Sharp Scratch

Starting university or medical school can be a daunting experience for anyone, but when you're the first person in your family to study medicine, it can feel even scarier. In today's episode, we're going to be talking all about what it's like to be a first-generation medical student. We'll start from the very beginning and talk about when we first realised we wanted to study medicine and what it was like to apply. We'll then move on to discussing our time at medical school, and whether we experienced any kind of culture shock when we arrived. We'll finish up by talking about positive changes we'd like to see in medicine, and how our feelings have changed with time. Expert guests: Dr Enam-Ul Haque is a GP Partner in Manchester, as well as a Clinical Senior Lecturer at the University of Manchester. He has a passion for widening participation and equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and is the Founder of the National Medical Schools Widening Participation Forum and Co-Chair of the MSC EDI Alliance. Check us out on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/ This podcast is produced and edited by Dom Byrne and Duncan Jarvies.

When we think of being a ‘good enough' medical student, our thoughts might go straight to exams. Have we passed them all? What about merits, or even distinctions? It's easy to prioritise exam scores above all else as it is one of the only times we get clear, concrete feedback - or a number that tells us how ‘good' we really are. But can exam results capture everything or is something missing here when we talk about being a ‘good enough' medical student or doctor? Can written papers or practical exams like OSCEs ever really sum up whether we'll be ‘good doctors'? And despite so much pressure to excel, do we really need doctors to be the best or do we need them to be good enough? Expert guests: Abi Rimmer is a news reporter and careers editor at The BMJ. She is responsible for the careers content and reports on workforce-related and NHS policy issues. She was also recently treated as a patient for stage III rectal cancer. Check us out on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/ This podcast is produced and edited by Dom Byrne and Duncan Jarvies.

Given the current working conditions in the UK, we're hearing more and more stories of doctors moving abroad to practise medicine. However, this isn't necessarily unusual. Doctors and other healthcare professionals from many different countries do often decide to get a taste for healthcare systems elsewhere either through short, temporary placements, or through a more permanent move! In today's episode we're going to be talking all about why students or junior doctors might be considering working abroad. We'll also talk about the pros and cons of moving to a different country to work, and whether the grass really is greener on the other side. We'll finish off by talking about the logistics of making such a move, and hear some top tips from our expert guest! Expert guests: Dr Matt Morgan is an intensive care consultant, researcher, and author. He currently works in Perth, Western Australia. He is also a columnist for The BMJ and works with BMJ OnExamination. Check us out on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/ This podcast is produced and edited by Dom Byrne and Duncan Jarvies.

From the moment you start medical school, you're asked the same question - ‘what kind of doctor are you going to be?'. Whilst some know from the very beginning that they're going to be a surgeon or a paediatrician or a GP, others have no idea. The reality of choosing a specialty can be really difficult. In this episode, we talk about the common worries that medical students or junior doctors might have when it comes to choosing a specialty. We'll also discuss some steps we can take to make that process a little easier. Expert guests: Heather Samuel is a professionally qualified careers adviser with over 30 years experience, spending the last 15 years specialising in working with doctors from F1 to CCT and beyond. She now works on a freelance basis for the NHS and with schools. Check us out on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/ This podcast is produced and edited by Dom Byrne and Duncan Jarvies.

From the lingering effects of the pandemic to ongoing industrial action, it is a turbulent time to be working in healthcare. As medical students about to start working in this profession, it can feel really overwhelming and daunting to think about our future careers in the NHS. Today we're going to be talking about all the things we're worried about when it comes to the current NHS crisis. Our expert guest, Elisabeth, will pull in evidence from interviews with junior doctors and healthcare leaders to get a broader sense of the current situation. We also reached out to the rest of the panel, and other medical students on social media, to hear more about their concerns too. Expert guests: Elisabeth Mahase is the clinical news reporter for the journalism team at The BMJ. She previously worked at GP magazine Pulse and has a background in Science Communication and Biomedical Science. Check us out on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/ This podcast is produced and edited by Dom Byrne and Duncan Jarvies.

Every consultation we have with a patient reveals something about us - sometimes we do that deliberately, sometimes it's just incidental - but we always bring something of ourselves to the consultation. In a recent episode, we talked all about self disclosure; when it is and isn't appropriate to share things with your patients. In that episode, we focused on health and illness but today, we're going to be talking about things that are outside of the sphere of medicine. For example, the way that we consider our identity and other aspects of our personal life. This might be through outright self-disclosure or it might be more linked to all of the nonverbal and visual cues you get and give in a consultation. Expert guests: Dr Brendan J Dunlop is a principal clinical psychologist and clinical lecturer in clinical psychology. He is also the author of The Queer Mental Health Workbook. He delivers training and teaching which covers elements of self-disclosure. Check us out on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/ This podcast is produced and edited by Dom Byrne and Duncan Jarvies.

