#mbchb

[tasthedelulu]

[zandrecalitz]

07 | 01 | 2020

Today, my friends and I registered for our last year of medical school. We are officialy final years and it feels so surreal!

I am so lucky and incredibly blessed but lowkey very nervous 😬

[chooliastudies]

January’s been hell

But I passed that special exam, so I can officially start studying again in 3 days as a 4th year medical student.

I’m hella relieved.

Also hella tired.

also, i wish I were this cute

[chooliastudies]

08/03/18

Oosh it’s been a rocky start to year 3, but here’s my favourite page so far of my neuro coursebook

[chooliastudies]

Med school interview questions

10/11/17 I’d been asked by several people to write about med school interview questions I’d received, and this is me finally getting around to it as the Multiple-Mini-Interview (MMI) offers for Auckland are slowly starting to roll out! I’ve given general advice and info on how I prepared for interviews, which can be found under the “UMAT/GAMSAT/MED INTERVIEWS” section of the blog. The most helpful post might be this one:  https://chooliastudies.tumblr.com/post/157546997339/how-did-you-practice-for-the-umat-and-the

I’ve attended three (omg three) med school interviews, so I’ll just give a run-down on what was asked in each. Do note that these were about one or two years ago now, so my memory’s a bit fuzzy and I’m paraphrasing these hell out of the questions. If you’re really struggling to think of ways to answer some of them, feel free to flick me a msg and I’ll try and recall how I answered. Some of the questions are kinda personal, so if you want yours answered privately, let me know! (I can’t promise that I’ll always reply as I have a busy few weeks ahead of me, and the way I answered the question might not necessarily be the ideal or ‘best’ answer!)

The University of Auckland (MMI) -December 2015

1) Homelessness in Auckland is rising. Why do you think this happens? Is it a health issue? What can be done?

2) Climate change is a huge issue now. What steps can we take (personally and collectively) to lower the effects of climate change? Should doctors care about the issue? Why/ why not?

3) Acting station: You work for a company that produces standardised tests for high school students (similar to ACER for UMAT exams, but it’s totally not ACER hahaha). Your friend who works for a tutoring company asks if she could have a copy of some of the exam questions for the students to study off of. What do you do?

4) You are a pharmacist and a girl comes up to the counter to buy laxatives, which you know are used by some people to lose weight. You recognise the girl, as you’ve seen her come in to buy the same medications multiple times before. What do you do? Do you sell her the medication? 5) Some people see themselves as a more objective person, while others see themselves as more subjective. Where do you see yourself along this spectrum? Where do you think the study of medicine/ pharmacy/ nursing lie along this spectrum? 6) What is a weakness of yours? How do you work to overcome it? 7) When was a time you felt you had been judged unfairly or critically? How did you respond? 8) can’t remember for the life of me :( Questions from the other two interviews are posted below

Australian National University (Panel interview + MMI) -September 2016

At ANU, there was a 15 minute panel interview first, where I was interviewed by the same 2 people. Afterwards there was an MMI of 6 or 8 stations (I can’t remember if there were only 6 or I’ve just forgotten about the other 2), but the stations were about 2 minutes longer than the Auckland MMI ones, and you weren’t given any reading time beforehand.

Panel

More personal questions than what you’re asked at MMI stations eg.

-Briefly introduce yourself.

-Why medicine?

-How will you balance family and work life?

-How do you normally deal with trauma?

-Why ANU?

-What can you contribute to ANU?

There were also other specific and odd questions, like

-What do you think of doctors who want to do research instead of practising? 

-Are you comfortable around dead bodies? How do you know? (I actually gave the most ridiculous response to this question, which you can read all about here: https://chooliastudies.tumblr.com/post/155516177904/med-school-interview-was-going-smoothly-until )

MMI

1) After hearing that you’ve almost graduated, your aunt keeps asking you for medical advice and for you to perform medical examinations on her. What would you do?

2) A couple comes into see you. A woman is in need of treatment from a life-threatening condition, but she does not want it. Her husband continues to push her and ask you to convince her that she needs treatment. What are some of the ethical issues here? Why might the woman not want treatment? What do you do?

3) At this station, I was given some information about how vitamin D (?) levels varied depending on different groups of populations. The information said that Vitamin D (?) levels were significantly associated with the level of physical activity, socio-economic status and some other factors I can’t remember. I was asked to formulate a research question/ hypothesis to investigate this topic. Then I was asked to suggest any other factors that I thought might affect Vitamin D levels.

4) Before entering the room for this station, there was a note on the door saying that this wasn’t an ‘acting station’ that tested my ability to show empathy etc. Rather, it was there to test logical problem solving skills or something. I read that I was going to face an actor who was distressed as he couldn’t find his car keys (or remember where he’d parked his car?). When I went in and talked to him, he kept mentioning that he urgently needed to get home to his son who needed his medication, but couldn’t drive home.

