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This series of podcast on The Conversation highlights recent trends in medicine

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This series of podcast on The Conversation highlights recent trends in medicine

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In Medicine made for you, a new series from The Anthill podcast, we'll be taking a deep dive into the future of healthcare - and find out how it could soon get a lot more personal.

We'll hear from leading academics about the personalisation of healthcare, how it's changing the way we think about our bodies, and the choices we might make about our health in the future.

For much of history, if you had an ailment you'd probably visit an apothecary who'd mix up a medicine for you, based on your symptoms. But that personalised service fell away as the pharmacy profession became more sophisticated and regulated.

Today, if your doctor prescribes you a drug, it's pretty likely to be designed for an "average" patient, based on how a group of people have responded to a clinical trial. But now advances in medical research mean that for some diseases, doctors are able to prescribe drugs based on a person's DNA. Known as precision medicine, this kind of approach is breaking new ground in the treatment for some diseases. And it could change medicine for good.

In the first episode of Medicine made for you we'll be looking at genes, clinical trials and how possible it might be for the NHS to take on a more personalised approach when it comes to our health. And we'll find out why Scotland, a country of 5.4 million people, with one of the lowest life expectancies in western Europe, is one of the pioneers of this kind of research.

Future episodes will join the search for personalised nutrition to find out how close researchers are getting to designing diets based for our own bodies. And we'll explore other ways that healthcare is becoming more personalised, including the growth of social prescribing schemes in which patients are offered help to access specific services and activities to help improve their health and wellbeing. We'll also look at how else the delivery of healthcare is being made more personal, from the delivery of drugs, to who gets screened for particular conditions.

Throughout this series we'll also explore what's stopping us from getting a truly personalised form of medicine - and ask whether we'd want this anyway if we consider ethical and economic challenges.

You can listen via The Conversation, or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts from by clicking the links below.

The music in this trailer is Is That You or Are You You? by Chris Zabriskie. Medicine made for you is produced by Holly Squire and Gemma Ware, and hosted by Annabel Bligh for The Anthill. A big thanks to City, University of London, for letting us use their studios.

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Medicine made for you: introducing a new series from The Anthill podcast

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In Medicine made for you, a new series from The Anthill podcast, we'll be taking a deep dive into the future of healthcare - and find out how it could soon get a lot more personal.

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When you go to your interview, make sure you are comfortable but also professional. If you are not sure if your outfit is appropriate then ask for advice.

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Your clothes can be used to show you are serious about the interview, and also to give you more confidence. You can choose to wear a skirt or trousers, heels or flat shoes, make-up or no makeup - however you feel most comfortable.

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Your clothes can be used to show you are serious about the interview, and also to give you more confidence. Make sure you are comfortable in what you are wearing.

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A newly-discovered part of our immune system could be harnessed to treat all cancers, say scientists.

The Cardiff University team discovered a method of killing prostate, breast, lung and other cancers in lab tests.

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Our immune system is our body's natural defence against infection, but it also attacks cancerous cells.

The scientists were looking for "unconventional" and previously undiscovered ways the immune system naturally attacks tumours.

What they found was a T-cell inside people's blood. This is an immune cell that can scan the body to assess whether there is a threat that needs to be eliminated.

The difference is this one could attack a wide range of cancers.

"There's a chance here to treat every patient," researcher Prof Andrew Sewell told the BBC.

He added: "Previously nobody believed this could be possible.

"It raises the prospect of a 'one-size-fits-all' cancer treatment, a single type of T-cell that could be capable of destroying many different types of cancers across the population."

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Research is at an early stage but scientists said it had huge potential for destroying cancers.

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At Childline, our free counselling service for children, a child contacts us every 25 seconds.

And thanks to our dedicated volunteers, who do a shift each week, we can offer support when it’s needed most.

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Childline Volunteer Counsellor

Reference number: ECVA25

Role title: Childline counsellor

Location: Aberdeen

Time commitment: 4 hrs per week, plus initial training and a minimum commitment of one year.
What we're looking for
Someone who wants to make a difference to children's lives by being there to listen when they feel they have no one else to turn to. As a Childline counsellor, you'll be there for young people and listen to them as they open up about whatever is worrying them, whether it's bullying, abuse, self-harm or family relationships - you'll be there to support them.

What you'll do

You'll volunteer in our Aberdeen Childline base, offering counselling support to children and young people over the phone or through our 1-2-1 online chat. Your supervisor will help you develop and evaluate your counselling skills. After your initial training, you will be able to help young people as well as identify when a child or young person may be at risk, but don't worry a supervisor will be on hand to give you plenty of support.

What you'll get

You'll receive training sessions over 12 weeks to prepare you for the role. When you start your regular shifts, a supervisor will be around all times to support you. Every shift includes a briefing and debriefing alongside other volunteers. Supervisors will also give you regular one-to-one support and group supervisions.

The next Childline Counsellor Training will be held as soon as it becomes possible in 2020. Once our office is again running at full capacity we will be looking to train as many new recruits as we can. If you would like to be considered for a future training course please do submit an application at this time. Whilst we cannot offer any training dates right now, we will be processing applications and be in touch with you.
Why volunteer with us?
Not only will you gain valuable experience throughout your volunteering journey, you'll also have access to useful resources including a catalogue of online training, discount portal and NSPCC inMind - an online mindfulness resource.

You'll be fully supported throughout your volunteer journey with us and will have a dedicated key contact should you have any questions along the way.

What we'll need from you

Signing up to be a Childline counsellor is a big commitment and requires lots of training so, we do ask people to stay in the role for a minimum of one year.

We'll also need to do some routine safeguarding checks, including an enhanced criminal record check and at least two satisfactory references with at least one covering a period of five years or more with no gaps. It's nothing to worry about, and we can answer any questions you have about this.

Who's right for the role?

While we think this role is suitable for a whole range of people, we are particularly looking for those with the following qualities and experience.

Passionate about helping young people and children

Great communication skills

Empathetic and perceptive

able to think on your feet

works well within a team

emotional resilience

Interested in getting involved? Volunteer today and join our fight for every childhood.

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Loading... Childline Volunteer Counsellor Reference number: ECVA25 Role title: Childline counsellor Location: Aberdeen Time commitment: 4 hrs per week, plus initial training and a minimum commitment of one year. What we're looking for Someone who wants to make a difference to children's lives by being there to listen when they feel they have no one else to turn to.

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University paper among the 'most mentioned' in 2019

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University paper among the 'most mentioned' in 2019

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An academic paper by a University of Aberdeen researcher has made it on to the annual list of the top 100 most-mentioned scholarly articles published in 2019.

Margaret Cruickshank, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Aberdeen and Director of NHS Grampian Research and Development, co-authored a paper which showed the effectiveness of the HPV vaccine and how its benefits reach beyond protecting individuals from infection and cervical cancer, as well as reducing the rates of HPV-related diseases in unvaccinated people.

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The HPV virus

An academic paper by a University of Aberdeen researcher has made it on to the annual list of the top 100 most-mentioned scholarly articles published in 2019.

The Altmetric Top 100 features research from a variety of disciplines, written by authors from all corners of the globe which have most captured the public's imagination in 2019.

Professor Margaret Cruickshank, Co-Director of the Aberdeen Centre for Women's Health Research at the University of Aberdeen and Director of NHS Grampian Research and Development, co-authored a paper which showed the effectiveness of the HPV vaccine and how its benefits reach beyond protecting individuals from infection and cervical cancer, as well as reducing the rates of HPV-related diseases in unvaccinated people.

Published in the British Medical Journal in April this year, the paper - Prevalence of cervical disease at age 20 after immunisation with bivalent HPV vaccine at age 12-13 in Scotland: retrospective population study - was 42nd in the list.