Maybe you've been following BMJ Student for a really long time, or maybe you're new to following us. Perhaps you only know about Sharp Scratch, or you've written and worked with us before. However much you know about BMJ Student, we hope today's episode will be a look behind the scenes at what it means to work at The BMJ. Today we've got four current/former Editorial Scholars ready to talk all about our experiences working at The BMJ, as well as how you can get involved via the Clegg Scholarship, the Editorial Scholarship, Sharp Scratch, and writing articles! We'll dive into any worries we had before joining, and unpick our experiences to hopefully allow you to get a better insight into the inner workings of a medical journal! With thanks to Marina Politis and Nicholas Phillips (Clegg Scholars, 2022). Check us out on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/ This podcast is produced and edited by Dom Byrne and Duncan Jarvies.

We've talked before about how one's own experience of illness can affect their practice, but does it also influence how much you share with your patients? In today's episode we're going to be talking all about physician self-disclosure - that is, all the things we, as future doctors, might share with our patients. We'll be asking how appropriate it is to share your own stories with a patient and how you know when the timing is right to do this. This week, we're going to be focusing on stories of illness and health, but we'll come on to talking about other aspects of our identity in a future episode. Expert guests: Dr John Launer is a medical educator and writer. His background is in general practice and family therapy, and he also has a degree in English literature. He now devotes his time to medical education and he specialises in interactional skills. Check us out on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/ This podcast is produced and edited by Dom Byrne and Duncan Jarvies.

Some supervisors say "call me Bob'' but others insist on "Doctor Jones". In this episode we're reflecting on what types of supervisors fall into each camp and why sometimes using professional titles feels like honouring someone's hard work, but other times it feels like a way of putting you in your place. In today's episode, we're thinking all about the title “doctor”. We'll talk about when and how it should be used and discuss our own experiences with this. We'll also discuss why some people get called ‘doctor' far less than others, and how titles can sometimes create strange power dynamics and unhealthy hierarchies in medicine. Expert guests: Dr Anna Baverstock is a paediatric consultant in Somerset. She has a wellbeing role within the trust and is passionate about kindness, civility and inclusion. Miss Evelyn Mensah, otherwise known as Evie, is a consultant ophthalmic surgeon in a large acute trust in north west London. Check us out on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/ This podcast is produced and edited by Dom Byrne and Duncan Jarvies.

From Casualty, Holby City, and Cardiac Arrest to Grey's Anatomy, Scrubs and House, medical TV dramas are part of the fabric of growing up interested in a career in medicine. So today we're discussing all things medical TV dramas and talking about whether these shows prepared us for medical school and life as a doctor! Join us for this episode as we play some of our favourite clips from popular medical TV programmes and talk more about how our experiences as medical students and new doctors compare. We'll be discussing the heartbreak, the friendships, the drama, and the romance, as well as unpicking just how realistic (or unrealistic) these shows really are. Check us out on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/ This podcast is produced and edited by Dom Byrne and Duncan Jarvies.

Medicine is a career unlike almost any other. As medical students and junior doctors, we've had a lot of experience with strange, surreal moments. The first time you ask a super invasive question to someone you've known for all of five minutes, the first time you make an incision in surgery, the first time you do an intimate examination - all of these things can be really strange as they go against our social norms. Getting used to this is important but no one ever teaches us this in medical school. In everyday life, there are lots of rules that we follow that aren't written down anywhere. But when we start placements, we have to unlearn years of following those rules and start doing things that conflict with how we would normally act. Join us in this episode as we talk about how strange medicine can be and how best to cope with moments that can sometimes be uncomfortable or awkward. Check us out on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/ This podcast is produced and edited by Dom Byrne and Duncan Jarvies.

Medicine is occasionally like the reality TV show I'm a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! in that some of the things we have to do are just unpleasant, whereas other parts may be phobia-inducing. But how might having a phobia as a medical student affect the ways you are able to work on placement? In today's episode, we're going to be talking all about phobias. We'll discuss what happens when you have a phobic response to something, the ways that this can impact you whilst studying medicine, and how to tell whether something is just dislike or an actual phobia. Expert guests: Dr Digby Quested is a general adult psychiatrist working in Oxford. He works in the community, and has covered many of the GP practices which serve the student population. He self managed blood phobia whilst at medical school Check us out on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/ This podcast is produced and edited by Dom Byrne and Duncan Jarvies.

