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TSR Med Students' Society Part III

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Original post by GodspeedGehenna
Counting intercostal spaces is a bitch. Lets hope all of my patients are cachexic.


I was trying to do this on myself and was worrying that I couldn't do it even though my ribs are fairly easy to feel. I'm glad you posted this :smile:


Any other first years feeling a little low at the moment? We have our first exam on Monday and a 2-part assignment due in on Wednesday (I realise this will sound like nothing to anyone in 2nd year +.. but my brain died after a very non-academic gap year and was rudely awakened again in late September!). Seems like most of our year is feeling a bit down in the dumps from people I've spoken to, was just wondering how it is in other medical schools.

A fifth year told us earlier this week that you just have to plough through the first 2 years and then it gets interesting.. at first I was worrying that I wasn't absolutely loving every single part >.< My expectations are too high and I worry too much in general haha.
Tomorrow morning's dissection: the perineum. Really not looking forward to this.
Original post by xconfetti
I was trying to do this on myself and was worrying that I couldn't do it even though my ribs are fairly easy to feel. I'm glad you posted this :smile:


Any other first years feeling a little low at the moment? We have our first exam on Monday and a 2-part assignment due in on Wednesday (I realise this will sound like nothing to anyone in 2nd year +.. but my brain died after a very non-academic gap year and was rudely awakened again in late September!). Seems like most of our year is feeling a bit down in the dumps from people I've spoken to, was just wondering how it is in other medical schools.

A fifth year told us earlier this week that you just have to plough through the first 2 years and then it gets interesting.. at first I was worrying that I wasn't absolutely loving every single part >.< My expectations are too high and I worry too much in general haha.


I'm in 3rd year (clinical year) and apparently the doctors/undergraduate coordinators at the hospitals haven't seen such a depressed/stressed out bunch of 3rd years ever. Usually 3rd year is supposed to be slack and easy, but they have changed the curriculum a bit with us/experimenting so it literally has sent our anxiety levels through the roof. It doesn't help that our year is extremely competitive too so extra stress.

And in terms of the first two years - yes it is quite grim as it is dull and boring. You lose sight of what you're aiming towards as there's so much medical science. You tend to forget you're working towards becoming a doctor. But yes, once you get to 3rd year everything should brighten up as you'll be in the hospital and doing more clinical things. Good luck! :smile:
Original post by Helenia
I bloody hate the "infection control friendly" cannulas with no side port, no wings, NOTHING to push off to be able to advance it one-handed. It's virtually all we have on our unit though. :frown:

Am getting to grips with art lines and central lines though :biggrin:


Are those the delta shaped feckers at Tommies or the small pink things which are actually meant to be arterial lines.
Both are awful and am useless with them.
Made my oncalls in Guys hell - I'd have a near panick attack about cannulation simply because I couldn't get to grips with them.
Original post by magichearts
I'm in 3rd year (clinical year) and apparently the doctors/undergraduate coordinators at the hospitals haven't seen such a depressed/stressed out bunch of 3rd years ever. Usually 3rd year is supposed to be slack and easy, but they have changed the curriculum a bit with us/experimenting so it literally has sent our anxiety levels through the roof.


My third and fifth years are all happy as larry. If I see them in the department every day for a week or so actively trying/getting stuck in then I take them aside as a group and do a quick whizz through sign off of 40% of the 3rd/5th year log books. (imperial)
Original post by xconfetti

Original post by xconfetti
I was trying to do this on myself and was worrying that I couldn't do it even though my ribs are fairly easy to feel. I'm glad you posted this :smile:


Any other first years feeling a little low at the moment? We have our first exam on Monday and a 2-part assignment due in on Wednesday (I realise this will sound like nothing to anyone in 2nd year +.. but my brain died after a very non-academic gap year and was rudely awakened again in late September!). Seems like most of our year is feeling a bit down in the dumps from people I've spoken to, was just wondering how it is in other medical schools.

