MY JOURNEY My journey to Medicine has been rather atypical to say the least, but one that I am very much grateful for.  I am currently in my first year of medical school, after only just graduating from the University of Nottingham last July with a degree in Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience. Although my first intention was not to study this degree, as medicine has always been my first choice, I found myself at a stumbling block after receiving my AS levels results. I received AABB and thus was only predicted AAB at the end of A2 (which I subsequently got). After receiving my results and predicted grades I had to make the decision as to whether I should apply that year with my current results and sit the UKCAT (going against the advice of my supervisor) or apply to study a different degree (which I did), smash A levels and try and apply once I’d received my A level results. In the end, I decided to apply to study Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience (PCN) at 4 Universities (only 4 Uni’s in the country do the course), knowing that my chances of getting into medicine in that year were quite slim, and study medicine straight after my degree. When A-level results came, although I was still hoping to get AAA, in my heart I had already known I would get AAB and had accepted during the year that I’d be studying PCN for three years, with a determination to study medicine straight after. Although at first it seemed tedious and that I was wasting time, I have absolutely no regrets! I loved studying PCN and everything that came with it. I made life-long friends in Nottingham and developed an attachment to the city, which was difficult to let go of. In spite of this, I am now studying the degree I’ve wanted to since sixth form in a vibrant city, with a lot more maturity. I will touch on why I think it was worth doing a degree and jumping straight into medicine in my final segment. HOW TO DO IT It’s quite obvious that every individuals journey into medicine is markedly different but the one thing all graduate entry students have in common is already having a degree. I personally feel like my application process was less demanding as I already had it in my mind that I was going to study medicine straight after my degree, but for some this may not be the case. You may have only decided that medicine is the course for you during your third year or even a couple of years after graduating which is perfectly acceptable. The main thing is that you’ve cemented that medicine is for you, even after studying for a few years. This drive and determination should carry you through what may seem like a never-ending application process and through medical school. The first thing I would say is that whether you’re currently studying or you have already graduating, make sure you’re already in a volunteering role or that you have some sort of work experience in the last two years. The reason I say this is that many universities (e.g. Warwick) will have required your work experience to be within the last 2 years and thus, you cannot use the experience you may have gained whilst at sixth form or during your first application. Whilst in these relevant roles, it would be a good idea to take a notepad and jot down any interesting cases you may see or just anything you may find interesting or relevant in general. When it comes to you preparing for you interviews, these notes will be invaluable as it is quite likely that you may forget things you may have encountered whilst on the wards or at the elderly home. Having them in your notes on your iPhone enables a quick refresher and means you’ll be able to use them as examples in your interview. Secondly, if you haven’t already, start considering the entrance exams you want to do and which Universities use which one. I took the decision to only do the UKCAT, partly because I knew if I only did one exam I’d perform better than trying to do two different ones and partly because my Uni’s of preference only used this entrance exam so there was really no point me doing the GAMSAT. This is all dependent on what your degree (or predicted) classification, your A level results and sometimes even your GCSE grades. Although many Uni’s that do graduate entry medicine only take into your account your degree classification and your entrance exam score, there are some that look at your entire portfolio which includes A level grades etc. A great guide that I first used was thestudentroom.co.uk (https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/university/courses/medicine/graduate-entry-medicine-a-guide) which really helped to expel any myths I had and guide me to the right universities to apply to. IS IT WORTH IT? Yes. Yes. And Yes. During my first degree there was not one day where I had reconsidered applying to medicine and I really think this determination is what got me onto the course. Even though I’m only on the first year of the course, I have had no regrets and love most (it would be every if it wasn’t for biochemistry) moments I’ve encountered. As a graduate it may seem daunting having to apply at a later stage in life and you start to question if it’s worth studying for another 4/5 years at Uni when you’re already 21+ but please do not let this deter you. I’m the youngest graduate on my course (I turn 22 in June) and the majority of my course mates are genuinely 24 and over. Age and the length of time we have to study has not phased all of the graduates on my course and you’ll actually find that when you are on the wards and meeting doctors, a significant proportion of them took the same route you are about to embark on. Already having a degree in your locker will definitely come in handy. You will have already developed your best studying habits and what type of learner you are, but most importantly once on the course you’ll realise that this is really the course for you. There is no better feeling than finally studying medicine after years of wanting to and you’ll begin to find that your first degree was just a step in God’s great masterplan! Thank you for reading and good luck in your applications! Please contact me if you have any further queries or questions: pg.melaninmedics@gmail.com Written By Allan Nathans

When I first arrived at medical school I was completely excited to have finally made it. The stars had aligned and finally I was where I needed to be to start off my journey through medicine. The barriers that had seemed to be in my way all the way through my application where finally broken down. As aspiring doctors, we have been conditioned to perform and excel in almost everything we do, we are ambitious and strive to reach our full potential in our careers. Doctors are driven to do the best by their patients and perform to their best level as clinicians. Medicine is essentially patient centred but one of the aspects of the profession is that it provides us with a level of achievement and the need to continuously progress and reach the highest attainment we can. Medicine is one of few careers that provides a clear path of progression and whatever speciality you decide to take on there is a senior role to aspire to. Some examples being: Become a consultant in your chosen specialty Senior GP partner partnership For the academics amongst us senior lecturing or appointment as medical school dean NHS management directors Medical school has opened my mind to the variety of opportunities we have as doctors. I have always felt that with hard work I could achieve my career goals and reach my full potential despite the barriers ahead of me. However, I have gradually learned that there are factors beyond my control that could affect my progression. THE REALITY CHECK We always focus on the number of black students we have on our courses. I remember my first introductory lecture at medical school I scanned the lecture theatre looking for the other black medical students. In a full lecture theatre, I counted 11 including myself, I was slightly disappointed by such a small number but I thought at least they’d improved from the year before. On that first day we were welcomed by our year director who also happened to be black, it was a pleasant surprise. Unfortunately, now in year 3 of medical school the reality really set in, since starting medical school he has been the only black lecturer and year director I have come across. In 3 years of medical school alone there has been no new additions and the elation I first felt seeing him in first year has now faded. Maybe it was just the location of my university or maybe they didn’t have as many black lecturers applying there, whatever it was something wasn’t quite right. Come 3rd year of medical school and I started placement. A proper exposure to hospital medicine as well as general practice. As part of placement we tend to be attached to junior doctors but on occasion we follow consultants during ward rounds or if you’re lucky they rope you into something interesting for the day. As the weeks went by an uncomfortable realisation came to me, during this first placement block I hadn’t once encountered a black consultant or GP partner. I’d seen a couple of black junior doctors in passing, however these where rare opportunities. Again, I thought it must be the area I was in, there has to be more representation in other hospitals. From friends of mine in other placements sadly it was the same story, and only 1 of my friends could account for 1 consultant that she had met. As black medical students we know that representation across all levels of the profession matters, I feel that it gives us the opportunity to see the levels that we can reach, and we can even find mentors in them. I always feel a sense of motivation and pride seeing black doctors in such positions as it shows the goal is attainable. THE EYE OPENER I attended a launch event where Yvonne Coghill was in attendance and provided one of the most compelling talks I have received to date. She has been a driving force for workforce race equality standards and inclusion within the NHS. Up until this talk I had thought that the lack of black doctors in senior roles had been isolated to the area I was studying in.  