Accents and dialects are influenced by so many different things including race, gender, and class. They change frequently depending on where we are, who we are with, and even what we are trying to get out of any given interaction. But why does this happen? Do we gravitate towards a certain accent in order to fit in? In this episode, we'll find out what an accent actually is, we'll discuss how our accents have changed whilst we've been at university, and we'll also examine the judgement that can arise when you speak in a ‘different' accent to what someone else is used to. Expert guests: Lisa Casey is an Assistant Principal in a secondary school in London with a background in English and literacy. She is one of the hosts of Lexis, a podcast about language and linguistics for A Level students, teachers and anyone else who's interested in language. Check us out on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/ This podcast is produced and edited by Dom Byrne and Duncan Jarvies.

Any medical student knows that medical school can be tough. The hours are long, the work is hard, and stress can build quickly. Throughout all of this, we're taught about compassion - how to be a compassionate medical student, and eventually a compassionate doctor. But do our own medical schools show compassion towards us? In this episode, the Sharp Scratch team talks about compassionate organisations and the impact that compassion (or a lack of it) can have on students. We also talk more about the struggle that ensues when you have compassionate individuals but not compassionate systems, and what needs to change within our medical schools. Expert guests: Dr Rob Jarvis is a senior lecturer and lead for the gateway programme at the University of Dundee. He is a GP by background. For the last ten years he has been lead for student support at Dundee Medical School and also for the ScotGEM (graduate entry) programme. Check us out on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/ This podcast is produced and edited by Dom Byrne and Duncan Jarvies.

The relationship between our personal and professional identity has always been an important part of the conversations we have here on Sharp Scratch. What doctors and medical students do in their own personal lives is often brought into debates on professionalism. The Student Sex Work Project (2015) reported that around 5% of students have, at some point, been involved in the sex industry. In this episode, the panel talk to Dr Jessica Simpson about the attitudes towards student sex workers, the GMC's stance on this, and the concept of the personal-professional identity. Expert guests: Dr Jessica Simpson is a lecturer in sociology at the University of Greenwich. Her research area is the sex industry and her doctoral thesis was specifically on the topic of student sex work. She has recently contributed to this book on student sex work: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-07777-7. Check us out on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/ This podcast is produced and edited by Dom Byrne and Duncan Jarvies.

A career in medicine can sometimes mean stepping outside of your comfort zone. No matter what stage of your career you are in, it is likely that you will have to manage uncertainty, and will occasionally feel out of your depth. In this episode, the Sharp Scratch panel talks about the reality of never being able to know everything in medicine, and the benefits of acknowledging your strengths and limitations. We also talk about how to recognise that something is beyond the limit of your capabilities, and the importance of asking for help if you need it. Expert guests: Dr Jennifer Rasanathan is a primary care physician and clinical editor at the BMJ. She is also a podcaster on Deep Breath In, a podcast for GPs. Check us out on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/ Thank you to Louise Griffin, final year med student at the University of Birmingham and Clegg Scholar 2022, who proposed this idea to be a Sharp Scratch episode. This podcast is produced and edited by Dom Byrne and Duncan Jarvies.

Starting university can be a really exciting and really nerve-wracking time. There are so many questions you might have before you start. How do you know what to pack? How do you make friends? How do you study? Is it really going to be the best time of your life?! You might be just about to start university in the next week or two, or simply feel like indulging in the nostalgia of those first few weeks. Either way, join Sharp Scratch panel members new and old as we come together to discuss the sorts of things we were worried about or looking forward to before we started university. Check us out on social media: Twitter: twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/ This podcast is produced and edited by Dom Byrne and Duncan Jarvies.

Medicine is a team sport. We work with multi-disciplinary teams to deliver patient care. However, there may be times when you will work with a colleague who worries you professionally. You may find it difficult to address this unprofessional behaviour, especially as a junior member of the team. In this episode, we'll be talking about when this becomes enough to act and what you can do about it. Expert guests: Prof Charlotte Rees (@charlreessidhu on Twitter) is the Head of School of Health Sciences, College of Health, Medicine & Wellbeing at the University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia. Prof Lynn Monrouxe (@LynnMonrouxe on Twitter) is a Professor and Academic Lead of Health Professions Education Research at The University of Sydney. They are the co-authors of the book, Healthcare Professionalism: Improving Practice through Reflections on Workplace Dilemmas. Check us out on social media: Twitter: twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/ Thank you to Louise Griffin, final year med student at the University of Birmingham and Clegg Scholar 2022, who proposed this idea to be a Sharp Scratch episode. This podcast is produced and edited by Dom Byrne and Duncan Jarvies.

