Grumpy Biomed

Diary of an interviewee: Part 2

2012-02-16T23:05:00.008Z

Currently listening to: The Way Love Used To Be - The Kinks

The story so far: I came back home from my Barts and The London A100 interview feeling deflated, disappointed and sensing a real grump coming on. Luckily my mother came to visit and she brought some cake with her so things didn't seem that awful and we went out and talked, or rather I moaned about how much I hated the applications process and she very kindly listened. Slowly I began to feel that the interview wasn't that terrible and that even if it was, there was nothing I could do about it except use it as a learning experience and move on.

Wednesday 15th Feb 2012 - Joint interview at Warwick Medical School for WMS and BL GEPs.

00:00: I go to bed, telling myself that however bad yesterday had been today is a new day and a chance to make up for previous mistakes.

01:00: The clock in the hallway chimes and I realise I've been awake for an hour thinking about random rubbish. Shut eyes and tell self to sleep.

02:00: Clock chimes again. For god's sake man, if you carry on like this you're going to feel like a wreck tomorrow. Go to sleep!

03:00: Still awake. Thinking thoughts you do not want to think the night before an interview: What if I balls this one up too? What if interviews are my fatal flaw? What if I'm stuck being a grumpy biomed forever? Why can't I sleep?!?!

04:00: The clock's chimes now begin to feel as welcome as a death knell. I realise that as it stands I'm going to get a maximum of five hours sleep. Feel utterly hopeless.

04:30ish: I presume that I finally fall asleep.

09:00: I jolt awake after less than five hours sleep. Words can't describe how annoyed and pissed off I feel at the fact that when I needed my sleep most, I couldn't get it. I am not a happy bunny.

10:23: The train leaves from Euston. I listen to some music and thankfully the adrenaline has kicked in so I don't feel particularly tired.

11:45: I arrive at Warwick Medical School courtesy of a taxi from the station. Meet with some other applicants in the school canteen and begin chatting. Slowly feel less tense and relax as I realise everyone else here is in the same boat as me.

12:15: The selection centre officially begins with document and ID checks in the medical school common room. I must say, I really like this campus. It's very new, but it has character and a very friendly vibe. The staff are all very nice and friendly too. The selection centre has three parts: an interview, a writing exercise and a group exercise.

The Interview

Wow is all I can say. If for no other reason, I love Warwick Medical School because their interviewer was so affable and easy to talk to. That and the fact that I'd already had a hellish interview the day before meant that I'd adopted a resigned attitude of "whatever it is, it can't be worse than what I've just had".

Then the most amazing thing happened...when he asked me the first question, everything came flooding back. All my experiences, all the things I'd reflected on, and the points I wanted to cover. I felt like a blindfold had been lifted from my eyes and I could see clearly again. So I began speaking and very soon it felt like I was having a chat with one of my lecturers from uni. Of course, I was still treating it very seriously, but what I'm trying to say is that it didn't feel like an awful grilling. By the end of the interview the interviewer and I were talking about The Kinks and that whilst they're no longer a band, Ray Davies still does the occasional concert. The interview finished, I shook the interviewer's hand, gave him a big (and very genuine) smile and headed off for the next part.

The Writing Exercise

I can't give away specifics here, but the point of the writing exercise was to get you to justify what you were writing. I felt I managed to do this but (and this is ever so annoying), the final section at the end was a reflection on the task completed and I ran out of time on it. Very irritating! But I finished the main bulk of the exercise so I hope they'll take that into consideration. Again, it didn't feel like an awful experience, but like completing any other assignment at uni.

The Group Exercise

Again, I can't give away specifics but I can say that I'm very glad all my team mates were nice, friendly and I feel we all managed to work well together. I was very surprised about this part of the selection centre. Going in I had been very skeptical, I assumed that we would be parading around like the knobheads on The Apprentice, completing pointless tasks for the amusement of the invigilators and being really fake and cut-throat with eachother. But it was nothing like that at all, and pretty soon I settled into it and treated it like any other group task which I'd completed at uni.

So with that the day finished and the admissions tutor returned to answer any questions we had. She informed us that 430 people had been invited to the various selection centre sessions and Warwick would be making 230 offers. The offers will be given out towards the beginning of March. The selection centre then ended and I headed off to the main campus to join a certain Graduate Medic for a few drinks.

I have taken several things away from this whole experience. Firstly, I really like the selection centre idea now. Whether or not I get an offer, I think grading people on their overall performance throughout the day is more representative than an intensive 20 minute Q&A. Secondly, Warwick is really nice. The campus, the current students, the staff, everything really. Up til now Barts and The London GEP was my first choice...in the unlikely situation I have more than one offer (assuming I get any at all), it's going to be quite hard choosing between Warwick and BL!

And with that, the admissions process ends as far as I'm concerned. I've done all my interviews (Southampton don't do interviews) so all I can do now is wait, hope, and see if I get any offers. The maxim "you only need one offer", is something I have repeated to myself many a time. I am not picky or choosy, I just want the chance to study medicine. I really hope my efforts over the past few months will pay off and help me realise that ambition.

Diary of an interviewee: Part 1

2012-02-15T23:54:00.013Z

Currently listening to: Why - Elefant

Wow, what a hectic 48 hours it's been, quite possibly the most significant 48 hours of my life actually.

As I've written before, I blog to release stress and feelings. I don't feel like I can cover both the A100 interview and the Warwick/BL selection centre in one post. So Part 2 will come tomorrow once I've had more time to reflect on the experience.

Tuesday 14th Feb 2012 - Interview at Barts and The London for the A100 5 year degree.

09:30: Roused awake by the harsh sounds of my mobile's alarm. Surprisingly I'd had a very good night's sleep. Went to bed at 12, woke up once in the middle of the night and promptly fell asleep again. Feel refreshed, confident and ready to go.

10:30: Wearing my suit and feeling ever so slightly uncomfortable, I leave my flat and begin walking to the Tube station. Listen to Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band on the way to the station.

10:40: Yay, the Tube arrives within a minute and what's more it's on the right branch of the Northern line. Get on and check self in carriage windows. Looking suave and debonair. In my mind anyway. Listening to Coldplay, Eno to the max for epicness.

11:15: Arrive at Whitechapel, breathe in the scent of fried chicken. Feel slightly nauseous. Go to the Garrod Building where I had my Nutrition & Metabolism classes during second year of biomed. Listening to Pink Floyd's A Saucerful of Secrets.

11:20: iPod switched off. Taken upstairs to the old London Hospital Medical College senior common room by a smiley fourth year medical student. Everyone else is there with their parents. Begin wondering if I've done something wrong by turning up by myself. Have a glass of water.

11:35: Taken back down to the Old Library by the same medical student. Sit down on a row of seats with four other applicants, all of whom look worryingly young. Or perhaps I'm just worryingly old.

11:40: I'm the first to be called up. The interview begins. Butterflies in my stomach doesn't even begin to cover it. My interviewers are a clinician and one of the tutors from the med school. And so the questions begin, starting with some fairly obvious ones (I'm not allowed to reveal details - but use your imagination, it can only be about work experience, why you want to do medicine etc, the usual stuff found in guidebooks and so on).

11:43ish: Realise that I'm fumbling my words and being awkward. Interviewers stare at me impassively as I try my best to explain what I'm talking about. Butterflies in stomach are replaced by a vague sense of foreboding and panic. Desperately hope we'll move on.

11:45: We move on, thank Christ. We turn to the article (can now reveal) and I begin discussing it at length. Again, impassiveness from the panel. I conclude my thoughts and the questions begin. Interview slowly begins to turn into an intensive Q&A on my views on public health.

11:50: This is now a full blown debate on public health. Feel seriously out of my depth but continue to attempt to express myself eloquently and clearly. Not sure if attempt is working. Still have the sense I'm coming across as fumbling.

11:55: We move on again onto questions about the medical school. I feel I managed to answer this part well. To be honest it would be pretty disgraceful if I didn't, I was at QMUL for three years and I'm a current Barts and The London student. Interviewers still don't appear impressed. Either this is all part of their interview strategy or I've managed to talk utter cack for the past 15 minutes (more than likely).

11:58ish: A final personal question. Feel like I manage to answer it well, but by this point feel that it won't make up for my earlier weak performance.

11:59: "Any further questions?"..."No, I don't think so, all of my questions have been answered by the prospectus and the current students. Thank you very much for considering me".

12:00: Interviewers smile (or grimace, perhaps, given how rubbish I feel my performance was) and say that that will be all. I shake hands, smile whilst weeping on the inside and leave.

So how did I feel afterwards? Pretty gutted to be honest. I had felt confident on the way to the interview though clearly it hadn't been as much of a pleasant experience as I hoped. I'm particularly disappointed in myself for fumbling the parts to do with my work experience etc, especially since I'd spent a long time reflecting on it. But in the heat of the moment it seemed like my brain just didn't want to cooperate.

I suppose to some extent this is totally natural since I've never had a med school interview before so it was completely new, unfamiliar and nerve wracking. At any rate, I felt glad that if I was to screw up something, I'd screwed up the A100 interview rather than the GEP selection centre (though in all honesty, I'd much rather not screw anything up). Offers/rejections will be given by the end of February (according to the information sheet we were given), though I'm not hopeful of an offer at all.

Tune in tomorrow for Diary of an interviewee: Part 2. I can give away some spoilers right now and reveal that the GEP selection centre was a much more pleasant (and downright fun) experience. So perhaps there's hope for me yet.

Term 1 results and "anxiety saturation"

2012-02-06T21:55:00.006Z

Currently listening to: I Saved the World Today - Eurythmics

There's been a considerable shift in the ethos and content of this blog lately. When I started this blog just over two years ago, it was very much the grumbly grumbles of a grumpy second year biomed. Certainly this is no longer the case, the biomedical sciences degree, SBCS, QMUL and all that has been consigned to memory lane. This is a new era for my blog, charting the anxieties surrounding UCAS and medical school admissions, rather than being a life sciences student.

But I am a life sciences student, so I do still deal with much of the same things I dealt with last year: coursework, deadlines, the occasional skipped lecture and inappropriate hangovers. And of course, exams. The one difference being that as a postgrad I have the joy of experiencing exams in January and in April. So, results day were released today, and here's how things look. Pass mark's 50 by the way:

Research Skills and Sciences - 53
Basic Molecular and Cell Biology - 62.5
Basic Pathology - 72.5 (distinction)

Overall mark for Term 1: 60.3

Initial thoughts: relief that I passed, and passed well. Happy with getting a distinction in pathology (my favourite subject), slight annoyance at being so close to a merit for BMCB (needed 65) and indifference to the RSS mark. It was my least favourite subject, something I have zero talent for and zero interest in. There are those in my class who can run an amazing gel or use SPSS to perfection. I am not one of those people, I have never claimed to be. I am however someone who is genuinely interested in the intricacies of disease, healing and adaptation, hence my decent pathology mark. Apologies to all you scientists out there, I'm not snubbing your discipline, but at a certain point every man or woman needs to figure out exactly who and what he or she is. I am not lab scientist material, and in all honesty, that doesn't bother me either. Hence why I'm not grumpy about my RSS mark. I take solace in the fact that I will hopefully never have to care about Western blots again. So really, a good set of results which I'm pleased with. So that's the PGCert done, now for the PGDip and MSc, then, with any luck, I can hang up my white coat for good and finally don my stethoscope (please!).

Here's an interesting way of dealing with (nay - eliminating) exam anxiety. Simply replace it with anxiety over something else, say, for example, medical school interviews. Seriously, you would not believe it, I slept fine last night. Absolutely fine. This morning when I woke up, I didn't even think about results. This was most certainly not the case in June before my BSc results day. Why the change? Because I am currently undergoing something called anxiety saturation (a revolutionary new psychological concept thought up by myself). My mind is so filled up with thoughts about interviews, ethical scenarios, etc that I just don't have any more space for exam stress. Hence why I managed to sleep fine last night, and why I didn't feel a jot of nervousness today until right before I opened the results envelope. I'm pretty sure there's a Nobel prize winning psychological theory in here somewhere.

So with just over a week left til my interviews, I'm making little bullet point notecards. I am not someone who enjoys readily talking about their personal life with strangers (this blog is very much the exception), so I need to get used to hearing the sound of my own voice talking about why I want to do medicine, when I've displayed empathy, why I'm a decent team player or any of the other extremely relevant questions medical schools invariably ask. I try to be a fairly modest person, (though hopefully not in a Uriah Heep way), so whilst I'm fine with discussing ethical scenarios, current affairs etc, I don't like waving my "empathy", or what have you in people's faces. But ultimately, I do feel like I have a lot to offer, so I need to do myself a favour and just bloody well say it.

Interview #3

2012-01-24T13:48:00.006Z

Currently listening to: Celestial Voices - Pink Floyd

Being a medical school applicant basically means signing away a year of your life, mind and sanity to the medical schools in the hope that you can get an offer by the end of it all. During that year you are constantly preoccupied with thoughts regarding your application. This does not only affect those of an obsessive or neurotic disposition, but rather is a result of the entire applications process and how complicated it's become in recent years. It starts off during the summer with preparation for entrance exams then slowly but steadily builds up over the next few months until finally, nearly a year on, you reach the end of the applications cycle. You can't not think about it, it is constantly at the back of your mind (and as I've discovered - in your nightmares too), a perpetual source of stimulation and a sort of low level attrition warfare on the rest of your psyche.

Which is why when things go right you really have to cherish it, because when so much of your time is spent imagining the worst case scenario over and over again, getting good news is a sign that you're doing something right and may be inching ever closer to your ultimate aim. Hence why I'm very pleased to announce that I've just been invited to interview for the 5 yr degree at Barts and The London next month. I've been sent an article on an aspect of medical ethics which I will be asked questions on, as well as on my personal statement, so I shall be doing a lot of reading over the coming days and weeks. Online medicine forums indicate that the interviewers for the 5yr degree at BL are supposed to be friendly and nice, so let's hope that it goes well. The interview is on Feb 14th, which is the day before I go to Coventry for the Warwick Selection Centre. Needless to say, it's going to be a very busy two days!

It's amazing really. All through sixth form and my BSc I would have killed for just one interview, now I've been invited to 3/3. It's really fantastic how things can (and do) sometimes change for the better. So on a similar note, what I want out of this process is just one offer. So as always...keep calm and carry on and let's see what happens.

One month to go

2012-01-15T02:16:00.009Z

Currently listening to: Maxwell's Silver Hammer - The Beatles

So here I am, nearly a week after finishing my first set of postgraduate exams, and still recovering. Sadly the SMD calendar is so tight that we finished exams on the 9th and we were back for our new modules on the 11th. I spent the whole of Christmas revising, the new year doing exams and only got one day off before starting all over again. Happily enough, I feel that the exams mostly went well with the notable exception of Research Skills and Sciences Paper 1 (I dislike practicals and I dislike exams about practicals even more), which can only be summed up by the term "FUBAR".

Aside from that paper however, RSS Paper 2 went as well as can be expected for a subject which I a) hate and b) have no talent for, so hopefully that and my coursework will make up for paper 1. The Molecular and Cell Biology and Basic Pathology papers went well, so here's hoping I managed to pass Part 1 of my MSc. Speaking of, some marks from last term have begun trickling in, and I am pleasantly surprised:

Basic Pathology - essay on mutliple myeloma: 90%
Molecular and Cell Biology - essay on angiogenesis: 70%
RSS - SDS PAGE and Western Blotting: 65%
RSS - Statistics viva: 62.5%

All in all a good set of marks which I'm very pleased with. The final two don't look particularly impressive, but when you bear in mind that I'm god-awful at labs AND maths, they become fairly decent. As always, it seems I do best in essays, because I like extended writing, especially when I can pick the topic according to my interests, and not have to feign a fascination for electrophoresis FFS. The essays are worth 25% of the total module mark, so I hope they'll make up for any booboos made during the exams. Results should be out by the end of the month.

Wow, such a long time since I made a "grade-whoring" (as one of my friends kindly puts it) post...it almost feels like I'm back at QMUL SBCS angsting over biomedical sciences. Though in actual fact I could bomb my MSc exams and still be okay for medicine, which is not something I could say last year!

Medicine...so in exactly a month (and a few hours), I will be boarding the train to Coventry for the Warwick Selection Centre (where I'll also be considered for the Barts and The London GEP). It hasn't quite hit me yet, perhaps because I'm still quite drained from exams, but I'm sure as it gets closer to the date, I'll start feeling the nerves more and more.

In the meantime, I've been preparing by reading the BBC's health news section, trying to get clued up on MMC and NHS politics and I've also bought two interview preparation books (this and this) which are proving to be good reads. Admittedly some of the advice is pretty common sense (like, erm, don't be an arrogant twat in your interview) but there's a lot of decent stuff in there about the NHS, ethics, etc. In all honesty, like most other things, the Selection Centre will probably be nothing like what I imagine it to be, and there's only so much books will be able to help. Ultimately, it's all down to how I perform on the day. So I guess all I can do is continue preparing, try to stay positive and just see what happens. Keep calm and carry on, which, now I think about it, has pretty much been my motto since last April.

Hope you're all well and enjoying the new year.

P.S. All interview tips and advice are very much appreciated.

P.P.S. No news from Southampton or Barts and The London (for the standard 5 year degree).

2011

2012-01-01T23:56:00.007Z

Currently listening to: A Hopeful Transmission/Don't Let It Break Your Heart - Coldplay

How times change. When I compare New Year's Eve of 2010/11 to New Year's Eve of 2011/12, it really shows just how different life is now...or in some cases how much it's stayed the same.

Then: Quietly getting drunker and drunker on the champagne my aunt's husband had brought for the family gathering at my parent's house.
Now: Revising feverishly all evening in preparation for first set of exams, 20 minute break at 23:50, back up at 00:10 after watching the fireworks on TV.

Then: Anxious third year still recovering from awful set of second year exam results, trying not to think about finals.
Now: Stressed postgrad recovering from harrowing first term which was twice as much work as the whole of third year, trying not think about impending exams starting on Jan 3rd.

Then: Feeling hopeless about chances of getting into medicine.
Now: Feeling slightly less hopeless about chances of getting into medicine.

From reading that, you might assume that I'm not particularly happy...but that's not true at all, it's just the exam stress speaking. So let me explain. 2011 was without a doubt one of the best, if not the best, year of my life. It finally felt (and I'm fairly certain that I'm beginning to overuse this expression) like everything had finally fallen into place. I finally sorted out my grades, got my degree, got a good score for my UKCAT, started my pathology MSc and to top it all off, got some interviews for medical school. The latter was without a doubt the most amazing thing to have happened this year, as it has been something I've been aiming at for four years now...simply to have the chance to prove, face to face, just how much I want to do medicine. So that was definitely the cherry on top of the 2011 cake.

Like I mentioned, I am definitely tired and stressed. I've had two and a half weeks of holidays to revise for four postgraduate exams. Having never sat exams at this level before, I have no idea what it will be like and on what basis you get good or bad marks. But simply knowing that these exams will not affect my chances of being able to study medicine makes coping with the stress just that little bit easier because I know that should the worse happen, my ultimate ambition will not be endangered. But because I am also a workaholic type, I really have been trying my best to revise effectively so I can pass these exams. So here's hoping that they're not too awful!

Aside from anything else, 2012 is a year of massive potential for me. It has the potential to be the most amazing year ever. I could finish it a medical student with a MSc. Alternatively I could mess up my interviews, not get in and have to go through all of this again. I suppose only time will tell. It's literally only ten weeks from now really, and then everything will be clear, one way or another. And from this side of 2012 it seems a lot closer.

Last year I got my wish of finishing my BSc with a 2:1...this year I only have one wish...to get a med school offer to go with it.

Happy new year to you all, hope it's an amazing one for each and every one of you.