However, she shone a light on how widespread the issue was. From her talk the statistics where surprising, the most shocking being: Black doctors are least likely to secure consultant or specialist roles, with only 2.7% of those who apply being successful From data on receiving clinical excellence awards, there were no black and ethnic minority doctors who received the top awards: platinum and gold Across the UK medical schools there still are no black academics who have been appointed as deans There is a lack of diversity in NHS leadership with only 8% of trust directors in London alone coming from BME backgrounds I naively had thought that once I had become a doctor the playing field was level as we would all be judged by the work we do and the level of skill we’d developed. Sadly, this talk highlighted the limitations for black doctors in achieving their full potential. Unfortunately, unconscious biases have been shown to be contributing to the lack of representation as well as black doctors feeling that they are scrutinised at a higher level than their colleagues. A clear issue is present and being aware of it as black medics is important in finding a solution to the issue. Hearing phrases such as: “The first black consultant in said speciality”, “The firstblack medical director for any NHS trust” we are filled with a sense of pride. However, we should challenge these more as to why they are only now being represented. As Yvonne Coghill quite rightly stated that “the numbers don’t lie”, there is a representation issue in more senior roles. She has worked closely with NHS trusts and called them up on this very pitfall, and I feel that we should work to build this awareness. SO, CAN WE BREAK THROUGH THE CEILING? We can, and we have done. We continue to push boundaries and surpass our own expectations and those set for us. Even with statistics, black doctors continue to provide excellence in care and although the numbers are bleak it doesn’t stop us from striving for our goals. We should to be more active in highlighting the issues for change but also create our own networks to include various medics at all levels. Melanin medics has been able to create both the Doctors Network and the mentorship scheme, having black professionals in various positions allows us to know these roles are attainable and having mentorship across all levels means that we continue to be uplifted as the journey of a black doctor through their profession differs. It’s important for us to be involved in bringing awareness to this for the issue to be addressed. As we know all to well: Representation Matters! Written By Michelle Chirimuuti

“SO…WHY DO YOU WANT TO BECOME A DOCTOR?” This is a staple question in almost every medical school entry interview, and it is one I’ve also had to answer many times in the past. Even five years post-graduation from medical school, you would think I’d left that question a long way into my past but no, it follows you. That store attendant will ask it. Your friends will ask it. Your UBER driver will ask it (many times…. trust me). The question never leaves you…. *sigh* When I was in secondary school, it wasn’t even asked in the most encouraging way. It was usually asked as a prefix to statements such as “wow, seven years in university is loooong” or “Your mates will be earning money years before you do, it’s not worth it!” I even had a careers advisor try and encourage me to reconsider my career options, because “people from this area [East London in the early ‘00s] rarely become doctors.” True story. Name withheld. Let’s move on… So that much-repeated question…The question itself may seem simple enough, but it has layers of depth to it. It has identified a purpose and is probing the heart behind the purpose. That is why it’s asked so regularly in medical school interviews: to navigate past all the rhetoric, ego and performance of the person on the other side of the table and reveal the true contents of the person’s mind and soul… SO…WHY DID *I* WANT TO BECOME A DOCTOR? I had a love of anatomy and medicine from early childhood. If I wasn’t playing Zelda and Goldeneye on my N64, I was perfecting my art skills by drawing the insides of the human body. A heavy reader in my early ages, alongside Roald Dahl books and Harry Potter, I’d be leafing through ‘Human Body’ books – fascinated by anatomical design and how all those organs worked, what made them work, what went wrong and how one could possible fix things when they did. Shows like ‘ER’ and ‘Chicago Hope’ were dotted in among my regular TV schedule alongside ‘Sabrina The Teenage Witch’ and ‘The Fresh Prince’ (wow this whole paragraph is saying a lot about my age…) Many people have a flashpoint in life. A moment where their purpose become clear as day. Mine occurred watching an awards show on TV years ago. It was a show awarding people who have made a significant impact to everyday people or done amazing things – soldiers, charity workers, etc. However, the closing aspect of the show changed my life forever. It has stayed with me until today, throughout my medical career to-date. And it is this more than anything which crystallised my thoughts and formed the foundation of my ‘why’… The presenter introduced a heart surgeon who was to be presented with a Lifetime Achievement award. This man from North Africa, retiring following a 30+ year career in cardiac surgery, walked out and looked so unassuming. So humble. A medical giant stood before us as a minnow; Clark Kent standing where we would expect a tall & imposing Superman to be, with his red cape billowing beneath the warm stage lights. AND THEN, IT HAPPENED. The presenter, after presenting the award, told the surgeon that a few patients he had helped over the years had attended the awards and wanted to take the opportunity to say thank you. Immediately from each end of the stage rushed on 200 people of all ages, all colours, all sizes. Babies cradled by their thankful parents. Teenagers running to hi-five him. Children reaching for his hand, looking up at him in awe. Middle-aged parents, managers, people who had become successes in their own field. Elderly ladies and gentlemen, grateful to this man for a new lease of life. The image was incredibly powerful. This humble man, by merely pursuing his passion in life, was standing here completely outnumbered on this stage by a heaving army of humanity – each person standing with him so giddy to be re-united with their hero, the man who saved their life. And this was just a minute proportion of the people he had operated on over the years. So why did I want to become a doctor? I must admit that I had originally been apprehensive about many things regarding a career in medicine. The time it would take to achieve. The hard work in medical school. The competition. The debt I would accrue. The relentless pursuit for excellence. It daunted me in my formative years. However, it was that image, of seeing the tangible fruits of labour of a man who had dedicated his life to his purpose, which made me decide to leap head-on into the unknown and chase my dream, no matter how hard things would get. It was thinking about all the families, friends and loved-ones attached to all the patients he had treated over the years – all indebted to a single human being for the gift of life, a better shot at life. It was the humility of this one man, even when he was being elevated as a hero. A career in its midnight hour. One man. 200 people. Thousands more over the years. This was true success. That image sealed the deal for me. Now, having passed through medical school and having the privilege of changing my ‘Mr’ into a ‘Dr’, people funnily don’t say anything anymore about how long it takes to get through medical school, or think about my friends having received their salaries earlier than me! And I’ve never been afraid to go far-and-wide to pursue my dreams. I go into work every single day, aiming to deliver the biggest smile and the gentlest heart to every person I meet. I’ve studied in Liverpool and London and worked as far as Northern Ireland. Personal trials and tribulations, and personal research, have led me to choose to become a Psychiatrist, fuelled by a fierce desire to increase awareness of mental health and make significant generational change here in the UK and in my homeland of Ghana. I know Psychiatry is not everyone’s cup of tea, but I want to fight for those who don’t have a voice and those who find themselves stigmatised even in general healthcare settings. Five years into medicine, and in my own little way, I’m building my own legacy and helping people every single day – by following my purpose. I hope the story of the heart surgeon gives you a second wind and a renewed energy to pursue your dreams and realise your purpose – regardless of whether you are a medical student, a budding doctor, or someone who is starting to think about their place in the world. But I also hope it reminds you that no man is an island. Regardless of your status, remember that your words, your actions, affect somebody somewhere. Always. You may not be an eminent heart surgeon, but simply as a human being, we all have a duty to love one another, support one another, and help each other get by in this life in the best way we possibly can. Leave a tangible impact. Let people be indebted to you for improving their life in a way they wouldn’t have managed if you weren’t around. Dedicate yourself to blessing this planet with your own unique gifts, and by finding your true purpose in this life we live. Discover your ‘why’ and work hard to create a beautiful legacy – the world will be so grateful for it. By Dr Jermaine Bamfo

Work experience is one of the most important components needed to get into medical school. Your personal statement may be the most well written piece of work seen in the 21 ST century, but without any evidence of work experience or volunteering, it means very little. Universities are looking for applicants with experience in a caring environment, whether this is paid work, work experience or volunteering. It’s an essential part of the process and having some exposure to environments such as a hospital, GP or care home will demonstrate your dedication to studying medicine and will be useful at every step of your medical school journey. Here are some tips on how to get work experience, and most importantly, what to do with it. HOW TO GET WORK EXPERIENCE Having been through the stress of trying to find appropriate work experience and volunteering opportunities, I understand that this can be a frustrating process, especially after receiving a near consistent stream of “I’m sorry but no…” emails. After the 5 th rejection, you’ve probably started to wonder if this is really necessary and if you can get away with a 3-month stint volunteering in a charity shop. Whilst you can spin almost anything and make it relevant to medicine, I’d encourage you to keep trying and do whatever you can to get even a few hours in a caring or service environment. Use your school’s help – many schools organise a few days of work experience for students, so use this opportunity to ask for a placement in a healthcare related area. Also, take inspiration from older students – if you know students in the year above ask for any helpful contacts that they may have. Contact all your local GP’s – call, email and even send a letter if you have to! Persistence is key; the more places you contact, the more likely you are to receive a positive response. Use your contacts – if you’re lucky enough to have a family member or friend who works in the medical field, ask if they know anyone who would be willing to take on a student for even just one day. Don’t forget that you don’t always need to shadow a doctor, even spending time with a nurse or physiotherapist would be useful. Try and get a broad range of experience – as well as time in a GP practice or hospital, you could volunteer at a school for children with disabilities, a care home or a pharmacy. If you’re taking a gap year, or even if you have enough free time, try and get a job as a HCA. Aside from the obvious benefit of getting paid, it’s great experience and looks good on your personal statement. Be persistent. It takes time. Be polite but persistent. Doctors and NHS facilities are generally extremely busy. You may need to apply to many places before you get a positive response and even getting a response can take some time. But always remember to call them back for an update. Start early. Places often fill up so organise your placement as soon as possible and some applications are often only open for a few weeks a year. HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TIME THERE There’s a lot to learn from your work experience, so make sure to use your time wisely and get as much out of it as you can. Look the part – looking professional creates a good first impression and you can re-use the smart clothes for OSCE’s and during clinical years. Be enthusiastic! – Healthcare staff are very busy and most really don’t have time for a student who seems disinterested, so if you ask questions and show interest, they’re more likely to engage with you. Talk to patients – first and foremost, be polite and always introduce yourself as a student. If appropriate, ask if you can speak to the patient about why they’ve come in. It can be quite daunting at first, but being comfortable around patients will really improve your bedside manner and will be a useful skill during medical school – it’s very easy to spot the students who have never spoken to a patient before… they’re usually the ones shaking in the back Keep a diary – this will be a handy reference point when writing your personal statement and preparing for your interviews. Take initiative – if you see a patient struggling to get through the door then offer a helping hand, this again demonstrates enthusiasm and a willingness to learn and help Get a variety of work experience so you can gain a clear perspective of different specialities as well as different components of a multidisciplinary team Send a letter/ email of thanks as this will help to maintain a good relationship and build contacts Treat it like actual work (e.g. Be on time, be respectful, don’t get distracted, dress smartly, remember confidentiality) HOW TO USE IT IN YOUR PERSONAL STATEMENT/INTERVIEWS Now that you’ve done the hard part, writing and talking about your work experience will be a walk in the park. In your personal statement, it’s not enough to just list where you’ve been and what you’ve done, you need to discuss what you’ve learnt from it, how it relates to medicine and why this has further encouraged you to want to study medicine. If you’re one of those lucky people who have a wide range of experiences to write about, remember that quality is better than quantity; personal statements have a word limit, so use your words carefully. Choose the examples where you have learnt or seen the most. For interviews, my advice would be to milk your work experience as much as you can, trust me you can refer to it in almost any question. For example, if they ask: “why is teamwork important in medicine”, you could mention that time where you saw a nurse discussing a patient with a doctor and how it highlighted the importance of teamwork in a healthcare setting. You worked hard to get that work experience, so don’t waste it and use it whenever you can! Even if you feel like your work experience isn’t relevant, if you dig deep enough you’ll realise that volunteering in cancer research every weekend taught you how to be patient with difficult customers and that patience is important in medicine because of X, Y and Z. Don’t forget that work experience can take many forms, so don’t worry if you haven’t managed to secure some time in a hospital or GP. The important thing to remember is that your work experience is only as valuable as you make it. Check out our other blog post on the Types of Medical Work Experience you can do! Written by Ife Akano-Williams 📷

