London Science Museum

I visited the science museum in London, this was a fantastic experience. Several of the exhibitions at the science museum are about health and medicine. Looking at the history of medicine and how it has developed over the years was amazing. The transformation in the availability of treatments and machines was particularly eye-opening. The use of trephining in the Egyptian times was interesting, showing how the beliefs of people have changed from spiritual to medical.

Further on in the exhibition there were modern models of the body, showcasing how Ancient Egyptians thought the arteries and veins ran and also their understanding of muscle and bone layout. Additionally, there were models of how the human body truly is detailed which were created using modern technology. This was captivating to see as it showed the body in a way which was both factual and accessible. It opened my eyes to the complexity of our bodies and how one little change can cause someone to become drastically ill.

Another exhibition called ‘Who Am I?’ looked into the genetic make-up of each individual human. This was amazing to see as it showed how we really are very different yet similar at the same time. The most interesting aspect of this was how they have mapped the brain of a person; this was portrayed using different colours to represent the separate neuron pathways. The use of MRI scans on many people showed how the brain can be mapped, showing the differences in neuron functions between individuals but also highlighting any genetic disorders such as cancer or Alzheimer’s.

The ‘Who Am I?’ project looked into autism and how it was first looked into as a disease. Investigating the idea of the ‘theory of mind’ really gave me an insight into what it would be like to live with the disease. The disorder affects the prefrontal cortex of the brain which controls reasoning, problem-solving, memory, voluntary movement and sensation. This exhibition allowed me to empathise with those with this condition; their lack of judgement and ability to predict others’ actions must be perplexing for the individual. Working alongside children with the genetic disorder during my volunteering at Ashgate Croft school for children with additional needs (please see separate entry for more details) really allowed me to apply the scientific knowledge to practice empathising with the individual.
 

Seeing the original iron lungs that were used to keep people alive really highlighted how medicine has advanced since the 1930s. The fact that the iron lung was once relied upon to enable polio suffers to breath when the chest muscles were paralysed was shocking when I considered how aged this equipment now looks to a modern eye. This really shows how the views of the general public have changed regarding the high level of technology and care that they expect to be provided in the 21^st century.

Introduction

Abbie's Medicine Work Experience Blog

Hi! I’m Abbie, whilst writing my personal statement, I decided to create this blog to help tell future prospective medical students how to get your work experience and what you could learn from doing these placements. It can be daunting especially if (like me) you have no medical contacts in your family but, as I have shown, perseverance can get you a long way! A brief description below shows what I did on each placement, further blog posts will give more details about each experience.

London Science Museum
What I did and learnt...Touring the museum, the science and medicine specific exhibitions were excellent. They have taught me about the genetic makeup of the brain and the history of medicine. The link between autism and my voluntary work with special needs children really highlighted the reality of living with neurological conditions.

Chesterfield Royal Hospital placement 

What I did and learnt... I learnt about different aspects of medicine in a hospital by shadowing doctors, viewing surgical rooms and having hands on experiences such as taking blood from a dummy arm. I also questioned patients about treatment and rehabilitation which allowed me to gain a firsthand experience of behind the scenes work in a hospital.

Psychiatry placement

What I did and learnt... This placement allowed me to see the plethora of mental illnesses that effect patients and how these are dealt with differently. I viewed the system as a whole from looking at discharged patients coming in for check-ups to those that are housed in a secure unit and receive treatment in there. I learnt how to adapt my word choice and tone to suit particular patients’ need and get a successful diagnosis.

Ashgate Hospice

What I did and learnt... I aid the administration of drugs with terminally ill patients whilst helping to ease their passing through palliative care. Balancing diets and alcohol levels allows a compromise between enjoyment in the last stages of life and the necessary medical care. I have already learnt how to cope with the emotions of losing patients that I have developed an affinity with whilst maintaining a cheerful work ethic to keep spirits high.

Ashgate Croft Placement

What I did and learnt... I work with a group with a class of mentally and/or physically disabled children in a school, taking them swimming and aiding during lessons and recreational time. Learning makaton (simple sign language) improved communication with the children, through this placement I developed patience and an understanding of medicines used to treat a variety of conditions.

Darley Dale Surgery

What I did and learnt... This gave me an experience of the administration behind a GP surgery whilst shadowing a receptionist. Looking at drugs and repeat prescriptions highlighted the importance of liaison with the pharmacy. Shadowing a nurse, phlebotomist and GP gave details as to these roles and interested me in different sections of medicine.