Interview #2

2011-12-13T13:36:00.004Z

Currently listening to: Torn Blue Foam Couch - Grand Archives

Wow, the past five days have been so sweet, it finally feels like everything is falling into place. Got an email this morning saying that at the Warwick Selection Centre I will also be considered for Barts and The London GEP...which is my first choice! I'm so happy and relieved that my nightmare didn't become a reality! The selection centres are joint, but the decisions are separate, you can get accepted by both, accepted by one or rejected by both. An offer from either would suit me very well! I can't believe this time last year I was despairing over whether I'd even be able to apply for medicine...and now I've got two interviews! This is just so amazing, the minute my exams finish (in the first week of January), I will be able to devote a whole five weeks to getting totally prepared for these interviews.

On such a high right now that even this lab report which is due tomorrow doesn't feel totally awful and horrible!

What an amazing finish to the final week of term.

Interview

2011-12-09T13:15:00.005Z

Currently listening to: Light My Fire - The Doors

After the unpleasant nerve wracking experiences of the past few weeks, I'd been feeling pretty desperate for contact from the medical schools, any contact, even a curt email telling me to stop calling them several times a week asking when they're sending out interview invitations...but Warwick went one better today and emailed me an invitation to their Selection Centre in February for interview!

I'm still feeling slightly speechless from it all, but at the same time ecstatically happy because I was worried I wouldn't get any interviews before Christmas meaning that I'd be stressing all through the holidays when I'm supposed to be revising for exams...luckily now I can breathe a little easier knowing that I have at least one...and it's two months away giving me plenty of time to prepare for it.

I'm telling you, if getting an offer for medical school feels half as good as getting an interview, I can't wait to experience it...the true definition of a natural high! The past few days have been pretty tough, I had two essays and a presentation to hand in yesterday, and I'd had very little sleep...but this has made it all better!

Unreal rejections

2011-11-22T14:04:00.007Z

Currently listening to: My Body is a Cage - Peter Gabriel

So today began like any other Tuesday. Being one of my "days off" I wasn't obliged to get up for a 9AM start like I will be tomorrow. So I awoke comfortably from my golden slumber rather than to the harsh sounds of my mobile's alarm. Wake up. Brush teeth. Wash. Open curtains. Stare out across the mid morning London skyline. Turn on computer.

That's been the daily morning ritual for a fair few years now, though since October when I sent off my medicine application, after turning on the computer I immediately check the Holy Trinity: email, UCAS Track and New Media Medicine. Like any other morning for these past six weeks, I log on. Two new emails from Barts and The London. Heart stops for a minute. Open them:

"Dear Grumpy Biomed

We regret to inform you that your application to our A100 and A101 programmes for MBBS medicine will not be considered any further at this stage. Thank you for considering Barts and The London SMD and we wish you every success with your future applications.

Yours sincerely,

Admissions"

Numb. Shocked. Crushed. Hopeless. Some of the words to describe how I felt reading those cold, unfeeling words in that email. This was my first choice and it had rejected me after only 6 weeks. But something doesn't feel right. My mind is telling me that this can't make sense, and that I can escape from this nightmare.

I jolt awake. Daylight is streaming through my curtains. My radiator is on full blast as I forgot to turn it off last night before I fell asleep. I feel sluggish and stupid but I start my computer immediately. No new emails. No Track updates. I haven't been rejected.

I don't usually have nightmares. I tend to have a lot of lucid dreams so I usually manage to transform any dream which feels nightmare-ish into a happy one. I couldn't do that last night, so in a strange way I've just experienced the feeling of a first rejection...but luckily it wasn't real.

I suppose I'm a bit surprised that it's taken 6 weeks for the first symptoms of stress to manifest...but lately I have been having sleep problems, incessant thoughts about interviews, rejections, acceptance etc. I just hope that I don't have to experience any more mock rejections in my sleep, because in that split second when I awoke and opened my eyes, I felt totally panicked.

November

2011-11-01T02:52:00.005Z

Currently listening to: Carry That Weight - The Beatles

So it's November...which is apparently when the first letters from Barts and The London are sent out for interviews for the 5 yr degree.

Things just got slightly more real. An email from Warwick Medical School a few days ago informed me that they would pick who to interview and who to reject by the end of December, so just under two months to go now. Again, things got more real. But after three weeks my overwhelming feeling is...

....WHY CAN'T YOU JUST HURRY UP AND ACCEPT OR REJECT ME ALREADY!?!?!?!?!

I can't believe there's still another five months left of this waiting game. Christ.

Also, I swear I didn't deliberately pick the song...it just came on shuffle on my iTunes, but it's very appropriate, isn't it? Only a minute and a half long but that chorus sums everything up. This whole application is one goddamn weight on my mind...and I just can't wait for it to be lifted.

The god's honest truth about being a scientist

2011-10-28T02:09:00.004+01:00

Currently listening to: Charmless Man - Blur

By night I may be a med school applicant obsessively scouring NMM for new info (nyet), but by day I'm just another lowly postgrad trying to make it through my MSc.

Earlier today I stumbled upon this image which I think sums up life and relationships in science and academia very well indeed...current and ex science students will probably appreciate just how true it is:

I'll give you three guesses to work out which of the above images is how I see myself!

Hints: It's not Einstein or Chuck Norris.

So far nothing to report from the med schools except for those three acknowledgements. Birmingham and BSMS have apparently started interviewing people, but no word from any of my choices so far...my MSc may be difficult and tiring, but at least it's a distraction. Hope you're all well.

Acknowledgement

2011-10-17T13:16:00.007+01:00

Currently listening to: Don't Look Away - Joshua Radin

Like I said a few weeks ago, lately it feels like life is moving at a really fast pace. In the three days since I've applied I've figured out my Track details and received acknowledgements from Barts and The London for my applications to their A100 and A101 programmes. Very quick! The downside to knowing my Track details is that I'm checking the damn thing twice an hour...even though I know there is ZERO chance of receiving an offer, or even a rejection, at this early stage. In the space of about 24 hours I've become a full fledged Track addict, and things haven't been helped by the initial high of receiving those acknowledgements either!

Whilst on my way to Whitechapel Library earlier, I walked past the Garrod Building (the administrative hub of Barts and The London SMD)...it felt so weird knowing that inside that building which I've walked past several times a week for over three years now and had classes in, someone could potentially be looking through my application and deciding my future. So, so, so weird.

Anyway, this is what my Track screen looks like...I'm just hoping I see one "unconditional" there by September 2012, please!

And so begins the most stressful six months of my life

2011-10-15T22:32:00.004+01:00

Currently listening to: Corporal Clegg - Pink Floyd

During my time at QMUL, I had only one thought going through my mind whilst attempting to get to grips with my Biomedical Sciences degree: "it will all be worth it when I apply for medical school". Having wanted to study medicine since the age of about 9 or 10 (I wanted to be a forensic pathologist back then - I was an odd child), but not having had the grades to apply during school, my degree seemed like an opportunity to atone for my rubbish chemistry marks during sixth form. Happily, it paid off, I graduated in July and sent off my UCAS application for medical school two days ago. It feels like all those plans which I made back when I first started university are slowly being realised, which is a pretty good feeling indeed.

So...after all the indecision surrounding my final choice over the past few weeks (see earlier posts), where did I pick? The results are in, and the following choices made it onto the UCAS form:

Barts and The London A101 GEP
Warwick University A101 GEP
Barts and The London A100 5 yr degree

Anddddddddddddd....

Southampton University A101 GEP

Surprising no? I seemed dead set against it didn't I? So what made me change my mind? Given that Newcastle's UKCAT cut off last year was 702.5, and this year it will almost certainly rise, I would have had a 100% chance of rejection had I applied there. I still have an overwhelming chance of rejection with Southampton, but it's less than 100%, at any rate. And without wanting to sound completely arrogant, by the time I finished writing my personal statement, I thought I'd actually made quite a good job of it. I'm not trying to say that I'll definitely meet Southampton's standards, but I do think I've given myself a decent shot so I don't feel totally hopeless for applying there.

So, what now? By the time my birthday rolls round (in March), I'll be one year older and also have a very good clue about what I'll be doing come September 2012. It's so strange to think that in just under six months everything will be clear...one way or another. At the end of the day, these past three years (and counting) have all been focused on one goal: getting into medical school. To that end, I really hope that my hard work during my degree, my UKCAT score and my personal statement will land me an interview or two, because words really cannot describe just how much I want to do medicine.

In the mean time, I know there will be a lot of nervous waiting, sleepless nights, and endless pessimism. So I'm glad that my masters degree will give me something else to think about during this time. Thanks to everyone who's commented these past few weeks, the advice has been much appreciated. Particular shout out to "A Fresher" for very succinctly summing up why Newcastle would have been a bad choice for me.

The curse of the fourth choice

2011-10-01T12:14:00.003+01:00

Currently listening to: Songbird - Oasis

Getting into medical school as a graduate is all about hoop jumping. You spend three years (and £27K) doing a life sciences degree at which nothing is acceptable but a 2:1 or above. You kill yourself with stress over a subject which, let's face it, isn't even your first preference. Having got through the degree with a satisfactory grade, you then shell out £75 for the pleasure of taking the UKCAT exam, which pretty much takes up all Summer with preparation. If you've successfully negotiated that hurdle, you're then in a position to actually begin your application, which must, amongst other things, contain an excellent reference and a brilliant personal statement detailing why exactly the medical schools ought to be interested in you. And then you have to pick your choices.

But here's the catch, even after all this hoop jumping, endless exams and even doing a degree which wasn't your first choice, apparently it's still not enough as lots of GEP courses still have A-level requirements. So, for example, I can't apply to Bristol because as a 17 year old I screwed up my chemistry A level. Never mind that over the next three years I took FOUR university level biochemistry modules (one of them optional), nope, that still doesn't cut it, meaning that a fair few med schools are still out of my reach.

So back to the point, I'm feeling utterly screwed about my final choice. I'm very happy with my first three choices: Barts and The London 5 yr, Barts and The London 4 yr and Warwick 4 yr, but it seems like everytime I pick a fourth choice, something crops up which makes it seem like I'll get an automatic rejection.

First I wanted to go for Southampton GEP, but no-one knows exactly on what basis they make offers, since they don't interview. So basically your personal statement has to be amongst the top 10% or so, out of a total 1000 applicants. Very long odds.

Then there was Kings College London's 5 yr degree. No A level requirement, my UKCAT is probably high enough, really decent university in central London. Seems like a perfect choice right? Until they told me that if I were to gain an offer from them, it would be based on my MSc and not my BSc. I don't fancy another year of stressing over my grades, so that's KCL gone.

Finally I thought I'd made a breakthrough with Newcastle GEP. A brilliant university in a really cool city and the cherry on the cake was that I was told on the phone that their cut off last year was 690. I emailed them just to be sure and got a totally different reply that the cut off was 702.5. The cut-offs rarely go down, so with my 697.5 if I applied there I'm almost certain I'd be rejected.

In short, I'm completely stuck. I feel like I'm effectively throwing away one of my choices if I apply to either of these three but I genuinely have nowhere else to apply to (I've checked all the unis here). I probably will go ahead and risk it and apply to Newcastle GEP but I'd bet anything that they're going to reject me straight away.

I have just over two weeks to make up my mind, but it feels like I'm genuinely at a dead end. Any advice is much appreciated.

The dilemma

2011-09-27T18:34:00.004+01:00

Currently listening to: Country House - Blur

Not much to report so far this academic year. MSc induction went well, I've met some cool new people and also several fellow QMUL biomed grads who are now studying a related course (Cancer Therapeutics) at Barts and The London which shares a module with my course. Also met a few of my old lecturers from my final year biomed cancer biology module, who'll be teaching me this year. In short, it's been fun but also very busy.

In addition to my MSc, I've also been thinking a lot about my application to medical school which is due in just over two weeks, and I've reached a bit of a dilemma regarding my final choice. I am now 99.9% certain I will be applying to Barts and The London for the 5 yr and 4 yr degrees, and also to Warwick's 4 yr degree. And I was happy to pick King's College's 5 yr degree as my fourth choice, until they informed me that if I were to get an offer from them it would be conditional upon getting a Merit for my MSc...even though I have a 2:1 for my BSc, which is what their prospectus says their requirement for graduates is! Very annoying!

Well there's no point arguing about it, that's their rule so I can either accept it or find somewhere else to apply to. I thought back to Southampton GEP but realised they're just too risky. I've been reading a lot of the old threads on New Media Medicine and other forums, and Southampton rejected a lot of promising applicants, and since they don't interview you have no chance to prove to them face to face how good you are. So I then began considering five year degrees outside of London, in Leicester for example, but realised it's just too damn expensive. Thank you Tories and Lib Dems for succesfully commercialising education and ensuring only rich public school kids can afford studying medicine as a graduate.

This brought me back to Newcastle GEP, which I'd toyed with earlier but rejected as I believed my UKCAT wouldn't be high enough (697.5). I rang them earlier today, and I was told that their GEP cut-offs for the past three years have been 690, 685 and 682.5. Which was surprising since I'd always thought their cut-offs were in the mid 700s. To be honest with you I'd love the chance to study in Newcastle, the city looks amazing!

So as it stands I'm now seriously considering Newcastle GEP instead of King's College London. I can't guarantee that I'll get a Merit for my MSc (even though, of course, I'm aiming for top marks)...and I also don't want to go through the stress I did during my BSc. I've already done my three years of killing myself with worry about getting the grades, I actually want to be able to enjoy my MSc, and get a nice unconditional offer for medicine (if I get an offer at all, that is). But on the other hand, my UKCAT score is only 7.5 higher than last year's cut-off...so if it rises drastically this year I'll have wasted one of my choices. Ahh, decisions, decisions.

A year - or more?

2011-09-19T21:07:00.015+01:00

Currently listening to: A Whiter Shade of Pale - Procol Harum

I'm starting my MSc at Barts and The London in a few days. I've taken various modules at BL over the past three years, but this is the first time I'll be an actual student here and I'm really looking forward to it. Obviously being affiliated with QMUL (where I did my BSc), it's all very familiar. So familiar in fact that over the past few days I've bumped into some of my old classmates from biomed who are now doing medicine at BL.

Afterwards, thinking about it, I suppose it struck me that once again I'm stuck on the outside looking in. This is the second time in my life I've had to watch my classmates move onto medical school whilst I go off to do something else, the first time being after sixth form. And it really does suck. It's not that I dislike my current degree, or that I'm ashamed of what I do (anyone who knows me will know that I'm quite a proud person), but it is a bit frustrating to be constantly left behind as everyone else seems to progress to what they want to do. This isn't me being jealous or envious of my old classmates; they worked hard, and they deserve their places at medical school. It's not even anxiety or depression; I'm now closer to medicine than I've ever been before. I have a decent UKCAT mark, a good mark for my degree and my application is coming together. I suppose I'm just a bit annoyed that I have to wait nearly an entire year to get started with what I really want to do (if I get in that is), and I sometimes do wish things would just work out like they do for everyone else and not be such an uphill struggle. And if I was really honest with myself, I suppose there's a small worry that if I didn't get in this year, I'd be left behind again, which would be quite unbearable tbh. I'm just a little bit tired of doing things I like but don't love.

And so to EC1

2011-09-09T21:32:00.008+01:00

Currently listening to: True Faith - New Order

I used to live in London when I was little. When I was about 10 we moved. I won't say exactly where to, but it was close enough to London for commuting for my parents, but far away enough to not have any of London's charm and attractions. So when I was 17 and filling out my UCAS form, the University of London was the obvious choice and I firmed Imperial, expecting to live in South Kensington for a few years. A few badly done exams and a missed offer later, I ended up at Queen Mary, and Stepney where I lived for a year, and then two years in Mile End. I slowly grew to love the convenience and close knitness of a campus university and E1 on the whole. It was grim, urban and yet lovely in its own way. And I don't mean that the way those pretentious hipster kids do, I genuinely did like living there, warts and all.

But since all good things come to an end, so my time in E1 seems to have as well. My classes start on the 28th of this month and will nearly all be in Barts and The London's West Smithfield campus in Charterhouse Square. So I moved to EC1 yesterday which is very different to E1. This is central London in the truest meaning of the word and it's taking some getting used to, even though it's completely amazing living in the thick of it all. As weird as it sounds when I first moved into my room yesterday I felt a bit nervous about it all...moving in, paying the deposit for my MSc, etc, it seemed like things suddenly got real. I've got my timetable (all day classes on Wednesday and Thursday - two 9AM starts!) and I get the feeling that the antics I used to pull during undergrad, e.g. sleeping til noon, probably won't be acceptable during postgrad, the same way that when I started my BSc it just no longer seemed appropriate to skip assignments the way I "forgot" to do my homework during A-levels. I know that no-one's holding a gun to my head, and I am excited about starting something new, but it also feels like I've somehow committed to something really big and significant, and completely different to anything I've ever done before. I really hope I'm not rambling here, so I hope you understand what I mean.

It feels like life is moving really, really fast and everything from my room to my course seem really unfamiliar. So I suppose a feeling of disquiet is natural, so I'm trying to keep busy, not least by starting to get through the preliminary reading list for my MSc and also by attempting to write my personal statement for medical school. I've written quite a detailed plan, but the first paragraph has stumped me a bit, I can't quite explain exactly why I want to do medicine even though I do actually know in my head. It feels like a lot of my motivation to do medicine is just too personal to put into writing to a faceless stranger...and I don't want to resort to writing clichés either. But I'll obviously have to get over this and, like my MSc, commit, even if it feels quite daunting. But so far in my life, things have nearly always worked out in the end, so I feel no reason to be worried or stressed.

Hope all of you are well, and if any freshers are reading this, good luck for the coming days and weeks!

The inevitable "where the hell should I apply?" post

2011-08-31T23:59:00.013+01:00

Currently listening to: Ocean Drive - Lighthouse Family

Warning: long post!

As forecasted by Tofu two months ago when I got my degree results, "the 'where should i apply' post is inevitable". Well she was right, so here it is, if rather late in the day. The reason for the late appearance of this post was that I didn't want to get really keen on my choices, only to do really badly in the UKCAT and have to bitterly give them up. My attitude towards my application (and life on general) is probably best summed up by Harold Macmillan: “I'm an optimist, but an optimist who carries a raincoat”. Which probably means I'm a pessimistic optimist and therefore not really an optimist at all. But no matter since I got 697.5 in my UKCAT which would have been above last years cut-offs for most places, so now I finally feel like I can make this post without it just being pointless talk.

Where to begin? Probably some history about me: I didn't get amazing A-levels: ABCBC (A in biology, C in chemistry) and a lot of places expect BBB with a decent grade in chemistry. So that excludes the likes of Bristol, Liverpool, etc for me. I have done three shadowing placements and spent this summer volunteering as a teaching assistant at a learning centre for brain damaged adults, but two months isn't really major or long-term...so that excludes Leicester. My UKCAT is good, but it's not outstanding, so that would exclude Newcastle and KCL. When all is said and done, the only 4 year GEPs I stand a reasonable chance with are Barts and The London, Southampton and Warwick. Which are fine, but that's three choices out of four.

Originally I had planned to pick three GEPs and one standard degree. The GEPs would obviously be Barts and The London, Warwick and Southampton and the final choice most likely Kings College London (my UKCAT would be good enough for their 5 year programme I think). But the more I think about it, the less sure I am about Southampton. In fact, I really want to replace it with Barts and The London's five year degree.

The reason for this is simple: Southampton's admissions process is a total enigma. They don't interview so it's only judged on the contents of your personal statement (UKCAT has a very insignificant role for them). And judging a personal statement is such an arbitrary thing, I might think I've written what they're looking for, but how do I really know? Looking through last year's Southampton threads on New Media Medicine, an unbelievable number of well qualified applicants were rejected and they were completely perplexed by this. But at the end of the day, Southampton have to pick 40 top personal statements from over 1000 to make offers to so many people will end up disappointed...and I'm not confident enough to say mine will be that outstanding.