This year, I have been able to take a year out of my medical degree to complete my intercalated degree. BUT WHAT EXACTLY IS AN INTERCALATED DEGREE? The majority of medical schools in the UK offer students the opportunity to take a year out from their medical studies in order to pursue another degree. Depending on the medical school you intercalate at, you can get a BSc, BA or even a MSc. Some students may continue their studies to complete a PhD before returning to their medical degree. Intercalation allows you to obtain deeper knowledge into an aspect of medicine that you are interested in such as neuroscience, endocrinology, sport sciences or psychology. It also lets you gain an insight into the world of research and in some cases, it can give you an opportunity to learn about a different part of medicine that is not really touched upon in medical school such as medical management. Some even offer the chance of completing part, if not all, of the degree abroad, thereby allowing you to see how medicine and medical research is taught in other countries. ADVANTAGES There are many pros and cons associated with intercalation. The advantages include developing research skills, gaining specialised knowledge that may or may not help in choosing your future speciality, and opportunities for publications and conferences. Intercalating also gives students a chance to dedicate more time to other interests and extracurricular activities and gives some the much needed break they need in the middle of their degree as most students find the workload a lot less intense in comparison to their Medicine degree. But the main advantage in intercalating is that you can gain up to 5 additional points for your FPAS application. (This is the application you do in your final year of medicine that decides where you will be placed for Foundation Training in the UK). DISADVANTAGES Nevertheless, there are disadvantages to intercalating. It is another year of studying so that increases the already very long 5-year medical degree to 6 years (and if you choose to do a PhD afterwards, then it is even longer). This means another year of lectures, another year of exams and another year before you are a doctor. Spending another year at university brings with it extra costs, this a big consideration for some. And if intercalating is not a compulsory part of your medical school, it means leaving your friends behind and entering the year below when you return to complete your medical degree. WHY I DECIDED TO INTERCALATE My university offers 14 different intercalated BScs as well as allowing us to intercalate externally at other universities. For me, I decided to intercalate in Medical Sciences with Haematology. This focuses specifically on blood and its associated disorders. The various modules include haemostasis and thrombosis, leukaemia and lymphoma as well as red cells and their disorders. There have been ups and downs but overall, I have enjoyed it so far. I have learnt a lot of information in a short time, been taught by some of the top experts in the world and I have made a lot of new friends. WHAT I WOULD ADVISE My advice to anyone who is thinking of intercalating is to choose a degree that you are generally interested in as intercalated degrees can be very intense at times and can really test your abilities. Also try and find someone who has intercalated at your university and ask them how they have found it, this will give you a realistic perspective of what intercalating is like. If you know what you would like to specialise in as a doctor, find a doctor in that speciality and ask them if intercalating is necessary to put at an advantage when pursuing a career in that particular field. Despite this, intercalation can offer new opportunities and experiences, as well as allow you to develop new skills that can help you in your future career. Written by Nadia Ibrahim📷 For intercalation specific queries, email: intercalate.melaninmedics@gmail.com For general queries, email: melaninmedics@gmail.com

Starting your clinical years can be exciting yet daunting at the same time. For me, I was looking forward to finally putting what I had learned into action. I’m a kinetic learner which means I learn best by trying things out for myself, so assumed I would learn a great deal on the wards. Don’t get me wrong, I did learn a great deal, however, there were several obstacles that I was unprepared for which made my first few months on the wards disappointing. The first ward I was placed on was the respiratory ward. Patients ranging from those who had severe COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) to those with mild asthma were cared for here. Previous to starting, we were assigned a consultant who would guide and teach us on our placement. Unfortunately for my course mates and I, our consultant was nowhere to be seen for the first few weeks so we were absolutely lost. We were all warned about this happening before we started, but it is still quite difficult to find your feet on the wards for the first time especially if none of the staff are expecting you. So for the first few weeks, I turned up and tried to find something to do, whether it was joining a team for the ward round or sticking to one of the junior doctors, I had to do something to try and be part of the team. Some of the junior doctors were incredibly helpful when it came to showing us the ropes of the ward and teaching us, others not so much but this was expected as of course, junior doctors are very busy people. We were given a log book by the university and it contained tasks we had to get signed off by a doctor (taking patients’ histories, examinations etc.). This became the bane of my existence and a lot of the time I found myself running around on the ward doing things just to get it signed off because I had left it to the last minute – I don’t advise you do this if you are given a log book because it’s just additional stress you don’t need, plus it defeats the purpose of the log book which is to gradually improve your skills as you undertake each task. The log book (as annoying as it may have been) was an essential tool that helped me become more proactive on the ward – another tip people give you before starting on the wards. For me, being proactive was harder than I thought. Even though there were plenty of things I could have volunteered to do (clerking patients etc.) I always hesitated out of fear of looking stupid and consequently I missed out on quite a few opportunities. So, my advice to you would be to give things a try regardless because if you succeed, you’ll become more confident and if you fail, you’ll learn something valuable that will hopefully ensure you don’t make the same mistake again, I guess it’s a win-win, right? The first time I took blood from a patient was a terrifying experience. When I tell you I was shaking, I was SHAKING. Luckily for me, the patient was extremely helpful and instead of me reassuring her, she was reassuring me, which is not how I imagined things to go. I went with one of my classmates, so she could double check I was doing everything thing correctly. I was able to get the blood on my first attempt and I was over the moon. I literally had a smile on my face for the rest of the day. I would soon learn that getting blood on the first attempt does not happen all the time (as disheartening as that is, it happens to everyone and you just need to know what to do in that situation whether its calling a senior for help or finding another vein). After a few months on placement I became much more confident (I had also changed placement and was now on to general surgery which I LOVED) and I started to feel “like a doctor”. I was taking bloods, taking histories, examining patients and helping out in theatres (Surgery for me is extremely fascinating) as well as other things. I began to enjoy every moment on the wards to the point where I would willingly stay behind till late to see more patients. What you learn during your clinical years is really up to you. Even if you find yourself in the predicament I was in the first day I started. Ask anyone if you can shadow them and see what they do, whether it’s the junior doctors, nurses or healthcare assistants. Everyone has a role to play when it comes to caring for patients and you are bound to learn something new. Being on the wards, being part of the team and doing tasks on my own, gave me push I needed, to believe that I could be an amazing doctor. I mean, if they can do it, why can’t I? That was and is my new mindset. In your first clinical year you will have a lot of “firsts”. First time taking blood, first time doing an ABG (Arterial Blood Gas test), first time certifying a death, first time presenting a case (I had to do all of these with supervision of course!). The main thing is it’s okay to fail, just make sure you learn from your mistakes, and enjoy yourself because the clinical years are the best years! Written by Racheal Osei