The annual Altmetric Top 100 highlights research published in 2019 that has generated significant international online attention and discussion - from patents and public policy documents to mainstream media, blogs, Wikipedia, and social media platforms.

This year's Top 100 articles, which were featured in 43 different journals, pre-print servers and government websites, touch on many topics, with a focus on the harsh realities of the world climate emergency, the public health imperative for vaccinations, and developments in artificial intelligence.

Catherine Williams, COO, Altmetric, said: "It's fascinating to see the trends that shape the Top 100 list each year.

"In 2019, it's clear that our current climate emergency and political polarisation are a matter of huge public concern and debate. This list demonstrates the critical role that research plays in those conversations."

The full list can be viewed at: https://www.altmetric.com/top100/2019/

Related Content

Notes for Editors

Issued by

The Communications Team
Directorate of External Relations, University of Aberdeen, King's College, Aberdeen

Phone

+44 (0)1224 272014

Contact

Joanne Milne

Issued on

18 December 2019

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University paper among the 'most mentioned' in 2019

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An academic paper by a University of Aberdeen researcher has made it on to the annual list of the top 100 most-mentioned scholarly articles published in 2019. The Altmetric Top 100 features research from a variety of disciplines, written by authors from all corners of the globe which have most captured the public's imagination in 2019.

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The Dirty War On The NHS (probably not on BOB yet)

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The Dirty War On The NHS (probably not on BOB yet)

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John Pilger's new documentary, The Dirty War on the NHS, is a powerful and timely investigation into the National Health Service.

The ‘last bastion of true public service’, says Pilger, the NHS was designed to give millions of people ‘freedom from fear’. He explores how the NHS has been influenced by the insurance-based healthcare system in the US that denies medical treatment to millions.

Filmed in Britain and the United States, Pilger's compelling film, his 61st, gives voice to those who warn that time may be running out in the battle to save both the NHS and the fundamental human right to medical care.

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This information contained herein is embargoed from press use, commercial and non-commercial reproduction and sharing into the public domain until Thursday 5 December. The Dirty War On The NHS
A film by John Pilger
John Pilger's new documentary, The Dirty War on the NHS, is a powerful and timely investigation into the National Health Service.

The 'last bastion of true public service', says Pilger, the NHS was designed to give millions of people 'freedom from fear'. He explores how the NHS has been influenced by the insurance-based healthcare system in the US that denies medical treatment to millions.

Filmed in Britain and the United States, Pilger's compelling film, his 61st, gives voice to those who warn that time may be running out in the battle to save both the NHS and the fundamental human right to medical care.

Written, Directed and Produced by John Pilger
Executive Producer: Christopher Hird

This is a Dartmouth Films production for ITV

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This information contained herein is embargoed from press use, commercial and non-commercial reproduction and sharing into the public domain until Thursday 5 December. The Dirty War On The NHS A film by John Pilger John Pilger's new documentary, The Dirty War on the NHS, is a powerful and timely investigation into the National Health Service.

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A wide range of podcasts on health and wellbeing.

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Enjoy BBC audio on the move - a wide range of programmes and highlights are available as podcasts for you to download for free.

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Example questions from different MMI stations

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Example questions from different MMI stations

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Below is a selection of Multi-Mini Interview, MMI Questions. All MMI interview questions describe the station set up and suggest an approach you might take in your medical school interview.

These MMI interview questions and answer guides have been put together by medics who have successfully navigated interviews at top Medical Schools.

Remember, though, that an interview is about an individual, so there are no hard and fast rules. The answer guides are only examples and are not exhaustive. They should be used to stimulate your thinking - not repeated verbatim at your interview.
Applying to Medicine? Book a space on an MMI Circuit!
Book an MMI Circuit

MMI Interview Questions

MMI Interview Questions: MMI Question 1

Station set up:

The interviewer is sitting across from you, on the table there is a wrapped up box. You are asked to instruct the interviewer on how to unwrap and open the box, without helping them or using your hands. It's not straight forward as the examiner will be using no assumed knowledge and will be doing what you tell them only, e.g. 'lift up that flap'¦ starts lifting up wrong flap, 'Turn the box around'¦ turns box in wrong direction.

This station is testing your communication skills and your patience.
How can I approach one of these MMI interview questions?
MMI Interview Questions: MMI Question 2

Station set up:

An actor hands you a card, telling you that, in this role play, you are a close friend of theirs. You have been house-sitting whilst 'your friend' has been on holiday and you have to explain to them that you broke their favourite ornament. When informed, the actor becomes hysterical and very angry.

This station is testing your communication skills, ability to give bad news, your empathy and willingness to admit to your mistakes.
How can I approach one of these MMI interview questions?

First make small talk to make the other person comfortable (remember in this scenario you are best friends) - hi, how are you?

Then prepare them for the news- I've got something to tell you that may be quite upsetting.

Tell them the bad news, making sure you are apologetic and empathise with them (the actor is going to be quite hysterical at this point, doing anything to make you feel uncomfortable).

It's your job to stay calm. You should ask if there's anything you can do to remedy the situation e.g. offer to replace it (showing your problem-solving skills).

MMI Interview Questions: MMI Question 3

Station set up:

You are told that this weekend you're going on a camping trip. Before you is a table of random objects. You have 20 seconds to pick 5 objects you deem to be of the most importance and value, and explain.

This station is testing your ability to make time-pressured decisions and be able to defend them, it's also testing your ability to think practically.
How can I approach one of these MMI interview questions?
MMI Interview Questions: MMI Question 4

Station set up:

The interviewer asks a question: what ethical principle of medicine would you consider to be most important?

This station is simply testing your knowledge of the various ethical principles and checking that you appreciate their importance when making decisions.
How can I approach one of these MMI interview questions?

Don't worry there is no most important one, just pick one of the following, describe its meaning and be able to justify your choice:

Autonomy- allows patients to make informed decisions about their own treatment.

Beneficence- Doctors must do good and act in best interest of their patients and/or society as a whole.

Non-maleficence: Doctors should act in ways that do not cause harm to patients.

Justice- Fairness across the population, only discriminating based on clinical need.

Confidentiality- whilst not strictly an ethical principle, it's linked to several of them.

This list and the explanations are not exhaustive so you need to beef up your explanation, you can look up the principles yourself, there's a lot of literature to look at.

Link whatever principle you choose to your work experience by giving an example of how you saw the principle being demonstrated.

MMI Interview Questions: MMI Question 5

Station Setup:

You are faced with an actor playing a 65 year old man who has just been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. He is coming to his GP for advice on how to cope with his diagnosis as he has heard a lot of stigma over the years about dementia and its burden on both his family and the healthcare service. Whilst talking to you he breaks down into tears.

This station is testing your ability to empathise with patients, knowledge of the problem of an ageing population, communication skills
How can I approach one of these MMI interview questions?

Console the patient in an empathetic way

Advise him on latest developments e.g. assistive technology

Advise him to joining support groups e.g Alzheimer's Society

Reassure him that there is a lot less stigma about dementia now than in the past

MMI Interview Questions: MMI Question 6

Station set-up:

You are told that you are entering a hospital staff room 10 prior to performing surgery with Dr 'X'. As you enter, you see Dr 'X' take a swig of a clear drink from a bottle and quickly close their locker, which you suspect is alcohol. Over the course of the conversation, the Dr beings to forget things and slur their words.

You have 5 minutes to speak to Dr 'X'.

This station is primarily testing your ability to make value judgments regarding patient safety

One of the big attributes being tested in this station is the ability to approach emotive situations sensitively and sympathetically.
How can I approach one of these MMI interview questions?

In this situation, you've found a co-worker in a potentially volatile situation; it's important to approach the situation with humility and without judging your colleague.

Initially try and make the surgeon feel comfortable, potentially make 'small talk' about the surgery; first and foremost, they are a friend and a colleague.