I don't want to be one of the many rejected, I'd rather be cautious even if it means going for another five year degree. I don't want to be writing in August 2012 without an offer and kicking myself for not applying to Barts and The London (getting an interview for A100 is based on UKCAT score and mine is reasonably good. Last year's cut off was 642.5.). I'm trying to be prudent and pragmatic, because this time next year I don't want to be starting a forced gap year, a PhD, or a job I dislike.

But applying to two five year degrees has its own drawbacks as theoretically it means you have a half chance of ending up with no tuition fee loan (assuming you get the offer in the first place). My plan for this is a) hoping I get a GEP offer and b) if I do end up with a five year offer, using my maintenance loan (£~7600 p.a in London) to pay for the fees...and moving in with my grandparents (they live in Zone 2, reasonably close to both BL and KCL) to eliminate living costs.

Not the coolest thing for a 22 year old to do, but medicine requires sacrifices. I guess this would be my one. Luckily my grandparents are really nice and let me do my own thing, so moving in with them wouldn't be bad at all. But it's either that, or working as a rentboy, which I did consider briefly, but on the whole I've concluded it's not really the right student job for me.

Some people have told me it would be a "waste" if I apply to or study for a five year degree. That my BSc and (by 2012) MSc would have all been in vain and I'd be back to square one studying in a class filled with 18 year old freshers. I don't see it that way. Medicine is what I'd love to do and I won't deliberately reduce my chances of gaining an offer because of misplaced pride. Not to mention, the skills I've gained in my BSc and MSc would prove just as useful in a five year degree as a four year one. Would I prefer to be a doctor in four years instead of five? Of course. Would I reject a five year offer if it were a choice between that and nothing? Not a chance in hell.

So I guess as things stand, currently I'm seriously considering the following choices:

Barts and The London 4 year degree
Warwick 4 year degree
Barts and The London 5 year degree
Kings College London 5 year degree

That said, being the pessimistic optimist that I am, most days I feel like I have a greater chance of getting into Katy Perry than of getting into medical school. So in reality even after all this strategising I could still end up with no offer come this time next year. But I really, really hope that doesn't happen!

All advice and words of wisdom are very much appreciated :)

UKCAT Results

2011-08-26T18:11:00.006+01:00

Currently listening to: What You Know - Two Door Cinema Club

Just got back from my UKCAT. Anyone who's familiar with med school in the UK will know that this exam is yet another hoop the universities make you jump through, and one which I was quite anxious about. I last sat this exam in 2007 when I got 625 (later increased to 640 due to exclusion of one of the sections). Four years on and a degree later, here's how things look:

Verbal Reasoning: 550
Quantitative Reasoning: 720
Abstract Reasoning 670
Decision Analysis: 850

Total: 2790 - Average: 697.5

I'm very happy with this score, considering the average is supposed to be 600. I'm a tiny bit miffed that I didn't breach the 700 barrier (generally held to be an outstanding score), but I was very close. Something curious however is the decrease - by over 200 points - in my verbal reasoning score, which in 2007 was 760. Either I've become progressively less articulate and literate as I've gotten older, (unlikely seeing as I keep up a blog and was a student journalist) or the UKCAT is really just a totally arbitrary and pointless measure of "ability". I'm leaning towards the latter, but at the end of the day I've got a good score and I'm very happy with it, the rest is irrelevant...bit hard to be grumpy today!

My DA score is frankly quite unexpected, I'd been doing well in the mocks but certainly not that well. Unlike the revision books QR was a very, very pleasant surprise, there weren't pages and pages of text to decipher before you could even attempt the question. Some of the questions were as simple as locating a value in a table. Pure bliss and relief. AR was also very nice, considering I only got the hang of how to do this section last week, up until then I'd been scoring in the 500s, which shows that with practice you can definitely improve your score in anything.

I'm really shattered now, but I'll make the inevitable "where shall I apply with my score?" post some time in the next few days. Thanks for the good luck comments/messages of reassurance in the previous post!

Perpetual uncertainty: Is this life?

2011-08-14T00:39:00.010+01:00

Currently listening to: Time - Pink Floyd

Sometimes I like to treat this blog like a sofa in a psychiatrist's office. I use it to reflect, debate, analyse and go over things in my mind to do with my future. I swear I'm not drunk when I make these posts, I just need somewhere to contemplate freely I guess.

Ten weeks have passed since I completed my BSc exams, got my grades, graduated, got accepted onto a masters degree and sorted out my accommodation for next year. The one thing that has constantly been on the back of my mind through all of this has been the UKCAT, which I have been preparing for. I have completed two revision books, a Kaplan pdf test, several free online tests, and hundreds of (paid for) online UPO questions, and now I've started them all again. I see patterns everywhere, I work out percentages whilst on the bus, and analyse newspaper articles for inferences and relationships.

Up til now I've been pretty laid back about the UKCAT, and I still am...after getting through the hell that is a biomed degree, I think few things will ever make me feel as nervous as my second year Immunology exam. But it would be silly to deny that - 12 days before the test - I'm getting nervous. I suppose it's because today it finally hit me just how important this test is. I was browsing some student forums (as you do) and stumbled on this post about the exam. The graduate in question had got 630 in his UKCAT and was wondering what he should do with this rather average score. The harsh, but honest, response?

"To be honest, that is quite a low score on the UKCAT for entry onto a 4 year program. I think you would struggle to get interviews for a 5 year program too. Your best bet will be to look at applying to unis that do not use an entrance exam ( Cambridge or Birmingham) or that use the GAMSAT. It does not matter how qualified you feel you are, the entrance exam plays a very large part in shortlisting for interview and with that UKCAT score I'm sorry to say you will be below the cut off for the majority (if not all) the UKCAT unis."

Of course I know that the UKCAT is important, I've never treated it less than seriously, but seeing this very honest advice 12 days before the exam finally crystallised what had been in the back of my mind for a long time: this exam is very, very significant and I really, really do not want to do badly, but what if after all this preparation I do?

Since getting my results, I've had nearly 8 weeks of un-nervousness. And now it's back. Is this life for me, forever? Stressing about my degree, stressing about my UKCAT, stressing about interviews, stressing about offers, stressing about rejections, stressing about med school yrs 1-4, stressing about MRCP 1, 2, 2A, stressing about registrar interviews...do I need to continue?

Sometimes I wonder whether it's all worth it. Whether it's even healthy. I'm not looking for sympathy in this post, I'm just hoping that all this uncertainty and edginess is a temporary part of my life, not permanent. Then again maybe everyone feels like this...

Me and my MSc

2011-08-01T23:27:00.006+01:00

Currently listening to: Superfly - Curtis Mayfield

I've been pretty indecisive when it comes to picking my masters degree. Throughout the past year I've applied for (and at the time seriously wanted to do) masters degrees in Allergy, Immunology, Clinical Microbiology and Infection and Immunity. I also considered (very early on and briefly in September in a real fit of boredom and hatred towards biomed) to convert to Law, and at various points throughout the year to run off and join the metaphorical circus.

When it comes to Masters degrees I'm QMUL's answer to Tiger Woods...I have a passionate but short term fling with each subject ("yes, I'm sure I want to do immunology, it's so interesting") and a few weeks later I go off it and move onto another one. I love them and leave them, and I don't give a damn. My academic libido is insatiable, and it's my poor tutor who's borne the brunt of it by having to put up with my endless email requests for references for courses I'll never do.

I suppose in part it's due to the fact that right up until the end of my BSc I still didn't know what the hell I liked or what the hell I was good at. There was the "alright, but not exciting" (microbiology), the "wish I was good at it, but really I suck so I shouldn't do it ever again" (endocrinology) and then the "hell on earth, shoot me please" (biochemistry). In fact it wasn't until late May when I realised that my biomed degree had saved the best til last, and that my third year Semester B modules (cancer biology and cellular pathology & haematology) were what I was not only very interested in, but also rather good at.

So at the beginning of June I made up my mind, (unlike Tiger Woods) to commit and be faithful to the MSc in Molecular Pathology and Genomics at Barts and The London. The fact that three weeks after I applied for this course my exam results showed that cancer biology, cellular pathology & haematology and genetics were my best modules, was a fortunate stroke of serendipity and confirmed my desire to study Molecular Pathology from September. The course combines elements of all three of those modules. The fact that it's taught at Barts and The London sweetens things further, as it's my first choice medical school, and I'd love to spend a year there as a postgrad student.

Exactly two months after applying I received my offer today, and gladly accepted it. So that's one more thing sorted out. In terms of the UKCAT (exam in three and a half weeks!), I'm steadily continuing to prepare for it, whilst at the same time desperately hoping that the real exam is nothing like the 600Q revision book. Indications from the New Media Medicine forum are promising however, with many students saying the real exam is much, much simpler than the prep materials.

So I suppose really I got three out of four for the 2011 plan which I made on New Years Day: "As for 2011...well...final year exams, graduation and a farewell to QMUL and university friends seems a lot closer from this side of the holidays"...I have indeed finished finals, graduated, and said goodbye to a great many people at QMUL who I've loved getting to know along the way...but the final farewell to QMUL itself and Barts and The London won't be happening for at least another year.

Volunteering

2011-07-15T16:07:00.012+01:00

Currently listening to: She's Electric - Oasis

As briefly mentioned in my last post, I've recently started as a volunteer at a small local charity near my parents' house where I'm staying for the Summer. The charity is a learning centre for adults with brain damage, the majority of whom have become disabled after a stroke or an accident. I was assigned to the Friday morning computer class as a teaching assistant.

Last time I applied for medical school (2007), I didn't have much in the way of work experience or at least, volunteering in a caring environment. I'd done several days of shadowing, and whilst it was very fun to wear scrubs. watch a mastoidectomy and help the anaesthetist with her sudoku, I didn't write much in my personal statement as to WHY it had strengthened my desire to study medicine and particularly, why I wished to work with people day in and day out for the rest of my professional life. Looking over my 2007 application, I have to say, it was a bit rubbish. I had the predicted grades, but my gained AS levels weren't very good. My personal statement was lackluster (I'd volunteered at Oxfam, but for the life of me now I can't work out why as it's not really relevant to the caring professions), and my UKCAT was average. No surprises, I got rejected a few months later.

So this time I'm determined to put together a faultless application. I have the grades, I shall hopefully have a good UKCAT score, and now I'm concentrating on gaining the relevant experience for my personal statement.

It was actually quite fun. Designing a poster on Powerpoint for a pretend hotel may be boring or too easy for most people, these basic computer skills can really make a difference to the clients in terms of their personal development. Simple things like copying and pasting or searching for images on Google need to be explained and taken step by step, but it's very satisfying when the students see the finished product. In short, patience is of utmost importance, it can take a while for the easiest task to be accomplished.

Today was my first session so for the final hour and a half I had to go through an induction which was basically a talk on health and safety, administration, etc. Boring, but necessary I suppose. I'll be going back next Friday, and so far it's been an enjoyable experience.

I'm also trying to get a rather distant relative (in terms of family, not location!), who works in the Immunology department of the Royal Free to arrange a period of shadowing for me in the hospital setting, so fingers crossed that works out too. In terms of UKCAT preparation, I've finished the practice questions so I've started the book again. So far I've identified several things:

Quantitative reasoning is simple, but I take a long time getting each problem done.
Abstract reasoning is mostly guesswork. Very hit and miss. But I've heard that it's just the questions in this book which are outrageously difficult, and the real exam is much nicer.
Verbal reasoning is fine. Get most of the questions right, and within the time limit.
Decision analysis is also fine. No problems with understanding or timing.

So in short I have to work on my timing for QR. If I can get a good score for the UKCAT, my chance of getting an interview at Barts and The London (my first choice for medicine) will be high, considering I already have my 2:1. The UKCAT is the final pre-interview hurdle to jump, so I absolutely have to do well in it.

Summer daze

2011-07-05T22:12:00.011+01:00

Currently listening to: Days - The Kinks

Having spent the last few posts being either super-pleased with myself for getting a 2:1 (yes, I mentioned it again *smug face*) or writing about the funding (or lack therof) for graduate entry medicine, today's entry will be returning to the regularly scheduled programme of grumbling. I'm a bit strange. I know that bloggers often attempt to be "quirky" or "strange" or any of that attention seeking claptrap, so that's not what I'm getting at, but the fact of the matter is that five weeks after finishing my exams I'm going mad with boredom, or more precisely, mad without any work to do. That's pretty odd, or so my family tell me. I made a very similar post last year, so this isn't exactly unusual for me.

At various points in my life people have described me as a "workaholic". That's not to say that I lack social skills or I don't know how to have a good time, indeed, the many posts I've made on here about being hungover show that sometimes I have too good a time. So I'm more of a workaholic in the sense that studying challenges, stimulates my mind and interests me. Twelve weeks of holidays do not, and I feel it acutely. The voice in the back of my head occasionally chides me for being so easily bored. The voice is a mixture of all the different authority figures currently featuring in my life: my parents, my third year microbiology lecturer, Mr Hanssen off Holby City, etc. Here's what the voice is telling me, and my responses:

Why do you think people are interested in hearing you moan about having too much free time? Get the hell off of this fine establishment.

I know. My bad.

How can you be bored, you've sweated blood for three years to get a degree, why can't you just relax and take it easy?

I've relaxed for five weeks. I've had enough. There was a time (i.e. during primary school) when the summer holidays seemed too short..."only six weeks?!". Now they're too long, and I'm feeling it. I get bored after three weeks of holidays.

Do something totally random!

I gave my blog a makeover.

Get a job then, you wasteman!

My parents town is small and job opportunities are very limited. I scour the local paper for vacancies each week, but apparently you're unemployable in this town unless you're a HGV driver, teacher or accountant.

Go on holiday?

Can't afford it. This is not helped by the employment problem (above). I'm starting my MSc in September which means I get no student loan, so I can't afford to waste any money. I wanted to escape to Paris for a bit, but even that's looking too expensive.

Visit London more often then, you love London:

This isn't actually a bad idea and I do go to London once a week or so, but that's more of a distraction rather than an actual solution. That said, going to the top of Primrose Hill, taking in the view and listening to The Kinks is the definition of relaxation. I suggest you all try it.

Volunteer?

Done. Starting on Tuesday, but that's only a few hours a week. I'll be a teaching assistant at a learning centre for adults with brain damage. That at least sounds interesting.

Prepare for your UKCAT, aren't you supposed to be a medical school applicant or something?

Doing it. I've finished three quarters of the 600 questions book, but I can hardly spend nine hours a day for two months doing that, can I? I spent less time revising for my degree!

Get a hobby, I can't believe at the age of 21 you still have to be told this stuff. Sort your life out, mate!

Well I bought two new songbooks today, Oasis and The Beatles to play on my keyboard. I have no doubt that these will keep me busy for a while, but I still miss the academic challenge that came with my degree.

Perhaps I've said too much. Perhaps now anyone reading this blog will conclude I'm a saddo with nothing of interest or excitement in my life apart from my work. That's not true at all. I just like a healthy balance. I like having fun and taking it easy, but I also miss uni life. I'm sure I can't be the only student out there who feels this way. Finally, I hope everyone else is enjoying their Summer!

Funding for graduates: a last minute reprieve?

2011-06-28T18:45:00.017+01:00

Currently listening to: Velvet Morning - The Verve

Apologies for the length of this post!

The cost of studying medicine as a graduate has been on the back of my mind a lot since I got my results and realised that I actually will be applying for 2012 entry medicine, and therefore I have a chance of gaining an offer, and subsequently having to deal with £9K p.a fees.

It's no secret that I have nothing but contempt for the government, not least due to their short-sighted and damaging plans for higher education and the NHS. The New Labour lot before them weren't much better, and indeed they were the ones who commissioned the Browne Report to begin with, but the Coalition has been a complete shambles, not least because it's an unholy marriage between a group of supposedly liberal and progressive individuals (the Lib Dems, believe it or not) and the firmly pro-business and pro-profit Conservative party. I am not a Lib Dem, though in between feeling cynically amused at their plight, I actually feel sorry for them, as they're acting as the Tory's human shields and the opinion polls prove it. Is Clegg the most hated man in Britain or what? But then again they brought this on themselves, which is a lesson to all would-be political opportunists...

Until 2012, if a graduate started medical school, they would pay the tuition fees for their first year (£3000~) themselves. Graduates would not be entitled to a tution fee loan, but instead their fees for years 2-4 would be paid for by a NHS bursary. The graduate would also be able to get student loans to cover their cost of living for their four years at university. However, since the Coalition pushed through their "reforms" in 2010 at breakneck speed, they forgot to take into account the situation of post-2011 graduate entry medics. What happened next was over six months of pure uncertainty and misinformation, as it was suggested that the government wouldn't help GEM students, and that the NHS bursary would not be increased to cover the difference between the new £9K fees and the old £3K fees and no tuition fee loan would be provided.

As you can imagine this lead to a lot of panic amongst many students about where they would be able to find £9K x 4, and that's just the tuition fees. With the living expenses of going to a central London medical school, I had figured that if I got an offer, I would need about £76K to actually get through the course. Since my parents aren't oil tycoons, I couldn't rely on them, and I was very reluctant to get a commercial bank loan. The Times Higher Education Supplement covered this story last week, the comments at the bottom of the article are an indication of how graduates felt about being shafted by the government, simply for wanting to study medicine.

I don't really fancy doing an in depth dissection of the entire White Paper, though suffice to say that I laughed with some derision at the notion of students being "consumers". We are not consumers, we are students. University education is not a consumable commodity, and universities are not profit machines, or rather, they shouldn't be, though with this lot in power, I have no doubt that both the university and the health systems are now venture capital enterprises.

Fortunately however, the government appears to be willing to keep the NHS bursary for 2012 and provide a tuition fee loan to cover the increase in fees, something I am relieved about, if indeed they follow through with it:

"And I can announce today that my Rt Hon friend the Secretary of State for Health and I have agreed that, for undergraduate medical and dentistry students starting their course in autumn 2012, the NHS bursary will be increased in years 5 and 6 to cover the full costs of tuition. For graduate entrants starting in autumn 2012, access to student loans will be made available so that there are no additional up-front tuition costs. We will consider arrangements for subsequent years. More information is being placed in the libraries of both Houses." - David Willetts

I have bolded the penultimate sentence as it's quite ominous, it seems to suggest that safeguarding the bursary is only a temporary measure, until they can find another way of doing things, which will no doubt involve transferring the cost from the NHS onto the students. So this makes it extremely important that I get in for 2012 entry, though I won't be the only graduate heaving a sigh of relief at this news, thousands of others will be, and so the competition will no doubt be very, very tough this year as everyone clamours to get in whilst they're guaranteed tuition fee loans from years 2-4.

Am I relieved about the proposals? Yes, definitely, it's a real weight off my mind. Am I grateful to the government? Not really, I still reiterate my belief that education should be free for all. This is definitely better than leaving graduates to find their own funding, but it still doesn't change the fact that if I ever make it through medicial school, I (and all my classmates) will leave with A LOT of student debt, all for wanting to enter a profession which is as public-minded as it gets. I think the BMA sum up my thoughts perfectly:

“These experiences demonstrated that for many students the hope of becoming a doctor was at risk of being extinguished, despite their obvious talent. Graduate students, of which a substantial number come from low income backgrounds, were in particular danger of being priced out of medicine because of the unfair suggestion that they might have to pay the increased fees in their first year.

This was completely unacceptable, as was the months of indecision and delay from ministers on both of these important issues...

...We are therefore pleased that ministers have listened and given guarantees to applicants for the 2012 intake. These individuals can now get on with planning their applications.