Medicine is a team sport. We work with multi-disciplinary teams to deliver patient care. However, there may be times when you will work with a colleague who worries you professionally. You may find it difficult to address this unprofessional behaviour, especially as a junior member of the team. In this episode, we'll be talking about when this becomes enough to act and what you can do about it. Expert guests: Prof Charlotte Rees (@charlreessidhu on Twitter) is the Head of School of Health Sciences, College of Health, Medicine & Wellbeing at the University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia. Prof Lynn Monrouxe (@LynnMonrouxe on Twitter) is a Professor and Academic Lead of Health Professions Education Research at The University of Sydney. They are the co-authors of the book, Healthcare Professionalism: Improving Practice through Reflections on Workplace Dilemmas. Check us out on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/ Thank you to Louise Griffin, final year med student at the University of Birmingham and Clegg Scholar 2022, who proposed this idea to be a Sharp Scratch episode. This podcast is produced and edited by Dom Byrne and Duncan Jarvies.

Have you ever felt like you had to dial up an aspect of your personality in order to fit in on placement? When going on placement, there may be times when you feel like ‘the odd one out'. But do you have to fit in? Are there benefits in being different? Does medical training shape us into doctors with identical tone and manner and does this bode well with patients? In this episode, the Sharp Scratch team recounts experiences of displaying different sides of their personality at work, the positives of working with people of different personalities, and the importance of being your true authentic self. Expert guest: Miss Clara Munro (@ClaraEMunro on Twitter)is a General Surgical Trainee in the North East of England and was the Editorial Registrar at the BMJ. Check us out on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/ This podcast is produced and edited by Dom Byrne and Duncan Jarvies.

This is a special segment from the Sharp Scratch episode - what med school didn't teach you about money. Have you received your first payslip and not sure whether you have been paid correctly? Listen to this short clip where the doctors behind Medics Money will guide you through the key things to check on your payslip and decipher tax codes in under 10 minutes. If you would like to hear more about how to claim tax rebate, information about income protection and relocation costs, head over to episode 78, titled 'what med school didn't teach you about money' to find more. Expert guests: Dr Tommy Perkins and Dr Ed Cantello are GPs and co-founders of Medics Money. Useful links that Dr Perkins and Dr Cantelo recommend: •Free Ebook www.medicsmoney.co.uk/ebook/ •10 top tips for junior doctors podcast www.medicsmoney.co.uk/ep-5-10-financ…unior-doctors/ •Tax code guide - www.medicsmoney.co.uk/is-your-doctor…-code-correct/ •Tax rebate guide - www.medicsmoney.co.uk/free-guide/ Check us out on social media: Twitter: twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/ This episode does not represent any form of financial, legal or accounting advice and tax allowances and rates are subject to change.

At med school, we are trained to interpret blood tests but not much (if at all) on how to interpret your payslip. Financial literacy doesn't feature much in our medical curriculum but it's an important life skill to have: from interpreting your payslip to claiming tax rebate on your postgrad exams fees. In this episode, the doctors behind Medics Money share their experiences regarding costs that newly qualified doctors will have to consider after med school, some money saving tips for junior docs and things to look out for when you're interpreting a payslip. Topics covered: •Things to look out for on your payslip •What should you do when you notice you haven't been paid correctly •Sick pay •Claiming tax rebate on costs of training •Relocation costs Expert guests: Dr Tommy Perkins and Dr Ed Cantello are GPs and co-founders of Medics Money. Useful links that Dr Perkins and Dr Cantelo recommend: •Free Ebook https://www.medicsmoney.co.uk/ebook/ •10 top tips for junior doctors podcast https://www.medicsmoney.co.uk/ep-5-10-financial-tips-for-junior-doctors/ •Tax code guide - https://www.medicsmoney.co.uk/is-your-doctors-tax-code-correct/ •Tax rebate guide - https://www.medicsmoney.co.uk/free-guide/ Check us out on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/ This podcast is produced and edited by Dom Byrne and Duncan Jarvies. This episode does not represent any form of financial, legal or accounting advice and tax allowances and rates are subject to change.