Try to get to the bottom of what you've just seen - ask questions which may prompt the surgeon to offer up information voluntarily

Direct, accusative questions early into the discussion may make Dr 'X' feel judged and may be very detrimental to the relationship between you two

However, if you are still worried about them, more 'probing' questions may be necessary - 'I saw you put something into your locker quickly as I entered, do you mind if I ask is everything alright?'. You are

as in specifically work and home life?

Despite your relationship with the surgeon, you must also consider the safety of the patient and whether it's appropriate to let Dr. 'X' perform surgery on them.

Come to an appropriate compromise whereby the surgeon takes the afternoon off and offer a more private chat the next day to discuss further.

MMI Interview Questions: MMI Question 7

Station Setup:

On the table there is a diagram which shows the layout of a building. The interviewer asks you to give them directions to get from the entrance of the building to Room A. After you have given your answer, the interviewer asks why you think you are being asked this question.

This station is testing your communication skills and ability to interpret an image.
How can I approach one of these MMI interview questions?

Take a look at the diagram. Before you begin your explanation, orientate yourself and locate your starting point and destination. Check whether there is some kind of key that could help you to interpret the image.

When giving the examiner directions, split your explanation of the route into steps to help make it clearer and to keep yourself on track. Use words such as first, next, then, etc.

Although MMI questions may seem random, they are intended to test you on skills that you would need as a medical student or doctor. The examiner may ask you why you think you are being asked a question to see whether you can identify these skills and why they are relevant to medicine:

This question is testing your ability to communicate and give a clear explanation. These skills are clearly important in medicine; for example, doctors must be able to give patients clear instructions when they prescribe them a medication.

This question also tests your ability to interpret an image. This skill is important in medicine as doctors are required to interpret images such as x-rays or CTs, for example.

MMI Interview Questions: MMI Question 8

Station Setup:

An actor hands you a card which states that you are playing the role of a GP and they are a 16-year-old girl who has come to ask for information about getting tested for STIs but is worried about her parents finding out.

This station is testing your ability to communicate and show empathy as well as your understanding of doctor-patient confidentiality.
How can I approach one of these MMI interview questions?
MMI Interview Questions: MMI Question 9

Station Setup:

On the table there is a graph which shows the plasma insulin levels of several patients over the course of one day with the times that meals were consumed indicated. The interviewer asks you to describe the graph for Patient 1. You are then asked to provide an explanation for the changes in insulin levels at different times of the day.

This station is testing your ability to interpret a graph and your scientific knowledge.
How can I approach one of these MMI interview questions?

Familiarise yourself with the graph before you give your answer. Look at the axes and the key/legend to make sure that you understand the data being presented and also to ensure that you are looking at the data for the correct patient.

Describe the data for Patient 1 and point out any trends that you notice. Use the same language as you would when describing a graph for a lab report.

This question requires you to use some basic knowledge of human physiology which should have been covered in your biology course (for those who take Biology). For a normal patient, this graph would usually show increases in plasma insulin following meals and you should explain why this is the case using this prior knowledge. There may be follow-up questions at a station like this to further test your scientific knowledge or the interviewer may prompt you if you miss out something important in your explanation.

It is important to keep on top of content for the science courses that you take in case a question like this comes up at interview.

MMI Interview Questions: MMI Question 10

Station Setup:

An actor hands you a card which states that you are playing the role of a surgeon and they are a patient on whom you recently performed a hip replacement. You must inform them that some nerve damage occurred during surgery which means that they may not regain full use of their leg.

This station is testing your communication skills and ability to show empathy.
How can I approach one of these MMI interview questions?

This scenario involves breaking bad news to a patient so it is extremely important to demonstrate empathy throughout.

Prepare the patient for what you are about to tell them. Say something along the lines of "This may be difficult to hear, but..." so that the now they are about to receive some bad news.

Explain the complication that occurred during surgery in terms that the patient will understand; this means avoiding medical jargon such as 'nerve lesion'.

As hearing this news would be extremely difficult for any patient, be prepared for them to become emotional or angry. It is important that you respond with empathy.

Express your apologies and try to reassure the patient that they will receive the support they need. You may want to provide some examples of the care they would be entitled to such as physiotherapy.

Ask the patient whether they have any questions for you. This is good practice and will also give the actor a chance to prompt you if you have missed anything out.

MMI Interview Questions: MMI Question 11

Station Setup:

The interviewer tells you that you have 4 minutes to explain the process/purpose of vaccination to them, speaking as you would to any competent adult. When you have finished, they give you another 4 minutes to explain the same thing as if you were speaking to a young child who is about to be vaccinated. This time, you may use a whiteboard and marker to support your explanation if you choose.

This station is testing your communication skills.
How can I approach one of these MMI interview questions?

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MMI Interview Questions: A Bank of MMI Questions - The Medic Portal

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Below is a selection of Multi-Mini Interview, MMI Questions. All MMI interview questions describe the station set up and suggest an approach you might take in your medical school interview. These MMI interview questions and answer guides have been put together by medics who have successfully navigated interviews at top Medical Schools.

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James Gallagher tells the story of new lifesaving drugs that interfere with genes.

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Catch up on your favourite BBC radio show from your favourite DJ right here, whenever you like. Listen without limits with BBC Sounds.

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Application Feedback appointments last a maximum of 15 minutes. If you arrive more than 5 minutes late you will be asked to make another appointment. If your query can not be answered in 15 minutes, please make a 30 minute appointment. Appointments are available Monday to Friday in the Careers Service open plan area on the second floor of the Students' Union building. They are released for booking 24 hours in advance which means you can book an appointment for the current or next day.

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Quick Queries (10 minutes - by phone)

These appointments can be used for getting started with a wide range of topics, including:

* Preparation for interviews and assessment centres
* Work experience
* Further study and funding
* Job-seeking strategies
* How to write CVs/ covering letters/ online profiles (NOT feedback)

Quick Query appointments last a maximum of 10 minutes. This rule is strictly adhered to. If your query can not be answered in 10 minutes, please make a 30 minute appointment.

Appointments are available Monday to Friday and are conducted by phone. The Quick Query Adviser will call you on the number you specify on the appointment booking form. They are released for booking 24 hours in advance which means you can book an appointment for the current or next day.

Quick Query appointments are booked online using CareerConnect. If you are a prospective student or a student or graduate of another university please call (01224) 273601 to arrange an appointment.

Submit a query online to our Virtual Adviser, including CV/ Application checks

This confidential email enquiry service is only available to students and graduates of the University of Aberdeen, who are not currently studying at another university. We aim to respond to your enquiry within 3 working days. Please keep in mind that Advisers have only 15 minutes to deal with each query.

Please submit only one query at a time. Take time to work through our feedback. This should help you in shaping your future applications and career ideas.

You can use this service for advice and information on:

career options and career planning

searching for vacancies

further study and funding

making applications, including feedback on CVs, covering letters, application forms and personal statements

Please submit only one document for feedback at a time, ie a CV, or a covering letter, or no more than three answers from an application form. A job description or other supporting document can be helpful to include.

We will be happy to provide you with feedback on the content, layout and impact of your applications. We will not correct spelling and grammatical errors for you. Ask friends and family to help with this if you are struggling.

How to submit a Virtual Adviser query

Login to CareerConnect

Click on the circle labelled "Virtual Adviser Queries"

Click on "Submit a new Virtual Adviser Query"

Appointments with a Careers Adviser for your degree subject (30 minutes)

These appointments can be used for a range of activities:

discussing your career options

exploring specific career ideas

identifying courses of action to realise your goals

discussing how to prepare for interviews or assessment centres

Appointments can be conducted by telephone or online.
Please note that you are not able to book one of these appointments for the current day.
How to book an appointment

University of Aberdeen students, graduates and staff can book appointments online using CareerConnect. If you experience any problems booking online please send an email to careers@abdn.ac.uk . Please include a contact number in your message and a member of the team will call you to arrange an appointment.