However, despite this step forward the BMA believes that this announcement should not just be a short term fix, but a long term solution...".

I, and everyone else involved in the Save GEM Campaign are very relieved for now, because for next year's cohort at least, funding is to be provided. Getting an offer for 2012 is now more important than ever, so here's hoping I get in.

UKCAT and U2

2011-06-25T00:59:00.009+01:00

A lot of blogs tend to turn into soapboxes for their proprietors to become amateur art/music/fashion critics. I have tried to resist from doing this, but watching U2's performance of Sunday Bloody Sunday at Glastonbury a few hours ago has made me change my mind, just this once...it's simply amazing!!

Seriously, try and tell me that that does not blow you away! Coldplay are on tomorrow, quite frankly these two headliners guarantee that the festival will be brilliant, especially compared to last year when Muse (the mother of all overrated bands) was leading the show. Excellent stuff, I only wish I were there!

Back on topic, I've still not quite got over the miracle that is my getting a 2:1. Stressing about my grades has been a pretty big part of my life for the past two years, so it's kind of a habit now. I still find myself having the occasional panic about it. But then I remember that it's all over and I've got the grade. And then I relax. More than anything I feel very content and relieved, able to finally say I've had a results day that went well! I have no doubt that getting an offer from medical school will be very tough, since nearly everyone else will have excellent applications, but I can't help feeling a little bit hopeful now that I've surmounted the academic hurdle anyway.

Last week I ordered the 600 UKCAT Practice Questions book, and have been steadily working my way through it. It's a very thorough book and provides lots of tips and explanations. I last did the UKCAT in year 13, i.e. 2007. That was only the second cycle in which the UKCAT had been used, so there were no practice questions or guidebooks available. So I couldn't do any preparation for the exam and got 625, which is above average, but not by much. Actually I think 2007 was the year where one of the sections was discounted so my average went up to 650, but meh, it's still not an amazing score, especially for the GEP degrees.

This year I'm aiming for a score of 700 so I can be well above all the cut-offs. I'm hoping that all the extra preparation will help boost my score by 75 points! I've booked the exam for August 26th, so I've got two months to prepare for it. Once I finish the 600 questions book, I'll no doubt move onto another, does anyone have any suggestions? Or generally any UKCAT revision tips? Cheers!

Hope you're all well and enjoying the Summer (apparently the weather's going to turn nice this weekend)!

When is a 2:2 not a 2:2?

2011-06-17T23:30:00.006+01:00

Currently listening to: Life In Technicolor ii - Coldplay

As detailed in my previous post, our marks were accidentally leaked online on Sunday night, and very quickly taken down on Monday morning. So I already knew my marks at the time of making my last post, though in the interests of confidentiality, I decided not to post them til today's SBCS examination board meeting had been concluded. The marks I received on MySIS on Sunday were as follows:

Cancer Biology - 80 - A
Project Skills in the Life Sciences - 76 - AA (double credit module)
Cellular Pathology & Haematology - 64 - B
Human Genetics & Genomics - 61 - B
Endocrine Physiology - 56 - C
PBL - 55 - C
Molecular Microbiology - 52 - C

AAABBCCC = Which gave me an overall degree mark of 59.5375%...a 2:2.

Very surprised about that Cancer Biology mark as I thought the exam was quite average, and also quite surprised about the Endocrine Physiology mark as I'd felt that the exam had gone very well. Clearly not!

It is impossible for me to describe how stressed and anxious I have been since Sunday night, wondering whether or not that mark would be rounded up to 60 to give me a 2:1. As I wrote in my previous post "I'll be absolutely and utterly gutted if I miss out on a 2:1 by say, 1.5%"...as it happens I was looking at losing out on a 2:1 by less than half a percentage point! On Sunday night I was reasonably confident that it would be rounded up, though as the days went by, I felt more and more pessimistic, to the point where this afternoon I was confident I would be picking up a degree valued at 59.5%.

Fortunately however, when I went in today to pick up my results, my adviser said with a huge smile on her face that I did indeed get a 2:1, and not a 2:2 as I'd feared. My precise reaction to this was "YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY". No exaggeration. Just to make sure I also checked my classification on the noticeboard in the SBCS building foyer, and there beside my student number was "2:1". Written proof. And I'm still on a high, because this means that the past three years have been worth it. Every boring lecture, every tricky assignment, every attended-with-a-killer-hangover-from-hell practical session has lead up to, and helped me achieve this classification which means that I can now apply for medicine. I'm finally where I want to be.

My adviser wasn't able to tell me my module scores or overall percentage, just my classification. The figures I'm using above are those which I saw on Sunday night on MySIS...which were provisional, not official. We receive our written transcript in July. But to be honest, I don't really care. I've made it. Made it, made it, made it. It still hasn't quite sunk in that with my 2:1 I fulfill the academic entry requirements for medical school. It's not just a prediction, a hope, aspiration or dream. It's a real mark, and one which I am very, very happy with. My adviser confirmed that it won't change.

So...what's next? UKCAT at some point during the summer (already ordered the 600 practice questions book :D), more voluntary work, a decent personal statement...and finally I'll be able to send off my UCAS application. I have to remember that the real journey has just begun. Even with a 2:1 there are no guarantees, and the competition will be fierce. But I would never be truly happy doing anything other than medicine, so I have to give it my best shot. One of the hurdles was successfully negotiated today.

Over the next few months I will be blogging about my experiences with the application process, and my masters degree (as yet TBC). Thanks to all of you who've commented over the months and years with your various kind messages, believe it or not, at times they have been very comforting when I've been surrounded by stacks of coursework, deadlines and distinctly average marks. My particular thanks to "Joey", if he's still reading this blog...your advice was instrumental in persuading me to pick Project Skills (I don't think I would have got AA for the Research Project!).

Grumpy Biomed BSc (because I can) ;)

Final thoughts Mk II

2011-06-16T21:56:00.005+01:00

Currently listening to: Got Nuffin' - Spoon

Exactly a year ago (give or take a few hours), I was in this precise position. Perhaps even literally. Sitting at my old desk, in my parents' house, waiting for results the following day. Back then I was pessimistic, and now I'm marginally less pessimistic, but pessimistic all the same (this blog is called the Grumpy Biomed, not the Cheerful and Optimistic Biomed, so it's not altogether unexpected). The plot thickens however as this is a) a lot more important than last year as tomorrow I will be finding out my degree classification b) our marks were accidentally (and briefly) leaked online a few night ago.

In the interests of confidentiality I will not be saying anything until the SBCS Examination Board has concluded its meeting tomorrow afternoon and officially released the results. The plot does indeed thicken, but I am still very much uncertain myself regarding results. If I weren't I wouldn't be feeling pessimistic, I'd be feeling happy, sad, angry, ecstatic, or whatever, but not pessimistic...an emotion which carries with it uncertainty and an element of anticipation.

So...it all depends on tomorrow afternoon. I will again say that I genuinely have tried my best and that I do hope that my results will reflect this and allow me to get to where I want to get.

Speculation

2011-06-12T18:20:00.005+01:00

Currently listening to: Every Teardrop is a Waterfall - Coldplay

Is it pointless to speculate about my results? My brain, friends, and parents certainly think so. After all, the exams are done and dusted and the papers are probably now being given a final once over by SBCS in preparation for results day on Friday. I know that I've tried my best, completed my courseworks and dissertation faithfully, and tried my best to sort out the stress problem I had last year with regards to exams (with better organisation, a good sleeping pattern, earlier revision, etc). I know all of this, yet I can't stop thinking about the results all the same. It's so stupid when your own brain won't listen to the logic of which it is fully aware. Speculation is pointless, but I can't stop doing it. Even Coldplay's new song (above) can't distract me.

The main worry is and has always been "will I do well enough to get into medicine" i.e. can I get a 2:1. My current average is a fairly low 2:2, so I'd need 65% this year to get a 2:1 overall. It's a tall order for anyone, so in short I'm not overly hopeful. I can't accurately judge my performance this exam season, because I, (like most students), have no idea how the essays are graded and on what specific criteria. It's not like a MCQ where it's either right or wrong, it is in fact up to the examiner's personal judgement of whether or not you've written in a way to merit a particular grade. So I worry about whether I've included enough details, whether I've waffled too much or just plain not answered the question, any of which would lead to a mediocre mark. And I really can't afford that. I know that the Examination Board can use a certain amount of discretion when classifying degrees, i.e. it can bump 58s or above to a 60, but I don't think that's something to bank on, and the regulations specifically state that "...discretion shall not be used as an automatic response, as this would in effect lower QMUL’s requirements for award, including lowering the classification boundaries.". Which is fair enough really, but I'll be absolutely and utterly gutted if I miss out on a 2:1 by say, 1.5%.

I know that it's possible to get into medicine with a 2:2 as the lovely Bean has proven, but I'd like to avoid the GAMSAT if possible. Yes, if I had no other choice, of course I'd do it, but the UKCAT definitely seems much simpler and would allow me to apply to a wide range of courses rather than just the three medical schools which accept 2:2s. Of course if any medical school gave me an offer, I'd be over the moon, but at the end of the day I'm allowed to have my own preferences too...and I'd always liked the idea of going to medical school in London.

So I guess the dream of studying medicine wouldn't be over with a 2:2, but it would make it even more of an uphill struggle. And I'm kind of tired of that, for once I'd just like to be able to apply with the right entry requirements like everyone else.

But reality is reality, so I've been looking through Griffith's GAMSAT review and the GAMSAT past papers (found them online - £78 saved!). The exam has a writing section, a verbal reasoning section and a scientific reasoning section (which contains the dreaded chemistry A level content, which I got a C for, with difficulty, years go). So I don't think the GAMSAT would be a complete disaster if I can brush up on my chemistry...but all the same, it's a route that I'd like to avoid if possible.

So the tl;dr version of this entry is basically: I think I've got a 2:2, I'm mentally preparing myself to start GAMSAT revision later this Summer, and, er, that's it. There will ~~probably~~ possibly be more angsty posts up until Friday.

Why do I write?

2011-05-30T14:43:00.005+01:00

People have asked me before "why do you blog?". To be honest, as selfish as it sounds, I write for myself. I realise that after a while it can get pretty tiring reading some guy's endless angst/grumpiness/fear surrounding his degree, his grades and ultimately whether he'll ever get into medical school, but I suppose I need to get this stuff off my chest...and the interweb is the best place to do this. So I write to vent, and not because what I write is particularly fascinating. It stops me driving the people around me insane, though having said that I visited my parents yesterday and I don't think it would be too much of an exaggeration to say that 90% of the conversation was me saying "if I don't get a 2:1 I'll be REALLY REALLY pissed off", over and over again. During this time of year, i.e. after exams, but before results, I become pretty intolerable and just keep thinking about results non-stop...at least nowadays my parents and friends only have to put up with three weeks of it, unlike during A levels when we had to wait til the end of August for results!

So in advance I apologise, over the next few weeks this blog will be filled with nervousness, anticipation, and pretty boring stress. And when the inevitable result finally comes through (trust me, it's coming like a freight train)...well...I don't think it's possible for me to describe just how much I want to do well this year but I have to make up for two years of mediocre grades, and that is a tall order for anyone...

Six

2011-05-28T13:13:00.006+01:00

Currently listening to: Coffee and TV - Blur

It would have been nice to have a clean sweep of 6/6 exams being nice, but sadly it didn't happen. Yesterday's Molecular Clinical Microbiology exam was a pretty rubbish experience. I'm far too hungover right now to pretend I'm anything other than annoyed and pissed off about it. The problem was having Human Genetics and Genomics on Thursday, and Molecular Microbiology 24 hours later on Friday....there just wasn't enough time to prepare properly. The questions I wanted DID come up, but sadly the lack of preparation meant that by the time I reached Q7, I knew virtually nothing and could only muster three sides of A4 (usually I write at least five or six for a good essay).

Q2) Describe the basic principles behind PCR. Compare and contrast PCR and Real Time PCR.

Q5) Compare and contrast the different mechanisms of immune evasion and cellular invasion used by the causative agents of Leishmaniasis and Chagas' Disease.

Q7) Describe the biology of Human African Trypanosomiasis.

Pity really as I'd written an excellent set of notes with the answers to all of these questions, complete with extra reading and references, the problem was the lack of time to properly revise these notes! Q2 was definitely the best one, in fact it was rather good and I covered the points I wanted to make. Q5 was average at best, I felt like I was clutching at straws some of the time, and Q7 was pretty bad. Quite a lot of the class found the exam to be difficult, so I'm guessing everyone was feeling the pressure. I just hope that I got good marks for my other tests so that they can make up for this one.

Anyway that concludes BSc Biomedical Sciences. Now 20 days til results.

Five

2011-05-26T15:44:00.008+01:00

Currently listening to: Teardrop - Massive Attack

Just got back from the Human Genetics and Genomics exam. Human Genetics revision = very interesting and straight-forward. Genomics revision = deeply boring. But I gritted my teeth and got on with it. Again, being short of time I wasn't able to revise everything I wanted, but I revised Trimethylaminuria and pharmacogenetics for the Human Genetics section very well. So well in fact that I didn't leave much time to revise Genomics. This was not helped by the aforementioned fact that Genomics is deeply, deeply boring, and the lectures are, er, somewhat light on content. I can only hope my frantic textbook scavenging and Wikipedia-ing of transposable elements will pay off. Sadly the effects of the past few weeks are getting to me and I'm a little sleep deprived, so I can't remember the exact phrasing of the questions, but here goes:

1) Flavin containing monoxygenases and TMAU. Essentially describe and discuss.

2) Pharmacogenomics will revolutionise modern medicine. Discuss.

6) Define an autonomous transposable element. Compare and contrast the P element of Drosophila melanogaster and the L1 element in humans.

Question 6 is the Genomics question. For the uninitiated, D melanogaster = a fruitfly. See what I mean about deeply boring? Well I tried my best for it, but this week was always going to be intense (three exams in five days), so I didn't revise Genomics as well as I wanted to...but on the whole I feel like I've done alright, especially in the first two questions which I'd revised a lot, done past papers on, etc. I'm worried Q6 might drag me down, though my exam post-mortem revealed no disasters or slip-ups. Which I can only hope means a decent mark. Please.

Anyway, one more to go.

Four

2011-05-24T23:50:00.002+01:00

Currently listening to: Lucky Man - The Verve

Cancer Biology was something I felt quite unprepared for. On the plus side, I had 83% for the coursework, which is worth 30% of the total module. On the downside, the coursework (an essay and presentation) was so time consuming that I barely had time to make any decent notes during last term. And with three exams before this I really only got round to making notes for it a week ago.

The exam was okay. I don't think it went spectactularly, but I don't think it went badly either. It was just okay. For once in my life the MCQ question went well (if I've calculated correctly I should get 19/25 minimum for that section). This was our only third year exam which had an MCQ section, so subsequently we had to answer only two essay questions, not three. Which was very good since I don't feel I could have written much of a decent answer for the others. So here are the questions:

2) Describe the processes of DNA damage and explain how malfunctioning DNA repair can cause cancer.

6) Describe metastasis and explain its importance in cancer.

Hmm. I made a plan including the bulk i.e. 90% of what was in my notes and wrote what I felt was a decent answer. But when I did my exam post-mortem this evening I realised that for question 2 I'd left out quite a few of the nitty-gritty little details relating to different forms of DNA damage. Question 6 was much better, though on the whole I felt last week's endocrinology exam, even though it was more challenging and difficult with a lot more content to remember, went better. That said, if I've calculated correctly with 83% in the coursework, I need 52% in the exam to get a 2:1 for this module...and I think (unless I've seriously misjudged), it went well enough for me to reach that target. I hope. Especially if I've done as well in the MCQs as I think.

On the whole I must say that none of my exams have felt as bad as last year's, they've all felt much better. I can only hope that means better grades.

Starting at midnight tonight, I have the most intense 66 hours of my life...two exams in three days, then freedom.

Three

2011-05-19T23:25:00.002+01:00

Currently listening to: Sunday Bloody Sunday - U2

After a ten day interval today was my third exam, Endocrine Physiology and Biochemistry. Traditionally a subject feared by biomeds, biochemists, pharmaceutical chemists and other life sciences students for its complicated chemical pathways, intricate physiological details and the sheer workload, I approached revision for this subject with some trepidation. Progress was slow and it soon became abundantly clear that much like my first exam, Cellular Pathology and Haematology, I wouldn't be able to learn everything. So I decided to concentrate particularly on learning the pancreas, cardiovascular hormones, the adrenal glands and steroidogenesis, and the associated signal transduction pathways. The thyroid, male and female reproductive systems took a back seat as I prioritised and hoped to god that these would not come up in the exam. Three essay questions to answer, though luckily for this exam there was free choice of questions (i.e. unlike CP&H). And even more luckily some decent questions came up:

1) "Peptide hormone synthesis is simple. One gene, one hormone". Discuss.

6) Discuss the role of the pancreas in glucose homeostasis.

7) Give an example of a vasoconstrictor and a vasodilator, giving details of their biosynthesis and mechanism of action. Describe the problems associated with damage to the endothelium.

A pretty good line up. Having conducted my exam post-mortem I covered the majority of my points for questions 1 and 7, and all my points for question 6. Question 6 was a dream come true, open ended, broad and straight-forward. I feel I did best in that, followed by 1, followed by 7. All in all I'm pleasantly surprised about how painless this exam was...let's hope the results reflect this!

I am now halfway through my finals, with three exams to go next week. Time to press on with Cancer Biology revision!

Two

2011-05-09T17:28:00.007+01:00

Currently listening to: Live Forever - Oasis

PBL (problem based learning) is a form of student-centred learning which is very popular in medical schools and engineering departments. Some medical schools (e.g. Peninsula) only use PBL, some use a mixture of PBL and lectures (e.g. Barts and the London) and some don't use it at all (e.g. Oxbridge). What QMUL biomeds do is take a PBL module during second and third year, which basically means having six assignments during eash year which you do in your own time, a tutorial, and a test three weeks later. The marks of the second year assignments count for 10% of the total module grade, the marks for third year assignments count for 40% and the final exam at the end of third year counts for 50%.

So off I went to do the exam today. Having concentrated solely on Cellular Pathology and Haematology until Friday, and being dead tired on Friday afternoon I only started my PBL revision on Saturday. Luckily we know which topics are coming up (the six assignments we did this year), and we had to answer three questions, so being short of time I decided to revise three topics (Cirrhosis, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and Multiple Myeloma), knowing that they were guaranteed to come up.

Well come up they did, but I still can't shake off a feeling that this exam did not go so well. Each question had seven parts, A-G, with part A being a 30 mark essay question on the pathology of the disease in question. I think I managed to do these all well. There were also two parts per question which were a 10 mark EMQ and 20 mark MCQ question. Which again went well. So in short I think I made a good attempt at 60 marks out of the hundred. The remaining 40 are a mixed bag. For example, on Question 6 to do with multiple myeloma I ran out of time so wasn't able to do the question on antibody diversity (10 marks gone). Also on the question on cirrhosis I had missed some of the biochemistry in my notes so whilst I did attempt the question (also 10 marks), I think I've done it wrong. So as you can see I'm feeling a bit touch and go about this exam...I could have done alright...but then again I might not have. I can only hope (what I think was) an excellent 30 mark essay on multiple myeloma pathophysiology can make up for all the areas I did badly in. I'm certainly not expecting any As.

Given that the majority of biomeds want to eventually study medicine, SBCS decided to introduce the PBL module a few years ago so we would be familiar with medical school teaching styles. I quite like the thought of following a PBL based curriculum if I ever get into medical school, but I haven't enjoyed biomed PBL much. The difference is that when medical schools run PBL courses, they do it well, whereas SBCS...don't. The module is fairly disorganised, and the individual tutors often aren't familiar with the case studies (in one or two cases I suspect this might be because they haven't bothered to read them before the tutorial), and the exam marks and papers are always handed back really late. For example I did the multiple myeloma in-course assessment in March...I got the marks back last Friday, three days before the final exam. How on earth is that helpful? I would say PBL has been the one module at SBCS which I've disliked, not because of the content, but because it's badly run.