At medical school, we learn about the importance of healthy health behaviours and promote them to patients at consultations. But do you always do what you preach? In this episode, we chatted about the importance of self-care, admitting to the inability to be infallible, and whether your health habits would affect the way you counsel your patients. Expert guest: Professor Erica Frank (erica.frank@ubc.ca) is a Professor at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia; she is also the Founder of NextGenU.org. Articles mentioned in the episode: • Alcohol consumption and alcohol counselling behaviour among US medical students: cohort study - https://www.bmj.com/content/337/bmj.a2155 • Experiences of belittlement and harassment and their correlates among medical students in the United States: longitudinal survey - https://www.bmj.com/content/333/7570/682 Check us out on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/ This podcast is produced and edited by Dom Byrne and Duncan Jarvies.

“Do no harm” is a mantra that is drummed into medical students from day 1 of medical school. Most of us have gone into medicine as we believe medicine to be a force of good. However, too much medicine is capable of causing harm to patients and generating unnecessary waste. In this episode, we spoke about overdiagnosis, communicating risks and benefits with patients, and why you shouldn't take that free lunch sponsored by drug companies. Recommended reading: •Preventing overdiagnosis: how to stop harming the healthy. Link: https://www.bmj.com/content/344/bmj.e3502 •Who pays for the pizza? Redefining the relationships between doctors and drug companies. 1: Entanglement. Link: https://www.bmj.com/content/326/7400/1189 Expert guest: Dr Martin Brunet (@docmartin68 on Twitter) is a GP and a GP trainer at Guildford. He is also the author of The GP Consultation Reimagined: A Tale of Two Houses. Check us out on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/ This podcast is produced and edited by Dom Byrne and Duncan Jarvies.

Along with the general public, medical students are feeling the cost-of-living crunch. How are medical students faring with the increasing cost of living? In this episode, medical students from outside of the studio send in their perspectives on how they are making ends meet, balancing medical school and part-time work and navigating the student funding system. Thank you to Michaela Vernon, Elle Gordon, Alex Twist, Trisha Suji, Ruth Carter and Eilidh Garrett who contributed to this episode. Check us out on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/ This podcast is produced and edited by Dom Byrne and Duncan Jarvies.

If you see something that doesn't look right when going on placement, do you feel comfortable raising a concern? In this episode, we discuss the topic of raising concerns and the considerations that med students and junior doctors may have when it comes to speaking up. Expert guest: Dr Natasha Malik (@1natasha_malik on Twitter) is a portfolio GP who works with Health Education England, UCL medical school and Imperial medical school. Top tip: “In moments of uncertainty, the first thing to do is to find those pillars of support and talk to people about it, because that increases confidence. It also allows you to find out information about where to go next.” Check us out on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/ This podcast is produced and edited by Dom Byrne and Duncan Jarvies.

As medical students progress through medical school, some students are becoming dissatisfied by the lack of attention to socially relevant healthcare issues in the conventional curriculum, and begin to understand that some of the frustrations we encounter at work arise from political decisions. These issues have prompted medical students to voice their concerns and advocate for change. In this episode, we will be talking about activism, how to get involved and what you can do to push for change. Topics: • What makes an activist? • There is a role for everyone in activism • Things to bear in mind when considering civil disobedience Expert guest: Dr Rita Issa (@DrRitaIssa on Twitter) is a GP, public health academic, and activist. The groups that she's helped (co)founded or worked with include Doctors for Extinction Rebellion, Docs Not Cops and Medact. Shout out to the following student-activists: Mikaela Loach (@mikaelaloach on Twitter) Rhiannon Osborne (@rhiannon_osborn on Twitter) Amit Singh (@amit_ankhi on Twitter) Marina Politis (@marinadpol on Twitter) Interested in getting involved? Here are some organisations that you can check out: Health for Green New Deal - https://www.medact.org/project/health-for-a-green-new-deal/ Student for Global Health - https://studentsforglobalhealth.org/ Doctors for Extinction Rebellion - https://www.doctorsforxr.com/ Docs not Cops http://www.docsnotcops.co.uk/ Check us out on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/ This podcast is produced and edited by Dom Byrne and Duncan Jarvies.