Matlock Group Surgery

What I did and learnt... Shadowing a GP in this practise allowed me to view many different treatments and issues from dealing with a pregnant ladies’ alcohol issues to discussing the possible need for dialysis and tracheotomies with patients. Viewing online systems allowed me to see patients’ past medical history whilst also showing me the importance of computer literacy in a medical role.

Pharmacy Placement

What I did and learnt... I learnt how to utilise the dispensing systems that are in place in the pharmacy to fulfil prescriptions and give the customers drugs. I had to consider safety concerns when giving patients their drugs to ensure they got to the correct person. Looking at prescriptions, liaisons with the GP surgery and drug interaction to prevent clashes are all important aspects that will be helpful in my future as a professional medic.

Fairplay

What I did and learnt... Working with a group of young disabled adults allowed me to gain leadership skills whilst helping give respite care to the families of these children. Experience of epileptic fits was engaging as I watched administration of medicine and following the strict procedure. Dealing with allergies and dietary plans would be part of everyday life as a doctor so was an intriguing experience.

Stress Outlets - how to cope with being a doctor

What I did and learnt... This section gives details as to how you can cope with the stress of being a doctor by using extra-curricular activities. I pursued activities such as ocean sailing, achieving the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh scheme, running, swimming, gaining my Level 2 Sports Leadership award, helping with Buddy Reading, linking with a year eight form, being part of Young Enterprise, working as a Student Ambassador and being a Young Leader at a Brownie unit amongst other pursuits. These activities allowed me to develop my teamwork, leadership, communication and timekeeping skills.

Chesterfield Hospital Placement

Chesterfield Royal Hospital placement

This five day long placement was particularly beneficial to me as it gave me a wide range of experience into the medical profession. Shadowing a doctor was particularly helpful as it gave me a practical insight into the responsibilities and roles that I would have to undertake when I gain a place as a doctor. One case I saw which I found especially interesting was observing an MRI taking place and looking at the results where a lady had a football sized cyst containing ovarian cancer in her stomach. This allowed me to showcase my observation and analytical skills through this experience as the consultant taught me how to read the MRI results and interpret these correctly. Details of this case must be kept private due to confidentiality agreements. I support these agreements and have the highest respect for patient privacy and confidentiality; I ensured I adhered to these rules even when discussing the placement with family and friends.

Another large aspect to this experience was the gaining of elementary life support and clinical skills. I previously have medical training due to being a Young Leader at my local Brownie unit yet I found this training to be more specific and highly interesting. I enjoyed working with the resuscitation dummies which we had to treat as if they were patients. This gave me a taste of the rapport and treatment that I would utilise when working with patients. I also took blood from a dummy arm, learning the sterile procedure and I succeeded in gaining blood in my first try. This skill will be of great significance as a doctor. It also showed me how it can be very hard to gain blood from patients as they may move or have weaker veins as some colleagues experienced. 

During the experience I did a lot of questioning of patients about the symptoms they have been experiencing and the rehabilitation procedure they are going to take. I found this to be a range of things from having carers come into the house each day to moving to another specialist, smaller hospital which will help regain the mobility of patients after life changing surgery. This was seen on the medical ward with a gentleman who had to have his leg amputated due to gangrene as a result of diabetes. The one-to-one contact with patients was an area I found I thrived in; I perfected my bedside manners and enjoyed building an understanding of the patients beyond their mere ailments. I believe it is so important to see the whole patient and not just see the sickness that they have. This allowed me to take a great deal from this experience.

Gaining an understanding of the geography of the hospital was also important and through visits to theatre and other departments such as pathology I was able to gain a wide knowledge of different paths I could possibly specialise into. Working in these different departments made me more dedicated to pursue this interesting career path. It also highlighted to me what goes on in each individual department such as the biopsies, blood tests, transfusion matches and microbiology which were all in one section.

My certificate of attendance

I had to modify my appearance to adhere to a strict dress code for safety and hygiene reasons in particular but also to uphold the reputation of the medical departments. I found this easy and it gave me a snapshot of life dressing as a doctor and following safety procedures such as washing hands at washing stations after using the gel five times to ensure the maximisation of killing germs to prevent cross-contamination. I understand the importance of limiting infection and ensuring that I am clean to guarantee the safety of patients, especially when they are elderly or severely ill as they have a reduced immune system. 

Touring A&E allowed me to see the intricate details of running the department behind closed doors, this showed me how there are government targets which the multidisciplinary team have to achieve, for example, treating every medical issue within four hours. It also allowed me to see the resuscitation rooms, ask questions about the life support machines and the running of the care of the patient. Of course it showed me how busy the department is constantly and the wide range of medical complaints the doctors deal with on a day to day basis.