Getting rejected from Medical School is a horrible feeling and can leave you unsure of which direction to go next. There are 2.5 applicants for every place at medical school so many students will not get the news they want. REFLECT It is incredibly important to take this time to reflect and decide if Medicine is really for you. If you do decide that you still want to become a doctor, this process of reflection will give you a greater drive than ever before. Now in order for you not to make the same mistake again you need to identify what you feel went wrong personally (we will come onto asking for feedback from the Medical School a bit later). It is very important to reflect on your application and be critical of every part of the application process i.e. the types of Medical Schools you applied to, your predicted grades, work experience, voluntary work, extra-curricular activities, personal statement and interview performance. DON’T GIVE UP Students taking two or three attempts to gain a place in Medical School are not uncommon. Remember you are a doctor for a lifetime, so it is definitely worth it. Getting into Medical School is extremely competitive but always remember that being rejected does not mean you will never become a doctor; rejection is only a short term set back, not a permanent position. It may take you a bit longer to become a doctor and you may end up going to a different medical school than previously anticipated but I’m sure the journey will make the final destination all the more worth it. Rejection is nothing more than a necessary step in the pursuit of success. FOCUS ON GETTING THE BEST GRADES YOU CAN Concentrate on your studies, this is a given. Work hard and achieve the best grades possible, by doing so you open up many doors for yourself whether you decide whether you still want to study Medicine or not e.g. getting good grades enables you to apply to the best universities in the country or even get into Medical School through clearing. So don’t be discouraged, for now just focus all your efforts on your studies and focus on getting into medical school when exam season is over. COMMON REASONS FOR REJECTION: Failure to meet the entry requirements (GCSE’s & A Level predicted grades) – this means that your application was not competitive in either their predicted or achieved academic grades. Some Medical School’s weigh a lot of their application on GCSE grades more than other Medical School’s, so you may have met their A-Level entry requirements but your GCSE grades may not have met the GCSE entry requirements. Admissions test score failed to meet the threshold – this means that yourperformance in the aptitude test was not high enough for competitive selection. When applying next, research Medical School Admissions Test Thresholds and e.g. if your UKCAT score is weak, apply to schools that do not place such heavy emphasis on it. Do not underestimate the UKCAT, BMAT or GAMSAT. Sufficient preparation will definitely make a difference and practice questions are available in book form and online. Poorly written personal statement – this may include personal statements that do not show your personality, demonstrate a lack of insight into a career into the medical field, poorly structured (e.g. not including the key things they want to know such as: why you want to study medicine, extra-curricular activities, voluntary work etc.) and failure to elaborate on work experience and what was learnt. Poor interview performance – your nerves may have gotten the best of you and negatively impacted your interview. Additionally, if you did not know your personal statement very well, if you demonstrate a lack of insight into a career into the medical field and current events in the healthcare system and if you let any mistakes you made in previously answered questions impact your response to further questions. Lack of work experience –  We understand that work experience may be difficult to find if you are not of age or if you do not have the necessary contacts. Furthermore, lack of variation in the work experience you do e.g. volunteering with a charity & shadowing a GP, or poor reflection of your work experience and not making the most of your time. Lack of extracurricular activities Competitive Cohort – this may just mean that your cohort may have done really well that particular year. REQUEST FEEDBACK Most medical schools will explain how to seek feedback on their website. The feedback may not be very detailed but can help to provide an indication as to why the student did not receive an offer for interview. They are not obliged to send you feedback but many universities will be prepared to give you more information about the reasons for your rejection. WHAT ARE YOUR OPTIONS? Be wary that many medical schools don’t accept students who have re-sat A levels, so don’t go back a year without being absolutely sure that the university you want to get into will consider you in the future. Apply for another course Can enter UCAS Extra or Clearing. The places available in UCAS Extra or Clearing will be extremely limited (if there are any at all). There are likely to be vacancies in other health courses. Clearing Last year, medical schools such as St George’s & Liverpool have offered places through Clearing. However, the universities offering these places will differ from year to year. It’s important to note that, due to the competitive nature of Medicine, limited places are available through Clearing, so don’t be disheartened if you can’t gain a place this way. Gap Year then reapply A job as a health care assistant is a great way to test whether you really want a career in medicine – and it will provide countless experiences with patients to talk about in an interview. Get varied work experience Travel Get started on your application early Medicine Abroad? Research studying Medicine Abroad and what is required https://www.themedicportal.com/application-guide/studying-medicineabroad/international-requirements/ Check out some of our helpful posts: Dealing with Rejection Work Experience Studying Medicine Abroad A-Level Tips Do you have any queries about taking a Gap Year, studying abroad or studying an undergraduate degree before Medicine? Contact our dedicated mentors: gapyear.melaninmedics@gmail.com pg.melaninmedics@gmail.com abroad.melaninmedics@gmail.com For More Information UCAS Clearing: http://www.ucas.com/advisers/guides-andresources/confirmation-and-clearing-toolkit. UCAS Extra: http://www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/applyand-track/track-your-application/extra-choices. UCAS Track: http://www.ucas.com/advisers/managingapplications/tracking-and-reporting-introduction/adviser-track-and-reporting.

There are so many Medical Textbooks to choose from and they’re far from cheap. You may get some textbooks handed down to you from old medical students, borrow books from the library or use online versions but we do recommend that you gradually build your own library. The medical profession consists of constant reading and no book becomes useless, they’re all beneficial. It is best to start with an anatomy textbook and physiology textbook at the very least and over the years add to your collection covering topics like Pharmacology, Biochemistry, Histology, Cell Biology and Clinical Medicine. Please note that every medical student/ lecturer will recommend different books. We advise that you do not buy any of the textbooks listed down below without having tried them out for yourself. Additionally, we ask that you use the reading list you may be provided with by the university and also do not hesitate to ask more senior medical students what they would recommend. Here is a list of the textbooks we recommend: ANATOMY 📷 📷 📷 📷 Moore’s Essential Clinical Anatomy: A detailed but concise anatomy textbook for medical students, it is the perfect size and includes examples of clinical practise as well as well-labelled, colourful diagrams. The layout is clear and logical making learning easier. Gray’s Anatomy Flashcards: This is a great revision tool and caters for everyone, they’re easy to use while on the go, you can use them in your lectures, dissection and group tutorials. It comes with a ring holder so you can concentrate on a limited section. The flashcards break down and colour-code the body into separate sections also contain clinical sections. Netter’s Anatomy Colouring Book: This book provides a great way of learning without the need for endless lines of text. It is simple and well organised into organ systems.  This book allows you to engage with anatomy in a relaxed and fun way.  We also advise photocopying the pages that you want to use, and colouring them in rather than the book itself allowing you to reuse the book as often as you want. McMinns & Abrahams Clinical Atlas of Human Anatomy: It is a great tool to use alongside human dissection sessions, it contains clear photographs of human dissection helping students form mental images of bones, muscles, and vessels in the human body.  