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alumni in focus

BSMS > About BSMS > Alumni > Alumni in focus Dr Jake Bush

Alumni in Focus - Dr Jake Bush

Dr Jake Bush (BM BS 2017)

Dr Jake Bush smiles at the camera in mid close up, sitting in a garden with trees behind him

Since graduating in 2017, Jake has helped to develop an award-winning virtual work experience programme with BSMS' Widening Participation and Outreach team. Jake tells us what motivated him to develop the programme for aspiring medics, his favourite memories from BSMS and where he hopes his career will take him next.

 

Where are you now? 

I am a GP Trainee working at Worthing Hospital, currently rotating in Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

 

Tell us a little bit about the award-winning virtual work experience programme that you created with our Widening Participation and Outreach team, and what motivated you to develop this?

Work experience is an important part of developing understanding what a doctor does, and often forms a part of the application to medical school. The difficulty is that work experience can be difficult to acquire. When I finished medical school, I worked with BSMS to create an online ‘virtual work experience’ as part of their widening participation initiative. The aim of this was to provide some of the learning and understanding that could be gained from real work experience in a way that was free and instantly accessible to anyone around the world.

As for my own motivations, I had difficulties getting work experience before applying to medical school. I have also always been very interested in widening participation, having been both a student and mentor in BrightMed. I am really happy to have been involved in developing a resource that can help young people with their understanding of the role of a doctor, and support their decisions and applications to medical school. It was also a really fun and creative project to be involved in!

I’m so pleased with the success that the programme has since had; at the start I could not possibly have comprehended how well it would do and how many people it would help.

Where would you like your career to take you next?

I am particularly interested in elderly care and frailty. In my future role as a general practitioner, I would like to take a lead role in improving care and service provision to this group of patients in the community. I am also hoping to keep up my skills as a hospital doctor by spending time working as a general practitioner in urgent care.

 

What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given?

Do something you enjoy.

40-plus years is a long time to be working, and being happy with your job or specialty is far more important than any other aspect of it in my opinion!

 

What do you feel was the best thing about studying at BSMS?

There were so many good things – it’s difficult to pinpoint one. I met so many great people during my time there; BSMS seems to be able to attract such wonderful and charismatic people to study. Teaching and support particularly during stressful times (finals) was brilliant. I also really enjoyed teaching in BrightMed.

Who has inspired you most in life?

My parents (sorry I can’t pick between them!). They taught me the value of hard work and dedication, kindness and generosity. They supported and cared for me in good times and in more difficult times.

 

What's your favourite memory from your time at BSMS?

Finding out I passed finals comes to mind. I also had some great memories from my elective.

 

Describe BSMS in three words:

Supportive, community, happy.