Interview prep

Question 1

Why do you want to be a doctor?

Answer 1

• Keen interest in the human body and solving problems • Medicine is the perfect mix of social and science • I love that the science is always developing, I love to learn and know that medicine is a job in which I can continue to learn as the field is always changing • I possess many good qualities a doctor would need – hardworking, determined, and academic (as shown by my academic record) whilst also caring, empathetic, and a good communicator (as shown in my role as a young carer, and my time volunteering both for DSNE and the care home) • Medicine is hard with long hours and emotional demand, but I have the determination and mindset to manage it, for example 4 A-levels and an EPQ whilst being a young carer is challenging but I make sure to always take time for myself so that I am not overwhelmed • My sister has had a lot of involvement in the NHS, from a wide range of departments, and I remember being incredibly interested when she had her BAHA’s fitted • To learn more I have taken part in online work experience (BSMS), completed summer schools (Sunderland) and read books (this is going to hurt, your life in my hands) – all have just made me want to be a doctor more • Had place for work experience at Sunderland royal but got cancelled for COVID

Question 2

What makes a good doctor?

Answer 2

• Good communication skills – listening!  My volunteering at a care home, talking to MPs, and volunteering at DSNE events shows the range of communication skills I possess – adapting  Communicating under pressure on the tall ships • Resilience  4 A-levels and an EPQ whilst being a young carer is challenging but I make sure to always take time for myself so that I am not overwhelmed • The ability to work as part of a team  Time on the tall ships, part of a 20-30 person crew sailing a ship across the north sea • Non-judgemental behaviour  Volunteering at DSNE and care home and young carer • Empathy and compassion  Volunteering at DSNE and care home and young carer • Adept at working under pressure  Tall ships  4 A-levels and an EPQ whilst being a young carer  Loosing sister in Florida • Critical thinking, adapting their knowledge to find solutions  A-levels, tall ships  Sister gets locked in the toilet when out, losing her on holiday in Florida • Patient centred approach  Care home, listening to the residents – they come first • Keen interest and love to learn  I have a keen interest in the human body and love to learn – as evidenced by my 4 A-levels and EPQ • You do it for the love of the job, because its not great pay at the start and not great hours

Question 3

Which quality do you think is the most important in a doctor?

Answer 3

• Empathy and compassion o If you are empathetic for your patient you will put them at the centre of you job, you will try your hardest to get the best care for them, you will communicate well with them in order to help them, and not judge them in order to make them feel cared for – it encompasses the overall essence of a doctors social skills

Question 4

What do you feel are the good and bad points about being a doctor?

Answer 4

Pros - Job satisfaction – making a difference to peoples lives Constant development of skills Constant learning Chance for research Being a part of something the UK is proud of – the NHS Working with others towards a common goal Wide variety of opportunities in specialities Cons - Stressful Long time to train Long shifts Night shift Being on call Difficult ethical decisions Lots of Uni debt

Question 5

How would you balance your outside interests with studying a degree?

Answer 5

• I love music o Grade 5 distinction in ukulele and guitar • It is a great outlet for stress and helps to unwind • I also find exercise helpful o Long bike rides and runs keep me both fit mentally and physically

Question 6

How do you cope with stress?

Answer 6

• I always make sure never to work myself over what I can do o For example, when revising I always take breaks – that way I don’t stress too much • I find exercise helpful o Long bike rides and runs keep me fit both mentally and physically • Talking to people and being open about how I am doing o It is better out than in

Question 7

What are your best and worst qualities?

Answer 7

• Worst = sometimes put too much pressure on myself and so end up neglecting a school-work/life balance – trying to combat this by, when making to-do lists adding one item to it which is fun/relaxing • Best = I am very empathetic - shown by my supportive nature and great listening skills – this will help me in medicine as its is an essential aspect of a doctors skillset, you need to be able to recognize and understand your patients emotions even if you cannot directly relate to them

Question 8

What responsibilities do you have?

Answer 8

• Main responsibility = young carer o Responsibility for my sisters for emotional well being o Helping her to develop her independent skills o Accompanying her to events with her friends • DSNE o Volunteer in terms of:  Admin  Supporting adults in a range of settings/activities

Question 9

What do you think will be your greatest challenge in completing medical school or learning how to be a doctor?

Answer 9

• Financial independence o I am inexperienced with managing my own money for bills/food/etc o I will overcome this challenge by developing my budgeting skills – I have already developed these slightly when I took part in NCS and spent a week in halls • Work/life balance o Sometimes I put to much pressure on myself to do well and as a result neglect this o I will overcome this by adding fun/relaxing things to my to-do lists as well

Question 10

What will you do if you aren’t accepted to medical school?

Answer 10

• I have applied for and been given an offer a place on a universities biomedical science course o I would hope to transfer to medicine at the end of the first year, but if not would apply for medicine after the course • If all else fails, I would pursue a career in medical research using my biomedical science degree

Question 11

Do you read any medical publications?

Answer 11

• I read BBC health section • Read a multitude for my EPQ o Found the BMJ incredibly useful

Question 12

Tell me about any medical advances and issues you have heard about recently.

