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TSR Med Students' Society Part VI

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Original post by Larry31
We were actually banned from the clinical environment during the strike action last year. The reasoning was that the increased pressure on the wards might put us in a position where we are asked to do things that are outside of our competency. That said, I'm not sure what their plans would be in the face of 5-day strike action...I really don't want to miss that much placement :/


By that logic I assume you're also banned from on calls and anything out of hours then!

Nice to know your med school thinks you lack the maturity to keep within your competency.

Not saying you should have gone in but the reasoning sounds patronising as hell.
Original post by Larry31
We were actually banned from the clinical environment during the strike action last year. The reasoning was that the increased pressure on the wards might put us in a position where we are asked to do things that are outside of our competency. That said, I'm not sure what their plans would be in the face of 5-day strike action...I really don't want to miss that much placement :/


Thank you everyone for your helpful tips!! I am also quite worried about missing a lot of teaching because despite everything that's going on, we are students and our most important task is to learn from anyone and everyone who can teach us. Missing 15 days out of a very short term would be too much. :/
Original post by Larry31
We were actually banned from the clinical environment during the strike action last year. The reasoning was that the increased pressure on the wards might put us in a position where we are asked to do things that are outside of our competency. That said, I'm not sure what their plans would be in the face of 5-day strike action...I really don't want to miss that much placement :/


Original post by nexttime
By that logic I assume you're also banned from on calls and anything out of hours then!

Nice to know your med school thinks you lack the maturity to keep within your competency.

Not saying you should have gone in but the reasoning sounds patronising as hell.


We were told not to go in last time so that the consultants didn't have to worry about keeping an eye on us and could focus on trying to remember how to be a junior doctor. Which is fair enough IMO

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Original post by Cephalosporin
Thank you everyone for your helpful tips!! I am also quite worried about missing a lot of teaching because despite everything that's going on, we are students and our most important task is to learn from anyone and everyone who can teach us. Missing 15 days out of a very short term would be too much. :/


There wouldn't be any capacity for teaching on a strike day anyway.

Also, ultimately, you're all adult learners. Crack open a book.
Does anyone know the EPM cut-off scores for London schools last year for AFP please?
Original post by ForestCat
We were told not to go in last time so that the consultants didn't have to worry about keeping an eye on us and could focus on trying to remember how to be a junior doctor. Which is fair enough IMO

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Im wondering what will the uni decide now since there will be 15 days of strikes hmm.. it will be hard missing 10 days for the next block.
Original post by Jckc123
Im wondering what will the uni decide now since there will be 15 days of strikes hmm.. it will be hard missing 10 days for the next block.


True. That's supposing all the strikes go ahead, personally I can't see that happening.
I think the same will still apply next time with an emphasis on self study. I think we'd be more of a hindrance.

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Original post by ForestCat
I think the same will still apply next time with an emphasis on self study. I think we'd be more of a hindrance.

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Surely unfair on us from an assessment PoV though. We need that experience to pass our exams :P Self study only gets you so far; we need time to see real patients and consolidate things. Tbh it'd probably mean just overloading work to the period outside of strikes.
Original post by MJK91
Surely unfair on us from an assessment PoV though. We need that experience to pass our exams :P Self study only gets you so far; we need time to see real patients and consolidate things. Tbh it'd probably mean just overloading work to the period outside of strikes.


But I don't necessarily think we should be in during prolonged strikes. Consultants, and the junior doctors still required to come in, will be focused on ensuring services keep going and patient safety is maintained. Worrying about what the med students are up to are, and should be, the least of their concerns.

Yes, the blocks we're on during this time won't get covered quite as well, but there is still time spent there. The strikes aren't a continuous month, the gaps in between will allow you to catch up.

And we can't have it both ways. Strikes were always going to affect us, just as the destruction of the nhs and the abuse of the junior doctors will.

If you add up all the 'self directed study' time that a lot of med students take over the years, I'm sure it would have a similar total.

