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In Focus - Abby Bourgeois

Abby Bourgeois

Year of Study: Year 2

Abby Bourgeois tells us all about her transition into medical school, life at BSMS, getting involved in sports and societies and what she enjoys about living in Brighton. Read her answers below.

Any advice for managing the transition to university?

Chances are that most people will be feeling just as nervous as you are, so the best thing you can do is start a conversation with them! It is a time of meeting so many new people which is really exciting when you look at it in the right light. Also, be willing to try out everything which even remotely catches your eye. You never know what you will enjoy, or where you will find your group! I never would’ve thought that I would be playing football.

What has been your favourite part of the BSMS Medicine course?

I really enjoyed the module we did in Year 1 about the Heart, Lungs, and Blood as I have always found learning about these topics interesting. I am also really enjoying the small group teaching we have for our clinical module in Year 2. This teaching happens every Thursday, and this is where we learn clinical skills related to the knowledge-based module we have been studying. For example, recently, as we have been learning about the musculoskeletal system, we have been learning how to take a focused MSK history. We have then had patient educators in for us to practice these skills on. It is great to see such a clinical link to our studies even in the pre-clinical years, and it is a great chance to ask any questions we might have.

Are you involved in any sports or societies? If so, can you tell us a bit about them?

I would highly recommend getting involved with BSMS sports! I am one of the Social Secs for BSMS Women's Football Club this year, and have had a great time getting involved with football since coming to university. Our medic only football team is inclusive to all levels of play, which was useful for me having never played before, and gives us a chance to interact with girls in other years. We still play in a league so get a chance to play proper games against other Medical Schools, but it is more flexible and works around our busy schedules better. The social aspect of being on a team is also really nice, and we run socials a couple times a term with different fun themes.

What is your favourite thing about living in Brighton and Hove?

For me, it is the perfect mix of being near a relatively big city, whilst also experiencing lots of aspects of nature. For example, I love walking along the seafront as I find it’s a great way to clear your head, and I would love to get out into the South Downs more! The sunsets down near the beach can be incredible as well. On the other hand, the night life is good and the atmosphere of the city is very energetic and lively as it’s very welcoming to all groups of people.

Where are your favourite spots to study?

The Sussex library is a classic, especially in exam season, but I enjoy switching it up. I really like Pelicanos, and Trading Post where you can get a yummy pastry while studying! I also find Joe and the Juice on North Street a good atmosphere to work in.

What do you enjoy most about having MedSoc (the Medical School’s own society)?

It’s hard for me to decide as I strongly believe MedSoc makes it possible for you to have lots of fun outside your course. Just to name a few of the things they do, MedSoc is responsible for running Fresher’s week, Balls, and socials. However, the top thing for me would have to be the Medic Families they organise for you. When you join the Medical School, you get allocated to a ‘family’ with other people from your own year (‘siblings’) as well as a set of ‘parents’ from the year above you. It means you have some automatic friends in both years and also gives you a chance to ask older years any questions you may have. I have loved being both a medic child and medic mum!