Oh how terrible of me, I haven't updated in almost a year!
UCAS is all done for me now and I've managed to bag myself an offer! I need to get 3 As now and hopefully I'll be moving up North to start Uni in September. :D
Monday, 31 March 2014
Monday, 1 July 2013
Opticians
I spent from 9:30 until 3:30 at Specsavers on Tuesday. I started by sitting in on 2 consultations with Moshi, a new optometrist who has just come out of the study process. He was very honest and straightforward so he gave me a good idea of the pros and cons of the degree and career. There were initial tests that checked the blood pressure in the eyes and took photos of the retina. Then there were tests to check the pupils and lenses were tried. I found this was repeated with every consultation. Mosh mentioned how it is a bit boring as it is so routined but it's not awful and it's a lot more interesting when you can interpret the results from the tests. He talked me through Glaucoma and Macular degeneration which I found interesting. Then I sat in 2 consultations with Jin who went through pretty much the same routine but in a different order. After this I was with Alice the pediatric nurse for a few consultations. These were also very similar but they also involved colour tests and 3D Tests. After Lunch I sat in Contact Lenses and watched them being put in for a woman. They then taught her to remove them. And that was the end of the day for me.
I honestly found it so boring, I was almost falling asleep during the consultations. Definitely don't wanna be doing Optometry unless I really have to!
I honestly found it so boring, I was almost falling asleep during the consultations. Definitely don't wanna be doing Optometry unless I really have to!
Saturday, 30 March 2013
Delhi Rape Rant
Before I start, I'd like to make it clear that I don't know all the details to do with the case and my opinions are all based on what I've heard. So if you spot something that I've said which is not correct, comment and i'll make amends to this post. And this is going to be in tanglish so if you don't know tamil, i'm sorry it may not make sense.
So basic'aa oru introduction. Tamil'aa irundhukutu Delhi rape case'a pathi ungalukku theriyalanaa, where have you been?! India'va oru full nation'aa kondu vantha case, india'la pengalukku irukkura idamum avangalukku irukkura paathugaapa pathi'um yosikka vatcha oru news thaan ithu. Details'a ellaam naa solla virumbala, atha neenga google or bbc or something'la poyi paathukonga, but ellaarayum shock panni, pengal'a ippadi treat pannuraangale'nu women's rights'a oru general discussion point'aa kondu vanthichu intha news.
Oru ponnu Delhi'la oru aambalaioda kooda poga mudiyaama irukkuthu'na India'la smaller cities or villages'la irukkura pengal'oda nilamaya neengale yosichu paarunga. Evvalavo kaalathukku piragu pengal aangalukku samam'aa aaghuraanga, avungalum padikuraanga, velaiku poraanga'nu solraanga ana India evvalo advanced'a irruku'nu atha paarthu solrathu thappu. Oru ponnu'ku evalo safety, antha ponnu'ku evalo respect kudukuraanga...athu thaan india's real advances'a kaatum.
Let me be really honest, intha case evvalo thaan horrific'a irunthaalum, case'a pathi pesumbothu sila peyr sonna vishayangal thaan enna romba suurprise pannunathu. Nirbhaya'va oru bad lightla kaatanum'ne sila peyr some things sonaanga.
For example, "medical student'nu romba overaa scene potirukum, athaan ippadi nadanthathu". Enkita vanthu ipadi sonnaaru oru uncle. Medical student'naa athu bus'la erumbothu enattha scene potirukum? apadiyum scene pota kuda, athu eppadi antha men panna vishayangala justify pannum? epadi irunthaalum ava oru ponnu thaane, oru indian thaane. Avaloda padippa kaaranamaa vachu accused'ku support panna koodaathu because apadi solreenga'naa, unga solution enna-pengal'ku education koodathu'nu suggest panreengala?
Some people said "If she had dressed less provocatively it would not have happened" but naa enna solren'na, dressing sense'a change panrathu'naala onnum nadakkaporathilla. India'la evalavo pengal'a rape panraanga and avunga ellaarum 20-something-attractive-females illa. Some are children and equally some are ladies above the age of 60, ivunga ellaarum inappropriate'aa dress panraangalaa? It just goes to point out how disgusting and lacking in self-control some men are.
