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Sometimes we can lose sight of the fact that our lives are made for living. Not just working day in, day out. Not just trying to get the highest grades or getting into medical school. Living. At different points in your life, it can seem like you have so much to do and so many people to please. All this pressure and no idea what to do about it. Maybe you’re worried that your GCSEs aren’t quite up to par. Or maybe they went amazingly and now you’re worrying about how your A Levels (or equivalent) are going to go. Maybe you are stressing over your mocks, or your UKCAT/ BMAT, or starting university and making friends, or making it through medical school and going into your job. Or maybe it’s just life itself. Do you recognise yourself in any of these people? Countless numbers of us have been there or are currently there. It’s nothing new. My advice? Some days, just stop. Take a breath. Think (or stop thinking, if that’s what you need). Just take a moment and stop. It doesn’t have to be for long. Just enough to calm yourself down. Whilst the world won’t magically stop turning, and time won’t afford us the privilege of putting it on pause, we do still hold some power in our hands. We can’t control every outcome, but we can control our reactions. Sometimes stress can help us focus and motivate us to meet deadlines. But this isn’t always the case. Excessively stressing yourself out about all these different things can be detrimental to your health, both physically and mentally. But you probably know that, right? So why do we do it? Stressing out is completely natural and part of being a human. We’ve all done it. I can say I’m probably the number one perpetrator. Deciding to pursue a career in medicine, regardless of the stage you’re at (GCSE, A Level, university and even in the job itself), is inherently stressful. It’s a big decision and one that I imagine you didn’t take lightly. While we can’t anticipate all the stressful things we will go through on our journey, we can try and develop our coping mechanisms to allow us to best deal with the issues. I can’t tell you the best way to cope – that’s up to you. Maybe you just need advice from someone with more experience than you. Maybe you just need a second to gather yourself and refocus your mind. Or maybe you just need a couple of minutes to cry and get everything out of your system. But if you take a second to stop and think, you’re giving yourself a chance to stop that spiral thinking and put your mind on pause. Then keep going. You can do it.

Congratulations on meeting your offer, you are now officially a medical student! It is such an achievement and something to be so proud of. Well done! I will never forget the joy I felt when I found out that I got into medical school. The feeling is truly indescribable and I just couldn’t believe it! However this excitement was short lived as the reality of medical school hit me. I started thinking about the hard work, the long hours and all the exams that I’d have to sit. I began questioning my ability to make it through the year BEFORE I had even started! All of this negative thinking made me anxious and set me up for a rocky start. If I could go back to the start of my first year here are some things that I would have changed to better prepare myself for the transition. Have a positive mindset and be excited! You worked so hard this year to get this place at medical school so be excited about starting this beautiful journey! You deserve your place at medical school. One of my biggest worries was that I wouldn’t be smart enough. I knew that I would be surrounded by students who were incredibly intelligent with a natural ability to learn new information and I didn’t perceive myself as such. This was the wrong mindset to start the year with. If you got the grades to get into medical school, you are more than able to do well. Start with the mindset and the belief that you are smart and most definitely capable of excelling during this year. You are no less than anyone in your cohort. So get excited! You deserve this place at medical school! Be prepared for the hard work to continue I personally found the workload intense as it is much heavier than A-level. However, I quickly realised that the content isn’t incredibly hard, there is just a massive volume to learn. The most difficult thing is finding your feet and adjusting to this new way of teaching and learning. To do this, try your best to keep on top of your work so that you don’t fall behind.  Attend all lectures, tutorials, dissections/prosections and other scheduled teaching. Remember, you are paying for tuition so make the most out of it! Also, it is key to integrate as much as possible with your course mates. You will meet people who will become your support system and some of your closest friends during your time at university. Also, find out your style of study as early as you can. How will you take notes during your lectures? Will you handwrite them or type them up? How will you write your study notes? Will you use flashcards, posters or mind maps? Are you a fan of group study? Asking yourself these questions before you start will have you well prepared for the rest of the year. Most importantly, make a plan to track all of your commitments whether it be studying, attending a society event, catching up with friends or having time to yourself – planning will keep you organised and less stressed during this year. Work hard, play hard Your first year is the best time to be as active as you can be in societies as your timetable tends not to be as intense as later years. Use Freshers week as time to get to know your course mates, make new friends, become more familiar with your campus, the local area and your surroundings. Use your first term to adjust to your new environment and the medical school lifestyle. Attend the freshers fair and get involved with as many societies as possible. Joining a society will allow you to have some “me time” after studying and they can be a great way for you to relax and have some fun! You can also learn new skills that you can use to build your CV. So be sure to check your universities student union website before you start so you can get an idea of societies that may interest you. Always remember your why You may sometimes find that you are struggling with your work as the workload intensifies during your first few weeks. In these times it is easy to forget why you are here as you start to lose sight of the bigger picture. It is important to remind yourself of why you want to be a doctor and use this to restore your motivation. Also, getting involved in medical societies that interest you can serve as a great reminder too. Most importantly, when things become a little overwhelming and you feel like you are struggling, please speak up and seek support from those around you. You can talk to your friends, family, your personal tutor or the well-being services provided by your student union. If you are struggling with anything, please don’t be afraid to ask for help. Focus on self-care and balancing your health with your academics – you will excel this year. Good luck, you’ve got this! Written by Sarah O’Connell

“Do what you can, where you are, with what you have.” – Theodore Roosevelt A health professional is noted as one who provides health care for the community through the means of knowledge and practicality. Furthermore global health plays a pivotal role in ensuring that a high standard of healthcare is provided to all communities in an equitable manner. Leadership within global health is paramount to ensure that these mandates are established and this article wishes to celebrate the revolutionary global health leaders, both in the past and present, which have done so! DR DANIEL HALE WILLIAMS. Dr Daniel Hale Williams is notably known for performing the first successful heart surgery which repaired a wound. It was documented in 1893 as a successful pericardial sac surgery which led to a post 20 year survival for the patient. Moreover, Dr Daniel Hale Williams is celebrated for providing solutions for health education in a global context. In 1891 he founded the first racially integrated staff hospital (Provident Hospital) as he was concerned with the lack of equality within training professionals. Furthermore in 1895 he founded the first professional body, National Medical Association, which allowed African American members to be admitted. These establishments have played a remarkable role in global health education in America. DR J. SOKA MOSES. Dr J. Soka Moses is a Liberian medical doctor who faced the Ebola outbreak as a junior doctor at the Redemption Hospital in Monrovia. He has described it as a ‘virtual biological bomb’ and ‘medical tsunami’ which led to the dismantling of health protocols and order.  