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TSR Med Students' Society Part VI

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Original post by Moonkin
If my first two FP options are ones with high scores and my third one is one with a lower score. How likely am I to get into it? Is there a chance I'll miss it completely because people ranked it first and second but might have lower scores than myself?

I was considering putting a thames deanery first then a diferrent deanery second but now tempted to place 2 thames deaneries before my third choice.


Yeh, it doesn't work like that.

Everybody in the country is ranked into a single really long list by score.

They then work down that list in order. They allocate person 1, then person 2, and then person 3.

If you are person 1, they then go on to look at how you've ranked the deaneries. You've ranked them rank 1, rank 2, rank 3. They then go through your personal rank list independently of everyone else. They first try and put you into your rank 1 (i.e. is rank 1 full?), if it isn't, you'll be placed there. If rank 1 is full, they'll move on and try and put you into rank 2. If that's full, rank 3 and so on.

Only after you are allocated do they move on to person 2.

This means it makes more sense to put "higher ranked" deaneries first with a higher average entry score. Say for example you want to go to three places, average scores of 80, 75 and 50. If you rank 80, 75, 50 that's the most logical - it's likely the 80 and 75 will be filled up and you'll be placed in the 50. But if you put the 50 first (followed by 80 and 75) the odds are that when they come to you in the allocation list, they'll try and allocate you to rank 1 (50 points) and you'll get in. They then don't even consider your rank 2 or rank 3 (even if they are higher average scores and they have spaces left).
Original post by ForestCat
Am I the only one who can find clinics painful?

Two patients in two hours. FML.

I dunno if it's my background but the lack of communication skills that some people have is astounding. Half the idea I've no idea what went on in the past thirty minutes so how the hell are patients meant to?!

Posted from TSR Mobile


I actually prefer clinics to ward rounds. I feel like I have more of an opportunity to ask questions and learn more about a patients history as you have more time per patient, and the doctors are generally more willing to teach as it doesn't feel as hectic as a ward round with ten other doctors.
Any tips on approaching nurses for placements?

They're all cordial, but not friendly enough to ask for sign-offs :s
Original post by Beska
Yeh, it doesn't work like that.

Everybody in the country is ranked into a single really long list by score.

They then work down that list in order. They allocate person 1, then person 2, and then person 3.

If you are person 1, they then go on to look at how you've ranked the deaneries. You've ranked them rank 1, rank 2, rank 3. They then go through your personal rank list independently of everyone else. They first try and put you into your rank 1 (i.e. is rank 1 full?), if it isn't, you'll be placed there. If rank 1 is full, they'll move on and try and put you into rank 2. If that's full, rank 3 and so on.

Only after you are allocated do they move on to person 2.

This means it makes more sense to put "higher ranked" deaneries first with a higher average entry score. Say for example you want to go to three places, average scores of 80, 75 and 50. If you rank 80, 75, 50 that's the most logical - it's likely the 80 and 75 will be filled up and you'll be placed in the 50. But if you put the 50 first (followed by 80 and 75) the odds are that when they come to you in the allocation list, they'll try and allocate you to rank 1 (50 points) and you'll get in. They then don't even consider your rank 2 or rank 3 (even if they are higher average scores and they have spaces left).


even though its a way off for me, I think this is the absolute perfect explanation of how the rankings work. I get asked this a lot at open days and I am now going to use what you just said, might be much simpler for parents and applicants to understand.
Original post by hslakaal
Any tips on approaching nurses for placements?

They're all cordial, but not friendly enough to ask for sign-offs :s


Just go for it. They don't (well, most of them) don't bite. As long as they're not too harassed at the time they should be happy to help. A casual, friendly approach generally works.

Trying to make it worth their while always helps. If you need to get signed off doing obs, do two or three patients so that you're taking some of the workload for them. Things like cannulas and bloods help them out anyway so should be happy to sign you off.
Original post by hslakaal
Any tips on approaching nurses for placements?

They're all cordial, but not friendly enough to ask for sign-offs :s


Bribery. Sugar-filled, cake-shaped bribery.*
Original post by Becca-Sarah
Bribery. Sugar-filled, cake-shaped bribery.*


Yes! You can never go wrong if you feed the nurses!
Original post by ForestCat
Am I the only one who can find clinics painful?

Two patients in two hours. FML.

I dunno if it's my background but the lack of communication skills that some people have is astounding. Half the idea I've no idea what went on in the past thirty minutes so how the hell are patients meant to?!

Posted from TSR Mobile


They often are a bit painful imho.

Unless you're fortunate enough to have a clinic that is particularly useful for teaching and a consultant who is up for teaching/letting you do things.

Surgery clinics and GP were the best for this in my experience - the general surgeons I was attached to were happy for us to see new patients by ourselves and then they'd come in and we would present back to them. Generally I found surgeons to be strict but very decent teachers in clinic (as opposed to theatre time which was usually less useful).