I have a lot more opinions on this topic, and definately intha news lifelong'la naa marakkamaaten but ellaa thoughts'um blog panna mudiyaathu. Maybe there might be some more posts like this, but it's just that I think issues like this that induce discussions need to be discussed. I'd love to hear some opinions so let me know what you think.
Until next time...
So basic'aa oru introduction. Tamil'aa irundhukutu Delhi rape case'a pathi ungalukku theriyalanaa, where have you been?! India'va oru full nation'aa kondu vantha case, india'la pengalukku irukkura idamum avangalukku irukkura paathugaapa pathi'um yosikka vatcha oru news thaan ithu. Details'a ellaam naa solla virumbala, atha neenga google or bbc or something'la poyi paathukonga, but ellaarayum shock panni, pengal'a ippadi treat pannuraangale'nu women's rights'a oru general discussion point'aa kondu vanthichu intha news.
Oru ponnu Delhi'la oru aambalaioda kooda poga mudiyaama irukkuthu'na India'la smaller cities or villages'la irukkura pengal'oda nilamaya neengale yosichu paarunga. Evvalavo kaalathukku piragu pengal aangalukku samam'aa aaghuraanga, avungalum padikuraanga, velaiku poraanga'nu solraanga ana India evvalo advanced'a irruku'nu atha paarthu solrathu thappu. Oru ponnu'ku evalo safety, antha ponnu'ku evalo respect kudukuraanga...athu thaan india's real advances'a kaatum.
Let me be really honest, intha case evvalo thaan horrific'a irunthaalum, case'a pathi pesumbothu sila peyr sonna vishayangal thaan enna romba suurprise pannunathu. Nirbhaya'va oru bad lightla kaatanum'ne sila peyr some things sonaanga.
For example, "medical student'nu romba overaa scene potirukum, athaan ippadi nadanthathu". Enkita vanthu ipadi sonnaaru oru uncle. Medical student'naa athu bus'la erumbothu enattha scene potirukum? apadiyum scene pota kuda, athu eppadi antha men panna vishayangala justify pannum? epadi irunthaalum ava oru ponnu thaane, oru indian thaane. Avaloda padippa kaaranamaa vachu accused'ku support panna koodaathu because apadi solreenga'naa, unga solution enna-pengal'ku education koodathu'nu suggest panreengala?
Some people said "If she had dressed less provocatively it would not have happened" but naa enna solren'na, dressing sense'a change panrathu'naala onnum nadakkaporathilla. India'la evalavo pengal'a rape panraanga and avunga ellaarum 20-something-attractive-females illa. Some are children and equally some are ladies above the age of 60, ivunga ellaarum inappropriate'aa dress panraangalaa? It just goes to point out how disgusting and lacking in self-control some men are.
I have a lot more opinions on this topic, and definately intha news lifelong'la naa marakkamaaten but ellaa thoughts'um blog panna mudiyaathu. Maybe there might be some more posts like this, but it's just that I think issues like this that induce discussions need to be discussed. I'd love to hear some opinions so let me know what you think.
Until next time...
Easter Plans
14 exams I have in summer, 14! That's quite a lot for year 12. and if I go ahead with IGCSE Tamil then it'll be 15. So I plan to revise a looootttt over this easter break. I also have some work lined up (2 mornings at the GP Surgery near me and a day at specsavers).
The GP Surgery was so booked up, getting 2 mornings was the most I could do so that'll have to do. I got some work at the opticians because it is something I am considering as a 5th option. I will be visiting Bradford in July to see the Clinical Sciences and Optometry there so hopefully I can decide which will be my 5th then. When I went to talk to the manager at the opticians, she told me about how optometry is better than medicine due to shorter work hours etc but then again she is quite biased haha.
My family (excluding me and amma) are going on Holiday so that should give me 2 weeks of quiet and peace to get on with revising. I want to do as much as possible to make sure i'm ready for the exams, I regret not preparing enough last year. And I really need the As this year for most medical schools to consider me. Then after exams I have plenty of open days ahead of me and I need to start some UKCAT revision too. During summer we are off on holiday so my UKCAT will be in July. Also while i'm out in summer, i'm going to try get some work experience. And inbetween all this, I'm gonna start having driving lessons!
