#DIVERCSI TY RCSI Student run Newspaper and Publications
| SprinG | |Publication Year 2020, Vol. 4, Issue No. 2|
e r u t l u On C y t i n u m m o C &
ideas for your next movie night introducing S.E.C.S.E. - RCSI’s student-led initiative on Sex education, consent, safety & empowerment
pg 37
pg 28-29
Information and support from RCSI during COVID-19
pg 4-8
DIRECTOR AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
FEATURE ARTICLES « DEENA S
// Meet the team.
ALIYA ESMAIL »
CLUBS AND SOCIETIES
EDUCATION « NYI TUN SAN
LORI ISRAELIAN »
CULTURE AND LEISURE
NEWS AND RCSI EVENTS
DAVID JOYCE »
« SARAH CULLEN
MANAGING EDITOR
NEWS AND RCSI EVENTS
NIKKI CLIFFE »
« DERMOT FARRELL
COVER ART DESIGNER
SOCIAL MEDIA OFFICER
MEGAN MURNANE »
« KATHY LIU
STAFF ASSOCIATES CORRIENA BRIEN & JACKIE KNOWLES - CONTENT REVIEW, STAFF CO-ORDINATORS PROF CLIVE LEE - WRITER: ANATOMY
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Editors’ Notes
Editors’ Notes.
// At a glance...
Dear RCSI family, I hope you are all keeping safe and healthy! Sending warmth to all of you. This issue of DiveRCSIty was meant to be released mid-March – so much has changed since then. Releasing this issue now has taken on a new meaning for our team, as we hope it does for you. We hope it reminds you, even helps you to envision, the spaces we shared and will share again, when we come back together in pursuit of our common goal – to finally understand the femoral triangle.
Can you picture yourself pacing the floors of 26 York in search of a free study spot or rushing to a society event in search of free pizza? That constant scramble, whether to find food or to get to clinic on time, often reminded me of the scene in Finding Nemo, when Nemo’s dad (Marlin) ends up on the back of a surfer dude sea turtle (Crush) in the East Australian Current. We, the students, may as well be Marlin and Crush is RCSI, propelling us through the Med/Pharm/Physio School Current (MSC). In this current of ours, it feels easy to focus on the destination and forget the diverse interests we carry with us. We are all part of different communities and bring our backgrounds, identities and experiences to our education. With this issue – On Culture and Community – we feature contributions that connect who we are and strive to be as people, and our collective journey as health care students (riding the MSC, now run virtually by Zoom). Our histories and individuality colour our learning everyday – at 26 York and beyond. We hope DiveRCSIty brings you back to the daily excitement at RCSI: up on the 3rd floor, you might imagine a group of sweating and scrubbed-up students, feeling satisfied for just having saved a mannequin’s life (p.24). Across the street, you can see a group of students dissecting the eye and learning how to isolate movements (p.32). And under the same roof, kids and students alike are discovering how to heal their teddy bears (p.18-19). Beyond these buildings, some students find themselves exploring nature, whether by trekking around the back country or adventuring by car (p.21). They will paint that escape for you! And others find themselves staring at a blank page, contemplating their next painting (p.25,27,35). Meanwhile, the rest of us are probably contemplating our next meal (p.31), now more than ever. So, with that, Dear Readers, I welcome you to our Spring issue of DiveRCSIty. A special shout-out to everyone on the team for their hard work in assembling this issue and to all contributors – seasoned and new – without whom this paper would not exist! And thank you to the RCSI administration who have kindly provided articles and resources on COVID-19 and student welling to include in this issue!
Dear Reader,
A couple of summers back, DiveRCSIty was a two person operation scrambling to throw something together before the start of term. I’m pleased to report, as I pass on the torch, that the paper has since become a well-oiled machine with a team of fine folk at the controls. It’s been a pleasure serving as this publication’s editor-in-chief, watching it grow (quite literally in size) and marvelling at the increasing support it’s received from the student body with each issue. I encourage fans of DiveRCSIty to keep on submitting and getting involved however you can – this is your paper, it’s whatever you want it to be as long as you want it to be. You may still find me between these pages in issues to come, but in case I don’t see ya, good afternoon, good evening and goodnight!
