
23 Jul, 09 | by BMJ Group
So, one year of medical school finished, just five more to go. What have I learnt this year? As well as a load of useful medical things, and how to do my own washing and cooking, I have learnt some things they don’t tell you about in the prospectus…
- That it is entirely possible to be a little bit disgusted and fascinated at the same time (thank you, anatomy class)…,
- …but that doesn’t mean most people want to hear all about it during dinner (sorry, mum),
- Cramming an entire year’s worth of work into five days of exams is both possible, and seen as the best course of action by the exam board - obviously,
- The general public is eager to help medical students in any way, whether it is being a simulated patient, or giving us money during RAG week,
- Lots of lovely new words like dyspnoea, amenorrhoea, haematuria and steatorrhoea,
- How to spell diarrhoea (finally).
- That the more diseases we learn about, the more of a hypochondriac I become.
- That the first question everyone asks when they find out you are studying medicine is, “Do you know what you want to specialise in?” For the record, no I don’t!
- Scrubs are excellent outerwear for snowball fights.
- Medical students can be kind of cliquey, but as long as I’m in the clique I don’t mind.
- That it is probably a good thing that the medics’ bar is next door to the A&E department.
Most of all I have learnt that medical school is definitely where I belong (well I passed my exams, at least), and I can’t wait for the next 5 years.
Frances Dixon is a medical student at Imperial College School of Medicine, London.
Couldn’t agree more! Just finished first year at Queens, Belfast
Laura
July 24th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
I would tend to agree with everything you have learn this year. I’m also very jealous people ask what you want to specialise in, i generally got asked “so you’re going to be a nurse?” or better still “what do you plan to do with that then?” Good luck with the next 5 years, enjoy them because from experience what seems like a very long time flies by in no time at all!!
Rachel French
July 25th, 2009 at 8:58 pm
C’mon!!! I couldn’t agree you more.Is this a global phenomenon encountered by medical students worldwide?
What do you want to specialise? Hmm…I will tell people there is a long long way ahead!!! Haha…
Ya Hwee
July 28th, 2009 at 10:54 am