It is a high quality textbook with useful images of clinical presentations/conditions. However, it lacks illustrated images and there is not much text apart from labels. PHYSIOLOGY 📷 Pococks Human Physiology: This is an excellent textbook, it’s clear, colourful layout is appealing to eye and makes studying seamless. It details many important concepts and explains them really easily. providing enough depth and topic coverage without being over detailed. The summaries, Multiple Choice Questions and Case Scenario’s at the end of each chapter are extremely helpful. PHARMACOLOGY 📷 Rang & Dales Pharmacology: This textbook is easy to read as it is written in simple easy prose, it is very useful and informative and we recommend medical students use this alongside their pharmacology modules. It covers a large range of topics, if not everything and lists many named examples of drugs, their use and their common side effects for each class of drug. BIOCHEMISTRY 📷 Baynes & Dominiczak Medical Biochemistry: This textbook is very detailed, comprehensive and can be a bit overwhelming. It provides a good overview of the metabolic pathways and the clinical boxes highlight clinically relevant information. There are several colourful diagrams that are easy to follow, well-labelled and well explained. There are also a variety of revision questions at the back which are useful for exam practice. CELL BIOLOGY 📷 Lodish Molecular Cell Biology: This is a very large and highly detailed book. As a medical student a lot of the content of this textbook isn’t necessary to learn meaning this textbook is only useful for specific topics. There are several illustrations which compliment the text and this book can be used for extra reading HISTOLOGY 📷 Stevens & Lowe Histology: This is an excellent introduction to histology for anybody who is studying medicine, it is extremely easy to understand and provides detailed explanations. It can be a bit wordy at times however there are also bold sections in the text that make it really easy to identify the most important points and also act as useful key pointers for revision. This textbook also contains examples of correlations with clinical syndromes in simple terms, which is extremely helpful. CLINICAL MEDICINE 📷 📷 Kumar & Clark Clinical Medicine: This book is a must-have for every medical student and is legendary. A comprehensive, colourful text with detailed information carefully arranged in specific sections. This textbook covers a variety of topics in astonishing detail including law, ethics, clinical science, and systems. Although the downside is that this book is extremely heavy, some universities provide online versions. Oxford Handbook of Clinical Medicine: We highly recommend this handbook and consider it essential to every medical student at every stage of medical school. It’s small and concise nature means you can always carry it with you as it is incredibly helpful in almost all situations. This handbook is well-laid out making information easy to find and encourages thinking about the world from the patient’s perspective, offering a holistic, patient-centred approach. CLINICAL EXAMINATIONS 📷 MacCleod’s Clinical Examination: This textbook is perfect for Medical Students OSCE preparation and is great for clinical practise. It is very well written textbook, clearly organised with useful images making it easy to understand and follow the steps when performing clinical examinations.  This textbook is also highly beneficial in gaining a broader knowledge on assessment methods and working out differential diagnosis. OTHERS: 📷 Oxford Medical Dictionary: Great learning tool and comprehensive for such a compact dictionary. This is given for free when you sign up with the Medical Defence Union as a student. TEXTBOOK OPTIONS: Buy most recent edition Buy second hand textbooks/ old editions Borrow from the library Get old textbooks from old medical students Use online versions of textbooks

Medical school at times is exactly what I feared,  but some days it is the complete polar opposite of what I expected. There are many medical school misconceptions, and the reality of the experience is often different than you’d imagine. EXPECTATION: More Diversity I genuinely thought there would be more black people; 10 black people in a year of 300 isn’t enough and that’s the truth. As a result, I struggled to settle into my new City and University having come from an area that was a lot more diverse I felt incredibly out of place. I guess with time I have adjusted to it but it would be nice to have seen more people like me in Medical School. EXPECTATION: More stressful/ Unbearable Workload To be honest most stress I experience is self-inflicted because I have high expectations for myself and try to always be on top of everything. The funny thing about Medical School is that if you feel you have nothing to do, you should be worried; there is always a clinical examination or procedure to practise, a case to be re-read or an assignment that is due, so in a weird way stress becomes comforting as you know you’re on the right track. The workload is crazy because you never quite finish. You can’t really prepare for or conceive the workload of medical school without experiencing it. The best way to make it doable is to stay organise and structure your time. EXPECTATION: Library everyday Going to the library after a 9-5 day is probably the last thing you want to do. I don’t like the library and it took me a while to realise that. I thought that was what all Medical students do but I soon realised that it wasn’t the place for me. This taught me to be way more disciplined as I chose to study at home so I learnt to make my environment more conducive to productivity. EXPECTATION: Less Competition You would think that after the crazily competitive application process the competition would slow down but in reality it only gets worse and less overt. You find that people are constantly trying to one up each other and feel the need to repeatedly remind you of their accomplishments. EXPECTATION: Lectures are mandatory In my Medical School our lecture attendance is not recorded so you don’t have to attend. Most, if not all of our lectures are recorded and posted online, the only negative is that they tend to be posted a week later. We only have a few mandatory sessions per week. EXPECTATION: The best students will make the best doctors Being studious in Medical School is necessary and tenacity is very much needed but you will find that it is Your mastery of the subject combined with your interpersonal skills, will determine how good of a doctor you will be. People tend to forget that ‘People’ are a huge aspect of Medicine so being able to communicate and interact is very much essential. You find that the student who is able to remember every enzyme involve in that irrelevant biochemical pathway may struggle greatly when it comes to communicating to a patient in Layman’s terms. EXPECTATION: Cadaver dissection is torture On the first day the intensity of the formaldehyde odour will be the first negative association with cadaver dissection. Then you enter an eerily silent room with white body bags dotted on stainless steel tables around the room, you’re then confronted with a room of lifeless bodies unsure how to react. If you’ve never seen a dead before I guess the best way to overcome your fear is to become overexposed to it by being in a room with 30 odd cadavers. Overtime it gets better, you notice the smell less and crack the odd joke to lighten the task ahead of you and after a few weeks you forget that you are dissecting the cadaver of a real human being. EXPECTATION: 9-5’s everyday & No Social Life This was my biggest fear, I thought that I’d have 9-5’s every single day but this is far from the truth. You do get the odd weak where you start at 9am everyday but most days you finish early or have a 2-3 hour break in the middle of the day so it is bearable. With that being said, you do have the time to make the most out of your social life, whether it be going to the gym, playing sports, being part of societies or whatever it is you life to do, the only way you will have the time for these activities is to make the time for them. Most Medical Students have a pretty vibrant social life as they say “Med students work hard and party even harder!” EXPECTATION: You know what you’re going to specialise in from day 1 I wanted to be a neurosurgeon when I first started Medical School which I find laughable now. I really just change what speciality I want to go into according to the most recent case I encounter or most skill I’ve discovered i’m good at e.g. my precise dissecting skills definitely mean I should be a surgeon but my ability to stay calm under pressure means Emergency Medicine is the way I should go. EXPECTATION: Sleep deprivation will become the new norm To be honest this was me in my 1st year, I’d go to bed at around 3 am on most days and wake up at 7:30 for my 9am lectures hence why me falling asleep in lectures was a regular occurrence. But it’s safe to say I’ve learnt my lesson now and I am an advocate for going to sleep on time although I don’t know how long this will last *fingers crossed*. Being organised and self-disciplined is honestly enough to change your sleeping pattern.