If you are a thinking of applying to study at the University of Aberdeen or are a student or graduate of another university, please send an email to careers@abdn.ac.uk . Please include a contact number in your message and a member of the team will call you to arrange an appointment.

Practice interview (1 hour)

If you have an interview scheduled we are able to offer you a one hour practice interview (subject to availability). To book an appointment please send an email to careers@abdn.ac.uk . Please include a contact number in your message and a member of the team will call you to arrange an appointment. If you do not have an interview scheduled please have a look at our resources for interview-preparation.

Appointments can be conducted by telephone or online.
Please note that you will not be able to book one of these appointments for the current day.

Qatar-based students

If you are studying at AFG College in Qatar you can book an appointment with the Career and Internships Manager to discuss any of the following topics:

Feedback on your CV and cover letters

Career options and career planning

Searching for vacancies

Practice interviews

Appointments are booked online using CareerConnect. From the dashboard screen, go to the Book menu heading and click on Appointments.

Alternatively, you can submit a query using our Virtual Adviser Service. You can access the Virtual Adviser Service by logging into CareerConnect and clicking on the blue circle labelled "Virtual Adviser Queries".

If you experience any difficulty or would like any further advice, email studentcareers@afg-aberdeen.edu.qa . Please include a contact number in your message for further communication.

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Quick Queries (10 minutes - by phone) These appointments can be used for getting started with a wide range of topics, including: * Preparation for interviews and assessment centres * Work experience * Further study and funding * Job-seeking strategies * How to write CVs/ covering letters/ online profiles (NOT feedback) Quick Query appointments last a maximum of 10 minutes.

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Practice Test A (UCAT) Practice Test A (UCATSEN) Practice Test A (Untimed)

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What to include in your Personal Statement

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What to include in your Personal Statement

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Your Personal Statement will be assessed during the interview.

We recommend that you structure your Personal Statement to cover the following three areas:

1. Commitment to Medicine
2. Knowledge of core qualities required of a doctor
3. Teamwork

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Gaining in a place in medical school requires more than strong academic ability. Applicants must also be able to demonstrate that they possess a range of skills and attributes that are required to study medicine. For more information on these skills and attributes, the Medical Schools Council's Selecting for Excellence report has produced a Statement on the core values and attributes need to study medicine.

In order for you to demonstrate this to us and set yourself apart from all other applicants, you need to submit an excellent personal statement. All Personal Statements will be reviewed prior to interview invites being sent out. If you are invited to interview, your Personal Statement will be assessed during the interview.

We recommend that you structure your Personal Statement to cover the following three areas:

Prepare a draft of your Personal Statement before completing the UCAS form:

The following are suggestions on how you might address the non-academic requirements for medicine.

Commitment to Medicine

When considering a career in medicine, you should:

Research to confirm your ideas

Discuss your options with career advisors

Get a feel for life as a doctor

A good personal statement will demonstrate:

Attempts to experience the work of a doctor (the day to day involvement)

Attempts to research the training involved for a career in medicine (both at university and after qualifying)

Understanding of the level of commitment required (the 'highs' and 'lows' of being a doctor)

This can be achieved by:

Job shadowing (observing GPs and/or Hospital doctors at work)

Talking with doctors (and medical students) about their lives, careers, future plans etc.

Reading literature regarding recent medical breakthroughs, newspaper articles etc.

Choose your schools for positive reasons, having found out as much about different schools' curricula, facilities, clinical attachments, location etc. as possible. You may be asked to justify your choice at interview. Your research should include use of university websites, prospectuses and leaflets; discussions with medical students and doctors

Contact Medical Admissions departments, as criteria for admission may vary between schools, as might individual admissions processes

Visit the medical school to ensure you are making a suitable choice. The appeal of chosen institutions may well be confirmed or dismissed by the student who has spent some time exploring the Medical School site and facilities, and questioning staff and undergraduate students

Attend Medical School Open Days, which may tell you a lot about the ethos of that particular school

Core Qualities of Doctors

Some examples of core qualities that a good doctor might have include:

Good communication skills

Evidence of concern for the welfare of others

Demonstration of being trustworthy and honest

A good Personal Statement will demonstrate:

What you think a doctors 'core qualities' are and how you display these

This can be achieved by:

Gain an appreciation of the concerns of patients for example the disabled and the elderly.

Undertaking (paid/unpaid) work of a caring nature

Undertaking work which benefits school colleagues

Be involved in caring/charity groups at school

Personal experience of using "people skills" in social/work situations

Develop your sense of social awareness and demonstrate you can shoulder responsibilities:

Continue to be involved with school life: clubs, mentoring, buddy and anti-bullying campaigns etc.

Undertake paid part-time work with the public

For further information regarding core qualities of doctors, you might find it useful to read the Recommended Reading - GMC's Good Medical Practice (2013)

Teamwork

Show you are an all-rounder: doctors' lives are busy and challenging and time management is very important:

Work hard at school

Enjoy your free time to the full

Demonstrate you are able to work in teams, and are able to assume different roles within the team:

Undertake leisure, sporting, creative activities

Activities at school

Activities outside school

Attitude to colleagues

Ability to participate fully in school life and help others to do so

School honours and prizes.

An annual programme of workshops are delivered in Aberdeen, Elgin and Inverness. These include;

Careers in Health (S3 Grampian/S4 Highland): a general introduction to Health careers but with certain activities specifically geared to Medicine.

So You Want to be a Doctor? (S4 Grampian / S5 Highland); A day of hands-on Clinical Skills activities led by clinicians and other health professionals.

Medicine and Medical Science (S5 Grampian / S5 Highland): a day-conference style event at which doctors in a range of specialities give presentations about their work.

Talking about Careers in Medicine (S5 Moray only) a day-conference style event at which doctors in a range of specialities give presentations about their work.

More specific support is provided for Reach school pupils in S6 who are planning an application to Medicine in a series of three workshops: How to write a Personal Statement; UKCAT practice; and Mock Multiple Mini-Interviews.

Medical student ambassadors are recruited and trained to provide support to Reach schools. A team of 2/3 students establish a comfortable relationship with specific schools and where possible the team goes into school to give:

Motivational talks to pupils (own experience of admissions and undergraduate experience).

Structured advice about work experience/voluntary work/other activities that will enrich an application.

Advice on writing a UCAS Personal Statement, Interview process etc.

Email contact and liaison.

There is also NHS work experience schemes, Doctors at Work, run by both NHS Grampian and NHS Highland, which takes place in the summer months, for school pupils at the end of S5, who are preparing for an application to medicine. There are also some places on this scheme for local graduates.

For more details contact medadm@abdn.ac.uk

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Gaining in a place in medical school requires more than strong academic ability. Applicants must also be able to demonstrate that they possess a range of skills and attributes that are required to study medicine. For more information on these skills and attributes, the Medical Schools Council's Selecting for Excellence report has produced a Statement on the core values and attributes need to study medicine.

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Core Values and Attributes Needed to Study Medicine

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Core Values and Attributes Needed to Study Medicine

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When it comes to writing your personal statement for medicine, having a clear focus and message is key. You're trying to stand out from hundreds of other applicants, whilst being completely honest and true to yourself.

Below I have outlined my top five tips for writing your personal statement, and how to avoid the common pitfalls.

Before you begin, make two key lists

I advise every candidate, before they jump straight into writing, to answer a few key questions. The first is to write down why they want to do medicine in list form. Common items in these lists include "I love science"; "I enjoy a challenge"; "I enjoy problem-solving"; "I want to be involved in leadership"; "I want to help others".