So a lot planned ahead, I will try to post up things after my Work experience this week and then probably after exams.
Until then...
The GP Surgery was so booked up, getting 2 mornings was the most I could do so that'll have to do. I got some work at the opticians because it is something I am considering as a 5th option. I will be visiting Bradford in July to see the Clinical Sciences and Optometry there so hopefully I can decide which will be my 5th then. When I went to talk to the manager at the opticians, she told me about how optometry is better than medicine due to shorter work hours etc but then again she is quite biased haha.
My family (excluding me and amma) are going on Holiday so that should give me 2 weeks of quiet and peace to get on with revising. I want to do as much as possible to make sure i'm ready for the exams, I regret not preparing enough last year. And I really need the As this year for most medical schools to consider me. Then after exams I have plenty of open days ahead of me and I need to start some UKCAT revision too. During summer we are off on holiday so my UKCAT will be in July. Also while i'm out in summer, i'm going to try get some work experience. And inbetween all this, I'm gonna start having driving lessons!
So a lot planned ahead, I will try to post up things after my Work experience this week and then probably after exams.
Until then...
Sunday, 3 March 2013
Day 3 Ultrasounds, Admin and Code Blue
Much overdue, i'm sorry!
So day 3 started with me running into the Ultrasound room late. I saw one of the Medical students earlier so I missed my doctor walk past. When I got into Ultrasound I saw many patients, a lot of different people. Some people wanted to know their baby's sex and some didn't, for some it was their first child but for others it was second or third etc. The nurses did a lot of helping so it was useful to see how important they are. Watching the baby's organs was interesting and it made me realise how important technology is in areas like prenatal medicine. After half a day doing this, I was taken to do some admin. I arranged envelopes. It was dull but it has to be done. I met the male medical student who said he'd enjoyed the past 2 days and that he couldn't think of anything he'd done that would put him off medicine-it was good to hear! I later went to the labour ward where I met the other medical student. She had seen 2 C-sections that day and was telling me about them. There was a code blue which meant the mother in theatre was bleeding so a lot of blood was being carried up and down the corridors. I just sat there addressing envelopes, but I learnt a bit about issuing NHS numbers to newborns.
That was the end of my 3 days. I really enjoyed, I didn't expect it to be so good. It's helped me decide that medicine is definitely what I want to do. :)
So day 3 started with me running into the Ultrasound room late. I saw one of the Medical students earlier so I missed my doctor walk past. When I got into Ultrasound I saw many patients, a lot of different people. Some people wanted to know their baby's sex and some didn't, for some it was their first child but for others it was second or third etc. The nurses did a lot of helping so it was useful to see how important they are. Watching the baby's organs was interesting and it made me realise how important technology is in areas like prenatal medicine. After half a day doing this, I was taken to do some admin. I arranged envelopes. It was dull but it has to be done. I met the male medical student who said he'd enjoyed the past 2 days and that he couldn't think of anything he'd done that would put him off medicine-it was good to hear! I later went to the labour ward where I met the other medical student. She had seen 2 C-sections that day and was telling me about them. There was a code blue which meant the mother in theatre was bleeding so a lot of blood was being carried up and down the corridors. I just sat there addressing envelopes, but I learnt a bit about issuing NHS numbers to newborns.
That was the end of my 3 days. I really enjoyed, I didn't expect it to be so good. It's helped me decide that medicine is definitely what I want to do. :)
Thursday, 21 February 2013
Day 2 Gynae and Audit
Late post, sorry guys!