During the outbreak he worked to establish and charge the biggest Ebola Treatment Unit (ETU) in Monrovia where more than 600 patients were treated. To ensure that there was a strengthening within the public health and infectious disease epidemiological field; Dr J. Soka Moses went to enrol onto the MSc Control of Infectious Diseases at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. Presently he work with researchers from NIH and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to conduct innovative epidemiologic research which actively contributes towards global health. PROF. AGNES BINAGWAHO Prof. Agnes Binagwaho, former Minister of Health for Rwanda, began her clinical practice in Belgium and France. Upon her return to Rwanda she was spurred to focus on global health issues where she has actively and successfully contributed to the reshaping of the Rwandan Health care policies and systems. Throughout her career she has accumulated endless accolades such as commissionaires, advisory and board positions. She has broken barriers related to gender, age and geographics to ensure that there is an effective delivery of health care solutions. Currently she has been appointed as the Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Global Health Equity in Rwanda. She is also a lectuer at Havard Medical School, Geisel School of Medicine and Dartmouth College. PROFESSOR DAME SALLY CLAIRE DAVIES, DBE, FMEDSCI, FRS Davies has a medical background where she qualified as a doctor from the University of Manchester and went to gain a Master of Science degree from the University of London. She became a consultant haematologist in 1985 at the Central Middlesex Hospital in Brent. Furthermore she has contributed to the healthcare profession through the means of research, in particular where she is a specialist in Sickle Cell Disease. Notably, Davies is known for being the first female to hold the position of Chief Medical Officer in 165 years and Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS) in 100 years! Her medical leadership role means that she works to advise and employ global health issues at the forefront. HELENE D. GAYLE Gayle is prominently known for being an expert on global development and issues.  She is a board certified pediatrician who completed her residency in pediatric medicine at the Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. During her clinical career she pursued a public health interest where she directed programs at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and spent 20 years at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  Since 2005, she became the CEO and president of CARE which is a humanitarian agency which governs international development projects; it is known as one the largest organization aids which are focused on fighting global poverty. Health care professionals play an important and pivotal role towards the advancement of global health and development of innovative schemes. It is important to note that influential leadership can be demonstrated within universities, local communities or global organisations, it is not limited. Thus; if you have a passion within the global health context, pursue it! Written By Jade Okene

The build up to A-Level Results Day is a very stressful period and it is extremely important to be prepared. PREPARATION Research alternative courses and universities and list their details/ telephone numbers. Universities will list available courses before Results Day, so there’s no harm in doing some research beforehand. Know what subjects you’re looking for, and make sure you have thought about why you want to study them. Contact details for your firm and insurance university Pen and Paper, Mobile Phone & Charger A list of any questions you have about the university or the course, Exam certificates on hand (universities may ask you to send them scanned copies of relevant qualification certificates) Have some breakfast CHECK UCAS TRACK Hopefully you’ll get the exam grades you need, but if you just miss out, the university or college might accept you anyway. You might get a place on either your firm or insurance choice, depending how well your exams go. You might be offered an alternative by the university/college – a ‘changed course offer’ (which you’ll need to accept or decline). You might not get a place, but you can search through our Clearing service to see what courses still have vacancies. If no decisions are showing, your application might still be under consideration by your university, even if you have missed your grades, give your universities or colleges a call to find out more. CLEARING Whether you missed your grades and as a result did not receive any offers or maybe you rejected all your offers; UCAS Clearing allows you to apply to universities with places on courses still available. If you have decided to reject your offer, request for the university to release you into clearing, once your Track status says ‘clearing has started’ or ‘you are in clearing’ you are eligible to go through clearing. Before rejecting your offer please consult with your teachers, parents or advisers. Use the UCAS website to search for courses you are interested in, then contact the university directly and make sure you have your Personal ID number as well as your Clearing Number on hand so they can access your application (also make a note of your GCSE and A Level grads prior as you may forget them in the heat of the moment). The phone call may be treated as a mini-interview and they may ask questions such as why you are suitable for the course, why you are interested in the course and what you would bring to the university. Also feel free to ask questions about the university and the course. If they are happy with your application, the university may give you a verbal offer, once you have received the offer you can log onto track and add the choice through clearing. This verbal offer usually stands for 24 hours, this gives you time to consider other options afterwards as it is extremely important that you don’t rush into a decision and choose a course in a university that is right for you and that you are happy with. Have a support system (e.g parents, friends and siblings), it is a stressful time Make notes during the conversations, you may speak to several universities in one day Be prepared, as mentioned earlier have everything you need on hand https://www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/apply-and-track/results/no-offers-learn-how-clearing-works ADJUSTMENT Did you perform better than expected and perhaps want to reconsider your options and enrol on a better course at a higher ranked university? Similar to UCAS Clearing, UCAS Adjustment allows you to apply to universities with places on courses still available and aims to give students the chance to enhance their university experience, not hinder it. Adjustment is not compulsory, if you have exceeded your expectations and are happy with your original offer that’s fine. Although Adjustment lasts from Results Day until the 31st of August, you are only given five days to find an alternative course or university from the time you register in Track, so the quicker you register, the more likely you are to secure a place at a university or on a course that you want. Again talk to an adviser at your school, college, centre or careers office or your parents so you can decide if Adjustment is a good choice. To register for adjustment you must have met and exceeded the conditions of your initial firm offer and click ‘Register for Adjustment’. If you don’t contact any other university about applying through adjustment your initial firm offer will remain. There is no list to indicate vacancies in any universities for Adjustment so you have to search courses and contact the admissions offices at the university to ask about any vacancies. Mention that you are applying through adjustment and are just gathering information, have your Personal ID on hand and make sure you don’t agree to a verbal offer until you are entirely sure you want it. Beware that once your new university has put the offer into Track, your original firm choice will be rejected automatically; there’s no going back, so be sure to have a think before you commit to anything. https://www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/apply-and-track/results/ucas-adjustment-%E2%80%93-if-you%E2%80%99ve-done-better-expected DEFERRING YOUR COURSE If you wish to defer your offer until the next year after receiving your grades, be sure to call the university and ask if this option is possible, be aware that not all universities will agree. Make sure you have a good reason for your decision as you may be asked about it and explain your intentions for your gap year. Simply enquiring does not affect you confirmed offer. GAP YEAR Taking a Gap Year is an excellent opportunity for to learn and gain invaluable skills and experiences as well as giving you time to reflect on what you’d like to do next and possibly travel or enhance your CV. You may decide to volunteer, travel, work full time, take up part-time courses or gain work experience related to your field of study. Planning your gap year is very important as time can go really fast and you do not want to waste your break from full-time studying, so decide why you want to take a gap year and what you specifically want to achieve and devise how you will go about achieving these goals. Also consider how much time you will be away, how you will fund your gap year ideas and what is available. Be sure to make use of online resources and get advice, there’s a lot of help out there! DON’T WANT TO ACCEPT YOUR OFFER? You can either decide to be released into Clearing or register for Adjustment. If university isn’t for you anymore you can decide to apply for an apprenticeship You may decide to retake you’re A-Levels and reapply for next year’s entry Forget about University for the moment and take a Gap Year DID YOU NARROWLY MISS YOUR GRADES? Contact your university, they may still accept you or offer you an alternative course which you must choose to accept or decline. You can also choose to get a Remark; make sure you inform the university that you are getting a Remark and then apply for a Priority Re-mark as this is the only way it will come in time to meet the conditions of your offer by August the 31st. Melanin Medics wish you the best of luck on Results Day and hopefully all your hard-work will pay off. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to Contact Us,we’re happy to help.