The next task is to build on this list. For every reason you have stated for wanting to do medicine, write next to it what you have done to show this in your life so far. For example, next to "I want to help people", write all the ways you are doing this, such as "volunteering at a day centre" or whatever it happens to be! Don't worry if it's not healthcare related. Any aspect of your life that involves altruism will prove that you do care about other people.

The second essential list is to outline the qualities you have which you want to get across in your personal statement. Common items in this list include "Hard Working", "Driven", "Caring", "Responsible", "Empathy for others", "Honesty", and ideally should be things that will make a good doctor (so maybe keep that bad temper of yours off the list). Again, next to this list write the things you are doing which prove each of these, which can range from experiences to hobbies to past events.

Have a clear, logical structure

Make a clear structure for your personal statement and allocate out your word count accordingly. As with any document, you want it to have an introduction, body and conclusion. The introductory paragraph should outline the most important points you want to get across. Try not to clutter your introduction too much.

Ask yourself "What three things do I want the reader to know about me?", or sometimes it can be helpful to think in this way, "What three things make me stand out from other applicants?".

Those key things are your unique selling points. Make sure you get these across in your introductory paragraph. Often, I find it best to start your personal statement with a summary of why you want to do medicine, with a very brief explanation next to each reason how you have proved this in what you have done. The body of the personal statement can expand on these areas more, but you want to convince the reader early on.

The structure of the rest of your personal statement is up to you but try to include sections where you explain what you learned from your work experience, volunteer work and outside interests. Don't underestimate the importance of hobbies. They will let the reader know you are well rounded and provide excellent interview material. Avoid putting specific music grades (I.e. "I received a distinction in Grade 6 Piano"). The admissions officer is more interested in what you do with your music, or what you have learnt from it (for example, how it helps you handle stress, or how you use it to serve others).

Finally, when you are talking about things you have done, be that Duke of Edinburgh Award, work experience, or volunteering, do more than just stating that you have done these things. The medical school wants to know what you learnt from doing these things.

Back up every statement about yourself

Every applicant claims to have a passion for science and a desire to help others. It's not good enough to just state this. You need to back it up. For every statement, you make about yourself, or for every reason, you state for wanting to study medicine, tell them something you have done to prove it.
Here's a simple example:
"I am passionate about science".

That sounds lovely, but when 500 personal statements say this, you don't really stand out.
How about this instead?
"My interest in science began through weekly attendance at the science club at school, going on to enter a national chemistry competition and helping to organise the science club meetings."

This second person sounds like someone I want to interview. I'm convinced they do love science and will thrive in the pre-clinical years (if that is how your medical school is structured). The first person sounds rather generic.

Back everything up with solid factual evidence. You need to prove how you feel about medicine with things that you have done.

Avoid repeating the words "passionate", "enthused", "enthralled" and "always"

So many personal statements fall into the trap of saying "I have always enjoyed" or "I have always been enthused by the idea of...", in an attempt to convince the reader that in some mystical way, medicine is your destiny. Unfortunately, these claims don't carry much weight, so search for the word "always" after your first draft and analyse every sentence you have used it in to avoid this common mistake! This is the single most effective way to improve the quality of your personal statement. There's an interesting article from UCAS in the references section which outlines the most frequently overused words and phrases in personal statements- something to avoid.

You can also use the search function after you have written your first draft to see how many times you've used other words such as "passionate", "enthusiastic", "enthralled", "compassionate", "caring", "captivated" etc. If it's more than once, edit your document until you have only used these words once, if at all.

Get as much feedback as possible from others

You want to get as much feedback on your personal statement as possible. Get as much critique as you can from your school career adviser, teachers, family and friends. Don't be afraid to take criticism and improve. Your family will help you keep your personal statement true to you and clear, rather than using impersonal phrases that sound right but aren't very genuine. If you know any medical students or healthcare professionals, don't be afraid to send them a copy for their advice.

The key to personal statement success is building on criticism. Your first draft should not be your final version. Keep chipping away at it until it is foolproof, and don't lose heart.

I promise you, it will be worth it in the end.

References

1. UCAS (2016), "UCAS shares the most frequently-used opening lines in university applicants' personal statements", https://www.ucas.com/corporate/news-and-key-documents/news/ucas-shares-most-frequently-used-opening-lines-university, accessed May 2018

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Top Tips for Writing a Great Personal Statement for Medicine

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When it comes to writing your personal statement for medicine, having a clear focus and message is key. You're trying to stand out from hundreds of other applicants, whilst being completely honest and true to yourself. This article provides several tips to improve your personal statement.

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In The Sir Duncan Rice Library there are two types of bookable spaces for students which can be used for group work: Group Study Rooms and Group Study Pods.

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We use cookies on this website, mainly to provide a secure browsing experience but also to collect statistics on how the website is used. We also embed content from third parties, including social media websites, which may include cookies.
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We use cookies on this website, mainly to provide a secure browsing experience but also to collect statistics on how the website is used. We also embed content from third parties, including social media websites, which may include cookies.You can find out more about the cookies we set, the information we store and how we use it on our cookies page.

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Health issues and medical breakthroughs from around the world.

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BBC Sounds - Health Check - Available Episodes

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Listen to the latest episodes of Health Check on BBC Sounds

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Past Episodes | The Geeky Medics Podcast

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The Geeky Medics Podcast aims to inspire and inform through discussions with some of the most fascinating individuals in the world of healthcare and education. Host: Joshua Chambers Producers: Alice Appleton & Lewis Potter

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Example of a weak and strong interview answer

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Example of a weak and strong interview answer

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What is it that is poor about Mr Thomas' answers? What does Miss Murdoch do that make's her answers better?

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A collection of interactive medical and surgical clinical case scenarios to put your diagnostic and management skills to the test.

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A day in the life of a healthcare professional

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A day in the life of a healthcare professional

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This booklet gives insights into different healthcare professionals roles

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A good personal statement will demonstrate:

· Attempts to experience the work of a doctor (the day to day involvement)

· Attempts to research the training involved for a career in medicine (both at university and after qualifying)

· Understanding of the level of commitment required (the 'highs' and 'lows' of being a doctor)

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A good Personal Statement will demonstrate:

· What you think a doctors 'core qualities' are and how you display these

This can be achieved by:

Gain an appreciation of the concerns of patients for example the disabled and the elderly.

Undertaking (paid/unpaid) work of a caring nature

Undertaking work which benefits school colleagues

Be involved in caring/charity groups at school

Personal experience of using "people skills" in social/work situations

Develop your sense of social awareness and demonstrate you can shoulder responsibilities

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Show you are an all-rounder: doctors' lives are busy and challenging and time management is very important.

· Undertake leisure, sporting, creative activities

· Activities at school

· Activities outside school

· Attitude to colleagues

· Ability to participate fully in school life and help others to do so

· School honours and prizes

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British Red Cross -  Independent Living Service Volunteer

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British Red Cross -  Independent Living Service Volunteer

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Location: Aberdeen Royal Infirmary
Commitment: Half a day once per week between Monday-Sunday

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Why volunteer with the British Red Cross?

Join us as a volunteer, and join the world's emergency responders.

It's your chance to make a real, noticeable difference in your local community. Have fun, spark new interests and support vulnerable people when they need you most.

We have volunteering roles to suit everyone, however much time you have to give and whatever your experience. You can volunteer in some of our services from age 15 and we have opportunities for young people to get involved with our work.

Emergency response volunteers roles

Whether it's supporting vulnerable people through the Covid pandemic, responding to floods or working on our support line, our emergency volunteers have got people through their worst times. Not many people can say that.

If you'd like to support your local community, we really need emergency response volunteers in Hull, Grimsby, Newcastle, Durham, Cleveland and Enniskillen - Northern Ireland as well other towns and areas across the UK.