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Original post by MJK91
Surely unfair on us from an assessment PoV though. We need that experience to pass our exams :P Self study only gets you so far; we need time to see real patients and consolidate things. Tbh it'd probably mean just overloading work to the period outside of strikes.


And we need to be paid to pay our bills. The strike is inconvenient for both sides, but ultimately this is for your future.
Original post by MJK91
Surely unfair on us from an assessment PoV though. We need that experience to pass our exams :P Self study only gets you so far; we need time to see real patients and consolidate things. Tbh it'd probably mean just overloading work to the period outside of strikes.


Sweet Jesus, practice on colleagues instead, the real world fight to protect the health service and your future career lies in the junior doctors picketing outside. Don't wallow for your own sake. We're just students FFS.

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Original post by ForestCat
But I don't necessarily think we should be in during prolonged strikes. Consultants, and the junior doctors still required to come in, will be focused on ensuring services keep going and patient safety is maintained. Worrying about what the med students are up to are, and should be, the least of their concerns.

Yes, the blocks we're on during this time won't get covered quite as well, but there is still time spent there. The strikes aren't a continuous month, the gaps in between will allow you to catch up.

And we can't have it both ways. Strikes were always going to affect us, just as the destruction of the nhs and the abuse of the junior doctors will.

If you add up all the 'self directed study' time that a lot of med students take over the years, I'm sure it would have a similar total.

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As I said it'd probably mean just putting in more work outside of striking time. I'm ok with that. Was just highlighting that losing a lot of teaching from say a cardiology block is going to be detrimental.

Original post by Etomidate
And we need to be paid to pay our bills. The strike is inconvenient for both sides, but ultimately this is for your future.


I do sympathise, I'm in no way criticising the right to strike or the reasons for doing so.

Original post by That Bearded Man
Sweet Jesus, practice on colleagues instead, the real world fight to protect the health service and your future career lies in the junior doctors picketing outside. Don't wallow for your own sake. We're just students FFS.

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I'm not wallowing, but I can hardly learn clinical signs on healthy people. As I say, I'm ok with making up the time elsewhere -- I just meant it'll make exams a bit trickier.
Original post by MJK91
As I said it'd probably mean just putting in more work outside of striking time. I'm ok with that. Was just highlighting that losing a lot of teaching from say a cardiology block is going to be detrimental.



I do sympathise, I'm in no way criticising the right to strike or the reasons for doing so.



I'm not wallowing, but I can hardly learn clinical signs on healthy people. As I say, I'm ok with making up the time elsewhere -- I just meant it'll make exams a bit trickier.


Ah okay, fair point. Could you try and swap placement with someone unofficially? Say you lose 3 days of your week ENT, and a friend loses 3 days Opth, could you try and swap them a bit so when you do Ophth you can actually attend ENT instead?

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Original post by That Bearded Man
Ah okay, fair point. Could you try and swap placement with someone unofficially? Say you lose 3 days of your week ENT, and a friend loses 3 days Opth, could you try and swap them a bit so when you do Ophth you can actually attend ENT instead?

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Probably possible, but tbh I'm more than happy to just come back on days off etc :smile: It's easily mitigated. Strike is far more important in the grand scheme of things.
Oh my, I can actually post here now! Been to my first 9am this morning :smile:

First year, BSMS :biggrin:*
Original post by AnnekaChan173
Oh my, I can actually post here now! Been to my first 9am this morning :smile:

First year, BSMS :biggrin:*


Welcome, keen first-year! :biggrin:
Original post by AnnekaChan173
Oh my, I can actually post here now! Been to my first 9am this morning :smile:

First year, BSMS :biggrin:*


Finally can welcome you! Been watching you post for the past couple of years and now you finally made it! hoping its all going very well x
The strikes next month fall on my ED week. I think it straddles the last 3 days of that week. Annoyingly, a strike took off 2 days from ED last academic year as well. I'd far rather the strike fell in something I'd already done a lot of (eg paediatrics). I do think it's going to have an impact on my medical education.
Being in wales is very beneficial for training because we aren't affected by the strikes, cant imagine what it would be like to miss essential teaching.


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