BSMS > Undergraduate > What our students say > Typical weeks

Typical weeks

FIRST YEAR STUDENTS

Two of our first year students write about their lectures, dissection classes and how they spend their free time whilst studying with us.

BACKGROUND IMAGE FOR PANEL

Ashley Chukwu

Monday

Mondays are usually the busiest day of the week, and we start off with lectures based on the human body. It’s nice to begin with the week’s scientific focus, because we can link it to subsequent lectures throughout the rest of the week, and to practicals in the laboratories or dissection sessions. The lecture content can vary from anatomy to pathology or physiology, which I find particularly interesting.

Later in the day we break into smaller groups for our module tutorials. I really look forward to these sessions because we get to discuss previous lectures extensively and sometimes we have group quizzes where the best group receives a prize!

After a long day, I enjoy a nice dinner with my flatmates. We do some revision afterwards – living with your fellow medical students is great as we can study and make our way to classes together.

Tuesday

Tuesdays tend to focus solely on clinical practice (CP). In the morning we have a CP lecture on the importance of reflection and how best we should communicate with patients. We learn the step-by-step processes to initiate a consultation session with patients, signs to look out for and how to respond in certain situations. These sessions help me to be better informed and confident when dealing with patients and other healthcare professionals, vital skills in a patient-centred healthcare system.

Later, we break into small seminar groups and get to expand on these topics with our clinical facilitators. Sometimes we engage in role plays while we work through case studies, and it’s a good opportunity to learn from the other students. I particularly enjoy these sessions because my clinical facilitator always finds a way to break the ice before the sessions start.

During the afternoon sessions, we have clinical placements, workshops or our personal study time. Today, I have a workshop that teaches us how to take a patient’s medical history.

Workshops are very helpful because we are trained in the clinical skills we will need as a doctor. Later in the day, I visit my friends who live on the other campus, and we chill and watch a movie together.

Wednesday

In the morning, we have group meetings with our academic tutors and today we’re learning about, how to organise our presentations for later in the term. My presentation is on‘ the nudge theory’, which I had no previous idea about, but it’s good to practise with other students and present it to my group – it’s another way to learn.

Despite our busy workload, it is important for us to engage in social activities outside school, which is why we have a free afternoon to do sports or clubs. My football practice isn’t until Thursday so I go to the library and prepare my notes for the dissection room (DR) session tomorrow. I like to keep my Wednesday nights free so I can relax and cook a nice meal.

Thursday

The day I’ve been waiting for. In the morning we have a symposium on health and disease. Symposiums are similar to lectures but we discuss topics in greater depth. Sometimes, we have patients come talk to us or we work through case studies. This usually ends at midday, leaving us with enough time to have lunch and prepare for the DR session later in the afternoon.

One of the many reasons I chose BSMS was because of the dissection sessions and early patient contact. The DR sessions allow us to visualise all that we have learnt so far, thereby helping us to understand our notes in greater depth. And as corny as this sounds, the dissection sessions make me embrace life as well as death. There is so much support from the anatomy staff, it’s a warm environment and everyone is ready to learn.

Later I have football and it’s nice to unwind after a hectic day. I love football, especially at BSMS, because I get to spend time with other medical students. We have an upcoming friendly match against another team and I’m really looking forward to it. There’s always something to do here.

As a medical student you can join any of the societies, activities and sports at the Universities of Brighton and Sussex – this includes lots of the less conventional activities and sports – I’m thinking of joining a fencing team.

Friday

The weekend is finally nearly here. Lectures usually start at 11 on a Friday, and today I have a lecture on the learning and development of infants and one on pathology. During lunch break, I have a Christian Medical Fellowship meeting – it’s a nice chance to meet people from different years and take a break from academic work. We talk about purpose and this leads to a lot of reflection, a skill which is necessary for doctors. I have a free afternoon because the second group has their dissection session so my weekend starts early.

Friday evening I head out with my friends to watcha movie. Starting at medical school was a lot to take in at first, but support from the other students has really helped me settle in quickly. There is a lot of work to do so I’ll try to organise my time over the weekend, recapping on the week’s lectures and preparing for the coming week, and leaving myself with free time for fun.