Just search for roles near you.
Find an emergency response volunteer role

5 reasons to become an emergency response volunteer

How to make a real difference to someone's life - including your own.
Read the story

How and where can I volunteer?

There are lots of volunteering opportunities with the British Red Cross. Our volunteer jobs include:

emergency response volunteer

charity shop volunteer

ambulance volunteer

refugee support volunteer

wheelchair volunteer

If you can't find volunteer opportunities near you, you can volunteer virtually from home by supporting vulnerable people through our national helpline.
Find a volunteer role near you

What are the benefits of volunteering?

If you're wondering why you should volunteer, consider how this experience can not only benefit you but also your community. There are various benefits of volunteering with the British Red Cross, including:

Make a difference to someone's life.

Volunteer with other passionate people.

Be recognised for the skills and experience you bring to our organisation.

Learn new skills that could help your career.

Be a part of the largest humanitarian organisation in the world.

How old do you have to be to volunteer with the Red Cross?

You can volunteer with the British Red Cross from the age of 15, across many of our services, including in our charity shops and as a wheelchair volunteer. Once you turn 16, you can also volunteer in our refugee support centres. People aged 18 or older can also volunteer for charity work abroad in Europe at a wide variety of placements and programs.

Learn more about volunteering opportunities for young people.

What's the application process?

We have volunteer jobs that suit everyone, whether you can give a few hours or a few days a week. There are volunteer roles available across the UK and abroad, including volunteer work in London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Bristol and Glasgow.

Once you have applied, you will receive a confirmation email where you can track your application. We will be in touch with you to arrange a telephone interview with one of our friendly recruiters.

Depending on the role, we may need to do a criminal record check. Full training for the role will be provided.
Find a volunteer role near you

Volunteers for the Ukraine crisis

Please note that we are not currently sending volunteers to Ukraine. This includes medical and logistics experts. Our teams there have told us that the best way to support the response in Ukraine is to raise funds. This is our focus, through our emergency appeal.

We don't have any specific volunteering jobs to support Ukraine in the UK. We are constantly monitoring the evolving situation and will keep this page updated with opportunities.

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Volunteer with us | Volunteering near you | British Red Cross

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Find volunteering opportunities near you at the British Red Cross. Meet new people, gain new skills and help your community.

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This winter (2016-17) has seen many of our hospitals pushed to the brink. Fiona Foster investigates what some are calling a crisis in frontline services, and reveals what other areas of the NHS could be at risk.

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Learning on Screen - The British Universities and Colleges Film and Video Council

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Panorama reveals the failings of our social care system, as our population gets older and more of us need help with day to day living. In the first of a two part series, the BBC’s social affairs correspondent Alison Holt has filmed in Somerset for a year, focusing on four families, all exhausted by the demands of caring 24 hours a day for their loved ones, and desperately trying to get more help.

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Learning on Screen - The British Universities and Colleges Film and Video Council

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Documentary series following newly-qualified medics as they start working on hospital wards for the first time. Available on BBC Iplayer.

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Series following newly-qualified medics working on hospital wards for the first time.

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Includes 6 videos made by UCAT.

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UCAT (previously known as UKCAT) is an admissions test used by the majority of UK medical and dental schools. From 2019, the test is now widely used by unive...

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Want to find out more about what we do?

Keep up to date with our work and find out more about how you can help abused, abandoned and injured animals in Scotland.

We are Scotland's emergency service for animals - and we do it all without any government funding.

That's why your support is so important to us. To receive seasonal information about how you can help wildlife thrive, along with useful tips on how to look after pets and top news stories, sign up to our monthly newsletter.

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Please note, we will not be recruiting new volunteers to our Rescue and Rehoming Centres until further notice due to the Covid-19 advice on social distancing. Get involved and volunteer Have you ever thought about volunteering and spending some valuable time helping animals? Why not come and join the...

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Every month, wonderful volunteers like Anne donate their time to help us in lots of different ways. They come from all walks of life with a wide variety of skills and experience. Some of them volunteer for a few hours every week, and some help us just when they can fit it in with their lives.

We have a role that's perfect for you!

Whatever age you are, and whatever your background is, we'll find a role that is perfect for you. These are just some of the things our volunteers do:

Gather and process contributions from our cans

Write and schedule social media posts

Administrative tasks and thanking donors

Co-ordinate our volunteer schedule

Steward at events

There are also volunteer positions for Responders and Fundraising and Event Assistants at our sister fund GCBN. Volunteer Responders will be given training to receive referrals and visit families to provide appropriate support and guidance. This can include direct work with the young people involved. This role requires you to live in the Grampian area, be over 18 and eligible to join the PVG Scheme.

We would love you to join our team. Fill in a form, or email [email protected] if you'd like to have a chat about volunteering with us.

We request information from you on our register to volunteer form. During registration you are required to give certain information (such as name and email address) and provide references. This information is used to contact you about volunteering and to contact your referees to make background checks. You can read our full privacy policy here.
Privacy Policy - this is how we use your data

I became involved in volunteering because my grandson has had many visits to RACH and it became very clear that The ARCHIE Foundation played an important role in the hospital. I wanted to do something useful with my time and decided to get involved. I really look forward to my Wednesdays in the ARCHIE office.

Anne Rae, Aberdeen

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Every month, wonderful volunteers like Anne donate their time to help us in lots of different ways. They come from all walks of life with a wide variety of skills and experience. Some of them volunteer for a few hours every week, and some help us just when they can fit it in with their lives.

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Have your volunteering recognised

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Saltire Awards - Celebrating youth volunteering in Scotland

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The Saltire Awards are the Scottish Government's way of celebrating, recognising and rewarding the commitment, contribution and achievements of young volunteers in Scotland.

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Volunteering is a fantastic way to make new friends at University and to make a difference both in AUSA and within the wider community.

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Looking for a fun way to boost your CV and gain invaluable skills and experience? Have you thought about volunteering? With such a competitive job market, gaining work experience through volunteering can give you a distinct advantage when applying for graduate roles. Volunteering also increases self-confidence and improves your wellbeing whilst making a huge impact to the local, and wider, community.

Students can login in or sign up here and search through our host of available opportunities, log the skills you gain as you go and even training courses you have attended through your personal profile section.

With a whole variety of opportunities available, we are sure we can help find the right one for you. With so many ways and opportunities to get involved in, it has never been easier to get more out of your time here at Aberdeen University!

Opportunities
Volunteering in the Students' Association
There are loads of ways to get involved, from becoming a committee member for one of our many or sports clubs, or becoming a class representative. You can also volunteer internally with us here at the Students Association by contributing to student media through , ASR Radio or our student newspaper the . Other roles include volunteering with our listening service Nightline or campaigning to reduce sexual assault and harassment with CASE. You can also get involved with fundraising through our student campaign.
Volunteering in the community
Alternatively, you can volunteer with any of our registered organisations and charities. We have a variety of registered charities offering activity-based placements for students including marketing and media opportunities, fundraising, conservation, befriending and a whole lot besides.
Volunteering during Freshers' Week 2020
Looking for a fun way to boost your CV and gain invaluable skills and experience? Sign up to become a Freshers' Week Volunteer! Not only will you be a part of an incredible group of people, volunteering can give you a distinct advantage when applying for graduate roles, increases self-confidence and can have a huge impact on the experiences of other students. For more information and how to sign up, click here.

Recognition

The Saltire Awards are a Scottish Government-backed scheme which encourages young people (aged 12-25) to volunteer, and lets you log hours and work towards gaining certificates and recognition for the good work you do. Click here for further details and the link to sign up.

For affiliated societies and clubs, we also offer the Enhanced Transcript which recognises the work you do on your society or club committee. For full details click here.