Exercise is something many of us dread. We fear that early morning gym session. The thought of jogging for more than 10 minutes is terrifying and to couple with this, we must try and eat healthy as well? Why is this the case? I think many of us see exercise or physical activity in general as a chore and not something that is enjoyable which should not be the case at all! Most medical students and even the public already know the positive physical benefits that exercise has, but I think a lot of us ignore or don’t recognise how physical activity can improve our mental health. Mental health and talking about it has always had some sort of stigma attached to it, especially with males. However, in recent years, people have started paying more attention to it and shedding an increasing amount of light on issues regarding mental health and what we can do to tackle them. Unfortunately, depression and suicide rates have risen in the last decade which has forced us to take it more seriously. Certain professions and fields, such as medicine, have also seen a marked rise in depression and suicide rates which begs the question; what exactly is wrong, and why do we fear opening up about things to do with our mental health? I believe part of this can be attributed to the society we live in today and our current generation. The demands placed on us today, without undermining what our parents and grandparents have gone through, are ever pressing which has not been helped with the likes of social media. We care so much about appearing to be ok that we fail to face and deal with underlying and deep rooted issues. As a male especially, we are somewhat programmed into putting on a brave face or being the ‘man’ that our current or future families require. Whilst one must learn how to deal with the situations that life throws at us accordingly, this does not mean that we should be afraid of speaking up or seeking help when the going really does get tough. Individuality amongst males and constantly trying to do things on our own accord is also a pressing issue that we must try to get rid of. It is clear to everyone that society is very much changing. Males are no longer required to be the sole bread winners of the family as an increasing number of women are going to university, going to work and doing many of the roles a previous patriarchal society would have deemed not possible. Thus, equity within our society has relieved some of the pressures and allowed us to take a break when needed. During these breaks, I find it vital that we analyse not just our physical health but also our mental health and if we are really ok and not just appearing to be ok. As mentioned previously, a great way to not only improve our mental health but also prevent it deteriorating, is exercise. “It is exercise alone that supports the spirits, and keeps the mind in vigour” Marcus Tullius Cicero The department of health recommends that the average adult should do around 2.5 hours of moderate intensity activity a week, which equates to 30 minutes five times a week. Whether this be a leisurely walk to work instead of taking the train, or taking a trip down to your local gym, it is important that we try and achieve this to reap the potential rewards. There are several ways that exercise can help our mental wellbeing and here are just a few: EFFECTS ON OUR MOOD Evidence has shown that physical activity can have a profound positive effect on our mood (Penedo and Dahn, 2005). Researchers in a study found that participants felt more awake, content and even calmer compared to those who were inactive. Kanning and Schlicht (2010). This just goes to show that a quick run may help to lift us up when we’re feeling down in the dumps. EFFECTS ON STRESS Stress is something that we all go through on almost a daily basis and is a natural part of human life. To help combat it and to prevent it overwhelming us, we can engage in physical activities to relieve this stress. A study on employed adults showed that very active individuals tend to have lower stress rates compared to those who are less physically active Kouvonen et al (2005). EFFECTS ON DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY The fact that physical activity can be an alternative treatment for depression alone signifies its benefits. It can be used as a standalone treatment or in combination with psychological therapy/medication (Department of Health, 2001). Although those that are depressed may struggle to find the motivation to exercise, once conducted, the benefits will only ever be positive. The stigma attached to mental is slowly but surely being peeled off. Although we live in a fast-paced society with increasing demands, this same society has made reaching out to people and seeking help that much easier. There are numerous websites and numbers that are one google search or a few screen taps away that will enable you to talk to someone who cares about how you are feeling. If you don’t feel comfortable talking to a stranger then please reach out to your family and friends because you’d be surprised how many of them are going through something similar or who will be willing to sit and listen to the struggles you are facing. As well as this, engaging in physical activity and keeping fit are also a couple of other was to preserve your mental wellbeing. You may struggle to find the motivation but the start is always the hardest part. Once you push through that first barrier, the rest become a whole lot easier. “Your present circumstances don’t determine where you can go, they merely determine where you start” Nido Qubein Written by Allan Nathans References: Penedo, F.J. & Dahn, J.R. (2005). Exercise and well-being: a review of mental and physical health benefits associated with physical activity. Current Opinion in Psychiatry. 18 (2), 189–193. Kanning, M. & Schlicht, W. (2010). Be Active and Become Happy: An Ecological Momentary Assessment of Physical Activity and Mood. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 32 (2), 253–261 Department of Health (2010). Healthy Lives, Healthy People: Our strategy for public health in England. London: The Stationery Office. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/216096/dh_127424.pdf [Accessed on 04/11/15]. Kouvonen, A., Kivimaki, M., Elovainio, M., Virtanen, M., Linna, A. & Vehtera, J. (2005). Job strain and leisure-time physical activity in female and male public sector employees. Preventative Medicine, 41 (2), 532–539. Department of Health (2001). “Exercise Referral Systems: A National Quality Assurance Framework.” Available at: http://bit.ly/1N31ONs [Accessed on 04/11/15].