Answer 12

• Keeping up to date with the new information regarding coronavirus o Especially the vaccines, the technology used (mRNA) is very interesting o Down’s Syndrome on shielding list Research found in Annals of Internal Medicine showed a 10x higher chance of death and 4x higher chance of hospitilisation Predisposition to pneumonias and acute respiratory distress syndrome in children, airway anomalies associated with immune dysfunction, congenital heart disease Trisomy 21 Research Society states on their website that a 40 year old with DS is like an 80 year old without, when it comes to COVID-19 • Difficult to keep up to date with much else as coronavirus has taken over tremendously

Question 13

What is the difference between primary care and secondary care?

Answer 13

• Primary care is healthcare provided locally by General Practitioners (GPs) o GPs are the first point of consultation for all patients and make up most doctors in the UK • Secondary care is healthcare provided in a hospital for life-threatening emergencies and specialist treatment (for example CAMHS) o A lot of surgeons work in secondary care

Question 14

What is the ‘postcode lottery’?

Answer 14

• Despite the name, the NHS is not one organisation. It is broken down into local services (called NHS Trusts) • The Trusts decide how money is spent on a specific area or treatment - not all decide to spend this in the same way • As a result, quality or availability of care can vary across the country • This results in a ‘postcode lottery’, where healthcare delivery is based on geographic location rather than need • Example o The charity Mind found a significant difference in money being spent on mental health across trusts  Surrey Heartlands = £124.48 per person per year  South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw = £220 per person per year

Question 15

What do you think makes a good team?

Answer 15

• Clear communication • Respect of all in the team • Everyone having a role, no matter how big or small • Clear leader • Clearly defined roles • Example football team: o Everyone has a role (their position) which is clearly defined o There is clear communication between team mates o There is respect between not only each teammate but their staff o There is a clear leader (manager) o Everyone has a key part to play, from the captain, to the cleaner

Question 16

What have you gained from your work experience/hobbies/community work?

Answer 16

• Care home o Clear communication – especially listening  Talking to residents o Insight into multidisciplinary team  The caring staff play just as much of a role in the care of the residents as the local GPs o Insight into conditions affecting the elderly  Dementia/increased risk of falls o Empathy/compassion  Listening to and appreciating the stories and emotions of the residents o Respect  My respect for not only the residents but the staff increased masively • DSNE volunteering o Clear communication  In terms of speaking and Makaton o Admin skills  Lot of time working on databases and info packs o Greater awareness of learning disabilities  Downs syndrome/autism/other needs  Learnt how to work with them • Tall ships o Clear communication  Talking clearly with crewmates when under pressure o Teamwork  Working together with my watch to keep the ship running smoothly o Shift work  Having to get up when needed, working when others were in bed o Health/hygiene  Importance of cleanliness • Young carer o Clear communication skills  Talking to my sister, MP’s and schools o Public speaking  Young carer ambassador o Greater awareness of other disabilities and affect on rest of family o Importance of making time for self

Question 17

Would you prescribe the oral contraceptive pill to a 14-year-old girl that is sleeping with her boyfriend?

Answer 17

• Yes o Although having intercourse at that age is not legal, the morally correct thing to do is keep patient confidentiality and reduce the risk of pregnancy for the teenager – if this is what she wants o There are no negatives (apart from side effects) from giving her the pill - is it a safeguarding issue - how old is the boyfriend? - is it concensual?

Question 18

What do you think about abortion/euthanasia etc?

Answer 18

• Euthanasia o It is ethically okay but should be highly controlled  As a doctor, it is your job to not cause any harm to the patient  I would argue that by keeping a patient alive who is suffering massively and will continue to decline and suffer more is doing more harm then just allowing them to die peacefully and with respect  However, I recognise that euthanasia is a difficult thing to control – sound mind etc – and so if it were to be legal, tight restrictions surrounding it would be necessary • Abortion o It is ethically sound but only to an extent  I believe that life begins when the ‘baby’ can survive outside of the womb  Because of this, I believe abortion is ethically sound before this point in time as you are not actually killing a child  However, past this point (as I believe that this is when life begins) I believe it to be wrong

Question 19

How do you see the UK’s healthcare system in 20 years’ time?

Answer 19

• I would hope that in 20 years’ time the NHS is better funded, with more beds/doctors/nurses, and it is still a public service which is based on clinical need rather than an individual’s ability to pay • However, with the current issues surrounding Brexit, and the rumours of it being sold and privatised, I am unsure how likely my hopes are to come true

Question 20

If you had £1 billion to spend on one element of healthcare, what would you spend it on and why?

Answer 20

• If I had £1 billion to spend on one element of healthcare, I would spend it on research for and healthcare for dementia and Alzheimer’s • This is because it is one of the biggest killers in the UK, and with an aging population it will only get worse • In addition to this, it is one of the ugliest diseases • I have personally experienced this with my great gran and grandpa’s decline in mental state and eventual death, and so have personal experience to how horrible this disease can be

Question 21

What single healthcare intervention could change the health of the population the most?