Anyway, it's all over now, and I have endocrinology to look forward to in 10 days, a nice traditional subject with powerpoints and textbooks. Time to go do some hardcore revision.

PS: Thank you for all your good luck messages in the previous post :)

One

2011-05-06T23:12:00.009+01:00

Currently listening to: In The Waiting Line - Zero 7

Exam season kicked off today with Cellular Pathology & Haematology. QMUL's Great Hall is being refurbished so I guess they didn't have anywhere else large enough to accommodate us, so it was off to Stratford Town Hall which is one stop away on the Central Line. A word of advice to any non-Londoners considering moving here...the Tube is brilliant (if only it ran 24/7 eh?), but as soon as the temperature gets marginally warm, Tube carriages basically turn into mobile saunas. You have been warned.

I've done several past papers which has made me more familiar with the examination style and the phraseology of questions, which kind of removed the fear I've had in the past to do with exams. I made essay plans and did eight past paper questions for this module, so I sort of knew what to expect. So I felt a lot more prepared than I did this time last year.

I'll be honest with you though, CP&H is a pretty intensive course with some of the lectures being 120 slides long, and quite complicated too. Lots of growth factors, adhesion molecules, cytokines and cascades to remember, though I'd say I managed to revise about 75% of the course very well, or at least well enough to do an essay on. Areas I felt confident in were acute inflammation, tissue processing, haematopoiesis, cellular injury and cellular adaption. Areas I felt "okay" in were coagulation, chronic inflammation and metastasis. Areas I hoped to god wouldn't turn up in the exam were anaemia, thrombophilia and cancers. These final three are the 25% I was terrified about.

The CP&H exam is comprised of seven essay questions, and you needed to pick one from Section A, one from Section B and one from Section C. So you can imagine what would have happened if Section B had been, say, thrombophilia vs cervical cancer. I would have been absolutely screwed and I wouldn't have been able to do anything about it. Quite worrying.

As it happened I needn't have worried, since the paper was very good. The questions I answered were as follows (obviously they were worded more formally):

1a) Describe the role of fixatives in tissue processing.
1b) Describe the role of other techniques involved in tissue processing.
1c) Describe the role of stains in tissue processing.

3) Give an account of haematopoiesis.

6a) Compare and contrast acute and chronic inflammation.
6b) Describe the role of leukocytes in acute inflammation.
6c) Describe a typical mycobacterial granuloma.

I breathed the biggest sigh of relief when I saw the questions as they were in the areas I'd revised the most and which I had completed past papers on. So I got to work. Unlike last year where I really struggled with completing one section of the three (usually the MCQ or SAQ which I was clueless about), for this exam I think all the questions were manageable and I think I made a decent attempt at all the essays.

That's not to say I think I've done perfectly. It's a pointless act of self-torture but exam-time tradition for me to go through my notes after the exam and conduct an exam post-mortem. I realised that for Q1b I forgot to mention the role of dehydration in processing (though I did get all the other steps). That's one mistake in 33% of 33% of the exam so it can't be that bad, can it? I did mention how ethanoic acid acts on tissue proteins but I didn't mention that it causes them to swell. These might all seem like little details, but I'm worried they'll add up and cause the examiner to think I don't know any extra details and give me a 2:2 :( Do any grads or anyone with knowledge about how lecturers mark exams have any advice to give me on how seriously little omissions like this affect your final essay grade?

I think Q3 was easily my best, I'd completed a past paper on haematopoiesis just the night before so I basically repeated that and when I checked my notes after the exam I was happy to see I'd included all the points on my essay plan. Q6 was good too though I ran out of time towards the end so Q6c was basically a diagram of a granuloma with labels and explanations, but not much by way of an essay. Still, they're always telling us "if you can simplify it with a diagram, do so", so I hope they remember their own words. But again, that worry in the back of my mind...

Anyway, I think for a first exam it went well, certainly much better than I expected. One down and five to go, with the next exam being PBL on Monday. I hope things continue on this note. I just really hope my good feelings regarding this exam aren't all just a massive misjudgement on my part and I've actually messed up the exam really badly...after last year's experience I'm kind of unsure about my judgement.

Pre-exam advice

2011-05-05T02:40:00.003+01:00

Currently listening to: Shadow - The Southland

So...what to do the day/night before your first exam of final year?

Also have a packet of Fizzers. Oh happy, stress-free childhood, where have you gone?

I've reached the stage where nervousness won't allow me to sleep, so I spend the time lying in bed, in the dark, reciting my notes out loud, from memory. Please, please, please let ~~Friday's~~ tomorrow's Cellular Pathology & Haematology exam be nice. Please, please, please let acute inflammation, cellular injury and haematopoiesis come up. Please, please, please don't let thrombophilia, cervical cancer or haemostasis come up. I actually have no idea who these requests are aimed at.

Now for bed. (And by bed, I mean lying awake, talking to myself about chronic inflammation and metastasis).

The Biomedical Sciences Oscars

2011-04-01T23:35:00.008+01:00

Currently listening to: Valley Winter Song - Fountains of Wayne

With the end of Week 12 of Semester B, I can now say I've completed all my labs, finished my classes and am now six exams away from being Grumpy Biomed BSc.

The exam timetable was given out earlier this week and this is how it looks:

May 6th - Cellular Pathology and Haematology
May 9th - PBL
May 19th - Endocrine Physiology
May 24th - Cancer Biology
May 26th - Human Genetics and Genomics
May 27th - Molecular Microbiology

Hmm. My initial reaction was "thank god there's a ten day break before Endocrine Physiology"...the amount of reading and revision required for that module does not seem possible. It's a bit of a shame that the final three exams are crammed in four days, but at least I can say that most of my exams start in late May which gives me a good six weeks (from today) to revise.

Things to do this year for revision: Make a decent revision plan. Don't cram. Don't revise your favourite subjects first, do a little of several subjects each day. Sleep. Do not pull 20 hour shifts in the library.

I suppose it's not quite the end yet, so I'll make my deep (and very sentimental) post about my time at QMUL some time in June, but for now I'll simply reflect on the academic side of things...so without further ado dear readers, I present to you Grumpy Biomed's degree in, er, Oscar format:

The Hall of Fame

The Award for Best Module: Nutrition and Metabolism (second year)

The Module with the Coolest Lecturer: Biomedical Physiology (first year)

The Most Fun Module: Cancer Biology (third year)

The Most Useful Module: Biomedical Pharmacology (second year)

The Richard Branson Award for the Module Taught by the Prof with the Coolest Beard: The Microbial World and Humans (first year)

The Nice 'n' Laid Back Module Award: Chromosomes and Gene Functions (first year)

The Mayfair Award for the Plushest Building: Whitechapel Library, Whitechapel Campus

Honourable Mention: Clinical Microbiology (second year)

And now for the Razzies...

The Labs You Never Want To Do When Hungover Award : Cellular Pathology and Haematology (third year)

The Yawn Award for the Most Boring Module: Tissue Biology (first year)

The Appendix Award for the Most Pointless Module Ever: Techniques in Biomedical Sciences (second year)

The Cheerio Award for the Least Missed Module: Human Molecular Biology (second year)

The "Is This a Pisstake Module?" Award: Essential Skills for Biologists (first year)

The Samaritans Award for the Module Which Most Made Me Want To Kill Myself: The Human Cell (first year)

The Ghetto Award for the Most Decrepit Building: Fogg Building, Mile End Campus (NB: prior to 2011 renovation - now it's very nice!)

Honourable Mention: Endocrine Physiology (third year)

After taking a well deserved lie in tomorrow morning, I will be starting revision. This time it really is the beginning of the end.

Postgrad stuff II

2011-03-28T23:50:00.003+01:00

I'm pleasantly surprised, in less than two weeks Barts and the London reviewed my application to study a MSc in Clinical Microbiology and made me an offer...Southampton took over 6 weeks (as did Imperial to reject me).

So I have one more offer, and it's at a great medical school which I am already familiar with. Having been sent the course handbook it looks very interesting with a good mix of bacteriology, virology and immunology...there's just one problem: even with the £1000 discount for being a continuing QMUL student, the course fees are £8600! Seriously!

Whilst I'd love to stay at QMUL for one more year, I see no reason why I should pay so much more. A MSc in Medical Parasitology at the London School of Hygeine and Tropical Medicine costs £5300 whilst UCL's Infection and Immunity MSc costs £5,750. Imperial's MSc in Immunology (which I'm being considered for as a second preference) is the cheapest of the lot at £4200!

So...unless there's some secret bursary that I'm as yet unaware of, whilst Bart's and the London's MSc looks very nice, the cost is very off putting...I can do an MSc at just as good an institution for nearly half the price :( Still waiting for UCL though, so fingers crossed!

Also, no word on exam timetables as yet. They should be given out by the end of the week, so expect another post in a few days.

Postgrad stuff

2011-03-21T18:44:00.005Z

Currently listening to: As Tears Go By - The Rolling Stones

So I sent off two (well technically three applications about six weeks ago) and last week I got replies from both institutions within about two days of eachother.

MSc Allergy - University of Southampton (formerly first choice) - Offer - 2:2
MSc Allergy - Imperial College London (third choice) - Rejected

I was expecting to be quite disappointed/grumpy about the rejection but I wasn't. Whilst the university has a much more prestigious rep than Southampton, the course is two years long and part time which would make it very expensive. By rejecting me (and not I them) I feel less pressurised to automatically go for the more "prestigious" option, had I been given an offer.

Plus I'm still being considered for the one year full time MSc in Immunology as a second preference. But why, you may ask, is Southampton no longer my first choice? A few weeks ago I was reflecting on BSc Biomedical Sciences, what I like, dislike and so on. And whilst I do really like immunology, I also love learning about infectious diseases and microbiology. Whilst I know immunology and allergy courses will have some microbiology content, realistically it won't be much. That's when I found UCL's MSc in Infection and Immunity which I applied for immediately. It seems to be a really decent mix of immunology and microbiology, my two favourite subjects. It's at a great university, it's full time and a year long meaning I can still apply for medicine this September for 2012 entry.

I also applied for Barts and the London's MSc in Clinical Microbiology, but on the whole I'm leaning towards UCL simply because I don't want to lose immunology either and UCL's seems to be the only course with both microbiology and immunology. I really hope they give me an offer!

Time Flies

2011-02-23T01:01:00.004Z

Currently listening to: Through The Wire - Kanye West

It doesn't feel like 7 weeks ago that I wrote my previous post...time is flying by so quickly. The weeks literally seem to be slipping away in large dollops, I start the week on Monday morning feeling it will take forever for the weekend to arrive and before I know it, it's Friday afternoon and lectures are over and yet another week is done with, bringing me ever closer to week 12, the final week of term, the final week of third year, the final week of my degree.

Already lecturers have started discussing exams, a topic which I am trying not to think about since everytime I do I feel vaguely nauseous. There are no replays this time, this is my only chance to finish on a high note. That's why now I think about it, nearly every evening is spent making notes or catching up with work, so that come April I can revise easily. I'm trying to be more organised and efficient this year so that exams aren't such a gruelling experience.

In terms of grades there's not much to say, my lecturers are quite behind on marking and I'm still waiting for quite a few pieces of coursework to be returned, though most of my marks this year have been As and Bs with the odd C, so I'm trying to keep the momentum going. On the whole however, I feel less resentful towards my work, especially compared to a few months ago when I found it desparately dull. Nowadays I view it as a challenge, a final chance to do well, rather than a boring chore that needs to be done. I hope this more positive attitude reflects itself in better exam results in May!

I did apply for several MSc programmes, in Immunology and Allergy at Imperial and Southampton respectively though so far I've had no word back from any of them. On the whole however I'm leaning towards Southampton, assuming I get an offer. Imperial's course is two years but Southampton's is one which means I can do medicine quicker.

At the moment there's not really much to blog about but I'm sure over the coming weeks as the end of term approaches, I'll post more. Cheers!

2010

2011-01-01T01:33:00.009Z

Currently listening to: Your Eyes Open - Keane

Hey everyone

Long time no post. The main reason for this is that there hasn't been much to talk about. Third year has been pretty self reliant so far, without much contact with SBCS or staff. I haven't seen my adviser since the first week of term in September and I've had no labs either, just a few bioinformatics sessions. So in short, there hasn't been much to grumble about. Also, very few coursework marks have been handed back so I can't even update you on that, though I'm guessing there'll be a large influx of results come the first week of Semester B.

2010...hm...what a year. I'm not going to get into my personal life on here, but it was like my academic life, a bit of a rollercoaster. I started this blog nearly a year ago, halfway through second year, perhaps a bit lost but determined to make the effort I hadn't made in first year. I finished the academic year with very good coursework marks, but stressed myself out too much before the exams, doing insane hours of revision but without good strategy and ended up disappointed. I returned to uni after the Summer unsure about the future, though in the last few weeks of 2010 my desire to do medicine was strengthened by a series of epiphanies which make me confident that I could never be truly happy doing anything else. In this way I ended the term determined not to lose hope and to attain that goal.

I won't lie, the last week of term was pretty gruelling, involving three coursework deadlines and a PBL exam, which was okay I think. I spent the first week of the holidays just recovering from Semester A...sleeping a lot...going out...etc...though since then I've started seriously catching up with all the lectures I neglected during term (staying on top of lecture notes and coursework is a very fine balancing act).

The other big thing on my mind has been thinking of what on earth I'll be doing during the 2011/2012 academic year. Having viewed my classmates with a mixture of melancholy and envy sending off their UCAS applications and in some cases getting interviews, I desperately want to join them, so I want to pick a MSc I'll be interested in and I'll enjoy, and that I can hopefully do well in. The most promising candidate so far has been the MSc in Allergy at Imperial College, which I have been interested in for many months now. The problem with this course is that it's only available as a part time two year course, which means having to delay applying for medicine by another year and also having to pay for an extra year's living costs. Which wouldn't be a problem if I could get a job to pay my way, but unfortunately that's not something you can bank on or plan for nine months in advance. I'll also apply to the same course at Southampton (but I really don't want to leave London), and the plain old MSc Immunology at Imperial. What attracts me to Imperial's Allergy MSc though is that it isn't lab based, so I really really hope I get an offer!

As for 2011...well...final year exams, graduation and a farewell to QMUL and university friends seems a lot closer from this side of the holidays. Next term I'll be studying Cancer Biology and Cellular Pathology & Blood Science, two modules, which take place on Thursdays and Fridays, meaning that I'll have more free time in the week for private study, so hopefully I won't fall behind too much. I'll also be starting my dissertation.

I don't ask for much...only a 2:1...I hope 2011 brings it!

Hope you're all well and happy new year to you all.

Getting on

2010-11-21T02:49:00.009Z

Currently listening to: There She Goes - The La's

Hmm, haven't updated in a while, but that's cause not much is really going on. Reading week came and went...all courseworks were completed, handed in and classes have resumed. One thing I've noticed is how quickly time's passing, the ninth week (of twelve) is about to start, it feels like it ought to only be the fourth week though. And of course, it's only the middle of November and someone on the Tube was listening to "Santa Clause is Coming to Town" which made me cringe a bit...(sorry, had to slip in a grumble).

The first few coursework marks have also started trickling in:

Human Genetics exam 1 - A
Human Genetics coursework 1 - B
PBL exam 1 - F

There was a time that I would have descended into a depression spiral about that last result, though maybe I've mellowed with age, maybe I'm becoming a better adjusted person, or maybe I'm just turning totally indifferent but for whatever reason I'm not in a mood about it. Reason for that dismal result? Lack of revision due to lots of work due in the same week, and exam nerves. Not a particularly inspiring excuse, I know. However, there are six PBL exams during the year, the top five of which count towards the final mark. So without wanting to sound complacent, I'm willing to write this one off, and learn from the experience...a test run as it were.

What's coming up? Well I have an essay, another piece of coursework and PBL exam 2, all to be done by the end of week 9...it's going to be a busy week, but I think it should be manageable. And this time I will revise solidly for the second PBL exam.

Gosh, this post sounds really quite un-grumpy...even sensible and mature...no emotional tantrums at all...what is wrong with me?

Reading week

2010-11-06T22:54:00.006Z

The Grumpy Biomed has reached the halfway point of Semester A and is feeling rather more hopeful. On the outset I ought to be terrified since there's more coursework to complete than you can shake a stick at, including what looks like a pretty nasty endocrinology assignment but on the other hand there aren't 9 AM starts, boring lectures or workshops to contend with. Always look on the bright side and all that...

All in all I've behaved myself so far. That's not saying much seeing as it's only been one day but I didn't wake up with a hangover today, instead I managed to start and finish one of my coursework assignments with minimal procrastination leading to a vague (and unfamiliar) feeling of productivity. Yay for productivity. Yay, yay, yay. On the whole I'm in a pretty good mood, and certainly in a better one than my last post (though given my bipolar disposition, it's bound to change soon).

Have a great weekend.

Bored senseless

2010-10-28T21:24:00.006+01:00

Currently listening to: Sunday Morning Call - Oasis

Apologies in advance for the grumbling...

Regular readers of this blog (i.e. all three of you) will smirk as they recall that three months ago I wrote that "I know in about two months time I'll be cursing my life and course". Well lo and behold, it came to pass, except it took three months instead of two, so much so that I think it would be more accurate to rename this blog The Bored, Demotivated, Thoroughly Grumpy Biomed. But that's a bit too long, isn't it?

I thought that third year is when all the interesting stuff would finally be covered. In actual fact, after nearly five weeks of classes I've realised I really dislike my modules. Genetics is so-so (the references don't always match up to the lectures which makes reading up on it a pain), endocrinology is okay and molecular microbiology is desperately dull. Some of you may feel that I'm just "acting out" and throwing a tantrum, but the fact of the matter is that I truly feel all the interesting aspects of the biomedical sciences degree have been covered. Whilst I've never been fanatical about any part of my degree, there are definitely more interesting aspects to it...cardiac physiology, nutrition & metabolism, pharmacology, immunology, anatomy, etc. Which are all sadly in the past.

I suppose acting like a petulant child and bitching about my degree isn't a particularly good advertisment for the university, so let me just clarify right now that my issue isn't with QMUL. I love it here, the staff are approachable and definitely know their stuff. My problem is the same problem that I've had for over two years now, that I'm doing a degree I have no interest in. And that's totally my own fault.

What happens when you continually subject yourself to something you're not interested in? Well, to put it simply, you become BORED. And I don't mean bored the same way some people get bored on a rainy Sunday afternoon, I mean truly and utterly bored in a way that waking up in the morning and turning up to lectures becomes a chore. Where you can't bear to look at your textbooks. Where you feel immensely envious of anyone who's actually doing something they enjoy in life, and then you remember it was totally your choice, and you could have been that person. And in my case where I realise that it's all been totally pointless, since after two years, I still can't apply for medicine.

So here's some free advice for any of you would-be biomed students. If you've failed to get into medical school, do NOT start a biomedical sciences degree. Take a gap year, get more work experience, do resits, write a better personal statement, and re-apply. Because a biomedical sciences degree is not a medical degree. You will never meet any patients, witness surgery or practice suturing. All those cool things which attracted you to medicine? Yeah, 99% of them won't be covered in a biomed degree. Biomedical sciences is a theoretical science degree with medical aspects, but also a lot of non-medical content which can be unbearably boring, especially when your heart's not in it. It is also a huge waste of time and money if you don't enjoy what you're learning. Life is seriously too short: go and do something you actually enjoy.

