Leicester

Question 1

How many MMI interviews

Answer 1

. 7 Stations each around 10 minutes long
. You will be given time between each station
. Simple numeracy test for one station so no calc needed

Question 2

What topics will they ask

Answer 2

• Motivation to study medicine and genuine interest in the medical profession
• Insight into your own strengths and weaknesses
• Ability to reflect on your own work
• Personal organisation
• Problem solving
• Ability to deal with uncertainty
• Ability to manage, risk and deal effectively with problems
• Ability to take responsibility for your own actions
• Conscientiousness
• Insight into your own health
• Communication skills, including reading, writing, listening and speaking
• Teamwork abilities
• Ability to treat people with compassion, respect and dignity
• Resilience and the ability to deal with difficult situations

-Empathy and the ability to care for others

• Honesty
• Emotional intelligence
• Ethical judgement

Question 3

Why do you want to study here in Leicester?

Answer 3

• When researching what universities to apply to, I found that it is in the top 10 unis for medicine so this encouraged me to further research it.
• Group based learning lead by experts allows me to collaborate with other people to learn together. This will teach me the skills that come with being a doctor because a lot of the job is brainstorming to diagnose a patient with the help of others.
  Case based learning. I am curious person.
• I am a visual learner so the dissection sessions really appeal to me: I heard there is a really well equipped dissecting room. You use a cadaver with your group and large TV screens where a demonstration cadaver is used to teach
• Very early clinical experience, you study for your Health Care Associate (HCA) qualification instantly.
  This gives experience within the clinical setting
• There is a lot of research into cardiovascular medicine and cancer research
• 3D printing

Question 4

What would you do in Leicester apart from the medicine part

Answer 4

The students union have around 250 societies and sports teams

I think I would join the Badminton society or the modern dance society.
I did Jazz class for a couple years and made some great friends doing it. I had to stop a few weeks ago because our teacher moved away.
I find that dancing is a great way to relax and clear my mind.

Paediatric society would be interesting as it is definitely an option I’d be willing to specialise in.

Question 5

What is appealing about research into cancer and cardiovascular medicine

Answer 5

• Heart disease and cancer are both responsible for the deaths of thousands of people in the UK every year
• Cancer research is interesting to me because I enjoy learning about how cells in the body grow uncontrollably. It would be amazing to do more work experience in this field, as I briefly had a conversation with an oncologist who explained to me how she does prostate cancer clinics. She mentioned that nurse practicioners help out prescribing medication to the men.
• I would love to go into the academics behind medicine to research how cancer and cardiovascular diseases are caused.
• I attended a lecture on cardiac function and how it works to pump blood around the body. 4 Chambers, talk about possibly joining a cardiovascular society there.

Question 6

What did you learn from the lecture on cardiac function

Answer 6

I learned about the heart conduction system
There are nodes in chambers and sinus node can stimulate an electrical impulse. This stimulates atria to depolarise and contract.

Then impulse travels to AV node where there is a delay to let blood flow from atria to ventricles.
Overall this triggers ventricular systole .

Cardiac output is volume of blood ejected from left ventricle every minute.
Stroke volume is volume of blood ejected with each heartbeat.

Question 7

How is Leicester integrated curriculum a good fit for you

Answer 7

• Blend of traditional learning with innovation.
  Two phases of learning: Phase 1 is Systems based learning in year 1 and 2 eg cardiovascular system.
  Phase 2 is full time clinical placements where you rotate around wards and specialties
• They put us into groups of around 8 to learn. We work with qualified doctors who tell us about their experiences and what they would do in particular situations. We learn this way, and with lectures also in an equal split.
  I think this will help me to review and consolidate my learning effectively.
• Clinical experience from the first two weeks in sessions called ‘Patient knows best’
• Full dissections on cadavers, it is an honour to study the bodies of kind people who donated them.
  It lets me explore my hands on skills

Question 8

What are the NHS core values

Answer 8

• Working together
• Respect or dignity
• Commitment to quality of care
• Compassion
• Improving lives
• Everyone counts

Question 9

Which NHS core value sticks out most to you

Answer 9

I think all the core values are of equal importance however commitment to quality care and respect sticks out to me.

In particular the Francis report was taken from hospitals in Staffordshire and found that the quality of patient care was very low. For example they found the managers were more focussed on numbers than actually on patients who were being neglected. Kindness wasn’t very common in the hospitals which is why the report came out.