BACKGROUND IMAGE FOR PANEL

Sahiti Siri Kalapu

sahiti

Monday

This morning, we have a psychology lecture on learning and memory. It’s really interesting as we get to learn about how our mind acquires and stores knowledge. Our psychology lectures help strengthen our clinical skills. Following the lecture, we break into our module tutorial groups to take a formative quiz, discuss lectures and fill any gaps in our knowledge.

After a couple more lectures, I walk back home to Paddock Field with my flatmates. We have a relaxing tea break in our common room, then I retreat to my room to work on lecture notes. In the evening, I head to an African beats dance session run by the BSMS Dance society to unwind and relax after the long day.

Tuesday

Tuesdays are very exciting – clinical days! We kick start the day with a lecture, followed by seminar sessions in groups of 12 headed by a clinical facilitator. These sessions enable us to discuss and gain feedback on clinical material and often stimulate deep and thought-provoking discussions.

However, this week is slightly different as we explore interpersonal education. Following a brief lecture, we split into 16 groups along with students of pharmacy and social care. It’s a wonderful opportunity to get to know our professional peers, gain an understanding of multidisciplinary teams in medicine and develop our interpersonal skills.

In the afternoon, with my NHS medical student badge pinned to my chest and stethoscope around my neck, I’m off to Royal Sussex County Hospital for my Gastroenterology placement. I watch several endoscopy and colonoscopy procedures. Later, I sit in on consultations and practise my history-taking skills on real patients! By the end of the day,

I have developed a deep appreciation for gastroenterology and am already considering a career in it! At home, I fill my ePortfolio with clinical observations from today.

Wednesday

This morning, I’ve got my Academic Skills presentation – my topic is ‘Zika Virus and its effects’. I’ve got quite bad stage fright but my groupmates are very encouraging and help me feel at ease, and it goes well.

In the afternoon, I volunteer to work with Teddy Bear Hospital – organised by the Paediatric society to go into local primary schools and teach the younger kids about first aid. It’s really gratifying watching the children engage in learning with such enthusiasm.

The societies at BSMS complement our studies through programmes that support our curriculum, and they’re also good fun!

At home, I catch up with lecture notes before heading out with my friends for dinner and a movie in town.

Thursday

In the morning, we have a symposium on imaging the human body. We learn about imaging techniques in greater detail than is strictly required, but this helps develop a deeper understanding of lecture material and appreciate developing research in the field.

In the afternoon, we have a dissection session. Dissection is one of the primary reasons why  I chose BSMS and I’m really looking forward to this session. We observe anatomical structures from our previous anatomy lecture on the thoracic wall. Dissection greatly strengthens your understanding of the human body by bringing to life anatomical structures from lectures.

Later in the evening, I go to a history-taking workshop by the BSMS Association for Medical Education and Clinical Skills to prepare for my clinical placement. We get to develop history- taking strategies and practise them in several clinical situations.

Friday

Today, we have practical microbiology sessions on the Moulsecoomb campus. Being a kinesthetic learner, I love practical sessions because they help me understand concepts much more clearly. We learn about using different lab techniques to test for different types of bacteria by actually performing them. So we test for Gram-negative and positive bacteria by performing the test on several bacterial species. This greatly helps our understanding of microbiology by adding a whole new dimension to learning the concepts.

In the evening, I attend Medic Mayhem – the biggest of all medic events here at BSMS. What sets it apart from all other events is that we get to socialise with medical students from all years as well as Foundation Year 1 and 2 doctors! It’s an opportunity for us first year medics to get a glimpse of what the coming years will be like for us.

But it’s no boring ‘networking’ event. Medic Mayhem is a medic-themed party where you all dress up as a medical pun. My mates and I go as sister chromosomes with arms ‘cross linked’ at the ‘chiasma’.

Year 1 timetable

(A typical week)

Day	Time	Activity
Monday	am	Lectures and tutorial meeting
Tuesday	am pm	Clinical practice lecture Small group work with clinical practice facilitators, primary care/secondary care placement/clinical skills and workshop/personal study
Wednesday	am pm	Academic Skills/Student-Selected Component (at the universities,hospital or other venues) Free time for study and/or extra curricular activities such as sport
Thursday	am pm	Symposium – eg, patients come in to discuss how they have beenaffected by their condition and/or facilitated breakout sessions Practical class: the dissecting room
Friday	am pm	Lectures Practical class: the laboratory

THIRd YEAR STUDENTS

One of our third year students writes about a typical week for him during Year 4.