Perhaps I've just hit a low point, but I'm finding it pretty hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I'm feeling totally bored and demotivated, and this is not the right time to feel that. It's final year, I should be completely focused, but right now all I'm feeling is an immense amount of resentment towards all the work I have yet to do. I'd honestly rather watch paint dry.

Spending cuts

2010-10-15T14:46:00.003+01:00

Currently listening to: (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay - Otis Redding

The Grumpy Biomed doesn't really enjoy politics, and is quite suspicious of most politicians. It may be a cliché but I really do believe that you can tell a politician is lying when his/her lips are moving. So in a break from the traditional subjects covered by this blog (coursework, my bad exam results and hangovers), I'd like to give my opinion on the government's proposed assault on students, academics and universities.

The recently released Browne Report urges the government to totally free market-ise higher education in England and lumber the common student with unlimited tuition fees. In addition to this, the government plans to cut £4.2 billion, yes, that's billion with a b, from the budget of English universities. That includes a £1 billion cut in research.

What does this mean? Well, some may argue that lifting the cap on tuition fees allows the market to "take its course", increases efficiency and allows the forces of supply/demand to set prices rather than an arbitrary government diktat. That's all very well in theory and there's no denying that in certain areas, competition does work (e.g. supermarkets). But as Tony Blair himself admitted about US universities (which is where this report will take us) "Those who paid top dollar got the best."

How sad that in this day and age, only the rich will be able to access the best higher education. As the article I have linked says: "The result [in the US] is that the gap between the richer and the poorer universities has widened and low-income students have been increasingly clustered around the cheaper universities." Is this really desirable in our so called "Big Society"? Shouldn't everyone have an equal footing and gain a place based on merit rather than the contents of their wallet?

Lord Browne, Tony Blair and David Cameron all went to university back in the days when it was free and furthermore generous grants were available. Tony Blair, having had his Oxford education compliments of the state, then came to power and charged students £1000 a year to go to university. He then lied through his teeth in the 2001 Labour manifesto, promising not to institute top up fees, but pretty soon New Labour forgot the very students that helped re-elect them, and brought in fees of £3000~ per annum in 2004.

Fast forward six years and David Cameron and Nick Clegg plan to slash the university's budget by 79% and then lumber students fresh out of secondary school with tens of thousands of pounds worth of debt. Forget paying off your mortgage, the Grumpy Biomed's children will probably be paying off their tuition fees well into their 60s!

Do I believe education should be free as a matter of principle? Of course I do, Scotland do it just fine. Do I believe the government has foisted extraordinary costs on the common man/woman so as to keep the richest sectors of society rich? You bet.

The Grumpy Biomed is not under any delusions. I know at best I am a fairly average student, trying to make my way through my BSc. I know I won't ever conduct any groundbreaking research. But I look at my incredibly intelligent lecturers and see that they do. Is cutting their funding the right thing to do? Should my fellow students be penalised £100,000 simply for wanting to study medicine? (A very real possibility under this report).

Every day, academics all around the country, whether in the science sector or not, are putting Britain at the forefront of research and academic advacement. I think that cutting this immense amount of money from teaching will blight the training of the academics of tomorrow. Our universities will be segregated, diminished and worse off due to this report and this of course, will impact wider society in the worst possible way.

Message to Nick Clegg: We haven't forgotten and nor will we forgive:

Anyway, I'll get off my soapbox now. I didn't mean to come across as moany, but it's a very real and important issue and I felt like discussing something other than how badly I do at exams or whatever.

Things that don't help when you have a hangover

2010-10-05T10:40:00.007+01:00

Currently listening to: Hey Julie - Fountains of Wayne

Four hours of sleep
Waking up at 7 AM
8AM badminton matches
9AM genetics lectures
Three further hours of lectures

List in progress...all suggestions welcome...

EDIT: Two hour workshop cancelled. Maybe there is a benevolent god out there?

First lecture

2010-09-28T23:26:00.005+01:00

Currently listening to: Have You Seen Her Face - The Byrds

There's a first time for everything...including a first time for actually turning up to a 9 AM lecture. Not the nicest way to be eased into final year, but those carefree days of midday starts seem to be a thing of the past. All things considered I really didn't have an excuse for not turning up this morning, so grumpily I hauled myself in, picked my usual seat three quarters of the way up in the lecture theatre (far back enough to look uninvolved, but not too close to the noisy tools who sit on the last row), and tried my best not to fall asleep.

I was pleasantly surprised though since the lecturer has improved a lot since last year, such that I was actually very interested in what he had to say. The lecture was about flavin containing monooxygenase deficiencies, focusing on Fish Odour Syndrome (oh alright, scientific name: trimethylaminuria) which is caused by defects in an enzyme called FM03. FM03 normally breaks down a compound called trimethylamine which is found in choline rich foods by N-Oxygenating it. In FOS patients however, the enzyme is defective so TMA isn't metabolised, and is released in that unfortunate person's sweat, breath and urine...basically giving off some pretty unpleasant fishy BO.

Anyway, my lecturer was in the research team that discovered the mutation that causes FOS, indeed part of our reading for the lecture is the journal article he co-authored in Nature detailing the research (for the uninitiated, in the science world getting published in Nature is a very big deal, so I was suitably impressed). I suppose this was really the first time I realised (as naive as it sounds) that my lecturers and all this stuff we study actually does have a real life application, and a pretty important one at that.

Anyway, the main difference this year seems to be the lack of textbooks. Apparently setting us journal articles to read instead of textbooks is par for the course and is just part of life in third year. The only problem is that scientific journals are not very friendly. They're usually written as blocks of texts with no paragraphs, in small print, and to top it all off they're written by seasoned scientists for seasoned scientists, not lowly undergrads. In short, it's a learning curve I'm going to have to surmount. But all in all it was a good first day, let's hope Thursday's Endocrine Physiology lecture is just as interesting.

It's good to be back.

Quote for third year

2010-09-27T21:00:00.001+01:00

Currently listening to: Stronger - Kanye West

" A goal is not always meant to be reached, it often serves simply as something to aim at."

- Bruce Lee

Even though things didn't turn out as expected last year, it's time to leave that behind. This is a new year, a new chance and since third year is worth 60% of the entire degree, there's still everything to play for. With that in mind, I'm going to concentrate on the future and do my best to get that 2:1.

First lecture: Human Genetics & Genomics...final year starts in 12 hours.

Back in E1

2010-09-10T12:09:00.004+01:00

Currently listening to: She's a Lady - Pulp

I can't describe how awesome it is to be living in London again. After three months of being on holiday, I was bored stiff, so I was really happy when I finally moved back to London yesterday. So happy that I chose to go out in the evening rather than buy groceries, hence why I have nothing in my fridge!

Anyway, this post is just to let you know that normal service (i.e. lots of moaning and grumbling) will shortly be resumed. Classes begin at the end of the month, and the timetable has already been released...this semester I will be taking Human Genetics, Endocrine Physiology and Molecular Clinical Microbiology, in addition to my Project Skills coursework module. Two 9 AM starts which is a bit annoying, but oh well, what doesn't kill us makes us stronger, eh?

I'll be striving for the all important 2:1, and as my adviser keeps telling me, she knows plenty of students with far worse grades than mine who managed to get a 2:1 or even a 1st just because of the fact that 3rd year is worth 60% of the entire degree, hence there's still everything to play for. I am looking forward to the challenge. Amongst other things, Imperial College do an awesome MSc in Immunology, and I fit the entry requirements perfectly (2:2 or above). The plan is to finish my degree with a 2:1, then spend next year studying a masters course whilst applying for medicine. This is by far the most interesting masters course I've found so far, at a great university and with decent entry requirements.

That weird feeling when you miss uni

2010-07-26T19:29:00.006+01:00

Currently listening to: Above You, Below Me - Badly Drawn Boy

My mother says I'm a person who always wants what they can't have. Usually I get annoyed when people attempt amateur psychoanalysis on me, but I think there's an element of truth behind that evaluation. Two months since finishing my exams, I've realised that I am going mad with boredom. I spent all year moaning about how I hate my course and now I've realised all I really want to do is move back to London, go back to the Library and go through it all over again.

Not that I expect next year to be much fun, the advice from the third years I know (well ex-third years, I'm the third year now) is that modules like Endocrine Physiology and Cancer Biology are hell on earth. But on the other hand, my adviser tells me that a lot of people she knows who got mediocre grades in first and second year rallied and did very well in third year, indeed enough to give them a 2:1/1st overall. It's this element of challenge that appeals to me, so much so that in my boredom I started lazily flicking through some of next year's lecture slides.

I no longer dare to dream of getting a 1st or anything like that, but I do definitely miss my uni friends, QMUL's campus, my flat in London and all that. I even miss the dubious chicken and chips you can get on Mile End Road and the sound of ambulance sirens wailing in the distance. It all seems so bittersweet now I think of it, especially coupled with the fact that when I do go back in September it will be my final year...

The thing with people who want what they can't have is that when they finally get the thing they covet, it's no longer appealing. So I know in about two months time I'll be cursing my life and course, but right now I really would give anything to be back at uni, with a challenge and purpose in mind...something to aim for.

I'm going to France next week though, so that should break up the monotony a bit. Anyway, this post was a bit of a ramble, and definitely not science related, but I needed to get it off my chest.

Hope you're all having a great Summer.

P.S: Ignore the weird anime slide show in the video...it's the song which I like, not the cartoons!

Results

2010-06-17T18:39:00.005+01:00

Knowledge can be a horrible thing. In primary school they told us that Adam and Eve were the first to realise this (had they actually existed that is), and like so many others I too have realised that knowledge is a lot harder to swallow than the ignorant bliss in which I have existed for the past three weeks, completely unaware of what my results would be.

I got a 2:2. Again. Same as first year. For the life of me I am confused as to how this could happen given that, without wanting to brag, my coursework marks this year have been very good. I can hand on heart say that I worked hard this year and did not doss around. This leads me to logically conclude that my problem is not aptitude (i.e. I am not too stupid for this course) but rather that I have a problem with exam technique. Which used to definitely be an issue during A levels but I thought I'd left that behind when I came to university. Apparently not. Whatever the reason I need to figure how to improve my exam technique.

In terms of medicine, I have taken the decision not to apply for 2011 entry. My adviser has refused to predict me a 2:1 so therefore making an application will only lead to unneeded stress and false hope. Third year is worth 60% of the entire BSc, so should I pull myself up to a 2:1, I would consider applying for medicine then. Though I will be honest with you, after today's results I do not feel like studying medicine will be an achievable goal, not now anyway.

For 2011 entry I shall be applying for the MSc in Allergy at Southampton and the course organiser has confirmed they would take me with a 2:2. And I really did enjoy studying allergy and hypersensitivity this year.

In terms of this blog, I am not sure of its future. I briefly considered dropping out of the course altogether, though I have invested too much time (and money) in this course to just drop it, especially when I'm quite close to graduating. I'd rather graduate with a 2:2 than nothing. Most likely it will be back in September filled with moans and groans about life as a biomed, though if anyone is expecting details of experiences with medical school interviews or whatever, don't hold your breath, it's not happening.

I do hope one day to become a medical student, though for the time being that wish has taken a back seat. And for the first time in years I feel free...free of the stress and uncertainty...the feeling of "Will I make it?! Won't I make it?!"...I now know that there is no chance of me gaining a place in 2011 so I feel I can finally concentrate on my degree without being continually worried about my chances of getting a medical offer. It's not that I'm happy about not applying for medicine...but it is a weight off my mind.

I would however like to say a big thank you to everyone who's read and commented since the beginning of the year when the blog was founded, you've all been really supportive and the advice and help given has really been great. Cheers :)

My best wishes and kindest thoughts to you all

Final thoughts

2010-06-16T19:35:00.007+01:00

This time tomorrow I'll know. My adviser is available from 12-2 for people in our tutor group to drop in and collect their results. In addition to this, tomorrow morning there will be a meeting about applying to Barts and the London for medicine...

"There will be a meeting on Thursday 17th June at 10.30-11 am in Francis Bancroft 2.40 lecture theatre to brief you on the new procedures for applying to Barts Medical School for 2011 entry. I have asked for a member of the Barts admissions team to be in attendance to give the talk and answer questions.

It will be in your interest to attend this meeting.

Kelvin Smith"

Which should be interesting. Back in the day they told us that there were 30 places available at Barts and the London for QMUL Biomedical Science graduates, though recently SBCS has been ominously quiet about this which leads me to think that the "new procedures" probably mean that it will be tougher to get in and that QMUL biomeds shouldn't expect any special treatment.

As for final thoughts on results, I don't have enough bravado to predict my grades, but I will say that next year not only should I work harder, but also more efficiently. The endless coursework assignments tend to get in the way of maintaining a decent set of notes for each module, but it's really, really important that next year I manage to get this balance right. In short, I think my target of getting eight Bs or above will not be met tomorrow. Other than that I only pray that I managed to salvage a 2:1 average.

À demain...

Less than a week to go

2010-06-11T03:50:00.004+01:00

Currently listening to: Moonlight Sonata - Beethoven

Words cannot describe how lovely life is without exams. Being able to sleep for more than five hours a night, being able to read things other than textbooks, being able to sleep in your own bed (rather than on a library chair), being able to go out, come back and wake up whenever you please. Though apparently my body's got used to the late nights, hence why I'm still up at stupid o'clock!

And getting drunk too. Back in first year, getting drunk was a weekly ritual and I would be drinking myself senseless every Friday night without fail. If I ever woke up without a hangover on a Saturday I'd actually be disappointed.

Second year has been a sober experience in all senses of the word. With the endless coursework, revision and general scutwork, I perhaps only got drunk a few times all year. Since exams finished however I've been able to go out and enjoy life as a sociable student in London, rather than just a drone who pulls 18 hour shifts in the library.

Though the frequency of drinking has lessened in recent days mainly because people are slowly moving back to their hometowns. That means that I am now mostly sober (and un-hungover), and thoughts of results day have brought me back down to earth with an unpleasant bump...such as the fact that this time next week I'll know. The prospect is quite scary...they say that ignorance is bliss, and I'm inclined to agree!

Rather like a condemned man writing his will, I've also seriously begun researching alternatives to medicine in the likely event that I don't get in. There's billions of Masters degrees out there, but since I loathe 99% of my course it's been hell trying to find a decent one. That said yesterday I did stumble across something that really caught my eye, a MSc in Allergy available at Imperial College or Southampton. I have no idea how I'd pay for such a course, especially at Imperial where the cost of living in the surrounding area will be pretty hefty, but I really did enjoy studying allergy and hypersensitivity this year, and completed my immunology coursework on the hygeine hypothesis. It's definitely something I'd be interested in, and maybe I could apply for medicine after that?

It might sound silly to write myself off before even applying for medicine, though the rumour is that this year only six 3rd year biomeds got a medical offer...those are pretty scary odds so therefore I'm not feeling very confident. Anyway, I think things will be a lot clearer after next week, one way or another.

The Eight Labours of the Grumpy Biomed: Biochemistry

2010-05-27T18:49:00.002+01:00

Currently listening to: Yesterday - The Beatles

It's over. Finally. After 9 months of intense studying, sleepless nights and days, anxiety, anger and nervousness, second year is officially finished.

Today's biochemistry exam was a decidedly average affair, the MCQs were good, the SAQs alright and the essay was okay but nothing special. The SAQs were about glycolysis and gluconeogenesis and I definitely messed up some of the pathway inhibitors though I think I got the metabolites and enzymes correct. The essay was about carbon dioxide transport in the blood. I wrote as much as I could with all the details I could remember and got to three pages, I hope that's enough.

I then went home and slept like a log for four hours. Having spent the past four weeks literally living in Mile End library and having slept there last night it felt nice to be back in my room for more than 20 minutes. After my nap I also felt less loathsome about everyone and everything...at the end of the day if you only sleep for an average of 3 hours a night for several weeks, eventually you begin feeling and looking like an extra from Dawn of the Dead. I am therefore very glad to say goodbye to the sleepless nights, endless energy drinks and the tedious revision that has come to sum up my life.

Anyway, results are out on the 17th, I'll update then to let you know how it goes. Depending on that I'll also be doing my UKCAT at some point as well as getting the med application together. In terms of results, if I've got a first then it's definitely proof that there's a God out there who has a soft spot for me. If I get a 2:1 then I really should thank my lucky stars. If I get a 2:2 I won't be surprised.

I can only hope that my efforts have paid off.

Who said biochemistry revision can't be fun?

2010-05-26T23:11:00.003+01:00

11 hours to go.

Feeling: Panicked.

In: Damage control mode.

Still to do: Pyramdines and purines.

Still to do: Pathway memorisation.

Pulling: An all-nighter

Sleep: What's that?

The Eight Labours of the Grumpy Biomed: Microbiology

2010-05-25T16:07:00.002+01:00

Currently listening to: Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry

Today is probably the tiredest I've been over the whole exam period...three hours sleep last night...the effects of the past 3 weeks are starting to build up. Thank Christ there's only one more exam left.

Today's exam was Clinical Microbiology...well not much to say really, it was like nearly all my other exams...good MCQs, a great essay and terrible short answer questions in Section B...I'd completely forgotten the details about Hepatitis B and hepatocellular carcinoma. The essay was about discussing various bacterial, viral and parasitic gastrointestinal infections and the role of the microbiology lab in their diagnosis, I think that went well, having spoken to my friend afterwards we seemed to have covered the same points which gives me a bit more confidence. Plus I got 72% (A) for the coursework component...I'm praying that this is enough to make up for the poor SAQ performance.

I should really revise tonight, but I really need to sleep first, I must have dozed off at least three or four times in the exam itself, only for two or three minutes, but still...Tonight will definitely be an early night as I know that tomorrow night will be a repeat of last night, i.e. lots of cramming and staying up. I'll be glad when this is all over and I can start going to bed like a normal human being...before the sun rises.

Next exam: Essential Biochemistry

The Eight Labours of the Grumpy Biomed: Physiology

2010-05-22T03:43:00.003+01:00

Currently listening to: Help - The Beatles

I'm feeling a bit confused and bewildered right now...possibly because of the fact that I've only been kept concious over this past week by pretty lethal amounts of Red Bull, tea, coffee and pretty much any stimulant except amphetamine. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that in the past five days, I've had about 20 hours of sleep in total...I bring whole new meanings to the term "cramming"...

The confusion and bewilderment also has a lot to do with today's exam, Biomedical Physiology II: Cardicac and Respiratory....the exam went surprisingly well. Yes, shocking! Anyone who's read any of the my previous exam reports will see that nearly all of my exams have had an area which I think will let me down, often the short answer questions in Section B. Whilst I wouldn't describe today's exam as perfect, I'd definitely describe it as challenging yet manageable, intense yet comfortable...in short an all round decent paper.

The MCQs went well, the SAQs were about capillary structure and function and the lymphatic system, I think I managed to get most of the points down. I think I got most of the points about the capillaries though I might have missed out some of the finer details of oedema. The essay was about the physiological response to haemhorrage, and I think I managed to get down most of the key points and the details.

Now, either I've actually done terribly and I'm in total denial, or I finally had an exam that went well! I'm thinking it's the latter however, and having done a pretty thorough exam post mortem with friends, we seemed to have all got the same points down, so hopefully I'm on the right track for a good grade.

Physiology coursework is an average of 72% (A) so that should be a great help to push me into the all important 2:1 bracket.

Anyway, it's stupid o' clock and I'm close to collapsing from exhaustion, so goodnight to you all!