I think it is incredibly important to have a relationship built on trust and respect with your patient. So being committed to quality care is very important to reach the best income for the patient.
When I was doing work experience I noticed that all the screensavers for computers had slogans reminding doctors to be kind. This could be a result of the report.

Question 10

How have your experiences prepared you for early clinical exposure here in Leicester

Answer 10

• When volunteering at a nursing home near me, I was able to improve my empathy and listening skills.
  I was around dementia patients who would tell me all about their lives and stories. We often would go through old pictures together.
  I spoke to the carers who explained to me the importance of showing them you’re interested in what they have to say. So for example nodding along or asking questions about their experiences.
  Could talk about communication story.
• When doing work experience I did two weeks in total and was on a paediatrics intensive care ward for a few days. It was really insightful to see how gentle and kind the doctors and nurses were. They would talk to the parents of children in a friendly and kind manner and answer any questions they had also.

Question 11

Advantages of studying medicine in a diverse city like Leicester

Answer 11

Studying in a diverse city gives an amazing opportunity to meet people from all different backgrounds. City is vibrant and there is a lot to do.

The campus is located in the city centre so you will be very involved in the city life.
Because it is so diverse there may be different diseases predominantly present in certain ethnic groups such as sickle cell anemia. So studying medicine and becoming a doctor there would be really interesting as you can meet these people.

Question 12

Disadvantages of studying medicine in a diverse city like leicester

Answer 12

One disadvantage that comes to mind

Question 13

Pros of studying in Leicester

Answer 13

• Good mix of content and clinical exposure: Extremely patient focussed.
  They teach skills beyond medical sciences such as compassion, communication, understanding diversity
• Timetable is quite laid back for the first two years to give students time to get the extracurricular experience.

Question 14

Cons of studying in Leicester

Answer 14

• They do big exams at the end of every year. You are put in deciles depending on your results.

Although this is stressful I believe it is also a good way to prepare doctors for the ranking to get foundation years.
This won’t be a problem with effective strategies to avoid stress and burnout

Question 15

Should a doctors personal beliefs influence their decisions on patients care

Answer 15

The GMC good medical practice states that you must treat patients fairly and not discriminate against them.

• Pillar of justice: Treat all patients equally
• Autonomy: Patients should be able to make their own medical decisions. Your role as a doctor is to give them all the information on the treatment, discuss options, and respect the patients choice.
• It would be professional misconduct to discriminate against patients.

For example, a doctor who may be against abortion due to religious beliefs should not allow this to influence the patient. Instead it would be a good idea to refer the patient to another competent provider without delay or harm.

Question 16

What ethical considerations should be addressed when looking into AI in medical diagnostics

Answer 16

• Risk of errors: All algorithms should have achieved the highest level of accuracy to avoid misdiagnosing the patient.
  This can be improved by testing regularly in real world scenarios and also monitoring consistently.
• Equal access: AI tools should be accessible to diverse populations so standard of patient care is equal. It may be very expensive to develop these AI systems so make sure low income patients can use them
• Privacy and security of patient data:
  So patient confidentiality as these systems rely on loads of patient data which could raise concerns about privacy. Ensure that data breaches don’t occur.
• Informed consent: Make sure the patient is fully aware about how their data will be used in AI diagnostics and training
• Human oversight: These AI diagnostic machines should always be used alongside a trained healthcare professional who would be able to spot mistakes.
• Overreliance: Doctors may rely on AI diagnostic tools to much to diagnose patient so maybe this will diminish their diagnosing skills

Question 17

How would you handle a situation where a patient refuses a life saving blood transfusion

Answer 17

• I think it is important to handle this situation with an open mind, without prejudice towards the patient.
• First, I would try to talk to the patient in a non-confrontational way where I encourage them to tell me their reasoning for refusing the transfusion.
  It is possible that they have been misinformed about it, or they are unaware of all the impacts of refusing the blood transfusion. There could also be religious or cultural reasoning for refusing it, eg Jehovahs witnesses aren’t allowed these.
• As the doctor it is my role to educate the patient as well as I can and give my medical opinion on what they should do. Hopefully you will be able to change their mind. I would clearly communicate the importance of getting the transfusion and make sure they understand it is a life or death situation.
  So it is informed decision making.
• Assess capacity to decide (Mental capacity act 2005) so they understand information provided and retain it to make a decision.
• However due to the pillar of autonomy it is ultimately the patients choice. You can balance this with the pillar of beneficence where you want to help the patient and improve their life.
• Maybe discuss with a senior colleague or ethics team who can advise you on what to do. You could also try to talk to family members to provide additional perspectives and support