Summer of every year marks the time for graduation season for universities across the country. Every year the pictures of peers receiving their degrees and dawning their caps and gowns proudly plaster every social media outlet. And most importantly , it marks the end of an era of education and the beginning of a new life and career and a welcome into the adult world. It’s a great time of celebration and I’ve always found it inspiring and motivating witnessing such achievements. As a medical student though , with a course that spans 5 years , far longer than most other degrees it’s hard not to find yourself feeling a bit left out in all the celebrations. I’ve felt a feeling of FOMO since the second year of my course and I felt I needed to explore why and if I was the only one. WHAT IS FOMO? Urban dictionary defines it as the ‘fear of missing out’ , particularly missing out of an opportunity or exciting event and so leading to feeling uneasy or anxious that you are unable to do something. Now, given my feelings I think I should give a bit of context. Having taken a gap year prior to starting medical school I already had seen my peers and friends start university a year before me and I’d accepted that for my journey into medicine this was a sacrifice that had to be made. I didn’t mind too much being in my gap year as I knew that I would eventually be accepted into medical school and start my university experience too. MY 1ST FOMO EXPERIENCE This came in my second year of medical school, which for my peers and friends would have been their final and graduating year. In this case seeing friends of mine who had been able to start university straight away  graduating was bitter sweet, but my feelings of FOMO were short lived . On one hand I was extremely happy that I was now doing my chosen degree to pursue the career I’d always dreamed of, but I can’t deny that I felt slightly left out as I knew I had a much longer time left before I could have my own celebrations and begin my career. However, like I mentioned I didn’t feel too left out because after having to take a gap year to pursue my degree , it didn’t matter that my journey to my chosen career would take me a little longer. Also at this stage , I was barely equipped to save lives yet and I was pretty happy to avoid adult life for a bit longer. So as quickly as the FOMO came it was gone and I was happily carrying on into my 3rd year. MY 2ND FOMO EXPERIENCE Finishing my third year , I’ve successfully managed to survive the start of the clinical years. A whole year of clinical placements had come to an end and it had felt for me one of the longer years since unlike the preceding years we have a shorter summer break. Having a taste of what could be, a representation on working life in various specialities. The majority of F1s I’d encountered had been so settled and content in their roles which only made it more attractive. More so this year I’ve felt more ready to want to start my career and also now being at university for 3 years the length of the course has started to show more. But in all honestly even now after 3 years I’m still only a baby in the grand scheme of medicine, again not quite ready to start saving any lives. Now graduation season 2018 has come along in full strength and I’ve felt the FOMO a lot more. This time not only are peers graduating but now I’ve also spent the same amount of time at university. Reflecting upon it ,although I’m fully aware that my course is 5 years long it really hits home how long it is this year. In some ways it feels like whilst others will be moving on with life , I’ll almost have to play catch up once I’ve finished. This season especially I thought , could I be the only one feeling this FOMO, so I asked my friends and peers. Thankfully I wasn’t , which ruled out insanity but it was interesting as to why people felt that way. Everyone had their own reasons for having and not having FOMO and here are some: • “Feeling like I’ve spent the same amount of time at university and worked hard and yet can’t start living life yet or have anything formal to show for it” • “Not so much now because I’m still young but maybe later on whilst others have moved on and I’m still at university” • “No, since I’ll be graduating one day , but it does remind me of how long you have to go” • “Yes and no : I would want to experience the day and it can make it seem longer but it makes me even more excited for the day I can finally call myself doctor” • “Initially I had FOMO , but I realised that when I graduate as there isn’t as much of a struggle to be employed straight away and we’re more protected going into the real world” APPRECIATING MY JOURNEY Some of the views from my peers were similar to mine and some were very different and I realised that it’s something that many of us as medical students may experience at some point during our journey to becoming doctors. I haven’t had very strong feelings of FOMO , but I’ve had to acknowledge that I have those feelings and reflect on why. As medical students it’s especially important to reflect on such things because they may be reoccurring themes during the course of our degree.  Although I’ve felt through this graduation season a sense of FOMO, it doesn’t take away from what I’ve already  achieved so far and what is yet to come. I’ve accepted that medicine is a long stint and it is so for a reason, being responsible for the outcomes of people’s health and lives is not a small feet and the course is designed to prepare us for this. I know that at the end of the day, I will graduate and will be well equipped to take on this responsibility. When it comes to starting to live my life, I have to look past the FOMO and realise that I already am living it. Becoming a doctor is what I have always wanted to do and the process leading up to that is part of that life dream. I think for all of us it is important to remember this especially through such times but also realising that it’s okay to have FOMO and you shouldn’t feel as though you’re alone in your thoughts. It’s a natural feeling to have and for many of us may crop up through the years, but as I’ve realised it’s made me even more excited for my own graduation and especially the beginning of the career I’ve worked to pursue. Its important though not to let FOMO take away from your progress or discourage you during the course but to remember that as a medic our journey will always be unique in its own way Written by Michelle Chirimuuta

March 2016: 4 rejections received. March 2018: 1st year medical student at King’s College London. After receiving 4 rejections from my chosen universities to study Medicine during my first application cycle, admittedly I felt defeated. But as A-level exams drew closer, I knew I had to redirect my focus towards achieving the grades I knew I could. My burning desire to study Medicine was not going to go away that easily! Deciding to take a gap year was not an impulsive decision nor was it one that I entered into lightly and making that decision earlier on in the process allowed me to plan out my year effectively. The main aim of my gap year was to secure a place at medical school of course, but it was also a time in my life where I wanted to make personal growth, to experience new things and become more independent. October 2016 rolled around soon after results day and I found myself starting my first day at my new job as a healthcare assistant at my local NHS hospital. As the keen new employee, I was elated at the chance to experience healthcare from a different perspective: as one of the staff as opposed to being on the outside looking in as a work experience student. My ward – a combination of Rheumatology, Elderly Medicine and Infectious Diseases – depicted the chaotic, busy NHS we often see plastered across the front pages of newspapers. It accommodated 21 patients at any one time and very rarely did we have empty beds! Cardiac arrests, sudden deaths and patients with distressing and uncomfortable conditions became part of my everyday working life. However, above all else, what brought me into work for my 12-hour long days and night shifts were the patients. The gratitude I was shown for the little things I did for them confirmed within me that working in healthcare was going to give me the personal fulfilment and lifetime satisfaction I wanted for myself. A chat with a patient; helping them to brush their teeth in the morning; offering a cup of tea and even the tasks that made up my job role such as toileting and washing were some of the