The paediatrics tour also showed me how it can be very hard to question patients when they feel scared and alone, this means that the approach of talking to them has to be reassessed to gain the knowledge you need. Especially with the babies, there was more emphasis on blood tests and primary assessments to diagnose the patient, as opposed to questioning as seen more with adult patients. Being able to adapt my attitude to the situation I am in is something which I excel in as I volunteer with young children, teenagers and adults.

The week has portrayed to me the life of doctors on both medical and surgical wards highlighting the difference between the two. The main differences are the length of the ward rounds; medical lasting between five and six hours as opposed to surgical whose duration was just over one hour. Another difference was the severity of the patient as many of the surgical wards beds were filled with arranged operation patients who were not in need of medical attention to the same extent. The two days in the separate doctor roles also showed me the difference between an F1 doctor and becoming a SHO as you do less paper work and have more responsibility, for example with the F1 there was three additional doctors to herself on the ward round and with the SHO he was the only doctor from his team on the ward round.

Overall, I thought this experience was particularly rewarding. I found the varied experiences very involving and this placement has certainly solidified my resolve to pursue a career in medicine. 

My schedule for the placement

Psychiatry Placement

Psychiatry placement

This placement took place in both Sheffield Northern General Hospital and Chesterfield Royal Hospital and involved an induction, placement and evaluation. The induction and evaluation contained talks from doctors who are specialists in the area of psychiatry, university students on life as a junior doctor and also talks about general application advice. The placement was provided by SOAMS.

Whilst on the actual placement I followed a psychiatry consultant for three days, this involved sitting in on the clinics he ran for the out patients to come to for check-ups after being discharged from the hospital. The wide range of patients he saw was astonishing where patients’ illnesses ranged from being bipolar or having OCD to those living with schizophrenia. This allowed me to gain a greater appreciation of the wide scope of mental illnesses that are prevalent in the local community of which I was unaware of before. This experience particularly showed me how the tone of voice used as a doctor will provoke different responses in patients, especially those with mental illnesses. This has helped me to adapt my tone and language complexity used to the particular patient to guarantee cooperation occurs; this is particularly important for a doctor otherwise the chances of a successful diagnosis are severely reduced.

Listening to the patient history of each case and looking on the computer system to see test results demonstrated to me the complexity of some patients’ situations. When incorporating all of the factors together, the medication and care required became rather intricate. Sound medical knowledge was needed to ensure that drugs don’t interact or cancel each other out. Clear care plans were put into place for each individual every six months to see the progress they have made and the medications they are on at the present. This safeguarding ensures that each doctor knows the exact situation of the patient.

On the second day, being in a hospital in-patient setting allowed me to appreciate the progress patients have made and the world they’re living in while they’re mentally ill. Questioning these patients and talking to them allowed me to see the clear triggers in each patient’s life as to why the mental illness began. The hospital secure unit also permitted me to talk to other members of the diverse medical crisis team which assign a carer and doctor to each patient alongside the discharge to protect both the individual and the family at the time they need help the most. The behavioural activation put into place by the consultant was apparent in changing the life the patients are living.

On the final day, along with an out-patient clinic, I attended a review meeting with all the members of the multidisciplinary team present to have an update on all the patients under their care. This allowed all members to be up to date with the situation of each patient in case of emergencies. This showed me how medical professionals work together and it ignited my desire to be part of a team and support each other. This meeting also showed me how each individual in the system was a necessity to provide the best care available for each patient. The OT’s, nurses and social workers were needed just as much as the doctors with their medical knowledge and the power to prescribe drugs.

Overall, this experience showed me the reality of living with a mental illness and the care and support needed by patients. The psychiatric care system was demonstrated to me and sparked an interest to study dementia as part of my EPQ.

Ashgate Hospice

Ashgate Hospice

I have volunteered weekly at Ashgate Hospice which provides end of life care for terminally ill patients. Whilst volunteering I talk to patients and form bonds with them, communicating and improving my social skills through talking to many adults of different ages and socio-economic backgrounds. This experience has taught me that a cheerful and positive outlook is required at all times to improve the patients’ mood.

I have learnt that there needs to be a balance between what the patient desires to do in their last few weeks and what the medical professionals wish them to do for their best interests. This involves a compromise to ensure that the best end of life provisions are made but also that the patient is happy and enjoys the last weeks they have left. This is demonstrated through the fact patients are permitted to have alcohol through the day if they wish, but also that if they need essential pain relief that they may not be permitted alcohol in as large quantities to avoid drug interaction and cancelation of the medication.