A fifth year told us earlier this week that you just have to plough through the first 2 years and then it gets interesting.. at first I was worrying that I wasn't absolutely loving every single part &gt;.&lt; My expectations are too high and I worry too much in general haha.


Wouldn't worry about it, i'm in the exact same position. Pretty much all the other freshers in my year feel exactly the same way and we've all been told exactly the same thing from the older years that your 5th year told you.
I just made the best ****ing killing glove ever. It was some polesteryine attached to my hand with a telephone cable and and screwdriver in the end. I also made a forarm shield with a screwdriver stuck into the side of it to make a sort of bulwark.

Night spent skewering apples my flatmate threw at me instead of metabolism work. Definite win.
Original post by Mushi_master
Really need to sort out my cannulating technique. Can get it in the vein without too much trouble, but then navigating the one hand holding the skin tight and the one on the cannula I just ended up letting go of it at the wrong time and it just popping out of the vein.

Any pointers anyone?


In addition to what Elles said, here's a couple of tips.

i) Hold the hand your cannulating into in a flexed wrist position. This steadies the hand and tightens the skin.

ii) How you hold the cannula is key. I'm not sure which type you're using, but you need to hold the cannula such that it's stable with one hand when you put it in, but can then advance the plastic bit with a flick of your finger. So for the pro-safety venflons I use, I hold the cannula between my thumb and index finger and use my middle finger to push the plastic bit in whilst the needle is held steady.

iii)The problem when you get flashback is that the needle bevel is in the vein, but the plastic bit isn't, so if you pull the needle back even slightly, you lose the vein. You can advance the needle a little further, but you have to go shallow otherwise you can piece the other side. My preference is to get flashback and holding the needle firm in the vein, advance the plastic over the needle into the vein and then withdrawing the needle.

Hope that helps.
Original post by magichearts
I'm in 3rd year (clinical year) and apparently the doctors/undergraduate coordinators at the hospitals haven't seen such a depressed/stressed out bunch of 3rd years ever. Usually 3rd year is supposed to be slack and easy, but they have changed the curriculum a bit with us/experimenting so it literally has sent our anxiety levels through the roof. It doesn't help that our year is extremely competitive too so extra stress.

And in terms of the first two years - yes it is quite grim as it is dull and boring. You lose sight of what you're aiming towards as there's so much medical science. You tend to forget you're working towards becoming a doctor. But yes, once you get to 3rd year everything should brighten up as you'll be in the hospital and doing more clinical things. Good luck! :smile:


Thanks very much - you're definitely right, even at this stage I've found myself wondering why I am doing this (it's really not even that bad, just I way over think things and tend to go from negative to negative when I get worried!) and then I remember :smile: I hope it gets better for your year! I'm sure it's just an adjustment period? Good luck to you too :smile:

Original post by gozatron
Wouldn't worry about it, i'm in the exact same position. Pretty much all the other freshers in my year feel exactly the same way and we've all been told exactly the same thing from the older years that your 5th year told you.


I'm glad it's not just here, thank you :smile: Hope you're doing well!
Brain is swimming in facts after learning the cardiovascular exam.
Have begun to re-watch "The Human Body" series by Lord Winston.

Anyone else enjoy this series back in the day? I think it was crucial in turning me towards medicine.

-TLP
Original post by xconfetti
I was trying to do this on myself and was worrying that I couldn't do it even though my ribs are fairly easy to feel. I'm glad you posted this :smile:


Any other first years feeling a little low at the moment? We have our first exam on Monday and a 2-part assignment due in on Wednesday (I realise this will sound like nothing to anyone in 2nd year +.. but my brain died after a very non-academic gap year and was rudely awakened again in late September!). Seems like most of our year is feeling a bit down in the dumps from people I've spoken to, was just wondering how it is in other medical schools.