BACKGROUND IMAGE FOR PANEL

Dan Heritage

Monday

My first rotation in Year 3 is vascular surgery, so I’m placed with a vascular consultant and his team. First thing, I attend a vascular multidisciplinary team meeting, where consultants and registrars of different specialties discuss the best treatment for their patients. I get to see that even though a patient may be in the vascular surgery ward, it takes doctors of many specialties to fully care for the patient and it really is a team effort.

In the afternoon, I am at an outpatient clinic with one of the vascular registrars. I get to observe how he takes specific histories focused on vascular problems and see him perform examinations. I also get to practise history taking and examination on patients, under the guidance of the registrar.

Between patient appointments, the registrar quizzes me on anatomy using a CT scan. He gets me to point out the abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) on the scan, from the patientin whose abdomen I have just previously felt a pulsatile mass. This is an excellent way to learn – not only did I find the AAA on examination, but I am then able to see it on the CT scan, which helps me to remember it down the line. In the evening, I head off to tutor an A-level student in chemistry. I really enjoy teaching, plus teaching chemistry helps me with my pharmacology lectures!

Tuesday

I wake up early and make my way to theatre, getting changed into scrubs and ready before the operations start. My partner and I make our way to the pre-operative area to clerk a patient before surgery. We read their notes, take a history and examination, then present it to the consultant when he makes his way around to us. The patient has a femoral pseudoaneurysm (a small hole in their femoral artery), which is being repaired that morning and I have been chosen to scrub into the surgery to assist. As the patient is being anaesthetised, a nurse observes me properly scrubbing in and helps to put on my sterile gown and gloves.

Assisting in theatre is a great way to learn – you can see the anatomy from dissection in the first two years come to life, plus you gain experience of what life is like as a surgeon. The atmosphere is much friendlier than they portray in the movies, there is music playing and the staff are all very approachable and friendly.

After my day in surgery, I have dinner with my housemates then head to BSMS hockey with some friends.

Wednesday

Wednesdays and Fridays are the days that we still have lectures. After an introduction to vaccinology, and another lecture on host genetics and infectious disease, I go up to the café to grab a coffee and have a quick chat with some friends. Later we round off the day of lectures with a talk on consultation skills. I make the short walk back to my house and prepare for a presentation I have tomorrow at the student led seminar. I have chosen to talk about the methods of access for renal dialysis. I’m excited to present but I want to make sure I am fully prepared! After some preparation, I head to the gym to take my mind off medicine.

Thursday

Thursday is another early morning start at the hospital. I make my way to the vascular ward to join the morning ward round. These are very useful, as you have to quickly read patient notes and be ready to present the information back to the consultant. You get to learn very quickly about the shorthand that doctors use in notes and get used to compressing lots of information down into a few sentences. We get to the patient with the repaired pseudoaneurysm that I helped with yesterday. One of the junior doctors says that he has been well overnight, and the swelling in his groin from the pseudoaneurysm has gone down, which is good news.

In the afternoon I have my presentation. It’s in a small group of about 15 students and a registrar and it’s a friendly atmosphere. My presentation goes well, and after the registrar writes some feedback for me, I sit back and listen to my friends’ presentations. In the evening I head out with a few friends.

Friday

This Friday morning we have a change from the usual lecture schedule. At 11am I am at a suturing skills practical class, where are taught suturing – surgical knot tying with hands and instruments. This will come in handy when I assist in theatre again. These practical classes are very informal and friendly, and it’s good to catch up with friends.

In the afternoon we have two lectures, then I head to the gym to reflect on my week. It’s a short session this afternoon because I am heading to Southampton to visit my girlfriend.

Year 3 timetable

(A typical week)

Day	Time	Activity
Monday	am-pm	Clinical rotations (including ward rounds, clinics, lectures and seminars, clinical skills teaching)
Tuesday	am-pm	Clinical rotations
Wednesday	am pm	Lectures Clinical rotations or lectures
Thursday	am pm	Clinical rotations Clinical rotations or seminars
Friday	am pm	Clinical rotations or lectures Clinical rotations or lectures

FOURTH YEAR STUDENTS

Two of our fourth year students write about their typical weeks in Year 4.