As healthcare professionals, we meet people from all walks of life and collect stories along the way — stories of illness and convalescence. When we hear interesting stories, there can be an urge to share them. When something bad happens, you may want to talk and offload it onto your friends and family. As we know, patient confidentiality is a core value in medicine. So what is permissible to share? Is there a way to share these stories while respecting the ethical boundaries? In this episode, the Sharp Scratch team explores the ethical considerations involved in talking and writing about patients, and discusses the popular literature genre of medical memoirs. Expert guest: Dr Matt Phillips is a sexual health consultant and a honorary clinical professor in genitourinary medicine and ethics at the University of Central Lancashire. Recommended reading: The ethics of medical memoirs. Link: https://www.bmj.com/content/367/bmj.l6270 Check us out on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/ This podcast is produced and edited by Dom Byrne and Duncan Jarvies.

Medical students are taught about and examined a lot on clinical guidelines. What is best for patients overall, as recommended in guidelines, may not be appropriate for individuals. Blanket recommendations, rather than a menu of options or recommendations for shared decision making, ignore patients' preferences. So what do guidelines mean in practice? When do we deviate from them when your clinical acumen is telling you that guidelines may not be the best fit? Expert guest: Dr Liam Loftus is a GP trainee and a National Medical Director's Clinical Fellow who has worked with the Personalised Care Institute. Recommended reading: How can tomorrow's doctors be more caring? A phenomenological investigation. Link: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/medu.13684 Potential benefits, limitations, and harms of clinical guidelines. Link: www.bmj.com/content/318/7182/527 Check us out on social media: Twitter: twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/ This podcast is produced and edited by Dom Byrne and Duncan Jarvies.

There is often a debate about whether medicine is an art or a science. Our medical curriculum tends to favour the science bit, with pathophysiology of diseases and treatment algorithms dominating our learning agenda. Social determinants of health also have equal importance in influencing one's health, but are we taught enough to address this? Timestamps: 0:00 - 3:15 Intro 3:16 - 7:19 How much do you get taught about social determinants of health at medical school 7:20 - 12:00 Do we apply what we learn in medical training about social determinants on health in actual clinical practice? 12:01 - 14:29 There is no easy one-size-fits-all managing social determinants of health 14:30 - 18:53 How do you adapt management plans according to the patient's circumstances? 18:54 - 21:15 A medical student who has experienced homelessness before shares her insight 21:16 - 24:26 Importance of diversifying the demographic of medical students 24:27 - 28:10 The importance of empathy, compassion and being non-judgemental 29:20 - 34:20 Doctors make up the system that patients have to go through, and we can make the experience pleasant for patients 34:21 - 35:18 Vote for Lily as the next prime minister! 35:19 - 36:44 What medical students can do to address social determinants of health outside of medical capacity 36:45- 39:47 What you can do to learn more about social determinants of health in and outside of medical school 39:48 - 43:38 Final remarks Expert guest: Dr Andrew Moscrop (@andrewmoscrop on Twitter) is a GP working in a health centre for people who are homeless in Oxford and a researcher in social determinants of health. Thank you to Maz Sadler who contributed to this episode. Recommended reading: If social determinants of health are so important, shouldn't we ask patients about them? https://www.bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m4150 *We're looking for new panel members!* Are you a: ✅ Medical student ✅ Listener of Sharp Scratch ✅ Keen on representing the voice of medical students? In the past, the panel only consisted of medical students studying in the UK. However, remote recording meant that we can extend this opportunity to medical students in other countries. If you're interested, please apply via the link below. We look forward to hearing from you! Apply here: https://forms.gle/QocryfkG137cWTb88 Check us out on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/ This podcast is produced and edited by Dom Byrne and Duncan Jarvies.

Empathy is one of the essential qualities of a good doctor. One way this is assessed at medical school is the use of objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) stations. The use of OSCEs in medical schools is controversial - it can be used to stimulate clinical examination and test students' ability to express empathy while some perceive OSCEs as an artificial and narrow understanding of clinical medicine. Topics: • How do medical students' experiences of empathy change during their medical education? • What factors do medical students describe as influencing their empathy during medical school? • Should and can empathy be assessed? • Importance of empathy in the patient-doctor relationship Expert guest: Dr David Jeffrey is a retired palliative doctor and former academic mentor at Dundee medical school involved in student support. He also did a PhD exploring empathy in medical students. Recommended reading: • I never asked to be ICE'd - https://www.bmj.com/content/354/bmj.i3729 • Communication skills and the problem with fake patients - https://www.bmj.com/content/357/sbmj.j974?sso= *We're looking for new panel members!* Are you a: ✅ Medical student ✅ Listener of Sharp Scratch ✅ Keen on representing the voice of medical students? In the past, the panel only consisted of medical students studying in the UK. However, remote recording meant that we can extend this opportunity to medical students in other countries. If you're interested, please apply via the link below. We look forward to hearing from you! Apply here: https://forms.gle/QocryfkG137cWTb88 Check us out on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/ This podcast is produced and edited by Dom Byrne and Duncan Jarvies.