Answer 21

• Weight loss/healthy eating/life style choices o Reducing obesity and preventing obesity from a young age  Obesity or overweight affected 62.3% of adults in the 12 months to November 2019 in the UK, according to the government website  Obesity affects risk of: • Stroke • Depression • Heart attack • Sleep apnea • Liver disease • Cancer • Type-2 diabetes • Kidney failure • Infertility • Weakened muscles and bones • Joint pain

Question 22

If a child needed a life saving blood transfusion, but their parents were Jehovah’s witnesses, what would you do?

Answer 22

• What is the age of the child? o The child should play somewhat a part in the decision, it is his life  If he does not want it either, then that is his choice, and as his doctor, it is my duty to give him the care he wants  If he does want it, but the parents do not, then I would not know what to do exactly, but I would go about trying to allow the blood transfusion, as at the end of the day it is the child’s body and life, and I don’t believe their parents beliefs should be imposed upon them if they are of sound mind to make a decision themselves • Especially when this decision is life or death

Question 23

Why a doctor, not a nurse?

Answer 23

• The roles of doctors and nurses are not dissimilar o I chose medicine over nursing for a couple of reasons:  Medicine leads to the opportunity of performing surgery, although I am not set on what speciality I want to go into, I believe some form surgery is a possibility  Medicine has a larger focus on diagnosis and treatment, whereas nursing has a larger emphasis on patient care • Although I recognise both are important, the idea of diagnosis and treatment appeals to me more

Question 24

What do you make of the recent changes to the NHS junior doctor contracts?

Answer 24

• Are these the amendments to the 2016 contract? o I think they’re great  Better pay progression  Better pay protection  Better night working contract o But I don’t think they’re important to me personally  I don’t want to into the job for the money, I want to go into it for the love of it

Question 25

What is your opinion on the effects of premature babies on the NHS?

Answer 25

• I recognise that the health effects caused by premature birth can have lasting affects which need treatment even a lot later in life o Increased risk to different conditions • But at the end of the day its still a human life and deserves the treatment it needs

Question 26

What is you opinion on private healthcare, compared to the NHS?

Answer 26

• Private health care has its benefits o Most obviously the shorter wait times • But I believe the NHS is better o Built on the foundation of care being provided based on clinical need rather than ability to pay  This is phenomenal o What the NHS has done for Anda (BAHA)

Question 27

What is the role of a doctor?

Answer 27

• Clinical scientists who prevent, diagnose, treat, and care for patients with illness, disease, and injury to maintain physical and mental health alongside the rest of the healthcare team (multidisciplinary) o This can take place in a range of settings from rural GP to big city hospital (primary and secondary care) • They also conduct medical education and research along side their clinical practice

Question 28

Can you explain the differences between the different types of doctors?

Answer 28

• Medicine o Cardiologist  Specialise in medical practice concerning the cardiovascular system (the heart and blood vessels) o Immunologist  Specialise in medical practice concerning the immune system o Dermatologist  Specialise in medical practice concerning the skin • Surgery o Trauma and orthopaedic surgery  Specialised in surgery for acutely ill patients and those with injuries of the musculoskeletal system (muscles, broken bones, ligaments, tendons, and nerves) o Plastic surgery  Specialised in surgery for reconstructing or repairing parts of the body, either for the purpose of cosmetics or post-surgery/injury o Neurosurgery  Specialised in surgery for the brain • GP o A community based doctor who treats patients with minor or chronic illnesses and refers that with more serious conditions to specialists • AHP - NOT DOCTORS BUT PART OF MDT o Dietician  An expert on diet and nutrition o Speech and Language Therapy  Promote communication, aid with dysphagia, and developmental/acquired language difficulties o Occupational therapy  Aid people in overcoming difficulties with everyday living (fine motor skills, sensory, and adaptations in house)

Question 29

What happens to doctors after medical school?

Answer 29

• PMQ • Gain provisional GMC registration • FY1 • Gain full GMC registration • FY2 • Train for speciality (5-8 years) or train for GP (3 years) • Gain fellowship and membership of respective college • Consultant or GP • Could also undertake Fixed Term Speciality Training Appointments or Locum Appointments for Training • Could also go into teaching, researching, or public health worker instead of medicine

Question 30

Tell me about a time you worked well in a team.

Answer 30

• The Tall Ships o Clear communication  Talking clearly with crewmates when under pressure o Teamwork  Working together with my watch to keep the ship running smoothly o Shift work  Having to get up when needed, working when others were in bed Respect of all in the team People of different ethnicities and religious which we had to respect their individual beliefs and adjust accordingly Everyone having a role, no matter how big or small Everyone’s role on the ship was equally important as without one another it wouldn’t all fit together, from the potato peelers to the captain Clear leader with clearly defined roles No one gets mixed up in who is coordinating the plan of action, everyone knows what to do, didn’t have everyone all trying to steer

Question 31

Tell me about the Newcastle MBBS programme.

