Travels with my Grant: Three students from Year 4 of the Brighton and Sussex Medical School share their colourful experiences on medical elective and the ‘take-home’ messages they have brought back.

Each has a very different story to tell:

Joseph Norris fell into the deep end of rural medicine in a hospital 1000m above Lake Malawi. Cripplingly poor resources, a vanishingly small medical team, the community’s predilection with witchcraft and a range of devastating diseases rarely seen in the West provided innumerable opportunities for learning and reflection, as well as opportunities for making a positive impact.

Katie Green chose an entirely different venue: the Children’s Hospital in Great Ormond Street. Working in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit of this world famous centre Katie came into contact with some of the rarest and most tragic complex diseases of childhood. And beyond the paediatric medicine, there was much to learn of the team-working, ethical challenges and personal stories surrounding the families involved.   

Alex Cumberworth experienced anaesthetic medicine in an area of unusual cultural challenge, Hawke’s Bay on the coast of North Island, New Zealand, where 23% of the population are Maori. Maori fare worse than the rest of the population in virtually every health parameter - but why?  And what is happening to improve matters that might even contain lessons for us in the UK?   

The Posters made by our speakers about their travels will be on display in the foyer of the Audrey Emerton building with a chance to discuss their experiences over wine after the presentations.