QASIM ALI BARI
Qasim Ali Bari
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D
ear Students,
As I write this we are all about a month “off-site” from Stephens Green – and missing all the daily sightings of each other, the education activities, the social engagements, the smell of coffee - and generally the buzz there is about the RCSI buildings. We all miss each other. I am aware that finishing up and making decisions about travel, accommodation, friends and families – has all been added to the challenge to stay connected with your studies. Our academic and professional staff have been working hard, and with great help from the Students Union and class representatives, to make this transition as good as possible – and to enable everyone to finish the year – and in some cases to graduate as a 2020 graduate, as is your and your family’s ambition. Never have the graduating classes in Medicine, Pharmacy and Physiotherapy been so early awaited - as you will soon join the ranks of your respective professions. We are very mindful of our colleagues - your clinical teachers - across the RCSI Hospitals Group (Beaumont Hospital, Cavan General Hospital, Connolly Hospital, Louth Country Hospital, Monaghan Hospital, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda and the Rotunda Hospital) and in Mullingar, Kilkenny, Waterford, Wexford, Cork and Enniskillen and in general practices and pharmacies across Ireland - who are coming under increased pressure at this time. For instance, recent figures showed that Beaumont Hospital had the largest number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland, with over 130 patients in the hospital. In parallel our International Health and Public Health colleagues have been to the fore in advising government on clinical and research approaches. Many students have volunteered – and we thank you for that. Our RCSI community is humbled and extremely proud of the sacrifices and the enormous contribution that all associated with us in Ireland and around the world are making to keep patients alive and recovering during these unprecedented times. You too can play your part. In a post-COVID world, there will be an ever increased need for highly trained health professionals - for instance for complex patient rehabilitation, new regimes of medications and vaccinations, improved public health and health surveillance systems. So you, our healthcare workforce in training - are a hugely important part of the fight to recover from COVID and to be prepared for similar challenges in the future. For now, with that future need in mind, do stay engaged and up to date with your studies. If you know of any fellow student who is having real difficulties do reach out to them or to us – so that we can all support each other. I can appreciate its tough - and different – as it is for so many people – and that you miss regular contact with friends. We as a faculty miss you too. Its important to keep as many regular activities going as possible in these strange times – so I congratulate the Divercsity editorial team for working on this unique issue – being developed completely off-site. Maybe you might take the opportunity to email and thank them. Or offer suggestions about the most inventive ways you have of staying safe, sane and focused – it could make for fun reading in a future edition of Divercsity! Best wishes to you and your families - I hope you all stay safe and well in the coming months and we look forward to meeting again in the Autumn. Professor Hannah McGee, Dean, RCSI.
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//CoMPPAS - Adjusting to ‘the New Normal’ Ronan B. Tobin - Head of Student Engagement & Development There is a lot of talk these days about finding ourselves experiencing a ‘new normal’. Whatever about being ‘normal’, our current circumstances, whilst extraordinary, are not new. Throughout history, there have always been moments of significant challenge for human society. As a society, as communities, as individuals, we have always overcome those challenges. There was no choice. To survive, to flourish, we simply had to. In the context of the COVID-19 crisis, things seem quite difficult now; perhaps even unfair. They are. Many of us and our families and friends are directly impacted by the continuing consequences of this current situation. Lives disrupted or worse still lost, uncertainty and anxiety about the future, personal journeys and dreams compromised, paused - perhaps even gone entirely. At times like this, it is important to consider our personal mindset and overall wellbeing. Take a moment and ask yourself ‘how am I in all of this?’ Many of us will be feeling frustrated or powerless, perhaps even overwhelmed. If you are thinking or feeling this way, it is important to take careful notice of where you do have power. As Jim Collins puts it “[w]hether you prevail or fail, endure or [not], depends more on what you do yourself than on what the world does to you.” We have the power to notice what we can control and what we cannot. In the context of change and disruption, we have the power to reframe our situation, refocus and recommit. In other words, we have the power to adjust. We also have the power to ask for help, if we are finding that adjustment difficult. In the end, our choices will make a difference and we will succeed. Things will go back to normal…whatever that is. Jim Collins gets the final word. “The signature of the truly great versus the merely successful is not the absence of difficulty, but the ability to come back from setbacks, even cataclysmic catastrophes, stronger that before…As long as you never get entirely knocked out of the game, there remains always hope.”