When at the hospice I serve meals and drinks to the patients; this requires close observation of instructions from the multidisciplinary team to ensure patients are not eating solid food when they are supposed to be on a puree diet to prevent choking. This skill is necessary as a doctor to prevent negative consequences occurring. I also have to make sure that the patient is not on a limited diet or liquid consumption which is put in place by medical professionals to aid their end of life transition. This involved talking to patients and families to make sure they understand why the patients are not allowed the usual food and drinks. I have also experienced complaints by family members who wish that their ill relative can have a proper meal and drink, however, this may not be possible near the end of life. This occurrence has aided my development as I had to stay calm and explain carefully why this has been put in place and how it benefits the patient, this is important for a doctor to be able to do when in the care of patients.

Whilst volunteering I observed and aided the nurses in administration of the drugs which are vital for the pain relief of patients in the last days of their lives to preserve their dignity and prevent unnecessary suffering. The main thing I have gained from this palliative care experience is seeing the deterioration of each individual patient from when they first come into the hospice until near the end of their lives. This experience has allowed me to address the issues surrounding the end of life, assessing how I react to patients dying and how I deal with this. This experience has been hard at times yet I think I have gained much from this and will be a better doctor since I have experienced the loss of my patients and have knowledge of the specific care required towards the end of their lives.

Ashgate Croft Placement

Ashgate Croft Placement

I have been a weekly volunteer at Ashgate Croft for twelve months. My work is specifically based with one class of nine children aged between eleven and fourteen years old. Through the class there is a wide range of ability levels as there are children with both mental and physical disabilities. I have learnt how to modify my interaction and learning expectations according to the severity of the particular child’s disability.

Working in close contact with the children has improved my communication skills in a professional work environment. Being present when a range of complex tests and pill combinations are administered has given me a direct knowledge of the importance of precision with drugs and how they can positively affect a child’s health. My interest in medicine has definitely been sparked by the caring role I have pursued and the hands on approach to medication administration.

One of my activities with the children has been regular swimming sessions during which I gained each child’s trust. These sessions were fun and interactive whilst also having the additional benefit of allowing the children to see the duality of me being both their friend and a professional adult helper. 

A particularly rewarding aspect of the role I undertook was helping the children to comprehend moral and socially acceptable behaviour as I undertook to help them to understand the way to interact with other children. Utilising simple makaton (simple sign language for children) has been helpful as it allows direct communication with the children that have problems with fulfilling needs of expression. Seeing the standard of work each child produced improve across my work with the class has been gratifying and has shown the worthwhile nature of my work.

Throughout this placement I have used my skills of patience and have developed my caring nature. As in the role of doctor, it was highly important through my time volunteering here to be non-judgmental and fair to all children regardless of ability and social background. This experience has highly enhanced my desire to pursue a career in medicine and to become a doctor.

Darley Dale Surgery

Darley Dale Surgery

In 2012 I partook in work experience at Darley Dale medical centre. This was rather hard to arrange and took great initiative since my family has no medical background with contacts that I could call upon. Yet, I succeeded in organising this and gained greatly from the

experience.

On the first day of this work experience I observed the receptionist staff; this was invaluable since it gave me an insight into the inner workings of a GP surgery. I was intrigued to find out about how they book home visits and appointments within the surgery. I also enjoyed looking at the intricacies of repeat prescriptions and how the surgery liaises with the pharmacy. Dealing with this administrative side of the role of a GP was important to me since this would give me the edge when I am in the role of doctor. 

Further to this I gained experience by observing a phlebotomist, nurse and GP; working with all members of the multidisciplinary team. This highlighted the difference between roles of nurses and doctors and solidified my career choice as doctors have a greater biological knowledge of the intricate details of how the human body works. A section of my experience that was enlightening was the baby clinic which I visited; this was interesting since I had previously had little experience surrounding this area. Understanding the workings of this section from being allowed to weigh the babies to the nurses dealing with social issues that the mothers may be experiencing appealed to my caring nature. It also emphasised the concern if the babies did not develop properly or gain weight and showed how this was an early warning sign for disabilities.

I found it particularly interesting shadowing the phlebotomist and watching her take bloods from different patients of all backgrounds. She explained to me the different tests available and what each coloured tube means. I spent a lot of the week shadowing different types of nurses; this showed me how the nurses roles differ to doctors. However, shadowing nurses showed me the importance of their role and how valuable they are to doctors and in providing care to the patients. I worked closely with a warfarin nurse going on home visits one day to provide drugs to those unable to get into the surgery. Another day, I was placed alongside a district nurse; going on home visits and reapplying dressings on elderly patients who were no longer as mobile as before. We also did a visit to a care day centre for the elderly to assess the requirements of a particular patient to live safely in his home.