BACKGROUND IMAGE FOR PANEL

Rhiannon Hoggins

Monday

Today I am at the 9am ear nose and throat (ENT) clinic at the Princess Royal Hospital (PRH) in Haywards Heath, sitting in with one of the ENT registrars. I observe the doctor taking the history and examining the patients. I get to practise my clinical skills as well, examining the ear using the otoscope – this is a new skill for me and so I’m a bit nervous at first. I also get to observe the use of a flexible nasal endoscope, noticing how the doctor communicates with patients to put them at ease.

I meet my friend for lunch in the hospital restaurant where we chat about our weekend and what we’re doing in the afternoon.

In the afternoon I’m in theatre. I arrive at 1.30pm and get changed into scrubs. I see a tonsillectomy for a patient with recurrent tonsillitis, as well as the fitting of a bone-anchored hearing aid. This is very interesting surgery to watch and between patients the doctor asks me questions and teaches me about the relevant anatomy.

At 4pm I start the journey home feeling very satisfied since I feel that I have learnt a lot! After making dinner and catching up with my housemates I meet my friend for a drink.

Tuesday

My day starts with ENT teaching at 10.30am (a rare lie in – hurrah!). Today I’m at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, where we’re being taught how to perform the relevant clinical skills in more detail: this involves neck examination and more practice examining the ear using an otoscope. It is really useful to have 1:1 clinical teaching with such an experienced ENT consultant and it’s always fun to practice our clinical skills on each other!

In the afternoon I’m in clinic with one of the consultants. This time I feel much more confident using the otoscope and examining the ear following my teaching in the morning, and I’m able to visualise the normal ear drum as well as spot any abnormalities.

At 5pm I head to the library to meet a group of medical students in my year and an A&E registrar. I’m part of a group called the Wellness Medic, who are passionate about promoting healthcare professionals’ and students’ own wellbeing. As part of this we are organising talks, wellbeing retreats, supper clubs, yoga and meditation sessions. Our first talk is the following evening so we are agreeing the final details. We have a very productive meeting and are all very excited about the event!

Wednesday

Today I am at PRH again for theatres in the morning. In the afternoon I have time off for personal study so I learn about medications commonly used in ENT. Afterwards I test myself using the app CAPSULE. The app was developed by BSMS and is really useful to work through clinical cases and answer the associated questions.

Then I head to the gym and do a circuits class, which helps me to take my mind off medicine, plus I get to socialise with friends. At 5pm I head to the Wellness Medic event. It is great to see so many people interested in the project and to hear some really inspiring people talk. Afterwards we head out for dinner to celebrate our success.

Thursday

This morning I am tutoring two children in GCSE biology, chemistry, and physics, something I enjoy doing every week. As Thursday is designated to our Individual Research Project, I meet with my supervisor at the Children’s Hospital. My project is looking at staff child protection training inthe hospital. I’m developing a questionnaire to send out to staff and then analysing the results, and producing a 3,000–5,000 word research paper. We are hoping to get the research published in an academic journal and present at conferences.

Afterwards I head to the gym, then do some more work on my research project and relax with my housemates.

Friday

Fridays are dedicated to our general practice and public health module. Some days we attend lectures and then small group seminar teaching with our GP facilitator, and others we travel to our placement at a local GP surgery. Our lectures tend to focus on common clinical presentations to general practice. During the small group seminar teaching we discuss our experiences from the past week, which is a good opportunity to ask any questions that wemay have in a relaxed atmosphere. We also work through clinical cases discussing the history, examination and management of cases.

Today I am attending my GP placement in Henfield for the entire day. I sit in with the doctor, observing and assisting in the consultation by examining patients and taking histories.

Later in the day I am given my own list of patients and run my own clinic. This is under close observation of the GP, and together we discuss potential differential diagnoses and management plans. Through this experience I feel that I have learnt a lot and have gained in confidence.

In the evening I catch up with my boyfriend, who lives in London.

BACKGROUND IMAGE FOR PANEL

Ivan Aganin

Ivan

Monday

At BSMS, the fourth year is divided into eight specialist rotations, each lasting five weeks. My second rotation this year is Neurology and Neurosurgery. Mondays start with small group seminars led by the neurology consultants who introduce us to the essential information on the subject. After covering the theory, a patient with a condition is invited to provide a unique opportunity to practise newly learned skills and focused history taking.