1. I WISH I KNEW HOW SACRED MY TIME WOULD BECOME The intensity of Medical School is no joke, when they say your time becomes limited they really do mean it. Not only is the content hard but it is also hard to juggle your time. I’ve missed so many events and social gatherings just to try and not fall even more behind in my studies. Between going to lectures and studying it’s hard to find the time for the simple things you enjoy in life without feeling guilty.  Oh and let me not forget about the exhaustion; our plight is greater than mere tiredness but we are rather succumbed to latitude and we still have to push on. As a doctor you have to make many sacrifices throughout your career and time is a very big one so I guess it’s safe to say that these little sacrifices must be made today in order to have a greater tomorrow. 2. I WISH I KNEW THAT YOU GO THROUGH CONTINUOUS CYCLES OF DEMOTIVATION AND ENTHUSIASM Now this one has probably been the hardest to deal with. I honestly have days where I’m so passionate about Medicine and just seeing how what you learn manifests itself in everyday life makes me incredibly excited for my future in such a profession. Suddenly, a bad result or misunderstood concept is enough to have me questioning whether Medicine is right for me. Whether it be the current state of the NHS, lack of improvement or simply a bad day it’s enough to discourage a person. Going around in this continuous cycle is annoying but one thing that keeps me forever trying to press on to brighter days is that the fact that the benefits of practising Medicine do outweigh the negatives and that’s enough to keep me going. 3. I WISH I KNEW HOW JEALOUS I WOULD BE OF OTHER PEOPLE ON OTHER COURSES Reading Week? What even is that? It truly is such a foreign concept to Medics. Now I can’t speak for other Medical Schools but I definitely know at my Medical School we don’t get that. I guess what really gets to me is the time that they have, you get people who are in university for only 2 days a week and us Medics are praying we don’t have 9am starts for 5 days in a row. You would think that because we’re on 5/6 year courses they’d spread out our timetables a bit, give us time to rest but no this is not the case. 4. I WISH I KNEW HOW MEDICINE BECOMES YOUR LIFE I feel like once you get into Medical School a label immediately gets stuck on your head and maybe it’s just African households that do this but before you know it you’re being called “our future Doctor”. Not only are you placed under huge amounts of pressure from those around you but it seems as all other aspects of your identity simultaneously get ignored. I guess one thing you cannot deny is that Medicine is relevant and creeps into all aspects of your life. For example; a group of Medics attend a friend’s birthday dinner, the crazy thing about Medicine is that it slips into your conversations unknowingly and before you know it you’re having a full blown conversation about ileostomy’s and stoma’s at the dinner table. You’re quickly viewed as unrelatable to the non-Medics. 5. I WISH I KNEW HOW REWARDING THE LITTLE THINGS WOULD BE We get to experience so many ‘firsts’ in Medical School and it honestly is so amazing. Some days I’d find myself in awe of the human body during cadaver dissection, in such great detail I have seen the intricate structures that lie beneath that which meets the eye, what a privilege. I often have moments when it hits me that I am actually studying my dream course and I guess it’s something that I’ll probably never get used to but I wouldn’t replace that feeling of satisfaction for anything in the world. Being able to witness the sheer gravity of the impact that such a profession has on a patients life and how grateful a patient may be after being treated is immensely rewarding. I now know how to appreciate the small things in life; the thank you’s, the well dones, the late starts and the patient’s smile and that’s what makes it all worth it

Every time I thought I was being rejected from something good, I was actually being re-directed to something better. – Dr Steve Maraboli If only life were so straightforward and we never received rejections. Rejection hurts especially when you don’t know why you were rejected in the first place. You may have received a job rejection or a rejection in your relationship, friendship or even from opportunities and it may take a huge knock on your ego. Like everyone, I’ve experienced my own fair share of rejections in life, definitely too many to keep track of but I’ve decided to share two that have stuck with me till this day. I’d always been a high achiever in High School, part of every sports team, involved in music & choirs, a member of the school council, a peer mentor for the younger students and I had good relationships with most of the teachers so applying for Head Girl seemed like the right thing to do. The worst thing is when others expect you to get the position you’ve applied for, as in they could almost guarantee that I’d become head girl and that’s why the rejection was even more painful. I felt so embarrassed but also confused. What happened? Why wasn’t I good enough? I’d done everything by the book but didn’t receive the outcome I so desperately wanted. Why? I also remember receiving one of my medical school applications rejections; I had waited for ages to hear back from this university after my interview and finally the day came only for me to find out that I was rejected. I felt dejected and not good enough, I thought about how much my parents had spent on my transport, accommodation and other costs all for me to attend this interview. I hadn’t failed myself alone but I’d failed them too. No matter how many times you may have been rejected and how much you think you’ve become immune to the pain of rejections, they still hurt. I was truly devastated but looking back now, having that particular medical school offer wouldn’t have made a difference, I love where I am studying now and wouldn’t change it for the world. You have to trust that rejection is life’s way of protecting you and is all part of your journey, how you handle rejection says a great deal about your character. SOME TRUTHS ABOUT REJECTION One rejection isn’t a projection of future failure Rejection doesn’t label you, it enables you to adjust and move on Rejection can be an invitation to live in expectation of something else There is usually an element of protection wrapped in rejection Don’t let today’s reaction be tomorrow’s regret There is much more to you than the part that was rejected What one person might see as your liability another might see as your greater asset Rejection is a short term set back not a permanent position WHEN DEALING WITH REJECTION… • Don’t be so hard on yourself – Rejection is a painful part of life and I’m sure we can all say that we have all experienced our fair share of rejections. Rejection is not necessarily—probably not even usually—a reflection on who you are, what you have written, or the way you present yourself. • Try and find out why – This will prevent you from making the same mistake twice and also improve your chances of success the next time you apply for a similar position. Learn from it! Finding out why will not only put your mind at rest it will also help you to develop your character and is a great opportunity to move forward with more wisdom. • Remember the positives – Adopting of gratitude is essential, despite the outcome it is still a great learning experience and there is a lot to be grateful for. For example: at interviews you can meet great people, form lifetime friendships or simply network which might in turn open the door to an even better opportunity. • Reevaluate – In all honesty rejection most definitely makes you rethink your decisions. Sometimes it takes rejection for you to realise that a certain position isn’t what you want to do or the direction you want to go in. Self-reflection is important, so ask yourself key questions; “Did I put in enough preparation?”, “Am I well suited to this organisation/ role?”. • Look for new opportunities (does it end here) / never give up – Rejection is nothing more than a necessary step in the pursuit of success. Trust that when the answer is no, there is a better yes down the road. You hear of so many stories of how a rejection lead to far better than what they were going for in the first place. • Don’t fear rejection – I must say this is something I still struggle with today. Having been rejected in the past, I sometimes don’t want to put myself out there in case I get rejected again because of this there are several opportunities I’ve missed out on. In reality, you cannot guarantee the outcome, so why not put yourself forward and out there. “Live your life for you not for anyone else. Don’t let the fear of being judged, rejected or disliked stop you from being yourself.” ~Sonya Parker Rejection Truths – Courtesy of @LSbook_club (Twitter)