moments where I realised I was making a change, contributing to improving the quality of life of each patient I came across, however small that may have been in the grand scheme of things. Needless to say, working at a hospital was far from easy. Surrounded by sick people and anxious relatives for majority of your day has a toll on both your physical and mental health. I would listen to nurses tell me how stressed and tired they were; junior doctors who’d been working 4 16-hour shifts in a row that they’d forgotten what a good night’s sleep felt like and student nurses querying if this was really the career they set out to pursue. The NHS is undeniably understaffed and overworked – a deadly combination that is slowly but surely destroying morale and not giving us the chance to be the compassionate, kind human beings we are (which is why nearly all of us decide to enter the healthcare profession). Sitting down and having a chat with a patient is a luxury before somebody else needs you. It made me reflect on how my role would change when I graduated from medical school in years to come. What could I do to make a positive contribution to the NHS? What could be done to make it more viable and live up to its core principles: that it meets the needs of everyone, that it be free at the point of delivery and that it be based on clinical need not ability to pay? These questions along with always having wanted to travel made me wonder what healthcare was like abroad and so, my annual leave was spent in the Dominican Republic with the Gap Medics programme. As opposed to my healthcare assistant role which was ward-based care, the Gap Medics programme threw me into the more surgical side of things. I had witnessed surgeries I won’t have the chance to see before my foundation years as a junior doctor here in the UK! Procedures ranged from C-sections to hysterectomies to cosmetic procedures like abdominoplasties and vaginoplasties (yes, vaginal reconstruction). I noticed the dexterity and concentration surgeons had to have in the operating room as well as the care that they must continue to give to the patient on and off of the operation table. I could barely stand up for a 4-hour abdominoplasty, but it was light work for them! During my 3 weeks stay I saw private, public and community healthcare in action and how that differed from the UK 4248 miles away. Private healthcare was where I witnessed most surgeries and it was of a pristine standard – hence why it was only provided if you could afford it, something we have strived to avoid in the UK. Public hospitals lacked the standard of hygiene and infection control we take so seriously in the UK, but the common denominators remained: the public hospitals were poorly funded and understaffed. Community healthcare was an entirely different experience and took place in Bateys (sugar worker towns). Here, most of the residents were Haitian and had travelled to the Dominican Republic to harvest sugar cane for a living. They lived in communities with poor hygiene and sanitation, often hours away from hospitals as sugar cane grows in rural areas. We would set up clinics (much like our local GP surgeries in the UK) and hold consultations with the doctor, prescribing and supplying medications to those who needed them. It was eye-opening, and our team saw around 150 patients in a day’s work. As well as our healthcare work experience, every Thursday evening we would visit the local orphanage Orfanato Niños de Cristo and teach the children English. The orphanage welcomed children from the Dominican Republic and Haiti who had been abandoned and/or abused or who have lived in dangerous and unsanitary conditions. Because government funds are extremely limited in the Dominican Republic, the orphanage is one of the few ways that these children have a better chance at life. I met a lovely girl who really enjoyed learning English with me and anticipated taking Snapchat photos every week I saw her. In addition to this, I made lifelong friends from all over the globe during the programme who hope to work in healthcare whether that be as doctors, nurses or community providers. We got involved in a range of fun activities around the amazing country such as snorkelling, boat trips, horse riding and quad biking. I will never forget my once-in-a-lifetime experience there. Apart from missing the Dominican Republic so much, coming back to work made me appreciate the NHS and I was proud that I got to live in the only country in the world that had a healthcare service like it. Throughout the rest of my gap year I worked, travelled (some of the places being Rome, Spain, Morocco and Paris) and even passed my driving test and bought my first car! All of which changed me as a person – I felt as though I’d accomplished and grown so much! Most importantly, I was invited to interview at all 4 of my medical school choices and as you can see, I had so much to talk about! My transition was from uninformed, nervous sixth form student who thought she wanted to study medicine to an adult who had a much deeper understanding about the degree I was going into from my experiences and wider reading who knew she wanted to study medicine. I secured offers from 3 out of 4 of my medical schools and I have thoroughly enjoyed my first year at King’s College London so far! Every day I feel as though I am transitioning; changing and growing as I progress through my degree and in the future, in my career. Medicine is more than just a job – it’s a life commitment – and the transition from medical student to doctor will be the biggest one yet. Written by Jessica O’Logbon

There is a funny thing about medical school. Whoever you meet, whatever the background, most of us have had a similar run prior to starting off. We were one of the brightest among our peers, if not the brightest; at primary school, secondary school. We aced our GCSEs. We got the spotless grades we needed to at A-level, and even if we didn’t our grades at A-level were better than the vast majority of the general college population in that year. In medical school, we are all high achievers. Gifted and talented. The best of the best. The cream of the crop… …except there’s now a new realisation. When you get 200, 300, 500 people who have all been ‘the best of the best’ throughout their lives, a new hierarchy must be formed. A new performance table. And this is where the shock comes in…because for a lot of medical students, they’re going to experience something they may not have experienced before. Being less than ideal.  Being ‘mediocre’. Or even for the first time in one’s life, finding yourself pulling up at the rear of the cohort. I’d love to be able to say that I bounced into medical school feeling like a Marvel superhero and thundered through those years like a boss. I did, initially. But I descended quickly into anxiety. I became incredibly self-aware. I was the only black person in my graduate-entry cohort – how could one not be self-aware? Many had a private school education. Many had countless accomplishments. And then the first batch of exams happened. All of a sudden, for the first time in my life, I wasn’t top of the class anymore. It was sobering. It was different. And just like shadows, when that darkness descends your mind can begin to play tricks on you and make you perceive things which are not real or true… I began to question myself. A lot. Do I know anything? Did I deserve to be here in medical school? Why did I decide to do medicine again? Gosh, someone’s made a mistake somewhere. Am I here just to fill an ‘equal opportunities’ quota? All sorts of madness! You begin to feel that if you are thinking those things, then it’s likely that everybody else is thinking them too…  Its difficult to fight past that feeling when you look around your class and don’t see people that look like you, don’t share your background, your formative experiences, your hobbies and interests. It only enhances your feelings that you are an anomaly. Not belonging. Lost. During medical school, as we navigate the copious reams of knowledge we are expected to absorb and begin to develop numerous new clinical skills, we may experience some of the thoughts and feelings I’ve just described, which have been colloquially been called ‘impostor syndrome’. ‘Imposter syndrome’ is the fear of not belonging in a cohort, the fear of being exposed as a fraud as expectations and responsibility increase. It’s important to remember that from the moment we enter medical school, our careers involve making incremental progress