In the afternoon, I attend a neurology outpatient clinic. Under the observation of the consultant, I get to practise my freshly learned neurological examination. At first I feel under pressure, my hands are shaking and my technique is poor – not to mention the abnormalities that I miss... Nonetheless, with the encouragement from the doctor, I slowly gain confidence and my examination skills begin to look sleeker. Feeling uplifted after an encouraging clinic, I have a short break and get to the squash courts to join the University of Sussex squash team training.

Tuesday

I’m scheduled to be in theatres today, which means an early morning start. My partner and I arrive at the neurosurgery unit at 8am to clerk the patients scheduled for surgery later in the day. First we attend a patient with chronic subdural to take their history and carry out an examination. We’re then joined by the anaesthetist to prepare the patient for surgery. It’s decided that a burr hole decompression should be performed under local anaesthetic due to the patient’s comorbidities. Shortly before the operation we meet with the surgeon who goes over the CT scans and explains the plan for the upcoming procedure.

We help position the patient on the operating table and leave to scrub up. After the surgery we have a break and return to see our patient’s recovery and repeat the examination. Following a day in theatres I have dinner with my friends and head to BSMS hockey training.

Wednesday

Wednesday mornings start with seminars. After exploring the theory behind vertigo and ataxias, we are joined by a patient who has difficulties in his balance and speech. With the help of Dr Knibb, we examine the patient in small groups and come up with differential diagnoses. As a medical student it’s very rewarding to be able to create a list of differentials and start making diagnoses.

My afternoon is free, giving me the chance to write my GP case presentation, which I will present on Friday. Before the end of the working day, I meet with my clinical academic tutor to discuss my progress throughout the last few months and future career planning. My legs are sore from squash and hockey so I opt for a quiet evening at home after a long, fulfilling day.

Thursday

Throughout the year, Thursdays are allocated to our Individual Research Projects (IRPs). The IRP can be an audit focusing on some aspect of clinical practice, a systematic review or an academic lab-based investigation. This is a great opportunity to involve yourself with research, get inspired by the different clinicians and potentially publish your work (and of course it is great for your CV!). Pursuing my interest in acute medicine

I’m undertaking an audit focusing on major elderly trauma across the Sussex trauma network, in which Royal Sussex County Hospital, as a major trauma centre, has a central role. Using different databases I attempt to collect as much data as possible before meeting with my supervisor to discuss the next steps in the project, which hopefully will one day be published.

In the evening, I tutor children in sciences and music, which is something I look forward to every week.

Friday

Fridays are reserved for our GP placements, lectures and seminar groups. The lecture on general practice and population medicine is followed by small group seminars led by GP facilitators. In our groups we cover different clinical scenarios and share our experiences in a less formal setting. To finish off, one

of the students presents the GP case from the current rotation, and this week it’s me. My presentation about the management of epilepsy in primary care goes as planned and I’m happy with it.

After a quick lunch I drive to Eastbourne  to join a GP for his afternoon clinic, where  I get the chance to take histories and examine patients under his careful supervision and scrutiny. One of the patients has neurological deficit and I get to show off my newly-learned neurological examination skills. Together with the GP we formulate differential diagnosis and discuss a management plan.

Year 4 timetable

(A typical week)

Day	Time	Activity
Monday	am-pm	Specialist rotations (Musculoskeletal Medicine and Surgery; Ophthalmology and ENT; Infectious Diseases, HIV GUM and Health Protection; Dermatology; Neurology and Neurosurgery; Oncology, Haematology and Palliative Care; Obstetrics and Gynaecology; Paediatrics). Work includes: ward rounds, clinics, lectures and seminars, clinical skills teaching
Tuesday	am-pm	Specialist rotations
Wednesday	am-pm	Specialist rotations
Thursday	am-pm	Individual Research Project. May include lab work, library research, data collection and analysis
Friday	am pm	Lectures and group work on general practice GP placement seeing patients with GP teacher

FIFTH YEAR STUDENTS

One of our fifth year students writes about a typical week during Year 5 of the course.