Question 18

What is Crispr

What can it be used for

Answer 18

Crispr is a gene editing technique where a protein can cut DNA at the target site.
This breaks the cell so it tries to repair it.
It can be used to disable a gene or to insert a new gene

Crispr can be used in medicine to treat genetic disorders such as sickle cell disease or Huntington’s disease

Question 19

What are the ethical implications of genetic editing technologies such as CRISPR

Answer 19

• A big consequence of gene editing technologies is unwanted side effects. Crispr can unintentionally edit other parts of the genome which can lead to unknown health risks.
  There could be unknown long term problems with it or can affect future generations
• Informed consent:
  Participants involved in research for it may not know fully what it involves.
  It may impact future generations who can’t give consent themselves
• Limited access only to wealthy people which will worsen inequalities
• Designer babies as you have potential to select eye colour, intelligence, athleticism. This raises questions such as conforming to social standards. This may lead to discrimination in the future against those not gene edited.
• Religious perspectives: It may be seen that we are ‘playing God’ by interfering with natural processes
• Animal testing: Breeding animals just to test on them

Question 20

How would you manage a case involving a patient unable to afford treatment?

Answer 20

The NHS was founded based on the principal that it is accessible to everyone and treatment depends on patient needs not what they can afford.
There can still be cases where patients can’t afford what they need eg additional treatments not funded by NHS.

• Every patient has the right to be offered access to a treatment despite the expense of it. This is due to pillar of justice to not discriminate against patients due to their socioeconomic background
• Speak with patient to understand their financial situation first in a private and uninterrupted environment. It can be quite difficult to talk about finances so make sure the environment is supportive.
• Confirm to check if patient is eligible for NHS treatment eg migrants may need to pay.
• NHS low income scheme can help pay for treatment
• Reach out to charities
• Consider other treatment options so explore them with multidisciplinary team and patient
• Empathy is really important here to show the patient you care about what is happening to the
• Offer referral to psychiatrist or therapist to help solve the problem
• Monitor them by following up regularly to show you care

Question 21

What are your thoughts on ongoing NHS workforce crisis in 2024

Answer 21

This crisis is an issue driven by staffing shortages, high level of burnout, inadequate pay

• Over 100000 gaps in the NHS. This is a problem because it is putting strain on other workers so they have to work overtime to make up for this. This can lead to burnout so can compromise patient care.
• Many staff members in the NHS currently feel undervalued so can’t deliver the standard of care they would like to.
• Strikes: Junior doctor strikes, talk specifically about work experience and the doctor who couldn’t pay her rent.
  They are striking because they are unsatisfied with working conditions and pay

Question 22

How can we fix NHS workforce crisis

Answer 22

• Improve working conditions for junior doctors by providing them with the support they need eg mental health support.
  Also, better infrastructure and machinery can make the job easier.
• It is also important to distribute skills so more members of the multidisciplinary team can get involved. When talking to an oncologist she explained that in her prostate clinic two nurse practitioners are now responsible for diagnosing patients. By improving the skills of other workers, this means consultants can put their skills to better use and deal with more complex cases.
• More investment into AI which I believe can help solve many problems. Talk about sepsis work experience and how this will impact the future.

Question 23

How can the healthcare profession better address the impact of climate change on public health

Answer 23

• Advocate for policies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote renewable energy.
  NHS is committing to net zero carbon emissions by 2045
• Climate resistant clinics: Make them resistant to flooding and storms which we may be seeing more of in the current years. This will reduce patient care being compromised in these cases so they don’t have to be transported to other hospitals etc
• Encourage research into climate change and health. We may see higher levels of pollution which may impact lung cancer
• Sustainable machinery and healthcare delivery: Reduce waste and promote recycling

Question 24

What is the Lucy Letby case

Answer 24

Former neonatal nurse convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder more.

• She did this by injecting air into their bloodstreams
• Injecting lethal amounts of insulin

Currently in prison, for life

Question 25

What can we learn from this case

Answer 25

• Reporting:
  We need to make sure staff feel safe to report problems without fear of retaliation

Monitoring:
- Establishing more robust systems in the NHS to monitor clinical behaviours so there aren’t as many opportunities for babies or people to be killed

• Staff wellbeing: Ensure workers aren’t burnt out and over worked.
  Maintain mental health in high pressure environments

Question 26

With rising obesity rates in the UK, what public health strategies would you impose

Answer 26

• Education and awareness
  It is important that the public truly understand the health risks that come with obesity. It could be a good idea to draw attention to it by having doctors giving talks in schools, libraries and public spaces.
  They can explain that diabetes type 2, and many other diseases can form.