5) FROGS! I entered a room with the interviewer sitting with a board-game in front of them. It was like a puzzle similar to checkers, where you place the little frog pieces in certain positions. A frog jumping over another frog would allow you to remove the frog piece that was jumped, and the aim of the game is to have one frog left or something... The twist was that I already knew the answer to the puzzle (it was written on a card that I was given) and I had to verbally instruct the interviewer on the other side the steps they had to take in order win the game. (Basically testing the ability to read instructions yourself, and also clearly instruct someone else).

6) It’s left my memory :(

The University of Auckland (MMI) -November 2016

1) I was given some statistics from Guy Fawke’s day for the previous year. The general trend was that there was an increase in injuries, hospitalisations, and calls to the fire brigade around Guy Fawke’s. The interviewer asked what I thought about it, and whether I thought fireworks should be banned etc.

2) Acting: You live in a rad apartment with a state of the art gymnasium (now wouldn’t that be nice). Your friend (the actor) is a busy, single dad who can’t afford to sign up to a gym, but he’s trying his best to stay healthy. He knows that the gym can be accessed if you know the combination to the keypad and since he lives super close to you and your building, he asks you for it.

3) A claaaassic one where a member of the team for a group project isn’t pulling their weight. What do you do?

4) What do you think about water fluoridation? How is it beneficial to people’s health? Should it be DHBs or local councils that have the right to decide whether to fluoridate their water?

5) More and more people are buying medications over the internet, instead of via prescription. What are the potential issues this may cause, if any? Why might people be buying meds over the internet?

6) There were a few statements about Maori people written on the question card I got before I entered the room. I was asked if I agreed with any of them. What are some other assumptions about Maori people and their health status that the general public may have?

7) What do you think your communication skills are like? How did you acquire them? How do you think you can improve them? Why is it important? What are different methods of communication? What are the most important aspects of communication?

8) What is one challenge you foresee yourself encountering as a future health professional? How will you deal with this?

[chooliastudies]

Hey! I was just wondering how you found the clinical years as far as study life balance goes, if you feel like you learn alot on a day to day basis on the wards and if you feel more "useful" I guess and ready to practice? (I'm a second year and the think the last progress test has got me thinking about this stuff lol) All the best for the rest of 5th year!

I’ve personally really enjoyed my clinical years overall! In terms of maintaining a study/work-life balance, a good part of it’s ultimately still left up to you. Assessments for clinical years essentially all become pass/ fail (sometimes distinction), and while it’s encouraged you try your best and make the most of every attachment, there’s a bit of room/ freedom for you to pull back and take things easy and just do enough to pass the run. You’ll find that for some runs, most of your learning might take place while being on the wards everyday, while others, you’re better off leaving early to take some time off/ doing self-directed learning at home.

I think I remember feeling quite overwhelmed as a pre-clin sitting in those progress tests. There just seemed to be so much content I’d yet to learn, but at the same time, I was excited that I should be able to answer most of those questions relatively confidently in a few years’ time. I’ve definitely found that things have really started to come together. My knowledge is starting to feel less like random, disjointed bits of information, and more like puzzle pieces that snuggly fit in with what happens in the clinical environment.

I still feel ‘useless’ at times, but less so than I did at the start of my 4th year. And I’m still terrified of becoming a House Officer but I’ve come to trust that the 6th Trainee Intern year is there to adequately prepare me. I’m just trying to trust the process and enjoy myself as much as I can :) Congrats on making it to the end of your 2nd year and hope next year is a lot less disrupted for us all!

[kalai2020]

Scope of MBChB Degree in Zambia

According to a recent report, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that the doctor-patient ratio in Zambia is 1:12,000. The ration shows that only one qualified doctor is available for every 12,000 patients in the country. The acceptable ratio, as per WHO guidelines, is 1:5,000. In this scenario, an extreme shortage of doctors can be offset by encouraging students to study clinical medicine in Zambia.

Lack of qualified professionals inevitably leads to a situation wherein doctors are required to work more than 100 hours per week. In such a case, these existing doctors have to struggle a lot to deliver quality healthcare. The National Health Strategic Plan provides directives for healthcare policy in Zambia. It also includes tackling the human resources problem in the healthcare field.

According to the Ministry of Health, Zambia faces a shortage of approximately 3,000 doctors. Moreover, only 1,500 healthcare practitioners are currently registered in the country. The need for specialists is also acute, and practicing doctors with qualifications and experience are always in high demand.

Check the Advantages of Becoming a Doctor in Zambia

[chooliastudies]

Hi! Curious about where you spent your clinical years and how you found each experience :)

Hey! I’m in the middle of my first clinical year atm. I’m in Rotorua, which has its ups and downs, but that goes for any hospital you end up in. Overall, it’s very beautiful and I’m loving it here. I can get in touch with you privately for more detailed info or answers to more specific questions, just send through your email or any other form of contact and I’ll be happy to get in touch :)