Day 2 started with Gynae clinic. There were a range of cases that had to be dealt with including Infertility, Prolapse and miscarriages. I got to see the doctor carry out some tests on a few of the patients. I was quite surprised with how open the patients were to me observing as gynae is one of the most intimate specialities of medicine. The 2 cases of Prolapse were very different. 1 patient was in her 60s and was having terrible pain so much that she could not get off her sofa and had to be assisted most of the time. The other lady was in her late 30s and her slimmer and younger nature meant her recovery was very quick. The doctor remembered a lot of the patients from previous meetings which made the patients feel a lot more comfortable. He also referred to them as being special to him when discussing to other doctors over the phone which made them feel able to bring up anything and it removed any awkwardness. There were some instances where he would put the patient down for a screening where it was not necessary but he felt it would make them feel more confident when results came negative, he told me it was all about making them feel relaxed and at peace of mind. It was interesting to see how the doctor handled the patients' problems as he is male. As a nurse there told me, "A male gynaecologist is like a mechanic who doesn't own a car". In general I learnt a lot from the clinic and didn't feel anywhere near as uncomfortable as I thought I would be.
After lunch I went to an audit with the other doctors who were involved in the Obs/Gynae part of the hospital. I had no idea what to expect before going, especially as one of the FY1s told me I'd be bored to death but it should help in my Med school applications process. It was basically a meeting where doctors presented cases which happened at the hospital recently and they all discussed the happenings and how they can improve their service. The 2 cases on this day were about a triplet birth and a baby of a teenage smoker. I didn't understand a lot of the technical terms but the general gist was quite exciting. The first case was talking about how the mother and the 3 babies had to moved to 2 hospitals as there were not enough incubators and cots for the 3 babies for the month or so they had to be looked after. It was interesting as everyone was involved in asking questions and answering each others, it was a very productive session.
Day 3 blog will come soon, I promise! x
Day 2 started with Gynae clinic. There were a range of cases that had to be dealt with including Infertility, Prolapse and miscarriages. I got to see the doctor carry out some tests on a few of the patients. I was quite surprised with how open the patients were to me observing as gynae is one of the most intimate specialities of medicine. The 2 cases of Prolapse were very different. 1 patient was in her 60s and was having terrible pain so much that she could not get off her sofa and had to be assisted most of the time. The other lady was in her late 30s and her slimmer and younger nature meant her recovery was very quick. The doctor remembered a lot of the patients from previous meetings which made the patients feel a lot more comfortable. He also referred to them as being special to him when discussing to other doctors over the phone which made them feel able to bring up anything and it removed any awkwardness. There were some instances where he would put the patient down for a screening where it was not necessary but he felt it would make them feel more confident when results came negative, he told me it was all about making them feel relaxed and at peace of mind. It was interesting to see how the doctor handled the patients' problems as he is male. As a nurse there told me, "A male gynaecologist is like a mechanic who doesn't own a car". In general I learnt a lot from the clinic and didn't feel anywhere near as uncomfortable as I thought I would be.
After lunch I went to an audit with the other doctors who were involved in the Obs/Gynae part of the hospital. I had no idea what to expect before going, especially as one of the FY1s told me I'd be bored to death but it should help in my Med school applications process. It was basically a meeting where doctors presented cases which happened at the hospital recently and they all discussed the happenings and how they can improve their service. The 2 cases on this day were about a triplet birth and a baby of a teenage smoker. I didn't understand a lot of the technical terms but the general gist was quite exciting. The first case was talking about how the mother and the 3 babies had to moved to 2 hospitals as there were not enough incubators and cots for the 3 babies for the month or so they had to be looked after. It was interesting as everyone was involved in asking questions and answering each others, it was a very productive session.
Day 3 blog will come soon, I promise! x
Monday, 18 February 2013
Day 1 Antenatal Clinic, Med Students and Lumpectomy lady
I had my first day of work experience today, I learnt so much and really enjoyed it.
My day was meant to be from 9 till 1 so I got all dressed up in my smart clothes and got driven to the hospital at around 8:30 to collect my name badge from reception. My doctor said for me to wait in the reception area for a bit so I sat there until 9:30 and then he came to introduce himself to me. Then we went to the antenatal clinic.