When going on placement, you are probably more interested in gaining experience in the clinical environment and less interested in how frequently doctors can take breaks. Doctors' working conditions may seem irrelevant as a medical student but they are closely associated with work satisfaction and wellbeing. In this episode, the Sharp Scratch panel discussed doctors' working conditions and how it impacts our day-to-day work. Expert guest: Dr Kevin Teoh (@kevinteohrh on Twitter) is a Chartered Psychologist and the Executive Officer for the European Academy of Occupational Health Psychology. Thank you to Dr Saliha Mahmood Ahmed (@salihacooks on Twitter) and Neely Mozawala (@NeelyMozawala on Twitter) who contributed to this episode. *We're looking for new panel members!* Are you a: ✅ Medical student ✅ Listener of Sharp Scratch ✅ Keen on representing the voice of medical students? In the past, the panel only consisted of medical students studying in the UK. However, remote recording means that we can extend this opportunity to medical students in other countries. If you're interested, please apply via the link below. We look forward to hearing from you! Apply here: https://forms.gle/QocryfkG137cWTb88 Check us out on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/ This podcast is produced and edited by Dom Byrne and Duncan Jarvies.

Publications, presentations, citations - these are trophies that you can flash proudly on your CV. However, what medical students may underestimate, is the long hours required reading papers, processing data and revising manuscripts. While academic medicine can be rewarding and intellectually stimulating, it is not the only way to become a successful clinician, and it definitely isn't the be-all and end-all. Topics: •What do editors look for in manuscripts? •The importance of having a mentor in academia •Navigating author guidelines •Pre-print platforms •How does one get into publishing? •How do I get better at writing? •What do researchers look for when medical students reach out to them? •Predatory journals Expert guest: Dr Joseph Ross (@jsross119 on Twitter) is a Professor of Medicine (General Medicine) and of Public Health (Health Policy and Management) at the Yale School of Medicine. He is also the co-founder of the preprint service for medicine and health sciences - medRxiv. Check out Edward Christopher's piece on predatory journals: https://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2019/10/08/edward-christopher-how-can-medical-students-avoid-predatory-journals/ Check us out on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/ This podcast is produced and edited by Dom Byrne and Duncan Jarvies.

As healthcare professionals, we work with people from a myriad of culture and countries. At times, some patients may need a little bit of help with English. We may also elicit language skills from our diverse workforce. But is it the right thing to do? Timestamps: 0:00 - 1:17 - introduction 1:18 - 4:50 anecdotes of encountering patients who may need a bit of help with English 4:51 - 7:15 a bilingual medical student shares her experience of interpreting for patients 7:16 - 10:18 - language barrier may compound medical jargon 10:19 - 13:07 why getting help from interpreters is important 13:08 - 18:40 should you be asking your colleagues with language skills to help interpret? 19:50 - 23:07 a medical interpreter gives some insight about her role 23:08 - 31:33 reflecting on misunderstanding that arose from misinterpreting verbal and non-verbal communication 33:27 - 39:17 should you be using Google Translate? 39:18 - 47:00 how about using friends and family of the patient to help with interpreting? According to the Census in 2011, the top three languages other than English spoken in England and Wales are Polish (546,000 people), Punjabi (273,000 people) and Urdu (269,000 people). Link: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/culturalidentity/language/articles/languageinenglandandwales/2013-03-04 Expert guest: Professor Jieun Kiaer is a Professor of Korean Language and Linguistics at the University of Oxford. Thank you to Wiktoria Ozarek and Candy Lee who contributed to this podcast. Check us out on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/ This podcast is produced and edited by Dom Byrne and Duncan Jarvies.

‘Tis the season of giving and receiving gifts. In medicine, as demonstrated by the early phase of the pandemic, patients and the public may express gratitude towards healthcare staff by giving tokens of appreciation in the form of gifts. In this episode, we discuss: - the ethics and etiquette of receiving gifts from patients - how thank you cards can be a good addition to your portfolio, and - how you can also show appreciation and gratitude to your colleagues by writing feedback. Thank you for your support this year. If you have any ideas of what we should cover later in the season, please let us know by contacting us via social media. Merry Christmas and happy holidays from the Sharp Scratch team! NHS England provides guidance on managing conflicts of interest in the NHS which can be accessed here: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/guidance-managing-conflicts-of-interest-nhs.pdf Expert guest: Dr Gordon Caldwell (@doctorcaldwell on Twitter) is a Consultant Physician and Clinical Lead at Lorn and Islands District General Hospital, part of NHS Highlands. Thank you to Andrew MacFarlane (@andrew_mac94 on Twitter) and Dr Hans van Huellen (@_hvh_ on Twitter) who contributed to this podcast. Check us out on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/ This podcast is produced and edited by Dom Byrne and Duncan Jarvies.