Teach ways to avoid being obese such as cutting down on processed foods and fats whilst exercising regularly. So encourage a healthy lifestyle

• More sugar tax on fizzy drinks, and other unhealthy foods. It isn’t right that organically grown fruit and veg are significantly more expensive than a meal from Mcdonalds. If sugary food is more expensive people will buy less of it.
• In schools make sure the meals are healthy

Question 27

What are the pros and cons of the NHS increasingly partnering with private healthcare providers

Answer 27

Pros:
- If more people have access to private care this can reduce waiting lists for the NHS as there are fewer patients in the system.
- New innovation and technology can be brought into hospitals which will improve the standard of patient care.

Cons:
- Inequality: Wealthier individuals receive quicker and better treatment
- Profit motives: Companies will prioritise making money over patient care so could give them unnecessary treatments that they have to pay for
- Quality control: We don’t know the standard of patient care across private sector so it may be inconsistant

Question 28

How should medical schools adapt to train doctors to tackle emerging global health threats

Answer 28

• Educate medical students about worldwide diseases such as Malaria more. Although these currently don’t affect the health of our country much, there is a possibility of an outbreak in the future.
• Simulations and training exercises to prepare students for real world health emergencies

Question 29

How would you improve A&E

Answer 29

• When I was doing work experience in a hospital near me, I had the opportunity to conduct a survey with some patients to find out any problems they have with the hospital.
  A consistent one I found was the conditions of A&E where the conditions of the toilets were terrible with urine on the floor. As patients will be waiting in A&E it is important to have a good standard there so I would ensure there is more cleaning occurring.
• There are very long waiting lists, longer than 4 hours in A&E and to stop this help with social care so beds free up which means more people can be moved from A&E to beds in the ward. This will free up space. To free up beds improve social care and housing

-

Question 30

Describe a time you worked in a multidisciplinary team

Answer 30

On my duke of Edinburgh gold exhibition there were 4 of us and we decided it would be a good idea to allocate roles based on skill.

Myself and my friend had the job of map reading as it was something we were quite confident in.
The others had the job of carrying the tents and setting them up as they were stronger and better at this job.

I think this was a really good method of navigating through the Brecon Beacons as It prevented me from getting too tired so I had energy to map read.

One way we acted as a team is when my friend got a really bad leg cramp as we were walking back to our minibus on the last day of our exhibition. Although we decided to sit down and rest it, she was in a great deal of pain and it wasn’t getting better and the weight on her back definitely wasn’t helping.
I decided it would be a good idea for the other members to each take some of her things to lessen the load.
This worked and we were able to get to the minibus and travel back to London.

Not only this but we also chose to distribute food to bring on the trip, as well as toiletries. So someone would bring toothpaste, or pasta whilst someone else would bring a jar of pesto. This also meant that we could work as a team to cut down on the weight we had to carry.

Question 31

How would you handle a senior colleague who made an error

Answer 31

In this situation I think it is crucial to approach it in a non-confrontational manner. For example first looking at all the information to really make sure they made a mistake.

Then, patient safety is the most important factor so make sure this error isn’t immediately affecting a patient as this could compromise patient care. For example if an anaesthetist gave the wrong amount of anaesthesia to a patient.

Approach the colleague and ask to have a private discussion where there aren’t people around to listen in.
Do it in a gentle and non-judgemental way: I noticed this, and i’m concerned about the implications that can result from it. Could we review it together?

Report it appropriately if error is significant so go to hospitals incident reporting system. Tell patient also as they deserve to know or a rift can form between doctor-patient relationship.
Keep confidentiality also so only involving relevant people.

If situation is difficult and they are denying it or trying to cover the problem up, escalate the situation and seek advice from mentor

Talk about ways to stop the problem happening again so maybe more team learning on the subject can take place.

Question 32

How would you address a cultural misunderstanding within a diverse healthcare team

Answer 32

The NHS has healthcare professionals from all around the world so it is clear there will be some cultural differences between the staff.
Approach it with an open communication and respect.

• Don’t ignore the situation because it’s important all the healthcare professionals are on the same side which is providing patient care to the best standard

First try to really understand both sides of the situation, by avoiding assumptions to seek clarity on what occurred.
Then create a safe space, so an empty room without interruptions where you can discuss the matter in a professional manner. Make sure everyone can express their views and also actively listen. Use non-confrontational language so no one feels victimised.