Answer 31

• Integrated curriculum o Gives clinical context on which to develop their core knowledge • Case led learning o Allows to make links between basic science and clinical practice • Clinical skills as early as year 1 • Have heard that the range and quality of SSC’s available at Newcastle are good o I am interested in taking the opportunity to learn more about specific things I become interested in • Years 1 and 2 o Mainly lectures, seminar-based teaching, and guided self-study with interspersed clinical skills sessions and clinical and communication skills experience in partnered hospitals/GPs of the region o Normal and abnormal structure, function and behaviour o Input from other professions allied to medicine, such as nursing, and from the social care and voluntary sectors  Feel this is very important as get to learn about multidisciplinary team (important to whole patient care) o ECCE’s seem good  Develop professional identity  Motivates learning  Understanding patient perspectives • Year 3 o Clinical placements within the region o Integrated medical practice, medicine, surgery, acute, women’s health, child health, mental health (primary and community care) o 4 weeks of SSC’s • Year 4 o Studying clinical decision making o SSC’s o Undertake longitudinal placements in long-term conditions and medicine and surgery o Finals o 8 week elective • Year 5 o Clinical placements in the region and undertaking senior assistantships o Focus on both primary and secondary care o Primary care, women’s health, child health, mental health, preparation to practise o Attachment in critical care o Final clinical exam o Senior assistantship period seeks to ease transition from student to Foundation Doctor • Clinical training o Taught by expert staff o Practice in small groups and interact with their peers to promote self-directed learning o Audio-visual aid, simulation, models, equipment, worksheets, scenarios • Clinical Leaning Centres o Regional medical school o 4 ‘base units’  Northumbria • NSEC • Differing communities (city vs rural) • Largest mental health and disability trusts in England  Tyne • Close relationship with GP in and around city • RVI • Draws upon Northumberland for the largest mental health and disability trusts in England  Wear • Close relationships with GP’s • Draws upon Northumberland for the largest mental health and disability trusts in England • Have experience with Sunderland Royal, know it to be good  Tees • Close relationships with GP’s • James Cook o All have excellent reputation for foundation programs • Great support o Academic o Pastoral o Online

Question 32

What do you like about the Newcastle medicine course?

Answer 32

• Input from other professions allied to medicine, such as nursing, and from the social care and voluntary sectors o Feel this is very important as get to learn about multidisciplinary team (important to whole patient care) • Have heard that the range and quality of SSC’s available at Newcastle are good o I am interested in taking the opportunity to learn more about specific things I become interested in • Integrated curriculum o Gives clinical context on which to develop their core knowledge • Case led learning o Allows to make links between basic science and clinical practice • Clinical Leaning Centres o Regional medical school o 4 ‘base units’  Northumbria • Differing communities (city vs rural) • Largest mental health and disability trusts in England  Tyne • Close relationship with GP in and around city  Wear • Have experience with Sunderland Royal, know it to be good  Tees • James Cook o All have excellent reputation for foundation programs o ECCE’s seem good  Develop professional identity  Motivates learning  Understanding patient perspectives

Question 33

What do you dislike about the Newcastle medicine course?

Answer 33

If I had to pick something, I would say I’m least looking forward to the mental health unit, as this isn’t a major interest of mine, however it is still something I’m more than willing to give my all and jump into, as I recognise I need an understanding of all aspects of medicine – not just the parts which I find interesting

Question 34

What do you like about Newcastle as a university?

Answer 34

• Progressive  Great work in sustainability January 2020 NUSU Future Under Climate Crisis Campaign  Commitment to gender equality Athena Swan Silver Award o Renowned for excellent quality of teaching o Diverse, with an international lot of students o Amazing research opportunities (leading in ageing and health) o Wide range of societies and extracurricular opportunities o Good student’s union

Question 35

What do you not like about Newcastle as a university?

Answer 35

• Genuinely difficult to think of one • It wouldn’t be moving away for me, but this is not necessarily a complete negative I would still be independent in the sense of living away from home in halls

Question 36

What do you like about Newcastle?

Answer 36

• Growing up in the north, I know how friendly Newcastle can be, that’s the sort of place I want to grow and develop my skills • Near the beach • Vibrant arts and culture scene o The Baltic o Theatre Royal/Customs House • Beautiful city o Quayside • Great food and drink o From fancy places like Miller and Carter to the insane amount of Greggs in the city centre • Great transport links form the metro and bus services • Close to great open spaces like National Trust • Good transport links to wider areas through the train station

Question 37

What do you not like about Newcastle?

Answer 37

• Quite a difficult question to answer, as I’ve grown up here and loved doing so, I’m very proud to be from the north east and so can’t really think of much negative about it • It wouldn’t be moving away for me, but this is not necessarily a complete negative I would still be independent in the sense of living away from home in halls

Question 38

Why do you want to go to Newcastle?