A fifth year told us earlier this week that you just have to plough through the first 2 years and then it gets interesting.. at first I was worrying that I wasn't absolutely loving every single part >.< My expectations are too high and I worry too much in general haha.


youre not alone. i'm not enjoying it either, i didn't have my hopes up at all, so i'm not surprised the experience has been crappy so far. ive done anatomy, biology, biophysics and slovak exams already. ive got another one on latin medical terminology this week (every day i thank the k*** who added that subject) i just thank God the weeks are flying by now :smile:

btw i just tried counting on myself as well. ouch much
Mega appreciation for the cannula advice folks! Will get practicing.

Going to southwark park fireworks tonight, haven't been since 1st year but was ace last time.
Original post by Miss Purple
youre not alone. i'm not enjoying it either, i didn't have my hopes up at all, so i'm not surprised the experience has been crappy so far. ive done anatomy, biology, biophysics and slovak exams already. ive got another one on latin medical terminology this week (every day i thank the k*** who added that subject) i just thank God the weeks are flying by now :smile:

btw i just tried counting on myself as well. ouch much


Did you speak Slovak before you started? If not, how is the learning going? I've been learning Czech which is pretty similar, it's not easy! I love how it sounds though.
Reply 6414
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Original post by billet-doux
I am trying! Even my SSC seems so much harder than I first thought it would be, haha. Good luck with your application, let us know how it goes! :smile: If you don't mind me asking, what did you intercalate in and why? I'm 100% sure I want to intercalate next year, but I'm just having such a nightmare deciding what exactly it is I'd like to do :s-smilie:


What SSC are you doing?

I intercalated in Medical Law and Ethics - not everyone's cup of tea, admittedly, but it was a subject I found really interesting, and I absolutely loved my intercalated year. It's completely different from the ethics and law teaching you get as part of the core undergraduate curriculum. My main advice would be to pick something you'll enjoy. My BSc involved a massive amount of reading, lots of essays, and of course the joy that is writing the dissertation; if you're not interested in what you're studying, it'll be a very long year.

Thanks for the good luck, the system's officially oversubscribed again so I've moved from 'I desperately want a job in this foundation school' to 'I desperately want a job'. :rolleyes:
Original post by mrs_bellamy
Did you speak Slovak before you started? If not, how is the learning going? I've been learning Czech which is pretty similar, it's not easy! I love how it sounds though.


I didn't know a word but the lessons have been surprisingly ok! It's easy to pick up everyday language, numbers, items, certain questions.. but when it gets to pronouns :mad: :mad: A minority speak English so I'm constantly using every ounce of the little Slovak I know. Slovak, Czech, Latin and Greek make English look like a doddle. When did you start learning Czech??
Original post by crazylemon
DO they take externals for that course?

Question not directed at me but King's take externals for most of their courses, if not all, Medical Ethics and Law included.
Original post by Miss Purple
I didn't know a word but the lessons have been surprisingly ok! It's easy to pick up everyday language, numbers, items, certain questions.. but when it gets to pronouns :mad: :mad: A minority speak English so I'm constantly using every ounce of the little Slovak I know. Slovak, Czech, Latin and Greek make English look like a doddle. When did you start learning Czech??


I only started learning Czech in May this year, when I found out I was going on an exchange to Prague in September. I am undecided as to whether to carry on with it, because it isn't the most useful/widely spoken language, but I really really love the language and the country so I'm quite tempted. Prague is one of my favourite places ever. How are you finding Slovakia? Which city are you studying in? I've only been briefly to Bratislava and it seemed lovely but I have no idea what it would be like to study there. Do you think you will consider staying in Slovakia after you've graduated?
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Original post by crazylemon
DO they take externals for that course?
Sounds interesting and might have to have a look. I was going to do a module C death autopsy and law but that would only be a thrid of my year...


Kinkerz has already answered this but yes, they do. IIRC, the year I did it there were 5 externals out of 16 total places. It's popular though so does involve an interview and an observed group exercise, whether you're internal or external (assuming they haven't changed it recently).
bloody medicine

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