There were many patients throughout the day, all very different. I took notes of each case-the problem, possible solutions and the procedures. I found it interesting that the doctor had to adapt to each patients case e.g. he was sympathetic and offered a lot of advice to a very upset patient and then was jokey and laughing to his happier patients. I thought it was quite intriguing because all though he was honest and observant with each patient, he also accepted they were there for 5 minutes or so and then when they walked out he had to be straight onto the next patient. I also got to see the doctor's sentimental side as he mentioned one of his patient's sad story. With each patient the Dr checked the mother's pressure and scanned to hear the baby's heartbeat. Where the father or relatives were present, he made sure to involve them in the procedure of hearing the baby's heartbeat. He explained to me that some doctors do not do this incase both parents find there is no foetal heartbeat but he said that that occurs very rarely and by making the father part-take in such activities brought out the joy of being a parent. I learnt about how important nurses and midwives are in the Gynaecology ward and the importance of organisation of medical records. There was also a lot of information about sweeps and inductions that were new to me but never the less exciting.
After this clinic, I joined a junior doctor and 3 4th year medical students from BATL on a tour around the department. I had to wait with them for about half an hour which was very useful as they gave me an insight on how the medicine course at BATL works and about applying to study medicine. They are in this hospital for 4 weeks before they have an exam and continue to a different hospital placement. They were encouraging and told me to make sure I make the most of my 3 days as this will form the basis of my personal statement and interviews.
I went back to find the junior doctor afterwards as I had nothing to do so she said I can spend some time talking to a patient who has just had surgery to remove breast cancer. This patient was in her 60s and I got to ask her a lot of questions about the surgery and how the hospital have handled her cancer as well as other questions. She had had a lumpectomy where the cancerous tissue and some surrounding tissues are removed as well as a lymph node. It was a nice chat. At around 2 I left her to get some rest and headed home.
So it was a busy day, no break for a sip of water even, but it's also been amazing. It's really been encouraging and I'm pretty convinced now that a job in this sort of environment is right up my street. Tomorrow and the day after I have longer hours to spend there so I am going to try and see more.
Will post tomorrow! x
My day was meant to be from 9 till 1 so I got all dressed up in my smart clothes and got driven to the hospital at around 8:30 to collect my name badge from reception. My doctor said for me to wait in the reception area for a bit so I sat there until 9:30 and then he came to introduce himself to me. Then we went to the antenatal clinic.
There were many patients throughout the day, all very different. I took notes of each case-the problem, possible solutions and the procedures. I found it interesting that the doctor had to adapt to each patients case e.g. he was sympathetic and offered a lot of advice to a very upset patient and then was jokey and laughing to his happier patients. I thought it was quite intriguing because all though he was honest and observant with each patient, he also accepted they were there for 5 minutes or so and then when they walked out he had to be straight onto the next patient. I also got to see the doctor's sentimental side as he mentioned one of his patient's sad story. With each patient the Dr checked the mother's pressure and scanned to hear the baby's heartbeat. Where the father or relatives were present, he made sure to involve them in the procedure of hearing the baby's heartbeat. He explained to me that some doctors do not do this incase both parents find there is no foetal heartbeat but he said that that occurs very rarely and by making the father part-take in such activities brought out the joy of being a parent. I learnt about how important nurses and midwives are in the Gynaecology ward and the importance of organisation of medical records. There was also a lot of information about sweeps and inductions that were new to me but never the less exciting.
After this clinic, I joined a junior doctor and 3 4th year medical students from BATL on a tour around the department. I had to wait with them for about half an hour which was very useful as they gave me an insight on how the medicine course at BATL works and about applying to study medicine. They are in this hospital for 4 weeks before they have an exam and continue to a different hospital placement. They were encouraging and told me to make sure I make the most of my 3 days as this will form the basis of my personal statement and interviews.
I went back to find the junior doctor afterwards as I had nothing to do so she said I can spend some time talking to a patient who has just had surgery to remove breast cancer. This patient was in her 60s and I got to ask her a lot of questions about the surgery and how the hospital have handled her cancer as well as other questions. She had had a lumpectomy where the cancerous tissue and some surrounding tissues are removed as well as a lymph node. It was a nice chat. At around 2 I left her to get some rest and headed home.
So it was a busy day, no break for a sip of water even, but it's also been amazing. It's really been encouraging and I'm pretty convinced now that a job in this sort of environment is right up my street. Tomorrow and the day after I have longer hours to spend there so I am going to try and see more.
Will post tomorrow! x
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