Queens Belfast Flashcards
Give info about interview
. 7 MMI interviews.
Two are role play
What are the 4 key themes they want to look at
Empathy
Problem solving
Moral reasoning
Communication
What have you learnt from volunteering at the nursing home
- I volunteer at Bridgeside nursing home. I have the opportunity to meet with patients weekly, where usually I try to help the staff by taking them outside for fresh air, or simply conversing with them.
Many of the patients have dementia, and I’ve learned how to change my way of speaking for them to understand me and feel comfortable. For example I’ve recently been going through old photos with an elderly woman with dementia, and although i can see the frustration she has about not being able to remember names, something I’ve learned is to change the subject and distract her from it which I have found has prevented her from getting frustrated.
Overall, I’ve learnt the importance of communication, whether it has been actively listening to their stories.
I also attended a board meeting with all the staff in the home, where they discussed any problems they encountered that month and how to stop these happening. This taught me the importance of communicating between staff also, as the struggles were layed out on the table and everyone came to a consensus on how to stop these problems happening again.
The staff explained to me how the residents can feel quite forgotten in the home, so if they ever have a spare minute they spend it talking and asking about the patient.
. I also did some gardening with them in the summer where we harvested tomatoes which was a really fun activity to get them involved.
What have you done to be a suitable doctor in the future
. Nursing home has taught me communication with elderly patients and those with dementia
. Work experience in intensive care unit has helped me understand empathy, for example story of blood clot man.
. Duke of Edinburgh Gold has helped me improve both my leadership and teamwork skills.
. Problem solving skills are
Explain a time where you showed leadership skills
On my Duke of Edinburgh Gold exhibition in the Brecon Beacons my friend had been complaining about a leg cramp on the morning of the last day, and as we were walking this pain heightened and she was unable to walk.
I suggested we sat down so she could rest her leg, and decided that it would be a good idea for us to split her belongings equally between the four of us.
This meant she had less weight to carry so hopefully the pain would be alleviated.
Luckily this suggestion worked as we were able to make it to the meeting point where we were going back to London, so she was able to treat her leg properly and recover.
Explain a time where you showed teamwork skills
Why do you want to study here in Belfast
. My parents are both from waterford so I’ve spent every christmas, easter and summer here in Ireland.
I’ve grown to love the slower pace of life here as I’m used to living in a more stressed city environment I always enjoy coming to Irish towns such as belfast where there is a much stronger sense of community.
. My dad did a masters here in Belfast and stayed in the Holylands, which we actually went to see this morning and I’ve had a lovely walk around the town and I really like it here
. I have an Auntie in Donegal and another in Roscommon neither of which are too far away so I feel that if i came here I’d have a really strong support network around me even if my parents are in london.
What is specific about belfast university that makes you want to study medicine here
. I was first drawn when I read about the simulation suite because I’m a person who learns through my actions so having the opportunity to simulate patient contact would be amazing. I am a visual learner I like the idea of dissections so I can really understand how different organs work and what makes them up. Using a cadaver will help me visualise it
. A very important factor for me is early patient contact from the first year so I can work on my social skills with patients.
. Intercalated year is something I definitely want to take part in as I really want to add to the research field of academics in medicine and currently I think I will look into sepsis as I really enjoyed my work experience so help to maybe add to that or even work with those people one day.
Structure of medical course
- Year 1 and 2 you explore each body system and do subjects such as pathology, genetics. Mainly pre-clinical.
. Clinical skills training is also acquired using the simulation suite where you act out scenarios with actors as patients
. Dissections occur throughout the course, on a cadaver so you can visualise where each organ is to know your anatomy well - Year 3 is mainly clinical exposure so you will have classes in each medical and surgical specialties
Intercalated year
- Year 4 learn more about child health, women’s health etc
- Year 5 is exams
What type of learning is it
. There is some cased based learning so i can work as a team with others to work out a cure and discuss key cases.
There is lots of group work which I love since working on cooperation in duke of Edinburgh Gold
Clubs and societies at Queens
I love the culture here in Belfast, and the idea of a cosy evening in the pub, whilst seeing all the art and museums is very attractive
. I’d join the Belfast Medical Students Association (BMSA)
and scrubs
Tell me about a time where you showed empathy
One time I showed empathy was when I was volunteering in the nursing home which mostly specialised in dementia patients however one woman was staying there because of a stroke she had so was unable to take care of herself for a couple months so was staying there.
She explained to me how isolated she feels staying in the home, as there is no one she can talk to and she felt the staff were very busy and she didn’t want to bother them to have a conversation. She explained how she felt she had no freedom and like she has no control over where she can go and was visibly quite frustrated.
After I heard she felt like this i suggested we go outside to sit down by the canal, so that she felt a bit more free as I suppose it can get quite stuffy in the nursing home rooms. I listened to her complaints and tried to show her I understood her by asking her ways she thinks the situation could improve. I decided to make a deal with her that every time I saw her, which was twice a week, we could go outside together for a chat so she feels less cooped up. This seemed to make her feel better, and now she’s been able to go back home as she has recovered.