Answer 38

• Input from other professions allied to medicine, such as nursing, and from the social care and voluntary sectors o Feel this is very important as get to learn about multidisciplinary team (important to whole patient care) • Have heard that the range and quality of SSC’s available at Newcastle are good o I am interested in taking the opportunity to learn more about specific things I become interested in • Integrated curriculum o Gives clinical context on which to develop their core knowledge • Case led learning o Allows to make links between basic science and clinical practice • Clinical Leaning Centres o Regional medical school o 4 ‘base units’  Northumbria • Differing communities (city vs rural) • Largest mental health and disability trusts in England  Tyne • Close relationship with GP in and around city  Wear • Have experience with Sunderland Royal, know it to be good  Tees • James Cook o All have excellent reputation for foundation programs o ECCE’s seem good  Develop professional identity  Motivates learning  Understanding patient perspectives • Progressive  Great work in sustainability  Commitment to gender equality o Renowned for excellent quality of teaching o Diverse, with an international lot of students o Amazing research opportunities (leading in ageing and health) o Wide range of societies and extracurricular opportunities o Good student’s union • Growing up in the north, I know how friendly Newcastle can be, that’s the sort of place I want to grow and develop my skills • Near the beach • Vibrant arts and culture scene o The Baltic o Theatre Royal/Customs House • Beautiful city o Quayside • Great food and drink o From fancy places like Miller and Carter to the insane amount of Greggs in the city centre • Great transport links form the metro and bus services • Close to great open spaces like National Trust • Good transport links to wider areas through the train station

Question 39

• If you are successful in your application, you may be spending 5 years living and studying in Sheffield. What can you tell me about the City of Sheffield and the University of Sheffield?

Answer 39

o Peak district o 60% green space o Vibrant arts scene (music and theatre) o Big sports scene o Rich industrial history o Northern, so friendly o Good transport links o Great location in terms of England o Very diverse o Affordable o o 93rd in world and 14th in UK (world renowned for research and teaching) o Russell Group o 1st SU in country o 350 clubs and societys o 6 nobel prize winners (including Krebs for the Citric Acid Cycle) o Medical school in 1828, and university in 1905 o Great teaching and research o Known for its friendly atmosphere o Campus near the city centre o Healthy competition with Hallam (varsity) o Diverse uni, lots of international students o Support  Practical help  Health and well being  Students union

Question 40

• What do you know about the Sheffield MBChB curriculum?

Answer 40

o Clinically led and develops clinical skills from the start o Integrated (relates clinical medicine to the underlying medical science) o Split into Phase 1, 2a, 2b, 3, and 4 o Phase 1 = normal structure and function of human body, taught by body system, 2 week Mutli Professional Experience and 10 GP placements o Phase 2a = research project, 10 GP placements, presentation diagnosis and treatment of disease, procedural clinical skills o Phase 2b = clinical heavy, 12 week longitudinal integrated clinical placement, SSC in medical ethics and law, if pass OSCE 1st time SSC in social accountability o Phase 3 = Clinical, primary and secondary hands on, learn by investigation and team work, SSC’s o Phase 4 = LICP2 and 3, 6 week student assistantship o Most excited for acute clinical care, as interest in emergency medicine, as feel a high pressure and time sensitive job such as that would be interested, and no set appointments – don’t know what’s coming through the door next o Learning through clinical teaching, lectures, seminars, tutorials, small group work, dissection and personal development supported by experienced teachers and personal academic tutors o Assessed by exams, coursework, and practical tasks

Question 41

• Tell me about a patient that you saw during your work experience or volunteering who inspired you to find out more about what was wrong with them. What did you find out? Where did you find the information?

Answer 41

o Had work experience at Sunderland Royal, COVID cancellation o Volunteered at residential home o Patient with Alzheimer’s, led back to her, read up for her o Researched into Alzheimer’s and dementia o Inspired to include Alzheimer’s and dementia in EPQ o Researched how music can effect Alzheimer’s and dementia o Decrease in anxiety and depression, relaxation, improve cognition, reduced aggression, improved overall QoL, acts as a catalysis for socialising o NHS website o Alzheimer’s society o Frontier’s in Neuroscience o Musical Perception o Frontier’s in Neurology o British Medical Journal o For rest of EPQ  Cochrane Database  Nature  British Journal of Surgery  Etc.

Question 42

• What can you tell me about the General Medical Council’s code of conduct for doctors?

