PGC 'WHAT'S NEXT?' DAY
I recently attended a Q&A session with Guild members that are currently studying at university to find out about their experiences at their chosen universities. This included how they applied, which gave us more guidance and an insight into the processes of applying to university.
After the Q&A session, we listened to a talk from representatives of the University of Birmingham, who gave useful tips and advice on how we should approach writing our personal statements. After regrouping at break and discussing what we had learnt so far, we were able to choose subject specific sessions, during which we could learn more about our intended degree courses.
Later on in the day, we attended a Career, Gap Year and University Fair, which was an excellent opportunity to discover a wide range of universities, industries and travel companies. Some of the stalls included; Dyson, King College London and GE Aviation. The event finished with a talk from the graduate recruitment research company High Fliers, about the changing landscape of employment.
The day certainly helped me gain clarity about what I want to do in the future, not just about what university path I want to go down, but how that impacts on my intended career. It was great to learn about opportunities available such as travelling and other work-experience. Overall, I would like to thank Dr Sherwood and the PGC team for putting on such an inspiring and informative day.
Phoebe (SFC1)
As part of the ‘What’s Next’ day, we were extremely privileged to be able to invite Dr Becky Nicholson to College for a medicine workshop tailored to all SFC1 medics.
‘What are the skills needed to be a doctor?’ ‘What are the duties of a doctor?’ These were the two seemingly straightforward questions Dr Becky started us off with which generated much discussion and debate in the PGC Library. Needless to say, a multi-faceted skill set along with a keen desire to care and serve is key to being a competent doctor.
Dr Becky then guided us through the many occasions in a doctor's daily life to which effective communication is essential, and various communication strategies which ensure that as future doctors, we can fully address and cater to the physical and emotional needs of our patients with empathy, sensitivity and patience. The session then undertook a more hands-on nature. We were divided into groups of three and had to take turns acting as a doctor taking the history of a patient as a role play exercise, with Dr Becky being the facilitator. Although it was demanding initially and required much thought, it was an excellent opportunity for us all to apply what we had learnt in terms of communication skills that morning to a real-life setting.
I think it is fair to say that all of us had secured a more realistic and holistic understanding of what being a medical doctor entails, which offered us plenty to reflect on after the event. Therefore on behalf of all SFC1 medics and myself, I would like to thank Dr Becky for giving up her time to organise what was definitely a thought-provoking and fulfilling session for us all.
Jasmine (SFC1)