toward competence and mastery. We should recognize and celebrate our progress along the way rather than focusing on our perceived shortcomings. However, for medical students of African-Caribbean descent who are already part of the ‘ethnic minority’ in Western society, it can be easy to come to a place where you get that additional sense of not belonging. It is already well-noted that there are low-numbers of African-Caribbean students in medical education, which also presents in medical training. And while we all may have a measure of confidence and self-assuredness, there will come times where we feel isolated and doubt ourselves – and this feeling can be enhanced by our observations. If you are fortunate to have not experienced Impostor Syndrome yet, I doff my hat to you. But pick up any medical school/junior doctor memoir or visit any medical student/junior doctor blog and in most you will find somewhere that the theme of not-belonging is a common trait which can present at any new stage of our careers. It can persist during your studies. It can crop up when you’re struggling to site those cannulas in your first weeks as a FY1, or when you can’t seem to get the hand of that procedure your clinical supervisor made out was ‘easy’. Impostor Syndrome is a deception, a trick of our minds – for when we do have those doubts about ourselves, many of those we see around us in medical school and in training feel exactly the way we do. ‘Imposter Syndrome’ is a common phenomenon. But it should not be confused with humility. It only hinders progress, stunts growth and stops you from becoming the awesome doctor you are supposed to be! It causes many doctors to flail helplessly under perceived glass ceilings which they could easily break if only they believed in themselves more. I definitely struggled with feeling like an imposter for much of my time in medical school, which was hilarious given I had fought so hard to get there. I began to become a self-fulfilling prophecy – my work-ethic dipped, I struggled to retain information. Riddled with doubts and anxiety, exam performance took a dive and assessments even more so. I did begin to believe in myself more heading into my final years. To be honest I didn’t have a choice! But the surge of confidence, and an increased sense of being deserving of my place in medical school translated into a big bounce in performance. I aced my final exams. And I’ve never looked back. I’m regularly rated extremely highly in my clinical assessments and ARCP. I feel great. Five years into working as a doctor, I still feel like I deserve to be in this career. But occasionally, very occasionally now, that little gremlin creeps back into my psyche. It’s important to understand that there are no imposters among us. We all deserve to be where we are because we have fought for the right to take a seat at the table. There wasn’t a mistake at interview, or a mix-up in BMAT/UKCAT scoring! And this is why ventures like Melanin Medics are important – so we can read more stories about real people and their real experiences in the medical school machine. So we can bare ourselves and bring our difficulties to light, to encourage each other that no problem is new and no issue is insurmountable. So we can tap into a resource of mentors and have a safe space where we can explore our insecurities and our doubts. If you’re struggling with impostor syndrome, take a step back and apply some perspective on things. Find someone you trust to talk to about how you feel and how you are thinking about yourself. Talk to a senior in your clinical team or a senior student, someone who may have been in your position once upon a time and could relate. And break the cycle! I’ll end this with my favourite quote from Marianne Williamson. It’s a quote I wish I had come across earlier in my medical school career, and I hope it helps you, the reader, wherever you are in your education and training, to become more confident in your intelligence, your skill: “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” Remember this quote the next time that little gremlin creeps into your mind and lies to you that you are an impostor and kick it back into oblivion. Don’t allow impostor syndrome to cause you to dim your light. You deserve to be a burgeoning medic – you are definitely not an impostor. So dust yourself down and get back to doing your best! Written by Dr Jermaine Bamfo

The medical elective may be the most anticipated part of any medical student’s university experience and can certainly be one of the best parts of medical school. However, electives don’t just happen overnight, careful planning is needed to ensure everything goes smoothly and that you have the best time possible. What is an elective? An elective is an opportunity for medical students to spend some time observing medicine in another environment, whether this be abroad or in the UK. They are usually undertaken in the penultimate or final year of medical school, and can be up to 8 weeks long. Why go? It is a good opportunity to show commitment to your favourite speciality and to witness how it is practiced in different parts of the world. You can also use it as an opportunity to explore different areas of interest or gain experience in a field you haven’t yet been exposed to. Where? For your elective you’re able to stay in the UK or go anywhere in the world (within reason of course) and some universities even allow you to split your time between the UK and another country, so check with your university about the various options. PLANNING YOUR ELECTIVE Things to consider First you need to think about where you want to go and what type of elective you want. Are you the adventurous type who wants to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in your spare time? Or would you prefer to spend every afternoon lying on a beach in Barbados? Consider what you want to get out of your elective and how much work you want to do. Some hospitals are more lenient than others when it comes to elective students, whilst some are happy for you to take half days, some expect you in from 9-5 every day. As well as what you want, it is important to consider what your university requires from you. Some expect only a reflective essay when you return, whereas others are looking for you to complete a research project. Try and find the best place that will help you achieve your aims, as well as the universities. Online websites such as The Electives Network are extremely helpful when it comes to picking a destination. It provides hospital profiles for a wide range of different countries with contact details and reviews from past students. It’s also a good idea to speak with any older students about their elective experience and where they would recommend you visit. Applications If you’ve been thinking about your elective for a while and know exactly where you want to go contact the hospital as soon as possible to ensure you don’t miss any application deadlines. Some countries e.g. Australia and Canada require applications to be completed 12-18 months in advance, so if you’ve got your eyes set on Bondi beach, make sure you get your application in early. Some hospitals only require an email however some applications can be extensive and require application forms, approval from the Dean and even CV’s. Funding Medical school can be expensive and by your final year, funds might be a little dry. The obvious solution to this would of course to start saving early, but this is not always possible. It is also important to be wary that some hospitals charge a fee for undertaking your elective with them so always read the fine print. Before you go, think about your budget and work out a rough estimation of the total cost of the elective. I find its best to overestimate how much you’ll need so that you won’t come up short in case of an emergency. If your savings account is looking a bit empty, other options include fundraising, bursaries and grants. Find out if your university offers any assistance or contact external organisations. If the idea of going abroad makes your bank account cry with despair, don’t worry. There’s always the option of undertaking your elective in the UK. This will save you a lot of money and is a chance to check out a different hospital in the UK and perhaps give you an idea of where you might like to work after graduation. Who to travel with Another thing to consider is who you want to go with. You could be spending up to 8 weeks with them in a foreign country so choose wisely! Going as a group is