We have all received medical attention at certain points of our lives, and I can say that holds true especially for my family and myself. Medical professionals, hospital admissions and treatment have been at the forefront of our world at times. This is my motivation for studying medicine, the fact that I can give back and be of service to the wider community, in the same way we have been helped, is what drives me. The journey to studying Medicine is not always as straight forward as intended and there are many obstacles that you must overcome first. The journey may differ but the destination remains the same  ~ Melanin Medics For me, I knew that I definitely wanted to study medicine and did not want to do a degree before this, if possible. I had thoroughly prepared and undertaken work experience in various healthcare sectors. My GCSE grades met the requirements to apply for Medicine in the UK but I wasn’t too sure about my A-Level grades meeting the requirements, so I started researching other options in case I wasn’t able to get into any UK Medical Schools. I found out that I would be able to study Medicine in Europe and still be able to practice in the European Economic Area which currently includes the UK however since Brexit it is unknown whether we will remain in the EEA so this is something consider. It is actually much cheaper to study at certain European Universities, than in the UK however studying abroad means that I privately fund my degree as well as the cost of living as I am not entitled to Student Finance. As it turned out, I didn’t get any offers for UK medical schools, so I focused all my effort on trying to get accepted into my current university. THE APPLICATION PROCESS The application process was pretty smooth and straightforward, as I had a lot of help from the agency that I used and sent different documents such as my GSCE grades, medical records etc but a personal statement was not required. Even though I didn’t receive UK offers, going through the process of applying through UCAS was very beneficial in the long run because I had to really evaluate my strengths and weaknesses which is something I’ll potentially be doing for the rest of my life. As mentioned previously, I applied through an agency independent from UCAS which  dealt with the translation and legalisation of my documents as well as logistics which in total cost me over £200. Applications can be submitted free of charge but you have to pay for translation and legalisation. I applied blindly, meaning I had never visited the University until after I was accepted however I would recommend that if you have the means to go and visit the prospective University before you apply, then do it. I applied at the start of year 13 (September/ October 2015) and received an offer in April 2016 however my place was not confirmed until after I received my A-Level results (August 2016) and sent the necessary documents over the following year. The Entry Requirements include B/C in A-Level Biology and Chemistry and you also have to do Entry Tests which determine whether you’re accepted or not. The Entry Tests involve a Chemistry Test and a Biology Test in which you have to achieve above 50% and the tests last for approximately an hour. ADAPTING TO A NEW COUNTRY I started Medical School in Pleven, Bulgaria in February 2017 as their academic year begins in February. I know what you’re all wondering, what was it like being in a Eastern European country all by myself at the age of 18? To be honest, it was not as bad as I thought it would be and I think that was due to being as prepared as I could be having visited the country after I had applied twice. I lived in a 2 bed apartment (private accommodation) which is what most students tend to do as the cost of living is significantly lower than that of the UK. I shared the apartment with another Afro-Caribbean international student from the UK and quickly got to know the other international students who I had previously communicated with through a Facebook Group Chat. In terms of Bulgaria itself, I have to be honest in admitting that I have experienced racism in different forms such as verbal abuse and unwarranted attention but I have come to realise that it is more due to ignorance even though there is no excuse. It was a huge culture shock when I first came and I must admit their ways of life took a lot of getting used to. Having a large cohort of other students made it more bearable as we were all going through the same things at the same time so we were able to encourage and support one another. Adapting to a new county has been quite the experience, as Bulgaria is quite different to the UK even though it is in Europe. For example, Bulgarians shake their head when they mean “yes”. There is also the language which I enjoy learning and am still getting to grips with. Bulgarian uses a completely different alphabet system (Cyrillic), which definitely takes some time to get used to! MY UNIVERSITY & COURSE Currently, I am at the end of my first year at Medical University Pleven in Bulgaria, and I am currently studying for my upcoming exams that will be in January. The university has two faculties, one being the Faculty of Medicine and the other the Faculty of Public Health. We have over 200 international students who started in February 2017. The English language course is a six-year course, which is comprised of two years of pre-clinical study, three years of clinical study and one-year state clinical practice (internship). There are vast range of different subjects that are studied for the duration of the course from subjects like Cytology and Medical Physics in the first year to Radiology, Disaster Medicine and Pathoanatomy in fourth year. Additionally, for the first three years, students on this course attend compulsory Bulgarian classes. This is in place so that students are able to communicate with patients during the clinical years of study. Quite often you don’t understand what your lecturers or staff are saying as English may be their second language so you may need to clarify a lot so don’t be scared to ask questions. The typical day starts at 8:00am and ends at 4pm, comprising of compulsory Laboratory Practicals, Lectures and Cadaver Dissection (anatomy). The way exams are structured is quite different to the UK too. There is a synopsis for each subject, which outlines the topics that need to be covered. During the exam students pick a topic from the synopsis randomly and write an essay on that topic. There may also be an MCQ paper. There is usually an oral part of the exam too, where the lecturer can ask you questions about different topic points not just your essay topic. They also grade through numbers; 6 = excellent, 3 = pass & 2=fail. TIPS AND ADVICE TO OTHER MEDICAL STUDENTS? That being said, life is what you make it and I feel like we should make the most out of our situations. So if you are looking to study abroad these are a few tips I would give you: Do your research I started looking into the prospects of studying in Europe about a year and a half before finally being accepted into Medical University Pleven. Try to look into as many options as you possibly can, make phone calls, write emails, attend events, try to gather as much knowledge as you can surrounding this area so that you can make informed decisions for example, inquire about how student accommodation works in the area, research whether there are loans available for the fees, look into how the course is structured etc. Additionally find out if there are any entrance tests that you need to prepare for and try and find past papers for them so you can practice. Ask for as much help as you can  Whether it be from teachers, older students or even residents of the area you’re in, ask as many questions as you can, in order to make sure you have as much information as possible. Find out where the best place is to buy familiar food, where to set up a bank account and if you need to make a new phone contract etc. Try and learn to speak the language Nelson Mandela once said: “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart” I find that when I speak Bulgarian to locals, they tend to be more open and willing to help, so I would encourage you to try and learn the language as much as you can and practice speaking with locals. At the end of the day, you are in THEIR country and that’s the language they speak in that area. Make friends with different people  It’s easy to lean towards making friends with people that are from the same background as you, especially when you’re in a new place far from home. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. However I would encourage you to try and make friends with people who are of different cultures as you’re most likely going to be surrounded by people from all over the world. Not only does it broaden your perspective of the world as a whole, it can also open new opportunities for you in the future. Enjoy it  By you studying abroad, you have a unique opportunity to be in completely new and foreign environment for quite an extended period of time. Your whole life story is going to be quite different to that of your friends, make the most of it! Experience and enjoy as much of the culture as you can and be open to trying new things! FUTURE PLANS? I intend to come and practise in the UK once I graduate and I’ve always been interested in Psychiatry, but I’m also interested in Neurology and Obstetrics and Gynecology, which I know sounds a little all over the place. But I’m sure as I study these modules in the coming years, my interests will narrow down to what I want to specialise in. Written by Jemima Soladoye If you have any questions, feel free to comment down below or contact Jemima on her Social Media handles: Instagram: @iamjem_xo Twitter: @iamjem_xo Email: jem_soladoye@yahoo.com