Answer 42

o From my understanding, the GMC’s code of conduct for doctors can be found within their document ‘Good Medical Practice’ o It describes what is expected of all doctors registered within the GMC o You must use your judgement to apply these principles to the various situations faced as a doctor, but equally prepared to explain and justify your decisions and actions o Serious or persistent failure to follow the guidance which poses a risk to patient safety and public trust in doctors puts your registration at risk o Patients must be able to trust doctors with their lives and health o Doctors must show respect for human life o There are standards to meet in four domains  Knowledge, skills, and performance • Develop and maintain your professional performance • Apply knowledge and experience to practice • Record your work clearly, accurately, and legibly  Safety and quality • Contribute to and comply with systems to protect patients • Respond to risks to safety • Risks pose by your health  Communication, partnership, and teamwork • Communicate effectively • Working collaboratively with colleagues • Teaching, training, supporting, and assessing • Continuity and coordination of care • Establish and maintain partnerships with patients  Maintaining Trust • Show respect for patients • Treat patients and colleagues fairly and without discrimination • Act with honesty and integrity • Communicating information • Openness and legal or disciplinary proceedings • Honest in financial dealings o A large part of the guidance is respect, both for human life but also for the patient, the public, your colleagues, yourself, and your capabilities  This is reflected in the NHS Constitution, where respect and dignity is one of the values  Having respect in this sense means: • You respect your competence and act within the limits • You respect your capabilities and act to keep up to date • You respect patient and public and so protect and promote the health of them • You respect patients dignity and treat them as individuals • You respect patients right to confidentiality, and so maintain it • You respect patients concerns and so take them into account • You respect patients competence and so provide information in a way they can understand • You respect a patients right to reach decisions with you, and so they get a say in their treatment and care • You respect other colleagues and your patient and so work with them (in the MDT) to best serve the patients interest • You respect your job to act honest, open, and with integrity • You respect your colleagues and patients and so never discriminate against them • You respect your patients and the public and so never abuse their trust • Respect consent, or lack thereof, of examination, investigation, treatment, and those involved in teaching/research • Respect patients right to a second opinion • Respect staffs right to raise concerns • Respect the contributions and skills of colleagues • Respect patients right to treatment, even if you have a conscientious objection to a particular treatment, by making sure they have the information to access another doctor • Respect patients right to know when something has gone wrong • Respect patients right to treatment, even if their medical condition may put you at risk

Question 43

• I’d like to play a round of “20 Questions” to identify an object, creature, event or place that I have in mind. To determine the answer, you must ask me a series of questions. I will answer only YES or NO to your questions. You may ask up to 20 questions. All questions must be answerable by YES or NO. You are being scored on the logical approach to your questioning, and not on whether you identify the correct answer. It is expected that this section will last no more than 4 minutes – you will be penalised for long pauses.

Answer 43

how good was it?

Question 44

• Tell me about a time when you have made a positive impact on someone else’s life.

Answer 44

o Young carer for older sister Alexandra who has Down’s Syndrome o Emotional support and wellbeing  When she has had a miss understanding amongst her friends, I am there to talk her through it and help her o Development of independent life skills (from travel, to cooking, to finances)  This way she can learn to live more independently, travelling to the shops when she needs to, as opposed to relying on us o Accompany her to activities where I aid her physically and emotionally  This way she can enjoy her free time with her friends and not have to worry about her capabilities at doing the activities (as I’m there to help)  Befriend many adults with down’s syndrome and aid them also o Take her out for days to develop her life skills  Planning days out to Newcastle aids in her planning, finance skills, and more o During the initial lockdown (March)  I was main carer for Alexandra, as parents were working and there was no education for her, so I did everything for her o Example  Cooking in lockdown • Neither very good at start • Started making simple things like pasta • Ended up making breads, where she had been watching bake off and ended up telling me I was baking the dough wrong!

Question 45

• Studying medicine can be intense, so maintaining a work-life balance is important. How do you relax and unwind?

Answer 45

o Weakness of mine, but have developed this over lockdown o Difficult to distinguish the boundary between work and life so had to develop o Cycling and running  Mentally and physically fit  Allows socialising o Music  Play guitar and ukulele to a grade 5 standard  Love learning new music and challenging myself  Great chance to relax and unwind o Adding one fun thing to my to do list  No longer something I could do if I get everything done  But instead an imperative part of the day • Because taking time for yourself is just as important as the work

Question 46

• The use of social media websites such as Facebook is now widespread amongst the public, students and healthcare professionals. Is it appropriate for medical students and doctors to use such websites?

Answer 46

o Difficult question o On the one hand  Concerns over professionalism • Stating a controversial opinion when associated with NHS might reflect negatively on NHS  Maintaining professional boundaries • Patient contact outside of a clinical setting is completely unprofessional  Patient confidentiality • Healthcare professionals should be extremely cautious when using social media, as it could breach patient privacy (dependent on content shared) o On the other hand  Makes healthcare professional more approachable • This may mean certain individuals of the population who are unwilling to get an appointment may feel more comfortable discussing their problems with someone relatable  Spreading of Health Education • Helps dispel myths to do with modern medicine and science • Particularly important in a time of such widespread fake news and misinformation • Example o COVID-19 Vaccines o Misinformation spreading about the harm they cause o Dr Karan Raj, an NHS Surgical Doctor, on social media made a video explaining why we don’t need to worry about the long term side effects of the COVID-19 vaccines  Low chance, most occur within 2 months so would have seen in trials, think about the long term effects of COVID, which would you rather have? o This helps to dispel the myths surrounding it, and increase watchers faith in the vaccine o Helping the public health crisis o But equally  What if they get the information wrong? • This would place distrust in the viewer towards the healthcare professional, and reflect negatively on their respective organisation o Overall  If done professionally and cautiously then I think it can be a powerful tool in terms of education to counter the misinformation which spreads so quickly in the present day

Question 47

Tell me about the Liverpool course.