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Looking for a fun way to boost your CV and gain invaluable skills and experience? Have you thought about volunteering? With such a competitive job market, gaining work experience through volunteering can give you a distinct advantage when applying for graduate roles.

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There are many different ways in which you can participate in volunteering during your studies and many reasons why students decide to get involved with a voluntary role.

Examples of volunteering opportunities include:

Co-curriculum opportunities including BP Student Tutoring, Careers Service Ambassadors as well as a range of other roles recognised by the STAR Award.

AUSA Volunteering: including Class Representatives or volunteer roles with local charities.

Voluntary Services Aberdeen: more local volunteering opportunities.

UK wide voluntary opportunities: a wide range of charities and NGO's advertise voluntary roles throughout the UK. Some of these are linked from our resources section. However this is not an exhaustive list. Research organisations you are passionate about and find out what you can do.

International voluntary opportunities: for many students, volunteering abroad is an attractive option. Whilst there are some great opportunities out there it is important to do your research and consider the cost implications, as well as any ethical issues. View our resources on international volunteering.

If you decide to take a volunteering role, you may be able to receive recognition for your efforts via the Saltire Awards.

For many work sectors, such as the third sector and environmental conservation, gaining work experience through volunteering will give you a distinct advantage when applying for graduate roles.

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There are many different ways in which you can participate in volunteering during your studies and many reasons why students decide to get involved with a voluntary role. Examples of volunteering opportunities include: Co-curriculum opportunities including BP Student Tutoring, Careers Service Ambassadors as well as a range of other roles recognised by the STAR Award.

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An exciting opportunity has arisen for VisitAberdeenshire, the organisation dedicated to promoting the region as a tourist destination to create a Welcome to Aberdeenshire Volunteer scheme.

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See our current job vacancies at VisitAberdeenshire. Read more and apply online.

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The Spice Trail - Pepper and Cinnamon (available on BoB)

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The Spice Trail - Pepper and Cinnamon (available on BoB)

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Kate Humble retraces the steps of 15th-century explorers as she sets out on a spice trail that takes her to India and Sri Lanka, the birthplaces of pepper and cinnamon. She begins her travels on India’s ’Spice Coast’, uncovering the story of pepper, once known as black gold and now the most consumed spice in the world. She does the pepper dance to shake the berries from their stalk, meets farmers fighting back against a disease that is devastating pepper crops, and is taught the centuries-old secret language still used by the traders who wheel and deal in the spice. From India, Kate heads south to Sri Lanka, the land of cinnamon - a place shrouded in mystery to Europeans until the Portugese accidentally landed on its shores. She attends the spectacular Buddhist festival, or Perahara, which celebrates local resistance to the invaders, and takes part in the delicate process of harvesting the spice and making a cinnamon quill

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97-hour weeks. Life and death decisions. A constant tsunami of bodily fluids. And the hospital parking meter earns more money than you.

Welcome to the life of a junior doctor.

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Asian Provocateur - Shanthi’s Return (available on BoB)

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Asian Provocateur - Shanthi’s Return (available on BoB)

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Series in which comedian Romesh Ranganathan is sent by his mother on a ramshackle odyssey around his parents’ homeland of Sri Lanka as he attempts to connect with his roots. In the final episode, Shanthi heads out to Sri Lanka to join Romesh and find out what he’s learnt. Romesh does his best to bluff his way through as a tour guide before the pair of them try to join the family business of arranged marriage brokers. In exchange for Romesh having a go at a traditional Sri Lankan sports day, he asks his mum to take part in a rap video with local Sri Lankan rap group Colombo MBZ. Having now spent six weeks in his mother’s homeland, the real issue is now whether Romesh will come clean about all the things he hasn’t done. Can he make it up to her? And, most importantly, will he be able to make her proud of him?

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The World’s Strictest Parents Sri Lanka (available on BoB)

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The World’s Strictest Parents Sri Lanka (available on BoB)

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The Teardrop Island: Following Victorian Footsteps Across Sri Lanka

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The Teardrop Island: Following Victorian Footsteps Across Sri Lanka

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The Teardrop Island follows in the footsteps of the eccentric Victorian James Emerson Tennent, along a route which takes Cherry to pilgrimage trails, into tea estates and rural regions inhabited by indigenous tribes, as well as through restricted areas of the former warzone, delving under the surface of the contemporary culture via cricket matches and fortune tellers.

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Sri Lanka - Culture Smart! The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture

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Sri Lanka - Culture Smart! The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture

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John Gimlette - winner of the Dolman Prize and the Shiva Naipaul Prize for Travel Writing - is the kind of traveller you'd want by your side. Whether hacking a centuries-old path through the jungle, interrogating the surviving members of the Tamil Tigers or observing the stranger social mores of Colombo's city life, he brings his own unique insight to the page: a treasure-chest of research and a gift for wry amusement. Through him, Sri Lanka - all at once dazzling, strange, conflicted and beautiful - comes to life as never before.

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Indian Ocean with Simon Reeve - Episode5 Sri Lanka to Bangladesh (Available on BoB)

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Indian Ocean with Simon Reeve - Episode5 Sri Lanka to Bangladesh (Available on BoB)

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Junior Doctors: Your Life in Their Hands

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Junior Doctors: Your Life in Their Hands

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Documentary series following seven newly-qualified doctors as they begin work on the wards of two of Newcastle’s busiest hospitals. They have had five years at medical school, but are they up to the job? Jon is captain of the rugby team and plays in a band, but is his hectic social schedule impacting on his work? Keir faces a crucial decision about his future - medicine or surgery? And Adam is questioning whether being a doctor is the right job for him at all

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7 Wonders of the Buddhist World (available on BoB)

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7 Wonders of the Buddhist World (available on BoB)

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Historian Bettany Hughes visits some of the most spectacular monuments built by Buddhists across the globe. Her journey begins at the Mahabodhi Temple in India, where Buddhism was born; here Hughes examines the foundations of the belief system - the three jewels. At Nepal’s Boudhanath Stupa, she looks deeper into the concept of dharma - the teaching of Buddha, and at the Temple of the Tooth in Sri Lanka, Bettany explores karma, the idea that our intentional acts will be mirrored in the future. At Wat Pho Temple in Thailand, Hughes explores samsara, the endless cycle of birth and death that Buddhists seek to end by achieving enlightenment, before travelling to Angkor Wat in Cambodia to learn more about the practice of meditation. In Hong Kong, Hughes visits the Giant Buddha and looks more closely at Zen, before arriving at the final wonder, the Hsi Lai temple in Los Angeles, to discover more about the ultimate goal for all Buddhists - nirvana

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You Can’t Park There!: The Highs and Lows of an Air Ambulance Doctor

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You Can’t Park There!: The Highs and Lows of an Air Ambulance Doctor

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You Can’t Park There! is the first ever real life account from an air ambulance doctor. Drug addicts, lorry crashes, open-heart surgery, stab wounds, headless chickens, mating llamas, and strip routines – it’s all in a day’s work for emergency doctor Tony Bleetman and his air ambulance team.

Whether they are landing their helicopter in the middle of the M1 or at a maximum security jail, Tony and his crew Helimed 999 are the first on the scene in the most critical of emergencies.

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Dr Nick Edwards is an Accident and Emergency (A&E) Doctor working in the UK and a passionate believer in the NHS. However the reforms, political correctness and the Anglo-Saxon culture of binge drinking and fighting and the resulting A&E visits are a strain on his sanity. So, to keep up his morale, he began writing down his feelings a form of literary cathartic therapy the results of which make up this book.

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Starting on the evening before he begins work as a doctor, this book charts Max Pemberton's touching and funny journey through his first year in the NHS. Progressing from youthful idealism to frank bewilderment, Max realises how little his job is about 'saving people' and how much of his time is taken up by signing forms and trying to figure out all the important things no one has explained yet -- for example, the crucial question of how to tell whether someone is dead or not.

