Neuroscience

Having been so busy working full time, keeping fit, visiting friends at uni and looking after my horse, I haven't had a chance to update my blog! I decided back in the summer that actually medicine wasn't for me, a difficult decision considering how much time and energy I put into my application last year. I am certain that it is the right one however, as the more I research into neuroscience, the more it intrigues and interests me. When I have a spare moment I will write a post outlining some of the things that have inspired me to choose neuroscience as the subject that I am incredibly excited to begin studying!

On another note, my flights for next year's travelling have been booked - bring on South America, Australia and India... I am really looking forward to experiencing these new cultures, it's going to be such an adventure.

Next year's plans, care agencies and results day...

First of all I want to apologise for not having written anything in a while, during the run up to exams I was trying to focus all my energies on revision, and since exams have finished I have been incredibly busy. Having spent time at Glastonbury festival, in France and working at Highclere Castle, I'm now looking forward to a bit of a break...perhaps only a short lived one considering how quickly results day seems to be approaching. Because I am now "free" I've been able to spend more time with extended family and friends, which is really lovely, but unfortunately it has also meant that I have had to explain repeatedly that I was unsuccessful in my application for medicine last year. However I am feeling very positive about this and the opportunities that it has opened up for me: if I get the grades that I want, I plan to reapply in October and use my experience from last year to make sure I choose the appropriate universities and perform more confidently in interviews. During this time, I am looking forward to doing plenty of work experience, such as continuing after school sessions at Mencap, returning to the local care home for the elderly, sitting in on consultations at a GP surgery and shadowing a doctor at a nearby hospital. I want to further my understanding of the structure of the health service, and how it works with other services to support the community. Towards the end of the academic year, around March, I'm hoping to go travelling with a friend from school. We are planning to visit plenty of exciting places around the world for 6 weeks, then visit relatives in Australia for another 6 weeks. In order to fund this, I am going to try and get a different job, as the tea rooms where I currently work are only open during the holidays. It will be interesting to get a different perspective by working in a new environment.
Recently, I've been able to witness how complicated care of the elderly can be. My grandma is currently living in a housing complex associated with a nursing home, but is finding it difficult to do things independently. Together with my mum and aunts, it has been decided that a live in carer would be an appropriate step, as she doesn't want to leave her home yet. However, this is much easier said than done. Difficulties have come from choosing an agency, and then working with the agency to find a suitable carer. Last week I was at my grandma's house when the second of her carers was first introduced. She had been brought straight from the train station, and so had to be briefed once she arrived at the house, rather than at the agency's office. This was frustrating for my grandma, as she struggles to hear unless spoken to slowly, so she was unable to keep up with a conversation that was based on her and her needs. I feel that this was very unfair, and believe she would have felt more comfortable if the briefing involved her, by speaking more slowly and directing any questions at my grandma, rather than talking about her in the third person as though she wasn't there. I think it's important to remember that a care agency is not just a business, but that its primary focus should be providing the best care possible at all times.
As results day is little over a week away, I'm sure I will be blogging again very shortly with some news on my plans for the next year or so! I have decided to consider this an exciting time as I have so many opportunities and possibilities open to me, rather than thinking about how much pressure is lying on those four little letters.

Brain Doctors

Over the last two Wednesdays, I've been watching a series called Brain Doctors, which covers some of the cases that neurosurgeons treat and care for. I've been really interested in it, as it gave an insight into the tough working life of a doctor. However, I am not put off, in fact it has even motivated me further to achieve and succeed. I was particularly fascinated by the way the doctors and long term patients build up a relationship. Although it is obviously not a desirable situation, I felt that this would make the patients more comfortable in hospital, as they are able to recognise a face or two in a constantly changing atmosphere. The main surgeon followed by the program seemed like a really nice person, I thought he had exactly the right attitude for the job, serious and thoughtful at the necessary times, such as helping parents decide how to treat their children, but jovial and friendly when suitable, for example he played music on speakers while performing operations. This is important, because I believe that if you get too caught up in being sad and sombre all the time, you can lose focus and forget why you are doing anything.
I think I have learnt more about life as a surgeon after watching these programs, such as the fact that it takes 6 years after medical school to become a fully qualified neurosurgeon. I will definitely be watching the rest of the series!

Catch up

Sorry, I haven't blogged in a long time as I have been very busy with school work as well as other activities. I took two exams this January, a Biology and a Maths module which I felt went quite well - I will find out my results in March, not long to wait now. I have also been working hard with my role as Equestrian Team Coordinator at school. Last week I had a meeting with a member of staff who has been an important part of the team since I started. We further discussed running a house show jumping competition, to provide a low key event for less confident students to practice their show jumping. We are also hoping to get the inter-school competitions back up and running, something that has died down over the past few years. When I was a year 8 our school won overall, so I hope to rekindle the same sort of success. Even if it happens a few years after I've left, I'd like to leave a positive mark on something that has been a large part of my school life. Finally, we plan to work with a local riding school to get a fantastic deal on a course of riding lessons, which will widen the opportunities available to all students.

Outside of school, I am planning to go to an exhibition at the Museum of London, called 'Doctors, dissection and resurrection men'. It focuses on the illegal acquiring of bodies, which enable doctors to both learn and teach anatomy. This should help me reflect on the enormous change that has occurred in the medical world, allowing doctors to become ever more knowledgeable. I feel incredibly lucky to be entering such an exciting time. When I go to London, I also hope to meet up with some friends that I made at Medlink (a course at Nottingham Uni in December 2011), which I am looking forward to. Having made some very good friends after a three day course at a university, I am excited to see what a few years will bring.

I have been keeping up my weekly after school sessions volunteering at Mencap - I still feel incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to do this. I can feel my communication skills improving, being able to work with the children is such an enlightening experience.

I have noticed that there are some recorded open lectures on the University of Sussex website, I will be taking time to listen to these, as they relate to Cognitive Science and Psychology, fields that I am very interested in. I find the brain one of the most fascination parts of the body, and am looking forward to learning about it in greater depth.

EPQ

I have decided to not continue with my Extended Project, as I feel that I don't have enough time too continue all four subjects to A2 level and still achieve a good standard with my project. I still find the topic of stem cells an incredible subject, and will carry on reading up on it when I have time!

Work Experience - local GP surgery

Today, I spent a few hours with a general practitioner at a surgery nearby. I really enjoyed it, particularly because it was much more varied than I had expected. As well as sitting in on consultations with the "bread and butter" patients, with ongoing colds etc., I went on a visit to see an elderly patient in a care home, and went into a treatment room to watch a vaginal pessary being fitted by the nurse. I found that I learnt a bit more about communicating with a patient: the doctor that I was shadowing helped the patients to understand what was going on with anecdotes, metaphors and Google images. I thought this was very useful, as it allowed the patients to get a better idea of why they were feeling a particular way, and why certain treatments were being suggested. Another thing that caught my interest during the afternoon was when a 50 year old woman came in. She had recently had cataract surgery, and described the process - I found it amazing that the surgeon can completely replace the lens within the eye while the patient is only under local anaesthetic.
I am looking forward to going back to the surgery on Wednesday afternoon, hopefully I will get to see even more interesting things!

The Emporer of all Maladies

A book that one of my teachers had recommended came in the post today, and I've just started it. It's called 'The Emporer of all Maladies', and is about the history of cancer. Written by an American oncologist, it discusses the evolving treatments over time, and begins to question how close we are to "solving one of science's great mysteries". I'm really looking forward to reading it - I am finding it a little easier than other scientific books, as it is written more like a story.