always fun and can be a safer option but that’s not to say you can’t go on your own. Travelling alone is always an exciting challenge and can teach you a lot about yourself. It also forces you to step out of your comfort zone and get to know local students. Having been on my elective for 3 weeks, I can definitely say that the locals are the ones to make friends with! Not only are they super friendly, they can recommend the best places for food, entertainment and any other bits and pieces you may need. Boring, but essential The best parts of planning an elective are definitely choosing your destination, planning excursions and buying clothes. However, there’s a lot of boring but important things you need to organise, and its best to do them early so you’re not scrambling around at the last minute – trust me I’ve been there and it’s not fun. Ensure you have travel insurance and medical indemnity. Some universities provide their own elective travel insurance, but it doesn’t cover everything so it’s a good idea to get your own. Websites like Compare the Market are great at helping you choose the perfect package for you at the best price. If you’re a member of the MDU you get free medical indemnity, just ensure you print off the certificate and bring it with you. In addition, make sure you are up to date with all your immunisations and ensure you receive any immunisation you might need. Most students will say that your elective is the best part of medical school and I completely agree! It gives you the opportunity to experience another culture and gain clinical knowledge of unfamiliar conditions, and learn about the management of common conditions in different parts of the world. Wherever you go, just remember that you might never get this opportunity again so make the most of it! Written By Ife Akano-Williams

Melanin Medics is 1 years old! Can you believe it! Time really does fly when you’re doing what you love. I’m incredibly excited to write this blog post as we reach our 1 year mile stone. A year ago, I would never have imagined that we would have reached such amazing heights in the short space of a year. Witnessing the growth of this amazing platform has been such a grateful privilege and we can only hope that the next few years see much more than this. In this post we wanted to share out achievements in the past year; from beginning just as a blog to becoming a fully fledged organisation, we are very grateful for the support we have received and for the opportunity to impact those around us. So sit back and enjoy the read! Rumour has it that there’s an exciting announcement at the end of this post! After running Melanin Medics by myself for 8 months I decided it was time to expand in order to further meet our objectives and establish us as an organisation. Now we have an amazing team of 15 passionate African-Caribbean Medical Students and Doctors from all around the UK. We held our 1st ever event in Manchester on the 23rd of June for prospective African-Caribbean medical students with the University of Manchester African-Caribbean Medics Society. This event was a great success and we are very grateful to whole who came and to the doctors and medical student volunteers. The Melanin Medics blog has become a popular resource and has been viewed almost 20000 times in the past year in over 90 different countries! We now have a team of writers, who all bring their own unique spin on writing and we hope you have enjoyed reading these posts just as much as we have enjoyed writing them. If you are interesting in writing blog posts for the blog, contact us: melaninmedics@gmail.com Our Social Media pages collectively have amassed over a 1500 followers and features things like ‘A Day in the Life Of…’, Medical MCQ’s, Question of the Week, Giveaways, Advice and Motivation. If you’re not following us already then what are you waiting for? Give us a quick follow: @melaninmedics (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter & LinkedIn). As the deadline for Medicine Applications drew nearer in the months of September and October, I took a decision in the spur of the moment to review personal statements of prospective African-Caribbean Medicine applicants for free. This was an incredibly daunting decision and we received far more personal statements than pre-anticipated but I am so grateful we did it. It was truly a success as a number of those we have helped have gone onto receive offers from Universities such as Cambridge and Nottingham to study Medicine. We were also incredibly pleased to have received an esteemed recognition from the British Medical Association (BMA). Furthermore, we received an additional mention from the BMA in a “Consultation response: A draft health care workforce strategy” article under section five. which recognised our efforts in widening participation of communities amongst others. We’re thrilled to be represented on the panel at the ‘Creating a turning Point on Race Equality in Medicine‘ BMA Summit this July. We have successfully established a Mentorship Programme for prospective African-Caribbean Medical students which launched in April and we now have over 70 mentees and mentors participating in this programme. We look forward to sharing the progress and success stories with you with regards to their participation of this programme. Since the beginning of March of 2018 we commenced our “Widening access to Medicine” School Outreach initiative. Our team have contacted schools within the community in order to engage with students of African-Caribbean descent and to expand their knowledge on pursuing Medicine. At the start of March 2018, we also launched the Doctor’s Network. We are amazed to announce that we have over 60 African-Caribbean Medical Doctors as part of our Network. We highly appreciate you for your support and hope to continue to expand upon our connections. Through the Doctor’s Network we have been able to facilitate work experience opportunities for prospective Medical Students and connect Medical Students with Doctors according to their speciality of interest. Also we hope to establish a platform where Medical Doctors can easily network and offer methods of support for one another as they please. Which brings us onto our exciting announcement… *Drum Roll* Our Next Event! Click here for more information So if you’ve made it this far to the end of this post, I would just like to say a huge thank you! Thank you for sticking by us and supporting this platform, we are incredibly grateful and wish you all the best in the future. We have some more exciting things on the horizon which we look forward to sharing them with you, so stay tuned! Written by Olamide Dada

Intercalating is a great opportunity for medical students to study a degree in which they are interested in. It’s a chance to pursue another degree that is related to or not related to the medical field. It can open doors into the research world and offer additional FPAS points (Points used to rank all medical students). However during the time taken out, it is important to also take time out to revise the medical knowledge you have learned over your years at medical school. It can be easy for intercalating students to see the year as a “break form medicine” especially if the chosen degree allows you to have much more free time compared to the medical course. However, it is very easy for students to forget what they have learnt during their previous years especially if their revision methods were based solely on memorising what is needed for the exam rather than understanding the topic and therefore without continuous repetition that retained information can be forgotten. Looking back at my intercalated year, I realise now how important it is to keep up with your medical studies at the same time and wish that I would have spent more time going over my medical notes to ensure that I would not be too behind when I joined the medical course again. So, to make sure you don’t make the same mistake, here are 4 tips to help you efficiently revise your medical knowledge while intercalating. Schedule a time for revision Remember your chosen intercalated degree comes first, so plan to revise when you have no exams or stressful periods e.g. during writing your dissertation. Taking time out a few hours one day a week or every other week is a good start. Remember that your aim is to only refresh your memory as you go along. 