Educate yourself on cultural views by possibly looking into training for doctors and nurses on your ward. Cultural awareness.

Try to find common ground and common goals.

Maybe seek external support and mediation if situation remains unsolved.

Also reflect on how to make sure problems don’t happen in the future

Question 33

Describe a time where team communication was used to solve a conflict

Answer 33

When I was on my Duke of Edinburgh Gold exhibition, a member of my group previously stated that she had lots of anxiety about going on the trip.
On the last day of our exhibition our route planned out was going over many big hills and we knew it would be a tough day.

She came to me and explained how nervous she was about going over the hills and asked if there was any way I could ask the group to change the route and go around the hills.

I took it up with one other member who was primarily in charge of the maps and we worked together to find a route that could work for her. We also spoke with teachers to see if they had any idea about what to do in this situation.
Eventually we were able to compromise where we went over fewer hills, and although the route was longer it was worth it because she felt a lot better about it. This meant we could all finish DOFE gold together.

I think team communication is really important because it means that everyone is heard and can get a say in group decisions. In medicine especially a multidisciplinary team collaborates to provide optimal patient care so for example I attended a board meeting with consultants from all around the hospital to discuss rare cases in patients and try to find a solution or treatment plan for them.

Question 34

How do diverse perspectives in a healthcare team improve patient care

Answer 34

It is important to keep a very open mind as a doctor so you can have meaningful conversations with patients and try to understand where they are coming from.
For example being able to understand why a patient is refusing treatment will help you find solutions to the issue, such as ways around the problem.
In particular when I was doing work experience in a hospital they asked if I could do a survey where I spoke to patients about their experiences in the hospital.

This communication and trying to see the hospital from the patients perspective meant we could overcome these solutions. Many patients complained about how at night time there is a light that won’t turn off so it is very difficult to sleep. I decided to try and solve this by collecting sleep masks from a different ward to bring them to the volunteering team (Obviously asking if I was allowed to first).

So by having an open mind and diverse perspectives, patients can be listened to which means their care will improve.

Question 35

What is the importance of building trust within a team

Answer 35

Working in a team means that you all should have an aim at the end of your product.
For healthcare providers this aim would be optimal patient care, or for my Duke of Edinburgh Gold group this aim was to reach the campsite before dark.

Trust is vital for meaningful communication and achieving shared goals. If there is trust in a team it means more open communication will occur so all members can feel listened to and important within it.

In particular I spent a few days on an intensive care unit ward where I was able to see a multidisciplinary team function together effectively. In particular the consultant brought me around to talk to every member of the team such as technician, dieticians, and nurses so I could see the importance of each role. Her doing this showed the open communication that can occur when a team trusts each other and supports each other.

On my DofE gold exhibition my team and I improved our trust so in particular when a member had a leg cramp on the last day we decided to take her stuff from her bag and split it evenly between us so it was easier for her to walk. It is good that she was able to trust that we would help her.

Question 36

How would you respond to a patient who is frustrated with the long wait times in A&E

Answer 36

In this situation, you should approach the patient in a gentle and open minded manner because it is important to see the situation from their perspective.
Since COVID waiting times have increased to over 4 hours which must be very frustrating for patients.

I’d ask to have a conversation with them in a casual way and ask exactly what they’re upset about. I’d listen to what they have to say and try and also ask many questions to make sure I have all the information.
It is also quite encouraging to acknowledge their frustration by saying things like ‘I’m sure this must be hard for you’
Then I would try to explain to them why the waiting times are so long, so for example we don’t have enough staff.

I’d explain that we are trying our best and will try to keep the waiting times down as much as possible. Reassurance: You haven’t been forgotten

It could be a good idea to ask the patient what we could do in the meantime to make the wait more comfortable. For example when I did work experience I was able to talk to some patients about their experience in the waiting rooms and many complained about the standards of the toilets and how they were very unclean and many people didn’t want to have to use them.
So this could be making patients even more frustrated so I’d take it up to someone senior and maybe ask if they could be cleaned more often.

Finally update them when possible

Question 37

What is some scientific research Leicester is doing currently

Answer 37

Research into Cardiovascular disease: Where ultrasounds are conducted before a patient develops symptoms.
This can catch heart and blood vessel diseases earlier on.

They used mice for the study and studied two groups of mice.
I think it’s interesting that an ultrasound can be used to look at the power of the arteries expanding and contracting with cardiac pulsation and relaxation.