BACKGROUND IMAGE FOR PANEL

Ali Al-Sakban

Ali Al Sakban

Monday

I’m on placement in elderly medicine at East Surrey Hospital in Redhill. At 8am I join in on a ward round for any new patients on the wards and people who are on their first post-operative day.

I take a full history and examination of the new patients and then present a summary to the consultant. Following this, the consultant reviews the patients and finalises the notes. At 9am we have a ‘huddle’, where the new patients are quickly discussed with the rest of the team and then the doctors and I are divided into groups to cover different bays in the ward for the morning ward round.

During the ward round, the doctor and I take turns in writing the notes, talking to and examining the patients. This is always useful as it allows me to see and actively get involved in all elements of the ward round. At 11.30 we conduct a multidisciplinary team (MDT) handover involving the doctors, nurses, occupational therapists and physiotherapists.

After lunch with my friends in the hospital accommodation, I assist the doctors with jobs which accumulated during the ward round, such as taking bloods, reviewing medication, chasing results and referrals to other departments or services.

In the evening, I attend an orthopaedic teaching session, then wind down by ending my day with a gym session.

Tuesday

Tuesday on my ward is similar to Monday with an 8am start where I clerk patients, a huddle at 9am followed by the ward round and finally an MDT handover at 11.30. As a medical student it’s really important to realise the role of other members of the team and not just doctors. Every member is involved in the care of the patient and this is demonstrated brilliantly while sitting in on the handover.

I attend an additional Foundation Year 1 teaching session at lunchtime – this typically consists of lecture-based teaching on various topics and cases facing junior doctors. I spend my afternoon back in the ward, helping the doctors and improving my clinical skills such as venepunctures. It is interesting to seehow calm and relaxed most of the afternoons can be. Despite working in a busy environment, the staff are able to work together well and are very supportive of each other. As an F1, I will undoubtedly tap into these moments to remind myself of what a good team looks like.

Later on junior doctors provide us with extra teaching on different topics around our curriculum. In the evening, I go to the library to go over the notes I’ve made since Monday and study around the topics I come across.

Wednesday

It’s a similar pattern of work to Monday and Tuesday. This placement has allowed me to get a feel of what it really is like as a doctor. We hear and see a lot of the acute and thrilling cases on television but in reality, a lot of what doctors do is reviewing the patients on the wards and ensuring everyone is being cared for properly and no one is deteriorating.

Every Wednesday there is a Care of the Elderly meeting where there are lectures on different elderly medicine cases and recent research. There is also free lunch, but I definitely only go for the academic substance!

In the evening I have my dinner with friends and then go to the library to study and update my portfolio book, which is like a diary that we are required to regularly update on things we have seen or done.

Thursday

Thursdays tend to be more of a relaxed day because we have our seminars at 9.30 am, which is classed as a late start! During these seminars we sit in on core curricular lectures followed by student presentations led by our peers. This week I present a lecture on neck of femur fractures in elderly patients. It goes really well and I receive good feedback from the clinical fellow who is marking the presentation.

In the early afternoon, there is a Medical Grand Round, where the junior doctors present random cases to all medical staff in a large lecture room. This is a good time to sit and have lunch, as it is quite informal. I find this part of the day enjoyable because the cases that are presented are often interesting and rare.

In the evening there is a radiology teaching led by the radiology registrar, showing us how to interpret and present different imaging modalities – this kind of extra teaching is always appreciated.

Friday

Usually on a Friday I would do the ward round and then a consultant-led clinic in the afternoon where we see outpatients. However, this week I have clinical skills teaching, led by the BSMS skills team at the Audrey Emerton building. The day consists of learning different skills including prescribing, venepuncture, IV fluids and antibiotic administrations. This is always a very enjoyable and useful day which helps us perfect our clinical skills in a calm and safe environment where mistakes are a lot more tolerated.

In the evening I take a break and don’t do any revision, but instead make my way up to London to see my family and catch up with friends during the weekend.

Year 5 timetable

(A typical week)

Day	Time	Activity
Monday	am-pm	Clinical attachment, including ward rounds, clinics, lectures and seminars, clinical skills teaching
Tuesday	am-pm	Clinical attachment
Wednesday	am-pm	Clinical attachment
Thursday	am pm	Seminars Clinical attachment
Friday	am-pm	Clinical attachment