Answer 47

• Spiral model o Concepts are introduced at an appropriate level and revisited at increasing levels of complexity as the course progresses • 5 Supra-Themes o Science and Scholarship  Science of medicine  Research and scholarship  Design and technology  Personalised medicine and genetics o The Good Doctor  Psychology and Sociology as Applied to Medicine (PSM)  The Clinical Team  Professionalism, ethics, and legal context  Public, preventative, and global health o Core Skills  Clinical examination and procedural skills  Communication for Clinical Practice (CCP)  Therapeutics and prescribing o Patient in Secondary Care  Acutely ill patient  Preparation for practice o Patient in the Community Setting  Patient care pathways  Disability and community care  General practice • Secondary Care Providers o Alder Hey Children’s Hospital o Aintree Hospital o Arrowe Park Hospital o Blackpool Hospital o Countess of Chester Hospital o Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital o Liverpool Women’s Hospital o Royal Liverpool Hospital o Southport & Ormskirk Hospital o Warrington Hospital o Whiston Hospital o The Walton Centre • Expert teaching • Innovative use of technology o VLE for course learning materials and lecture capture o Virtual reality for an immersive university experience • Human Anatomy Resource Centre o Understand human body • Clinical Skills Resource Centre o Practice in a safe environment using manikins, augmented reality, videos, and podcasts • Some of the best specialist clinical units in the UK o Alder Hey o Heart and Chest o Walton  Only specialist UK neurological service • GP-led small group teaching sessions o Years 3 and 4 o Gain an understanding of how illness presents in different settings o How chronic disease is managed in community o Link between primary and secondary care • Year 1 o Core clinical science, structure and function of human body under ‘normal’ conditions o Same lecture timetable, smaller groups for workshops, seminars and practical skills o All teaching on campus o Taught using integrated ‘systems’ approach  Each System Block includes physiology, biochemistry, pathology, microbiology, immunology, pharmacology and anatomy, genetics and cell and molecular biology o Communication for clinical practice prepares you o Unique leadership course ran in collaboration with 208 Field Hospital o Introduced to Foundations of research • Year 2 o Pathology and disease, abnormality, illness, and the interaction with the environment o Same lecture timetable, smaller groups for workshops, seminars and practical skills o Clinical placements at local NHS trusts, GP practices, hospices, specialist services and community services o Rotate through them, allow improved ability in managing transitions and working across different clinical environments in preparation for junior medical postgraduate training o Integrated ‘systems’ approach o Introduced to foundations of research • Year 3 o Becoming a practitioner, core clinical practice o Clinical placements at local NHS trusts, GP practices, hospices, specialist services and community services o Rotate through them, allow improved ability in managing transitions and working across different clinical environments in preparation for junior medical postgraduate training o Series of 4 week blocks on clinical placement, each block is preceded by an ‘academic week’  Lectures, pre-placement sessions, community clinical teaching, clinical skills preparation, simulation sessions, student led research and scholarships projects  Encourages students to revisit and develop knowledge and skills just before they are needed, prepares students to learn to recognise health problems, develop the skills needed to diagnose illness and disease, and manage patients • Year 4 o Broadening expertise, specialist and challenging clinical practice o Clinical placements at local NHS trusts, GP practices, hospices, specialist services and community services o Rotate through them, allow improved ability in managing transitions and working across different clinical environments in preparation for junior medical postgraduate training o Academic week and placement blocks continues o Focus on mental health, specialist placements in neurology, paediatrics and obstetrics and gynaecology and a nationally-recognised placement of excellence in palliative care o 4 week elective at the end • Year 5 o Preparing for practice, emergency and acute clinical medicine o Clinical placements at local NHS trusts, GP practices, hospices, specialist services and community services o Rotate through them, allow improved ability in managing transitions and working across different clinical environments in preparation for junior medical postgraduate training o Emergency and Acute Medicine, Surgery, GP and Psychiatry o Ward shadowing experience block allows consolidation of complex clinical skills and professional attributes required in Foundation Years o 5-week research project such as an audit or Quality Improvement Project, a community based project or a specialist placement of own choosing o Placement experiences are supported by academic “Preparation for Practice” weeks o Support for the required national examinations o Full week of interprofessional simulation  Ensures students are able to demonstrate the skills need to deliver complex, acute care within a multi-professional team • Teaching and Learning o Integrated o Case-based teaching o Wide range of specialist clinical placements o Technology enhanced learning  Mobile learning  Virtual reality  Simulation  Personalised e-portfolio  Provides students with the best possible experience and preparation for the technological developments that will shape future careers in healthcare o Programme of experiential learning opportunities to develop students’ leadership and followership skills in a range of situational contexts o Mix of interactive and didactic lecturing  Case based learning  Small group teaching  Clinical skills  Simulation workshops  Human Anatomy Resource Centre (HARC) sessions  Communication skills practical’s  Staged programme of research skills development • Assessment o Formative and summative assessment take place within the programme o Emphasis on assessment for learning through the use of subject specific tests  Quizzes  Anatomy spotters  Formative Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) o Summative assessment takes place at the end of each year  Written papers  Practical exams in the form of OSCES and LOCAS o Technology  Facilitate online marking and annotated feedback of written assignments  Deliver formative online tests for students at the end of each teaching block  Collate and deliver OSCE data, providing students with more useful feedback as a result o A bespoke electronic portfolio, integrated throughout the curriculum  Provides students with a personalised learning space where they can collect evidence and develop their skills through reflective activities  The e-portfolio charts the student learning journey over the course of the programme

Question 48

What do you like about the Liverpool medicine course?