Ultrasound scanning can potentially result in earlier detection of reduced vascular function.

Research concluded that lifestyle and genetic factors can lead to increased risk of cardiovascular disease

Question 38

What would you do if your patient admitted they weren’t taking their prescribed medication

Answer 38

• Approach them in a non confrontational manner to talk about it, making sure they feel comfortable.
• Have a conversation with them and try to get them to explain to you why they aren’t taking it.
  There could be a simple explanation eg they don’t like pills so won’t take them.
  It is important you don’t jump to conclusions or make inferences here, really make sure you understand what they’re saying and check that by repeating back to them what you have heard.

It is also possible they have been misinformed about the medication so make sure to address any misinformation they have.

At the end of the day the patient has autonomy over their treatment so you can’t force them to take the medication.
But you still want to really encourage them to and explain the effects that will come with not taking it.

Looking at alternative care options is also a good idea, so other medications can be implemented that the patient can take so their condition can improve.

Overall collaborate to find a path they will follow.

Question 39

How would you explain a complex medical condition to a non-medical person

Answer 39

• If you’re having a conversation with a patient and you have to explain their medical condition to them:
• Simplify the language so it is clear and using everyday terminology
• Use analogies so eg a traffic jam in your blood vessels instead of a blocked artery
• Break it down and really simplify the condition to them, so its causes, symptoms and treatment options
• Ask if they have any questions consistently
• Ask them to repeat it back to you to make sure they understand it

Question 40

A colleague is dismissive towards a patient, how do you handle this situation

Answer 40

• Patient care is always the most important factor in the hospital so immediately make sure the patient is safe and doesn’t need immediate attention
• Ask to speak to the doctor in a non confrontational manner, but maybe do it in a place where there aren’t any interruptions.
• Bring it up to them in a gentle way such as ‘ I noticed this…’ and ask them to explain the situation from their point of view and try and understand where they are coming from.
• Explain the implications that come with being dismissive of a patient. Eg Martha’s rule. Try to educate them on the problems around it eg the pillar of Non-Maleficence so by dismissing the patient you could be doing harm to them. This is encouraging reflection.
• If the colleague isn’t cooperative here and isn’t listening to your concerns then it would be a good idea to take it up with senior colleagues or supervisors. This would be escalating the situation.

Question 41

What would you do if a patient shared information about being a victim of abuse?

Answer 41

• The first thing I’d do is make sure the patient isn’t immediately at risk.
• I’d be empathetic and allow them to explain to me the situation they’re in. Nodding along and gently asking questions could make them feel heard and cared about.
• Validate their feelings so say ‘I am so sorry you’ve had to experience that’.
• Talk about ways to resolve the issue eg reporting to safeguarding authorities as there are protocols in place. Make sure to try and protect patient confidentiality when possible
• Provide information on support groups etc for them to attend. Also recommend therapy etc

Question 42

How would you address a situation where a patient believes in a health-related myth they found online?

Answer 42

When I was doing work experience the doctors explained how they come across these situations every day. For example an oncologist explained how cancer patients have been asking if turmeric is going to cure their cancer.

• In this situation you should try to talk with the patient in a non confrontational manner in an open environment where they feel safe to express their opinions.
• Actively listen and try to understand where they are coming from by asking questions etc to make sure you have all the correct information.
• Explain to them why that myth is not true so maybe show them evidence of scientific studies, but make sure to use suitable language so the patient understands what they are seeing.
  ‘ I understand why that might sound convincing, but let me share what we know from research’.

Pillar of Beneficence so try to do good by debunking this rumour they have found.

• Point them to scientific articles or NHS website
• Encourage questions from them to make sure they really understand

Question 43

What surprised you most about the realities of being a doctor during your work experience

Answer 43

That’s a good question, I think what I found most surprising was how well they were able to balance effective patient care whilst being under time constraints.
In particular I did my work experience during the Junior Doctor strikes so this meant there were many vacancies in the NHS during this time so other healthcare professionals had to do extra shifts and more work.

They must have been very burnt out and exhausted from this.
Despite this however, a positive atmosphere was maintained throughout the wards. It was lovely to see how kindly they approached patients, and listened to all their concerns without making them feel rushed. I think that being positive is an important skill in medicine as you’re surrounded by very sick patients who will probably be in quite low spirits.

I noticed slogans on all the computers saying to be kind, and I imagine this is a simple but effective way of reminding the staff to treat each other and patients kindly.