That said, the worst clinic experience I had was with an ophthalmology consultant who made us come to his very specialist oculoplastics clinics once/twice a week, nearly always* ignored us, and made us use a register (this was not a med school/hospital requirement for the placement, just his own personal thing). Biggest waste of time ever :unimpressed:

*Once a week on Friday afternoons he'd offer us biscuits, lmao.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by ForestCat
Am I the only one who can find clinics painful?

Two patients in two hours. FML.

I dunno if it's my background but the lack of communication skills that some people have is astounding. Half the idea I've no idea what went on in the past thirty minutes so how the hell are patients meant to?!

Posted from TSR Mobile


which block are you in atm?

i only found GP clinics really useful so far tbh because you run the consultation and get feedback/teaching right after.
medical clinics... more towards trying to stay awake most of the time..
Original post by crazylemon
'hello, do you mind signing me of for X that you have seen me do?'


tbh, I'm just finding approaching them quite daunting sometimes. They're all so busy :frown:

Original post by Becca-Sarah
Bribery. Sugar-filled, cake-shaped bribery.*


Haha. But feels a bit weird to do that w/o having known them for a bit.
Lol, I remember being placed with an optometrist for ophthalmology (one day of a 2 week attachment) and she wouldn't even let me do (or sign off) visual acuity.

I love clinics, I recommend saying to your consultant beforehand that you're keen to see any unusual findings if it would be okay and most have obliged (most times there isn't much to see, but when I ask, they will tend to show) also when asking questions, add detail.

Instead of, "couldn't this just be a migraine"
Add "I know they describe it as not really being related to stress and no family history, but couldn't it still be a migraine" just to establish that you aren't just asking for the sake of it


Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by Anonymous
tbh, I'm just finding approaching them quite daunting sometimes. They're all so busy :frown:



Haha. But feels a bit weird to do that w/o having known them for a bit.


Nurses are always busy, but they know what it is like to be in your situation desperate for someone to sign off their competencies too. So don't be afraid as it is something they had to do themselves at one time or another.
Original post by Marathi
Nurses are always busy, but they know what it is like to be in your situation desperate for someone to sign off their competencies too. So don't be afraid as it is something they had to do themselves at one time or another.


This.

However all nurses were not born equal and some of us are more approachable and helpful than others, especially when it comes to stuff like this. It's usually easy to tell when you ask though, the ones who are willing to help can usually manage an understandable sentence in reply rather than a grunt or a, "why are you asking me and not a doctor? You're a medical student aren't you?"

Either way, like Becca-Sarah said, we respond well to sugary treats (I'm more of a savoury man, but I don't think I've ever seen a block of cheese and some crackers on the nurse's station from a grateful relative) :tongue:
Original post by Anonymous
tbh, I'm just finding approaching them quite daunting sometimes. They're all so busy :frown:


Ah yes, the "look busy so nobody asks you to do more work" look. You'll soon come to master this yourself. Eye contact is the downfall of leaving work on time.
Original post by Etomidate
Ah yes, the "look busy so nobody asks you to do more work" look. You'll soon come to master this yourself. Eye contact is the downfall of leaving work on time.


Haha. Think I am already doing that :O


Side note, got into a random debate in our firm on using patient images (MRI CT etc anonymous ofc) in stuff like grand rounds. Half were saying you should get consent separately whilst half said "meh it's anonymous"

I thought it was the latter, and it was legally allowed. Am I mistaken?
Original post by hslakaal
Haha. Think I am already doing that :O


Side note, got into a random debate in our firm on using patient images (MRI CT etc anonymous ofc) in stuff like grand rounds. Half were saying you should get consent separately whilst half said "meh it's anonymous"

I thought it was the latter, and it was legally allowed. Am I mistaken?


Currently there isn't a rule that I'm aware of, but bear in mind that only a few years ago you could publish a case study (anonymised etc) without permission, whereas now you're expected to submit written consent forms from all included patients even if they've left the country (or from relatives if they've died). Things are changing and the fact that its anonymous doesn't seem to matter.
Hey everyone, from your experience... am I allowed on placement with Glandular Fever? I feel well enough, just about, and I know it's only spread through very close contact/ respiratory droplets?
No one tells you about the fact that medicine is full of hardcore alcoholics in the open days, every time I say to myself "today I will catch up" a sesh appears.
Original post by Anonymous
No one tells you about the fact that medicine is full of hardcore alcoholics in the open days, every time I say to myself "today I will catch up" a sesh appears.


I thought it was well known that medics tended to work hard play hard.

You don't have to go to that 'sesh' though :wink:
Original post by nexttime
Currently there isn't a rule that I'm aware of, but bear in mind that only a few years ago you could publish a case study (anonymised etc) without permission, whereas now you're expected to submit written consent forms from all included patients even if they've left the country (or from relatives if they've died). Things are changing and the fact that its anonymous doesn't seem to matter.


Asked one of the SpRs. Apparently it doesn't matter. Think he's right:

From GMC

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