Answer 48

• Years 3 and 4 o Series of 4 week blocks on clinical placement, each block is preceded by an ‘academic week’  Lectures, pre-placement sessions, community clinical teaching, clinical skills preparation, simulation sessions, student led research and scholarships projects  Encourages students to revisit and develop knowledge and skills just before they are needed, prepares students to learn to recognise health problems, develop the skills needed to diagnose illness and disease, and manage patients • Year 2 onwards o Clinical placements at local NHS trusts, GP practices, hospices, specialist services and community services o Rotate through them, allow improved ability in managing transitions and working across different clinical environments in preparation for junior medical postgraduate training • Integrated ‘systems’ approach o Each System Block includes physiology, biochemistry, pathology, microbiology, immunology, pharmacology and anatomy, genetics and cell and molecular biology • Communication for clinical practice prepares you • Unique leadership course ran in collaboration with 208 Field Hospital • Introduced to Foundations of research and this continues throughout course • Expert teaching • Innovative use of technology o VLE for course learning materials and lecture capture o Virtual reality for an immersive university experience • Human Anatomy Resource Centre o Understand human body • Clinical Skills Resource Centre o Practice in a safe environment using manikins, augmented reality, videos, and podcasts • Some of the best specialist clinical units in the UK o Alder Hey Children’s Hospital o Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital o Walton Centre  Only specialist UK neurological service • GP-led small group teaching sessions o Years 3 and 4 o Gain an understanding of how illness presents in different settings o How chronic disease is managed in community o Link between primary and secondary care • Spiral model o Concepts are introduced at an appropriate level and revisited at increasing levels of complexity as the course progresses

Question 49

What do you dislike about the Liverpool medicine course?

Answer 49

If I had to pick something, I would say I’m least looking forward to the mental health unit, as this isn’t a major interest of mine, however it is still something I’m more than willing to give my all and jump into, as I recognise I need an understanding of all aspects of medicine – not just the parts which I find interesting

Question 50

What do you like about Liverpool as a university?

Answer 50

• Diverse • Russell Group • Supportive  Already had help from widening participation people o Great students union o Known for fantastic research and education

Question 51

What do you not like about Liverpool as a university?

Answer 51

• Moving quite a way from home, but that’s all a part of the experience!

Question 52

What do you like about Liverpool?

Answer 52

• Vibrant culture scene o Music and art  More galleries and museums than any other UK city apart from London • Big sports scene • Affordable • Beautiful green spaces • Friendly atmosphere

Question 53

What do you not like about Liverpool?

Answer 53

• Moving quite a way from home, but that’s all a part of the experience!

Question 54

Why do you want to go to Liverpool?

Answer 54

• Years 3 and 4 o Series of 4 week blocks on clinical placement, each block is preceded by an ‘academic week’  Lectures, pre-placement sessions, community clinical teaching, clinical skills preparation, simulation sessions, student led research and scholarships projects  Encourages students to revisit and develop knowledge and skills just before they are needed, prepares students to learn to recognise health problems, develop the skills needed to diagnose illness and disease, and manage patients • Year 2 onwards o Clinical placements at local NHS trusts, GP practices, hospices, specialist services and community services o Rotate through them, allow improved ability in managing transitions and working across different clinical environments in preparation for junior medical postgraduate training • Integrated ‘systems’ approach o Each System Block includes physiology, biochemistry, pathology, microbiology, immunology, pharmacology and anatomy, genetics and cell and molecular biology • Communication for clinical practice prepares you • Unique leadership course ran in collaboration with 208 Field Hospital • Introduced to Foundations of research and this continues throughout course • Expert teaching • Innovative use of technology o VLE for course learning materials and lecture capture o Virtual reality for an immersive university experience • Human Anatomy Resource Centre o Understand human body • Clinical Skills Resource Centre o Practice in a safe environment using manikins, augmented reality, videos, and podcasts • Some of the best specialist clinical units in the UK o Alder Hey Children’s Hospital o Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital o Walton Centre  Only specialist UK neurological service • GP-led small group teaching sessions o Years 3 and 4 o Gain an understanding of how illness presents in different settings o How chronic disease is managed in community o Link between primary and secondary care • Spiral model o Concepts are introduced at an appropriate level and revisited at increasing levels of complexity as the course progresses • Diverse • Russell Group • Supportive  Already had help from widening participation people o Great students union o Known for fantastic research and education • Vibrant culture scene o Music and art  More galleries and museums than any other UK city apart from London • Big sports scene • Affordable • Beautiful green spaces • Friendly atmosphere

Question 55

What can you tell me about the NHS constitution?

Answer 55

Working together for patients Respect and dignity Commitment to quality of care Compassion Improving lives Everyone counts