Next exam: Clinical Microbiology

The Eight Labours of the Grumpy Biomed: Techniques

2010-05-18T17:38:00.005+01:00

Having had about 9 hours of sleep in the past 48 hours I'm pretty tired and hacked off today, all for an exam that was about as nice as being shot in the heart. The MCQs were pretty so-so, I had to leave a few out because I really hadn't revised the physicsy stuff like MRI/NMR that well, but I think I did well on ELISA and antibody techniques. For once Section B's short answer questions went very well, they were about electrophoresis and PCR, which were topics I'd revised well. I think I managed to do well on that. Sounds okay so far doesn't it? Wrong, the essay ruined everything.

The title of the essay was to describe real time PCR and contrast it with traditional PCR, giving examples of where the former would be used. Whilst I'd revised traditional PCR a lot and started off the essay with an excellent, almost textbook recital of the damned thing, I knew virtually nothing about real time PCR (much less its applications). I tried my best to blag it but I don't think I'll get away with it, I really know nothing about real time PCR. So that's it, I answered the question incompletely which probably means I'll get less than half marks for that section.

I got 65% (a B) for the coursework component of this module, but I don't think even that will be enough to make up for the poor essay performance and pretty average MCQ answers. I had really hoped that I'd finish this year with eight good grades (i.e. only As and Bs) but I really don't think that's likely anymore.

Practical uses of centrifugation?

2010-05-17T15:34:00.005+01:00

Currently listening to: Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol

Let's keep today's post simple, they say a picture is worth a thousand words, so here's how I'm feeling about Techniques ~~cramming~~ revision:

As for practical uses of centrifugation (one of the objectives on the syllabus I'm working through), here are my thoughts:

Used to bore students senseless
Used to drive students to the brink of suicide
Used to drive students to the brink of commiting murder against professors and all academics
Used to remind students that they ought to have studied harder during A levels so they could be at med school and not faffing about with this crap.
Occasionally used to separate biomedical particles according to their density

An answer worthy of a first? What do you think?

The Eight Labours of the Grumpy Biomed: Nutrition & Metabolism

2010-05-15T18:57:00.008+01:00

Another cold. Yes. Another one...two in a month?! I'm seriously beginning to suspect that I might have some sort of immune problem....then again it could just be all the stress I've been under lately...

All through school and my first year of university I maybe only had one cold a year...in second year of university however I think I've had about six or seven colds, and here's the latest one which helpfully also comes at the same time as the hay fever season kicks in...double whammy.

So that's how I woke up on the day of my nutrition and metabolism exam...sore throat, headache, runny nose, general malaise and pissed off-ness. I hastily took a few paracetamols and continued cramming feverishly (literally). The exam itself was okay, the multiple choice questions were alright, didn't know much about peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha, so I had to skip that question. Section B's short answer questions weren't very short at all, in fact they were mini-essays, and yet again this section was got through simply by winging it and hoping that the examiner won't punish me too harshly for writing absolute rubbish. The Section C essay went quite well, it was about maintenance of blood glucose concentrations, and I think I managed to write a decent answer.

The worst part wasn't the exam itself, but doing it with a sore throat and cold...it felt like my throat was on fire, but I'd forgotten to bring a drink with me so I started coughing really loudly which earned me a few glares off some of the other students. The blocked nose and temperature also made it difficult to breathe and generally made me feel stupid and lethargic. The exam really could have gone either way...at least I have an A- in the coursework.

Still, at least now I'm at the half way point, four down, four to go.

Next exam: Techniques in Biomedical Sciences.

The Eight Labours of the Grumpy Biomed: Pharmacology

2010-05-11T21:14:00.005+01:00

Currently listening to: California Sun - The Ramones

Whilst the rest of the country went through a general election, resignations, various political back-stabbings, the Lib Dems prostituting themselves to the Conservatives and the commencement of the reign of the Dear Leader of Big Society David Cameron, I carried right on with pharmacology ~~cramming~~ revision, staying up till the early hours memorising tonnes of drug names and structures which all culminated in today's exam.

On the whole today's exam experience was much like all of the other ones...the MCQs were good, the essay was reasonably okay (about drugs affecting acetylcholine) and Section B was an absolute disaster involving lots of frantic scribbling, haphazard guessing, bullshitting and the actual making up of scientific "facts" (I'm not joking). In fact I'm too scared to even perform my usual after exam post-mortem lest I realise just how much rubbish I wrote for that section.

In short it could have gone better...I'm not expecting any firsts, still five more to go eh?

Next exam: Nutrition & Metabolism

Coursework roundup

2010-05-10T21:50:00.004+01:00

The last few marks from Semester B's courseworks have been uploaded...I did quite well and I need to gloat :)

Clinical Microbiology (they gave the combined mark of the poster, practicals and spot test) : 72% - A
Essential Biochemistry Practical 3: 74% - A
Essential Biochemistry Practical 4: 69% - B

I never thought I would get As or Bs for the biochemistry courseworks as I still have no idea what they were on about, though luckily practicals don't come up in the end of year exams. I guess all those hours making countless graphs and tables in the library paid off!

So coursework averages for each module in second year are as follows:

Biomedical physiology II - 72% - A
Clinical microbiology - 72% - A
Human molecular biology - 70% - A
Nutrition and whole body metabolism - No mark given - A-
Basic immunology - 68% - B
Essential biochemistry for human life - 67% - B
Techniques in biomedical sciences - 65% - B
Biomedical pharmacology - 61% - B

Four As and four Bs! Much better than last year...lets hope the end of year exams follow a similar pattern!

The Eight Labours of the Grumpy Biomed: Immunology

2010-05-08T10:45:00.003+01:00

Hey all, sorry for the late update. I had my second end of year exam on Thursday, that being Immunology, speaking of which they finally released the coursework results, I got 68% (a B)...which is something to be very thankful about since a third of the year were done for plagiarism, so as it happened I had one of the top results, in fact I don't know anyone who got above 75%...much bitterness and anger from many Immunology students...

The exam went okay, the multiple choice section was alright, if a bit rushed, Section B was awful, I can't see myself getting more then half marks for it, if I'm very very lucky and Section C, the essay, was about the immune response to skin infections which I think went very well.

The trouble is that all three sections are worth roughly the same (i.e. 34%, 33%, 33%) which is unfortunate seeing as Section B was only one short answer question but Section C which I think I did quite well on was an essay requiring lots of detail, planning and content, though worth exactly the same as the other sections. So sadly doing well in the essay section won't necessarily make up for a bad Section B performance. I don't know, my main worry is doing well in the coursework, then letting myself down badly in the exam and getting a mediocre grade overall, i.e. a C, which would be really disappointing.

Next exam: Pharmacology

The Eight Labours of the Grumpy Biomed: Molecular Biology

2010-05-04T23:09:00.002+01:00

Currently listening to: Jerk It Out - Caesars

The rather pretentious title aside (I like Greek mythology, what can I say?) today was the first end of year exam, Human Molecular Biology. I think the exam went alright but I'm not cocky enough to describe it as "easy" and I'm definitely not brave enough to guess what I got. The multiple choice section was probably the toughest as it required thorough knowledge of all aspects of the course, which is quite hard to manage when you have seven other subjects to revise. The short answer questions were a mixed bag...the first question went well, I think I got most of the points about DNA denaturation and reannealing...the second question on the various parts of the nucleosome went less well, to be honest I did attempt to blag a lot of it...luckily this was worth 13 marks and question 1 was worth 20...

The essay was the final question and bizzarely this was the one I think went best, it was about describing post-transcriptional modification, I managed to get down all the necessary points about capping, polyadenylation and splicing, I just hope I went into enough detail!

At the end of the day it's all over now I guess, I should really start preparing for immunology which is on Thursday. Also luckily I have an average of 70% for the molecular biology coursework element which is worth 25% of the whole module meaning I already have 17.5% of the module under my belt...that should be a help on the way to the all important 2:1...

Day 10

2010-04-19T23:54:00.002+01:00

Currently listening to: Glass of Water - Coldplay

In case you've been wondering, the reason for the long gap between the entries of Days 9 and 10 on my revision journal are down to laziness and limited internet access. I most definitely haven't taken 4 days off however!

In that time I've continued to plugging away at Human Molecular Biology, such that now I'm almost completely up to date with all of its notes and paperwork. I had been dreading it, since it was a semester A module (translation: I haven't looked at anything to do with it since December), but actually it's not that bad, it's quite interesting and straightforward if you can remember which transcription factors do what!

Good news for today was getting 79% (A) in my final physiology coursework from week 10, a result I'm very pleased with, as that means my physiology coursework marks are now 75, 62 and 79...giving an average of 72% (an A) for the coursework component which is worth 25% of the entire module! Very good news, especially since I think last year's physiology coursework average was in the 60s...shows there's been some definite improvement!

Small whinge: I have to get up tomorrow and trek all the way to West Smithfield library since neither Whitechapel nor Mile End libraries have Strachan's Human Molecular Genetics. Better get to sleep then.

Day 9

2010-04-15T23:58:00.000+01:00

Completely up to date with clinical microbiology! Took forever, I don't know how I'm going to cram all of these different bacteria into my head before the exam...still that's a month and a half away, not time to worry yet. Starting Human Molecular Biology tomorrow, I fell behind with the last few weeks worth of notes on that...

Day 8

2010-04-13T23:28:00.002+01:00

Today: I am completely up to date with Immunology! Yes! Now for that joyous occassion in 23 days time when I do the exam and I never have to care about NK cells, antibodies or the damned complement cascade ever again! Woohoo!

Tomorrow: Finishing off the remnants of clinical microbiology which I had to abandon on Friday...should take two days tops.

Day 7

2010-04-12T23:21:00.000+01:00

Currently listening to: Lust For Life - Iggy Pop

Marks news: 62% for the third Physiology write up, don't ask me why she's marked them out of order, I still don't have the marks' for the second...still, 75 and 62 so far, let's hope that the final one is within the 60/70 range.

In terms of revision, I'm now up to date with:

HIV/AIDS
Cancer immunology
Mucosal immunology
Crohn's disease

Just monoclonal antibodies to do tomorrow then I'm completely up to date with immunology, I would do it right now but I'm just too sleepy...zzzzzzzz.....

Day 6

2010-04-11T23:58:00.005+01:00

Currently listening to: Be Yourself - Audioslave

I'm back in uni this weekend, till Tuesday and a reader requested I do a bit more grumbling...I suppose I have been a bit chirpy lately, though that's not really my fault since term's ended so I no longer have the oppurtunity to moan about my lecturer's incompetence or my own abysmal lab skills or whatever. But give me enough time and I could moan about anything, so here you go. This comic basically sums up my work ethic since I started university:

I hate my messed up working pattern at university, why do I always spend the day doing sod all except for sleeping and watching TV? Started work at 8PM till 11PM, then took a break and did some more from 2AM-3AM. Topsy turvy or what? It's not that I don't do the work, as you can see I did quite a respectable number of hours, but I wish I could just get up at 9AM like normal people, work till dinner time like normal people, then have the night to myself like normal people, instead of sitting in the library in the middle of the night with fellow procrastinators/insomniacs/zombies. Any tips on how to achieve a more normal routine?

The funny thing is I actually have a pretty decent studying pattern when I'm studying in my parent's house, maybe cause they make sure I get up and go to bed on time!

Day 5

2010-04-10T23:43:00.001+01:00

Currently listening to: 42 - Coldplay

Due to reasons I can't be arsed to explain as they're very longwinded I'm taking a break from clinical microbiology and catching up with immunology this weekend. The good news is that I am up to date with nearly all my immunology lecture notes, but the coursework which was due on March 16th got in the way which meant I fell behind in the last few weeks. I should be completely up to date by Monday evening. The exams on May 6th. Clinical microbiology is very easy for me, but I really don't like immunology, which probably explains why this feels like such a chore.

Today I covered:

Vaccination
Immunological memory
Hepatitis B

Sadly no new marks or whatever to update on. I get that a revision diary isn't that interesting, but believe me, the pressure of not updating this thing and having you all think I'm a slacker actually makes me work pretty hard!

Day 4

2010-04-09T23:06:00.005+01:00

Currently listening to: Bonkers - Dizzee Rascal & Armand Van Helden

News: Got an A- for my Nutrition and Metabolism coursework essay, worth 20% of the module!

The general headachey and tired feeling I had on Tuesday developed into a full blown cold on Wednesday and Thursday, meaning I was out of action both those days, lying in bed with a hot drink listening to Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone on CD, cause I was that bored. I was meant to have been done with Clinical Microbiology today, but obviously now I'm two days behind. Bummer. Still, two days isn't much in the grand scheme of things, especially if I work doubly hard from now on...or at least that's what I'm telling myself to keep away any feelings of panic and fatalism! What an unfortunate time to fall ill, still better now than the night before the exam.

Managed to do some work today, but with the remnants of the cold hanging over me I didn't feel up to much.

Up to date on:

Viral infections in the immunocompromised host
Mycobacterial infections

Day 3

2010-04-06T23:52:00.004+01:00

Currently listening to: The Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine- Simon & Garfunkel

Good news: I got Project Skills for next year! I had been really worried about that, as SBCS had said it was a pretty competitive module with limited places, and I have only an above average mark for first year. Thank you to whoever gave me the benefit of the doubt, I promise I won't disappoint next year! Also, cheers to Joey and everyone else for their advice, it was a great help!

In terms of studying today I felt a bit headachey and generally tired...at one point I put my pen down and decided to call it a day, but my conscience eventually got to me. Imagine screwing up the exam because of something as trivial as a headache! All in all I managed to get through four lectures today, though they were pretty large ones with lots of content. I'm glad I persevered :P

Up to date on:

Hepatitis B and C
Lower and upper respiratory tract infections
Urinary tract infections
Sexually transmitted infections
Bacterial meningitis

Day 2

2010-04-05T23:53:00.004+01:00

Currently listening to: Rapper's Delight - The Sugarhill Gang

Getting up to date with microbiology notes in preparation for revision continued today. After a rather late start, I finally stopped messing about on Facebook and various medical admissions forums at about 3PM and managed to go through 5 lectures (compared to yesterday's 3). So now I'm up to date on:

Viruses and cancer
Anti-virals and vaccines
Skin and soft tissue infections
Retroviruses
Herpesviruses

A piece of good news: Finally the marks for the first physiology practical write up (from week 2, in mid January!) have been released. I got 75% aka an A! Very pleased with that, last year I didn't get any As for my physiology courseworks, let's hope this trend continues!

Goodnight!

Day 1

2010-04-04T22:45:00.003+01:00

Exactly a month to go before the first exams, and I got down to some proper studying today. Before I could start properly revising I had to make sure my notes were in order and up to date - I'd fallen behind quite a bit with note taking in the final weeks of term due to all the courseworks and end of term assessments which began to take precedence. Today I went through three clinical microbiology lectures though, since it was the first day I suppose I was a bit slower to start than usual. I think by tomorrow I can push it up to six lectures if need be, so I can be completely up to date with all microbiology notes by Wednesday (the exam's on 25th May), which would leave me a month and a half to properly revise it.

Today I did:

Viral Pathogenesis
Viral Zoonosis
Bacteraemia and Endocarditis

A good first day's work I think, but definitely not time to rest on my laurels. Bring on tomorrow!

Hangover

2010-04-02T18:18:00.007+01:00

Currently listening to: Razzmatazz - Pulp

Yesterday was the final day of Semester B, and as always SBCS kept our noses to the grindstone right up until the last minute. I had to hand in my poster for Clinical Microbiology (on superbugs) and then sit the end of course assessment for clinical microbiology (worth 12.5% of the module). For the uninitiated, when I say "poster" I don't mean a felt-tip job a la primary school, it was 1000 words long and needed a lot of research and preparation. In short it was quite an important day. For the test, I had to revise everything we'd covered in the five microbiology practicals. This required me to do my first ever "all nighter"...I'd stayed up late studying before of course, but I'd never spent the entire night in the library only to leave for the start of the test.

People usually advise students to avoid all-nighters as that much study coupled with lack of sleep can backfire. Luckily in my case it was well worth it, if I hadn't have done it I wouldn't have been able to answer half the questions. As it was the test went very well, though for some reason the lecture theatre was located in the basement of the Royal London Hospital. Weird. On this occassion pulling an all-nighter paid off but it's not a technique I'd like to use very often, and certainly not before the actual end of year exams which start in a month and two days (not that I'm counting).

Having done the test I then rushed off to my final Nutrition and Metabolism lecture which was nice and laidback. Perhaps too laid back, because out of sheer exhaustion I passed out and slept fitfully for two hours. I then went back home, slept some more, showered and went to Drapers (our SU) for the end of term party which resulted in a lot of money being spent on shots and not much else really. Having stumbled back home at about 3 AM I woke up today at 2PM, got out of bed in the same shakey way that Bambi took his first few steps then dragged myself to the computer where I've been since. The hangover has by and large gone away, though I still feel a bit woozy so I think it would be a little over-optimistic to expect to do any revision today. I'll start tomorrow. Well if you can't get drunk at the end of your second year, when can you?

I also have a plan, I don't know whether I'll keep it up or if it will work, but I'm planning to start a revision journal of sorts on here, if for nothing else so I can track my progress and remain motivated. I'll update once a day starting tomorrow with what topics I've covered and how far I've got, and if my ego could be suitably massaged by you wonderful readers, I would be very very grateful.

Burst Water Main

2010-03-26T15:34:00.003Z

Time for a proper grumble I think:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8589173.stm

I woke up this morning, and turned on my tap. The water trickled out and eventually sputtered to a halt. Having washed my face with about a teaspoon's worth of water, I bemusedly walked to Whitechapel Library to do my Clinical Microbiology coursework, only to realise it was shut due to a "burst water main in the local area". My class was due to start at 2PM so I thought, what the hell, I'll just go to the Garrod Building a few minutes early, and try and use the IT room there. It was not to be, the entire building was evacuated, and a sign proclaimed that all classes were cancelled due to said burst water main. Still very bemused at having trekked down to Whitechapel for nothing I walked back to Mile End, and decided to see if the Library there was available for use. This was folly on my part, as the entire campus had been shut down. Seriously, people were being shepherded out of all the buildings, the main doors of the Queen's Building were locked and so on.

For many third year students this would have been their last day of lectures ever. For me it was meant to be my last Nutrition and Metabolism class. What a way for the module to end! All of this explains why I am now writing to you from Senate House Library in Bloomsbury. It was either that or going to West Smithfield Library in Charterhouse Square which closes at 8PM, a bit early for my liking. Once Senate House closes at 6:30PM I think I'll have to relocate to nearby Birkbeck College Library. Thank Christ for the University of London's Library Service! Anyway, back to that microbiology...

Exam timetables

2010-03-23T00:05:00.003Z

Currently listening to: Don't Stop Me Now - Queen

Well it finally happened: exam timetables, i.e. the last of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse, were released on Friday. Here's how mine reads:

4th May - Human Molecular Biology
6th May - Basic Immunology
11th May - Biomedical Pharmacology
14th May - Nutrition & Metabolism
18th May - Techniques in Biomedical Sciences
21st May - Biomedical Physiology II
25th May - Clinical Microbiology
27th May - Essential Biochemistry

My first thought upon reading it was immediately "thank god", since the subject from hell, aka Essential Biochemistry is scheduled for last. Most of the exams also start at 14:30, which is good since I'm not really a morning person. In short, I'm very pleased with this timetable. Human Molecular Biology isn't exactly my favourite module to revise for, but on the other hand it's quite straightforward and it would be nice to get it out of the way early. There's at least two days gap between each exam, and in some cases four or five, which will mean I can revise at a more laid-back pace. Last year exams started in April and we had the first three one after the other on 27/28/29, which was a terrifying rollercoaster of an ordeal. Hopefully this time around I can avoid such intense experiences.

The Easter holidays begin on 1st April, which means I have a month and a bit to do some proper hardcore revision. Until then I have one final biochem lab/write up and a microbiology poster to produce (1000-1500 words). I would have prefered to start revising now, or even several weeks ago, but the trouble with all these courseworks which they load on you during the term is that they make revision possible only during the holidays, which of course makes an anxious fellow like me even more anxious than usual!