2. Choose how to best revise An easy revision method would best for example going over previous notes or flashcards you’ve made or simply reading through textbooks or the oxford handbook of clinical medicine. This allows you to quickly and efficiently revise topics. Don’t stress yourself with a heavy workload, small chunks of information every so often will be fine. 3. Test yourself Using sites such a passmedince.com can be really useful in determining what you know and don’t know. You can also make your own questions/flashcards to test yourself with using sites like quizlet.com. PassMed is especially useful because when you get a question wrong, it provides information alongside the right answer. Repeatedly going over this will help you to retain the information. 4. Be organised Having a good standard of organisation is incredibly important and will help you to plan out your work so it does not become stressful. Making lists or creating a timetable can be helpful when checking what topics/modules you’ve covered. If you find your chosen intercalated degree is very demanding, it is more important to focus on achieving your desired results. Revision before you jump back into medicine can always be done over summer as well. My university allows students to intercalate between years 2/3, 3/4 and 4/5 which means all intercalated students will be returning to a clinical based year making it especially important to keep up with our medical knowledge. Going straight onto wards after a year out can be daunting but as long as some preparation has been done beforehand you should be fine. Revising clinical skills is also important because you may be called upon to perform any examination regardless of what ward/rotations you are based in first. Forgetting what to do in front of consultants and colleagues is a situation I’m sure we all want to avoid if we can! The take home point is to enjoy your intercalated year! There are endless opportunities available to you. However, make sure you keep revising over your medical notes, so you have the best start when you return to complete your medical degree! Written by Racheal Osei

As part of our plans to expand this year, we have decided to share the stories of many Melanin Medics (both doctors and medical students). We believe that it is very important to show that our journeys to Medicine may differ greatly but ultimately the destination remains the same. Through out the year we will be interviewing various Melanin Medics at different stages in their training/ careers, giving them the opportunity to share their personal stories of the steps they took to excel in their careers and get to where they are today. Medicine is without a doubt a time consuming career and continues in this way right up until you stop practising. With that being said it is very important to ensure that Medicine isn’t all that defines you. Right from the medical school application stage, being an all rounded person is a quality that is constantly reinforced and making sure that you are able to manage your time effectively and make time to the things you enjoy is equally as important. There are so many opportunities in medical school to pursue your interests alongside your studies! The things you can do to define yourself as being more than just a medical student or doctor are limitless e.g. start or join a society, volunteer for a charity, set up your own social action initiative, take part in courses, be a creative (e.g. youtuber), be a mentor and much more. We had the privilege of being able to interview Kwarteng Sarfo, a medical student at Imperial College London, with dreams of becoming a vascular or GIT surgeon or consultant Endocrinologist in the future. Furthermore he has a great interest in technology and wishes to amalgamate his medical career and love for technology in the future. Social mobility, university access and empowerment of young individuals, is a subject close to home for Kwarteng and in the near future he hopes to set up an organisation that tackles these subjects. MM: WHAT DO YOU DO OUTSIDE OF YOUR MEDICAL STUDIES? KS: Variety of things. Currently teaching myself video editing. Hoping to learn full stack development at some point and also eventually teach myself guitar. At the moment, I am learning Italian. Previous things include; General officer for logistics and marketing Tutor Amos Bursary Scholar Playwright President of ACS Caterer Peru volunteer Event planner Powerlist foundation Deloitte Leadership programme delegate Social media officer for UGCY Sports officer for ACS IT officer for ACS Target Oxbridge E-mentor Imperial E-mentor Research Analyst intern for NYU MM: HOW DID YOU GET THESE OPPORTUNITIES? WAS IT EASY FOR YOU TO GET THESE OPPORTUNITIES? KS: Getting these opportunities is achievable through the combination of who you know and what is available. Attending a university such as Imperial is extremely advantageous when it comes to opportunities as not only does it have a pool of talented students moreover the university has excess to things like Lynda which is a platform, free of charge to imperial students, that I can use to teach myself full stack web development and video editing for example. In addition to this, I believe networking and building opportunity with other individuals really does help open you up to different aspects of life. This is very important especially when Imperial is a STEM related university as you can meet people from the humanities or graphics department or even those who have a love for music and sports MM: HOW DO YOU BALANCE THE COMMITMENTS OF STUDYING A MEDICAL DEGREE WITH EVERYTHING ELSE? KS: Balancing is very difficult and usually something is sacrificed. When it comes to carrying out extracurricular stuff you really need to be aware of 2 things: 1. Why do you want to do those activities? (is it to build the skill, have another source of income or is it something you enjoy doing?) 2. Don’t stretch yourself thin (don’t take too many things on at one time because they become difficult to maintain all together) All in all it is possible but I will be real with you it is very difficult. I tried various activities outside my degree, I had little time for my actual degree and so that suffered however I was reassured because my original goal isn’t to win all the prizes in medical school and get a 1st (although it will be nice) – I truly want to develop as an individual and I believe these extracurricular activities will teach me that. A few practical tips would be timetabling, so being able to arrange your time effectively and also the skill of prioritising work load. MM: WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO BE MORE THAN JUST A MEDIC? KS: Being a medic to me at times can be boring and honestly keeps you narrow minded. By carrying out different activities you build your character and at times you can even have a more meaningful discussion with your patients because all you know is not medicine. Moreover, it also allows me to bring more to the table in terms of knowledge, understanding and ideas for a problem than a medic would. MM: WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE RECENT PUSH FOR MEDICS TO DO MORE OUTSIDE OF MEDICINE? KS: I think it is needed in order for medics to feel they have accomplished more in their lives, however I believe there needs to be a balance between that and medicine itself because the primary role a medic plays in society is that of a doctor so indulge in other activities but remember your first love I would say and make sure you’re up to date with that. MM: WHAT SKILLS HAVE YOU LEARNT THAT COULD BE TRANSFERRED TO MEDICINE/YOUR MEDICAL CAREER? Patience Commitment Being able to delegate Networking Communication Technological knowledge MM: WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO BE MORE THAN JUST A MEDIC? KS: Ask yourself the following questions: Why do you want to do these activities? Do you want to win all the prizes in medical school and get a 1st? Do you have the time management to balance the two? What are we made of? Some would say the very best healthcare professionals. Others would say our excellence and ability to create new treatments and technologies. And while that’s all true, we are more. We are made of a belief that care should never be delivered without compassion. That treating patients is our job but treating people is our difference. That’s what we’re made of. If you enjoyed reading this blog post, please share and follow our blog! Would you like to share your Journey to Medicine on the Melanin Medics blog? We would love to hear from you. Please get in touch – melaninmedics@gmail.com Interviewed by Nadia Ibrahim