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Your guide to the science that makes the news.

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Health – Views & Research – The Conversation

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Curated by professional editors, The Conversation offers informed commentary and debate on the issues affecting our world. Plus a Plain English guide to the latest developments and discoveries from the university and research sector.

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Your source for the latest research news

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Medical Research News. Health news on everything from cancer to nutrition. Updated daily.

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Dr Mark Porter demystifies health issues, separating fact from fiction and bringing clarity to conflicting health advice, with the help of regular contributor GP Margaret McCartney

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BBC Radio 4 - Inside Health - Available now

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Dr Kevin Fong explores how doctors cope when things go wrong.

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BBC Sounds - Why Become a Doctor? - Available Episodes

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Listen to the latest episodes of Why Become a Doctor? on BBC Sounds

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Includes a 'Science Weekly' podcasts

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Latest Science news, comment and analysis from the Guardian, the world's leading liberal voice

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Phil Hammond explores human error in the medical profession. Thousands of patients die each year because doctors and nurses, although technically skilled, are not alert to the risk of a potentially life-threatening mistake. Airline pilot Martin Bromiley, whose wife was a victim of such an error, talks about his experience.

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Catch up on your favourite BBC radio show from your favourite DJ right here, whenever you like. Listen without limits with BBC Sounds.

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A nurse assumes her best friend's identity as a senior doctor to start a new life.

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Before she takes over the lead role in Doctor Who, Jodie Whittaker will be appearing on our screens as a very different doctor... and a fake one at that.

In BBC One thriller Trust Me, Whittaker plays Cath Hardacre, a nurse who loses her job after she turns whistle-blower.

Wanting to provide a better life for her young daughter, she steals her best friend's identity as a senior doctor and lands a job in an Edinburgh hospital (a colleague amusingly describes the A&E department as "like Braveheart with bad-tempered pensioners".)

Armed with her nursing knowledge and some medical textbooks, Cath sets out to bluff her way as an experienced emergency medic.

Of course, it doesn't all go smoothly. Trust Me contains several squirm-inducing scenes of medical procedures that don't go by the book

An early encounter sees her straighten a man's broken foot having forgotten to give him an anaesthetic. Imagine the screams.

Then there's a heart-stopping - and heart-breaking - sequence involving the victims of a car crash.

"There was blood squirting everywhere," says Whittaker, at a press screening that was held before the recent announcement she was to replace Peter Capaldi in Doctor Who.

Like her character in Trust Me, the blood is of course fake, but that doesn't make it any less excruciating to watch.

"The prosthetics were amazing," Whittaker adds. "And there were phenomenal actors coming in and committing to the sound of pain."

'It's not that hard to fake it'

Trust Me was written by Dan Sefton, a real-life A&E doctor, whose other TV writing includes Good Karma Hospital and Mr Selfridge.

"I think there are loads of people who aren't real doctors," says Sefton, somewhat chillingly.

"It's not that hard to fake it if you have some qualifications. Part of this thing is that people don't ask too many questions. We set this deliberately in a place that was on the periphery and struggling to recruit."

Sefton also reveals that there had once been a case of a bogus doctor working in his own hospital.

"He only got found out through some administrative thing, because he was actually pretty competent," he recalls.

"Often these doctors are very professional and get along very well with their colleagues. The only flaw is that they aren't real doctors."

As well as writing the tense hospital scenes, Sefton also helped give the actors some medical training.

That included teaching Whittaker how to insert a needle into his own arm.

"I got it in your vein first time," the Broadchurch actress notes proudly. "But I forgot to put the cap on and you started bleeding, which was a bit of a panic!"

Whittaker says she was fine with the "physical and emotional stuff" that the script demanded. "The thing I struggled most with - and that comes from failing over half my GCSEs - was the pronunciation of medicines."

The rest of the cast includes Emun Elliott as an A&E doctor, Sharon Small as the consultant in charge, and Inbetweeners star Blake Harrison as Cath's ex-boyfriend and father of their daughter.

Whittaker describes herself as big fan of the NHS. "You don't have to be rich to be poorly," she says. "There are obviously problems - we all read the news - but I feel that the thing you want to celebrate is the day-to-day people: The doctors and nurses."

Sefton admits that what fascinates him is WHY people pretend to be doctors.

"Men almost always do it for egotistical reasons," he says. "They are often fantasists. They want to be somebody who is impressive.

"Women tend to do it more much more practical, interesting reasons. That's one of the reasons I chose a female protagonist for this drama.

"I was much more interested in looking at how the act of lying changes someone who is an essentially honest person."
Trust Me begins on Tuesday 8 August on BBC One. Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk .

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Jodie Whittaker on her other doctor role

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Before she takes over the lead role in Doctor Who, Jodie Whittaker will be appearing on our screens as a very different doctor... and a fake one at that. In BBC One thriller Trust Me, Whittaker plays Cath Hardacre, a nurse who loses her job after she turns whistle-blower.

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Documentary series telling the story of patients who enter four hospitals across the country.

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Documentary series filmed inside the Ridge Medical Practice in Bradford.

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Documentary series going behind the scenes at the UK’s most remote hospital, Gilbert Bain in Shetland.

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Documentary series following the lives of a diverse group of nurses at Birmingham City Hospital.

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Dramatic documentary series following the work of doctors and nurses at King’s College Hospital.

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Going behind the headlines to give the definitive answers to health questions.

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It is set in the same hospital as Casualty, in the fictional city of Holby, and featured occasional crossovers of characters and plots with both Casualty

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This blog highlights issues for medical practitioners

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The programme is set in the fictional Holby City Hospital and focuses on the staff and patients of the hospital's Accident and Emergency Department.

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Quick-fire (and occasionally slow motion) genre-defying comedy, set in a surreal hospital but lacking medical content. From the award-winning team behind Smack the Pony.

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Matrons, Medicine and Me: 70 Years of the NHS

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Matrons, Medicine and Me: 70 Years of the NHS

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Celebrity presenters look at the development of the NHS through their own often harrowing personal experiences.

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Doctors Chris and Xand van Tulleken put competing health theories to the test with the help of 30 other pairs of identical twins.

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King's College Hospital in south London, is one of Britain's busiest A&E departments. In this edition, two cyclists are brought to A&E and a retired docker takes a shine to nurse Laura.

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Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat . . . but 1.4 million NHS staff are heading off to work. In this perfect present for anyone who has ever set foot in a hospital, Adam Kay delves back into his diaries for a hilarious, horrifying and sometimes heartbreaking peek behind the blue curtain at Christmastime.

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The BMJ: Leading Medical Research, News, Education, Opinion

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High impact medical journal. Champion of better research, clinical practice & healthcare policy since 1840. For GPs, hospital doctors, educators, policymakers.

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Reading through the content and abstracts regularly will give you an overview of current research.

http://primo.abdn.ac.uk/ABN_VU1:PCFT:abn_aleph000535945

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Educational access digital subscriptions | New Scientist

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Unrestricted access to newscientist.com using IP address authentication or username and password access. OpenAthens access is also available with an Eduserv Chest Agreement. Support your students in their research with trusted, award-winning journalism, including the latest news and every issue of New Scientist dating back to 1989.

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A ground-breaking look at the drama and emotion of a maternity unit, from the perspective of the parents-to-be and the maternity ward staff

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Health | Latest News & Updates | BBC News

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Get all the latest news, live updates and content about Health from across the BBC.

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Open Heart Surgery Live (2018)
Operation Live (2018)

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Operation Live! Cairns Convention Centre | 18 January 2018

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To call itself fair and equitable, the NHS must act on racism, says David Williams, the global expert on the effects of race on health. Lilian Anekwe reports