FBC, BIBA, NBM - how many of these do you recognise? The healthcare system speaks an entirely different language. As healthcare professionals, our vocabulary is full of jargon and acronyms, and it's something that we pick up in training. Communication is key in medicine. So why are we using language that our patients and colleagues may not understand? A sub-specialty of medical jargon is management language. Check out this BMJ Christmas paper on management language: https://www.bmj.com/content/359/bmj.j5661 Expert guest: Dr Ashley Reece (@drashleyreece on Twitter) is a consultant paediatrician and a medical educator. Thank you to Dr Simon Hodes (@DrSimonHodes on Twitter) who contributed to this podcast. Check us out on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/ This podcast is produced and edited by Dom Byrne and Duncan Jarvies.

The climate crisis is a health crisis. In this episode, we explored how climate change will affect how we practise medicine, the importance of sustainable healthcare practice and what you can start doing on a personal, professional and political level towards a greener future. Climate change is a complex and multi-faceted problem. It's fair to point out that not everything is covered in this podcast. We would encourage you to do further research and empower yourself and others in working towards a greener future. Expert guest: Dr Anna Moore is a registrar in respiratory medicine, the Health Education England Population Health Fellow for NHS Lewisham and Greenwich Trust and the vice chair of Green at Barts Health. Thank you to Rhiannon Osborne who contributed to this podcast. Check out Anna's editorial in the BMJ on integrating planetary health into the medical curriculum: https://www.bmj.com/content/375/bmj.n2385 Check us out on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/ This podcast is produced and edited by Dom Byrne and Duncan Jarvies.

Do you hold any superstitions? We are trained as evidence-based healthcare practitioners, yet there are some superstitions that still persist in medicine. Superstition is an example of confirmation bias, where sometimes we would search for evidence to confirm one's beliefs. Confirmation bias is recognised as an important source of medical error and we discussed what we can do to mitigate this effect. The BMJ Christmas paper that Laura mentioned about the Q word: https://www.bmj.com/content/367/bmj.l6446 Our expert guest: Dr Neil Dagnall is a researcher in applied cognitive psychology and carries out research projects on belief in the paranormal, mental toughness and anomalous thought processes. Check us out on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/

The government launched a Women's Health Strategy to improve health and wellbeing of women in March 2021 as the UK was found to have the largest female health gap in the G20 countries and the 12th largest globally. In this episode, we discuss whether our medical curriculum is doing enough to equip future healthcare professionals in providing adequate healthcare to women. Link to the government strategy Pat mentioned in the pod: https://lordslibrary.parliament.uk/womens-health-outcomes-is-there-a-gender-gap/ Our expert guest: Dr Elinor Cleghorn has a background in feminist culture and history, and the author of Unwell Women, a book that examines the history of medical misdiagnosis of women's illnesses. Check us out on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/

Join our Editorial Scholars, past and present, as we reflect on the hidden curriculum, and discuss its role in cultivating professionalism. While you are here, do check us out on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/

What do med students have in common with Luke Skywalker and Harry Potter? Luke Skywalker had Obi Wan to guide him through Jedi training. Harry Potter had Prof Dumbledore who gave him advice in surviving at Hogwarts and beyond. Whether officially or unofficially, we have all had mentors who guided us through the non-straightforward journey known as medical school. They could come in the form of medic parents or a mentor whom you were matched to through a formal scheme - or anyone who helped you during your medical school journey. In this episode, we address the questions: Why would you want a mentor What are the different types of mentor How to find a mentor How to make the most of a mentoring relationship Our expert guest: Dr Georgia Winnett is a consultant renal physician at Basildon Hospital, senior lecturer at Anglia Ruskin School of Medicine and an associate postgraduate dean for Health Education East of England. While you are here, do check us out on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BMJStudent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BMJStudent/

This week the panel discusses their tips for clinical years. From the logistics of commuting and hospital accommodation to speaking to your first patient - tune in to hear the panel's reflections and advice