You know exams are around the corner when...

2010-03-15T20:32:00.005Z

...the library opens 24/7. Yep, that joyous time of year has rolled round once more, here I am sat in the QMUL Mile End branch Library, and if I wanted to I could carry on sitting here from now until the 4th of June. It's the College's gentle way of reminding us that it's time to stop screwing around, and start doing some work. I know that in about roughly six weeks time, I can walk into the library at any time of day or night and see people on their sixth can of Red Bull, feverishly revising. I've been there too; last year, staying up all night to revise for my Cell Biology exam. It was...not a fun experience, and definitely not a recommended route to passing an exam. This year, I've been more serious about my work, so fingers crossed, such drastic measures won't be necessary!

The only other (more obvious) sign of the looming end of year exams is when they start handing out the exam timetables, which should be any day now. That's when it starts feeling real.

In other news, QMUL Libraries have a blog, here. Who knew? Maybe if I add them to my blog list and comment sycophantically on all their posts they'll overlook that £9 fine currently hanging over my account? Whoops...

Bye Bye Project Selection Form

2010-03-12T22:57:00.009Z

Currently listening to: See Emily Play - Pink Floyd

Back story: Here

March 12th: Time to chart the course of my third year and hand in my project selection form. Here's how I saw it:

Project Skills pros

No labs!!!!
Shorter dissertation - 4000 words
Sounds generally quite straightforward and easy
I'm quite good at writing articles, especially when it involves "de-complicating" things, I've written quite a bit for the university newspaper, etc
Cameras!

Project Skills cons

Will probably be quite tedious, I hate scientific journals
Won't look impressive on the CV
No bonus points when it comes to the Foundation School application, should I ever drag my sorry arse through medical school.

Research Project pros

Could be interesting
Would look damned good on the CV
I'm good at public speaking so the seminar would go well
Remote chance I could get published

Research Project cons

Very strong possibility that I will mess it up...practicals are not my forte
Lots of lab work required, either during the summer or third year
Will take many months to complete
10,000 word dissertation
All the third years I know are dying under the stress of it
Could end up with a rubbish project and a rubbish supervisor

In the end I went with Project Skills. Am I a wuss? Perhaps, though I am a wuss who wants to stay on the safe side. Since this module is worth 30 credits, i.e. a quarter of third year, i.e. 15% of my entire degree, I'd rather stick to something I'm less likely to screw up. Signing up for an intense lab-based project given my track record with practicals is really tempting fate.

I think I made my mind up last week when I spoke to Dr P (who taught us Techniques in Biomedical Sciences last semester)...he was very nice about it all, and even mentioned that he had got the feeling that I didn't really enjoy labs. I told him that this was true. He advised me to look more closely at Project Skills, and said that it had been specifically designed with people like me in mind. So I did, and the more I look at it, the more suited to me it seems. It's not as presitigious as the Research Project, though I'd rather have a non-prestigious 2:1 than a prestigious 2:2!

In The Dark

2010-03-11T12:46:00.007Z

Currently listening to: Number 1 -Tinchy Stryder ft. N-Dubz

In case you're wondering why I haven't updated this blog recently with marks, updates on my progress and so on, that's cause I have none, I am totally in the dark about how I'm doing in Semester B.

As week 9 draws to an end, I have completed six pieces of coursework....but had only one mark back, that being a rather dismal 54% in the first Essential Biochemistry coursework (aka the biggest disaster ever), frankly I'm quite lucky to have got a C for it given that I still have no idea what the Beer-Lambert law is on about.

Anyway, the final year project selection form is due in tomorrow. Having spoken to an assortment of friends, parents, siblings and even lecturers, the general consensus has been "you hate practicals, you would be miserable if you did an entire six week project in the lab, do project skills". Which is true I guess, deep down I know they're right, and having spoken to all the project supervisors I had an interest in, none of their projects seem that riveting. I guess I will go for Project Skills in the end, though there's still this little doubt in the back of my mind, maybe if I tried really hard I could make the research project work...but would it be worth all the extra stress?

Will update tomorrow to let you know my final decision :)

Final Year Project Preparation

2010-03-01T22:27:00.008Z

Currently listening to: Mile End - Pulp

One of the things playing heavily on my mind at the moment, and removing all daydreams of medical school is the third year project, what every SBCS student must complete in their final year. This can take three forms:

A research project (worth 30 credits, i.e. two modules)
Project Skills in the life sciences (worth 30 credits, i.e. two modules)
An investigative project (worth 15 credits, i.e. one module)

To be eligible for the first two, you must have an average first year mark of above 55% (which thankfully I have). I'm definitely not doing the "investigative project", because it's worth only one module and I'd like as few exams as possible. I'm pretty good at coursework, not so good with exams.

So that leaves the "research project" or the "project skills"...which is really Sophie's Choice...the research project will require copious amounts of hands-on lab work, followed by a 10,000 word dissertation and presentation to a lecture theatre full of SBCS academics and students. Fun fun. On the other hand the "project skills" will involve less lab work and only a 4000 word dissertation, but instead has such riveting tasks as "learn[ing] about how science papers are published. You will referee a real (but anonymous) paper submitted to a journal"...the type of thing that I grumpily refer to as "scientific busywork" and which I hoped to god I'd never have to do. What a choice, eh?

The form is due in on the 12th and so far I'm leaning heavily towards the research project. I might despise lab work, but if the alternative is spending weeks reading and critiquing scientific papers (aka the dullest things ever written), the lab sounds positively fun.

Now the tricky part, which research project would I be interested in? Given that I have no great love for my degree, I'm very picky about what aspects I'd enjoy. I generally find I only do well in things I'm interested in, so it's important that I get do something I like. There are about 80 possible projects to choose from, however, I hate anything to do with cell biology, molecular biology, genetics, bioinformatics or immunology, so that's quite a lot of possible projects out of the way.

My first choice would have been something to do with pharmacology, though SBCS helpfully don't offer that. There is a tiny chance I might be able to do it at another university (UCL, please?), but that is a very remote possibility, so lets look at the more realistic alternatives:

Dr Holness: Insulin resistance
Dr Le Comber: Human skeletal morphology and disease
Professor Bignell: Food microbiology.
Dr R Cutler: Infectious Disease and Pathology
Dr Puddefoot: Novel mechanisms of action of antioestrogens

Even within these "realistic alternatives", I know the only ones I'm going to be properly interested in are Dr Holness' or Dr Le Comber's. Le Comber's one looks especially interesting, the description states "One or more projects may be available in collaboration with the Museum of London, looking at the pathology of different archaeological specimens", which would actually be quite good...London is filled with old burial sites, there's no doubt that many of the skeletons dug up will have evidence of ancient diseases, e.g. the plague, smallpox, etc...how cool would that be?

Dr Holness' project also looks good, I sent off my CV for it weeks ago. He's based in Whitechapel at Barts and the London SMD and he's a really good lecturer. His course (Nutrition and Metabolism) is quite intense and heavy going at times with all the biochemical theory, but all in all very interesting. I could see myself enjoying that as well. Diabetes might not be my favourite disease, but it sure beats peering down a microscope and fiddling with bacteria for eight weeks.

Sadly I know that "interesting" stuff tends to be very oversubscribed. I'm not a mega swot and my first year marks are "above average" at best, but certainly nothing outstanding, which makes me feel a bit fatalistic and overwhelmed when this type of thing comes up, (i.e. competition with several hundred other students). So fingers crossed that everyone else suddenly develops a fetish for cell biology and bioinformatics, leaving the interesting projects for me!

Reading Week

2010-02-19T17:49:00.008Z

Currently listening to: Suicide is Painless - Manic Street Preachers

Update: Physiology write up - completed
Update: Immunology notes - completed
Update: Nutrition and Metabolism essay - completed

In between the horror that is a full twelve week semester at QMUL, there is an oasis, a brief respite, a cool moment of calm, a demilitarised zone between the two half terms, a break from the on-going battle to juggle coursework, attend classes, make notes and so on...

I am of course referring to Reading Week, which is what every QMUL student looks forward to and which occurs at Week 7 of each semester. Having been to my Nutrition and Metabolism class this afternoon, I am officially done with this half term, so bring on Reading Week.

The traditional way to spend Reading Week (at least in first year) was to get drunk a lot, sleep till 1PM every day and generally while away the hours until suddenly Sunday night is upon you and you realise that Week 8 will start tomorrow and you've done absoultely sod all during Reading Week except strawpedo WkD and watch a million episodes of Scrubs back to back.

This Reading Week will be different however. I think if I write down on this blog everything I want to get done, then I might actually do it. Imagine if this time in a week I came on here with my tail between my legs and admitted I'd done sod all after promising to do lots of work? The humiliation! My pride could not take such a hit!

So here I make a solemn pledge that I, Grumpy Biomed, will complete the following tasks by next Monday (1st March):

1) Finish the write up for Physiology Practical III
2) Complete Nutrition and Metabolism coursework essay
3) Get completely up to date with Immunology notes
4) Get completely up to date with Physiology II notes

You might wonder why I am studying five modules yet am only going to catch up with two? The fact of the matter is that I know I won't be able to catch up with all five modules during one week. In the past I've often made grand plans which were simply too much, which failed, and I then felt horribly guilty. So I'm going to set myself a manageable task this time and hope that everything succeeds!

Anyway, back to that Physiology write up...

Pharmacology Mark

2010-02-10T21:04:00.010Z

Currently listening to - April Come She Will - Simon & Garfunkel

Nearly 9 weeks on from when I handed it in, I finally get the mark for my second piece of pharmacology coursework...81%, a strong A!

However, I am somewhat disappointed. Not with the above mark, of course that's fantastic, but because of my average...

1st Coursework = 72% - A
2nd Coursework = 81% - A
1st Assessment = 64% - B
2nd Assessment = 26% - F

I had a serious case of exam nerves in the second assessment, I kid you not, my mind went completely blank. Combined with sleep deprivation because of my nervousness, I right royally screwed it up. So whilst my other three marks are all excellent, that one assessment drags my average down to 61%...still a B/2:1, but it could have been so much more...still, the end of year exam is the main part, I'll make sure to revise well for it. Let that be a lesson to me to never let nerves get the better of me!

In other news, I did my fourth PBL exam today...it went surprisingly well! Fingers crossed for a good mark.

Physiology Practical II

2010-02-02T17:40:00.008Z

Currently listening to: Do You Remember The First Time? - Pulp

First post of February, and it's not a grumble!

Following on from the fun experience I had during Practical I of my physiology module, I woke up today feeling rather excited and hopeful, though still somewhat ill and needing copious amounts of cough sweets to get by. I'd read through the handout the previous night, so I knew it would be about ECGs, and I was devoutly thankful that I wouldn't have to deal with the horrors of a spectrophotometer for a good week or so.

I still felt ill so the enjoyability of the practical was somewhat reduced since everytime I made a sudden move, I was overcome with dizziness and felt like vomiting, but I perservered. We split into groups of four per bench. One person was the volunteer and had to strip off so we could attach the ECG electrodes and leads around their chest as well as on their right wrist, left wrist, right ankle and left ankle. The other two people on my group seemed more interested in flirting with eachother than doing work, so I was unofficially in charge of running the practical. I'm not bitter, by the way, fair play to both of them, and I rarely get to be in charge of these things, a good turn of events for all concerned!

We started off by simply recording the subject's heart activity whilst lying down, then when standing up. One of the leads was giving some rather erroneous results, so we took about a million readings to try and get a decent result, using up about a roll and a half of ECG paper whilst we were at it. Eventually I realised that it was due to an incorrectly placed electrode on the left wrist, which was too far from the pulse. Smirking to myself, I corrected this, and by happy coincidence the lecturer happened to walk past at that exact moment. Correct results aplenty and an approving look from the prof! Ahem.

Having assessed the ECG at rest, we then got the subject on an exercise bike to see how they would deal with stress. This was the really long winded part of the experiment, we had to do it three times, and after each session on the bike we had to record the ECG and respiratory rate at t0, t5, t10 and t15. Long winded, like I say, but eventually it finished.

Things to be pleased about:

Horrible biochemistry coursework has been handed in.
Practical II was fun.
Practical II's write up seems to be fairly straightforward.

Biochemistry Busywork

2010-01-31T18:32:00.008Z

Currently listening to: The Drugs Don't Work - The Verve

What's worse than having a sore throat and a headache?

Having a sore throat, a headache and a long, deeply boring and pointless coursework to complete.

If you're not in the mood to read one of my moans, this post isn't for you, but forgive me, why would this blog exist if it weren't to provide me with a place to moan and grumble?

Tuesday saw me sitting in the lab, as ever, frantically trying to complete the billions of assays, dilutions and general scut-work that are just a normal part of practicals in the biomedical sciences degree. The experiment was split into five parts, each more long winded and boring than the previous and to top it all off, it had zero relevance to anything we had done in class.

The focus of the practical was on thin layer chromatography, spectroscopic analysis and Lambert-Beer law, none of which we had ever studied before. I have scoured the lecture notes for the past three weeks as well as the ones for the rest of the term, we have not, and will not be taught any of this formally. So what does SBCS do? Why, they set us an enourmous write up on these very concepts!

I know that the point of university is to gain self reliance and not to be spoon fed, but surely the point of practicals ought to be reinforcing the concepts taught in lectures? In class we've covered blood biochemistry, buffer systems, digestion and protein structures and the practical is about, er, spectroscopic analysis, which we have never covered. The reason why this coursework is taking forever to complete (aside from my headache) is that none of it makes sense, because it's all new, and requires copious amounts of researching.

So not only does the practical need an insane amount of self teaching and research before you can attempt any of the answers, but it's also biblical in length, I kid you not, it's 14 pages long, and there's god knows how many graphs to include as well. It's due in on Tuesday. I've emailed the lecturer and I'm praying that he has a spare hour tomorrow so I can go and get some help with the calculations, which are really doing my head in.

After only four weeks, I've concluded that I really, really, really, hate this module. Not only are the classes a disaster, it's boring, long winded and ultimately pointless. Give me strength.

Coursework marks from last term

2010-01-26T22:53:00.003Z

Some marks from last term's courseworks have finally been released...only took about six weeks...which means I can now figure out my average mark for the coursework component of the following modules:

Human Molecular Biology - average 70% - A
Techniques in Biomedical Sciences - average 65% - B

Pretty chuffed with that, now just the exams to go in May :D

Pharmacology coursework marks yet to arrive...I check my student control panel about a billion times a day (seriously), but they have yet to be uploaded...we handed the coursework in on December 7th 2009...they've had about seven weeks to mark it, all the while the SBCS website amusingly declares "marked coursework should be returned, via your Adviser, within four weeks". Yeah, right.

Bah, I'm called Grumpy Biomed for a reason, I'm well aware that the lecturer probably has a million things on his mind, but it won't stop my impatience!

Physiology Practical I

2010-01-20T16:29:00.008Z

Currently listening to: Bicycle Song - Red Hot Chili Peppers

Last year physiology was one of my least favourite subjects, mainly cause it focused a lot on neuroscience, the brain, sleep, etc...all of which I despise. Coupled with my chronic procrastination habit, I didn't do that well in it. This year however is totally different. Biomedical Physiology II is only about the heart and lungs and as such the practicals are much more interesting. Last year we were fiddling about with bits of rat intestine, but today we actually got to do something halfway interesting with real people. It felt vaguely what I imagine med school to be like, putting science into practice, as it were.

The practical was all about circulation and blood pressure. So we started off by taking several pulses in different areas, the basic ones i.e. radial (wrist), brachial (upper arm), carotid (neck), but also other ones which I'd heard of, but never actually taken, e.g. popliteal (behind the knee, very hard to find) and the femoral pulse which can be palpated in the groin area. It was quite amusing to see a lab full of students with their hands down their trousers/skirts fumbling around, trying to feel for a pulse in their groins!

We also got to use a lot of cool equipment. Med students might look at me with pity as I describe a stethoscope as "cool equipment", but, well, I've never used one before, and it felt pretty damn good doing a practical that didn't revolve around microscopes or petri dishes. We also used sphygmomanometers to take blood pressure the old school way and pressure transducers. Finding the brachial pulse with a stethoscope is much harder than it looks!

It was a very good practical, probably because I found the theory behind it interesting. The write up is about the scientific concepts behind circulation, blood pressure, etc and probably won't be that fun, but I'll save it for the weekend, I guess my friends and I will muddle our ways through it, I think the explanations needed will be pretty straight-forward. I got in the sixties for all my physiology courseworks last year, this year I'm aiming for all seventies (i.e. firsts). If I should be so lucky?

Next practical is in two weeks, about ECGs, which sounds very good. If clinical medicine is anything like this, I can't wait!

Biochemistry Woes

2010-01-18T18:59:00.006Z

Currently listening to: Common People - Pulp

I had always enjoyed biochemistry. Most people would look at me as if I was a nutter when I told them I enjoyed learning about proteins, carbohydrates, etc...I even liked learning about cellular respiration and photosynthesis, which most students detest. Indeed, I like Biochem so much that I got an A for it last year, something I am quite proud of.

However, first year is long gone and second year brings many new things with it, including an increase in mental torture and panic as exams draw ever closer. My woes surrounding my former favourite subject are getting me down...the Essential Biochemistry for Human Life module we're currently studying is HARD. And I mean that. I have no idea how I'm going to remember this much chemical theory in the run up to the exams whilst revising for seven other modules, and there's another problem...

So far we're meant to have covered buffer systems, blood biochemistry, digestion and the structure and function of haemoglobin and myoglobin. I say "meant to have covered" deliberately, as our lecturer is somewhat, um, behind in his classes. For example, last week we were meant to have finished both buffer systems and blood biochemistry, but actually we only finished the former in class. And this week we were meant to have finished digestion and haemoglobin structure, but in reality we only covered digestion.

I am not one to slag off my lecturers, I have the utmost respect (and frankly admiration) for anyone who can go as far as PhD level in a subject as complicated as biochem. However, it makes me feel rather uncomfortable and anxious that not only is this subject IMMENSELY difficult, but we're already behind in it!

Here's hoping that things will improve.

Second term of second year

2010-01-16T23:24:00.001Z

Currently listening to: Bittersweet Symphony - The Verve

As I stumble through my second term of my second year of BSc Biomedical Sciences, I am visited by a strange thought. Well, two strange thoughts. Firstly, I have now passed the halfway point of my degree...from here my days at QMUL are firmly in the minority. Secondly that end of year exams look a lot closer from this side of Christmas.

I have just finished my first week back, and I have now experienced the following modules:

Biomedical Physiology II
Clinical Microbiology
Essential Biochemistry for Human Life
Basic Immunology

And as for my optional module, I picked Nutrition and Metabolism. The other choices were something about cells (which I loathe) and neurobiology (which I also loathe). I really hope nutrition will be alright.

Of this lot, the most fun so far has been Clinical Microbiology, though I don't particularly relish the fact that the classes are held in the Barbican at Bart's and the London's campus, as opposed to QMUL's Mile End campus which is literally on my doorstep. Having to wake up at 8AM then get crammed onto a packed Hammersmith and City line train isn't particularly fun.

Though even I know that deep down that's just an excuse, I'm not a wuss, I can wake up early if needs be. What really annoys me is the "so close yet so far" feeling I get when I set foot onto the Bart's and the London campus...the feeling that if I had just worked a bit harder in sixth form I might have been there as a medical student...not as a biomed who's bored numb and counting down the days till graduation.

I have felt like this very often in my degree...whether it's when I read the same textbooks that medical students do, or I have to use their library or their lecture theatres or whatever...it always comes back to me...so close, yet so far...but at the end of the day however much I may be similar to them, I'm a world apart. For now anyway.