CoMPPAS Team is #HeretoHelp As we all settle into our new way of studying and working, the CoMPPAS team has fully transitioned to remote working in order to continue to deliver our full range of support and services to RCSI students. If you need to make an appointment with any our services, see our service contacts. Remember also that the RCSI counselling service and our 24/7 CoMPPAS Student Assistance Programme is currently offering telephone and video counselling. This is available to students located in Ireland or abroad. Contact our welfare team at swo@rcsi.ie if you want to chat and explore options or contact the services directly using the details to the side. For more information on the Welfare Team - p.6 For more information on the Student Assistance Programme - p.38-41
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PRIMARY CARE AT RCSI
CONTACTING THE STUDENT WELFARE TEAM:
Mercers Medical Centre – General Practice and Family Medicine
The best way to make an appointment with the CoMPPAS Student Welfare Team is to email swo@rcsi.ie
All undergraduate students of RCSI (including GEM students) are entitled to free consultations at Mercer’s Medical Centre provided they hold a valid current student ID and student number. Consultation fees for visits which take place at Mercer’s are covered by RCSI; however students are responsible for charges incurred for out of hours services, house calls and prescribed medication charges.
Drop-ins are welcome at our offices in St Stephen’s Green, if a Welfare Officer is not available, a member of the team will contact you as soon as possible to schedule an appointment.
Please bring your ID along to every appointment at the medical centre. You can make an appointment by contacting Mercers at 01 402 2300. www.mercersmedicalcentre.com
DUBDOC OUT OF HOURS GP SERVICE
The Welfare Team also have meeting rooms available at the Student Centre in Beaumont Hospital. Contact swo@rcsi.ie to schedule a Beaumont based appointment. You can also contact the CoMPPAS team at 01 402 8565.
A LITTLE BEAR WITH A BIG MESSAGE
STUDENT WELLBEING AT RCSI Your guide to Student Welfare, Counselling, and GP Services for students at RCSI - how to access help and support.
Welfare Bear is our Welfare Team mascot – follow him on Instagram (@WelfareBearRCSI) for updates on events, useful links and resources, and lots of positive messaging about mental health and wellbeing. If you would like Welfare Bear to attend or partner on an event you or your Club or Society is planning, contact the CoMPPAS Student Welfare Team to plan his attendance.
DubDoc, based at St James Hospital, Dublin 8, provides an urgent care out of hours GP service on weeknights between 6pm and 10pm, and on weekends between 10am and 6pm. You should call 01 454 5607 to request a DubDoc Appointment.
www.dubdoc.ie In case of medical emergency, dial 112 or 999.
STUDENT WELFARE SERVICE
RCSI COUNSELLING SERVICE
The CoMPPAS Student Welfare team provide confidential one-to-one support and advice for students at RCSI. The service is Social Worker led and aims to empower students to reach their full potential and overcome the challenges they meet in the course of their studies.
RCSI offers a professional independent confidential counselling service, available to all RCSI students, which is located off campus.
We Aim to: • Provide a compassionate, • Implement personalised support plans collaboratively inclusive and student centered service with students based on individual needs • Promote positive mental health among the RCSI • Promote the rights of the student body students and advocate on their behalf What we do: • Provide direct practical and • Provide information and advice regarding college emotional support and regulatory processes signpost to other helpful eg. Exceptional services, such as counselling Circumstances, Appeals, • Facilitation of regular Complaints. workshops to promote success and resilience We can help with: • Strategies for positive mental health • Self Care • Academic related issues • Feeling overwhelmed or anxious
• • • •
Feeling homesick Bereavement Financial difficulties Making a plan to overcome any difficulties you may be facing
CPSL has extensive experience over many years in providing counselling support to RCSI students. On behalf of RCSI, they manage a diverse panel of professionally registered counsellors with a broad range of expertise located across the city. Using counselling as a source of support is not a sign of weakness. Rather, it is an indication of personal strength and our determination to address and seek solutions to our problems before they potentially overwhelm us and we find ourselves unable to function. If you are unsure as to whether counselling is the right approach for you, you may wish to make an appointment to discuss your needs with a Student Welfare Officer, or with your GP. If you would prefer, you can self-refer to the counselling service by contacting CPSL counselling at cpslmerrion@gmail.com, or 01 283 9366. RCSI will cover the cost of 10 sessions per student, but further sessions may be covered on the basis of an assessment of your needs.
CoMPPAS STUDENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME The CoMPPAS Student Assistance Programme is a confidential and independent counselling and specialist information service, which can be accessed 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. This service provides both phone based support, information and access to up to six face to face counselling sessions. This service can be accessed anywhere in Ireland, and can also be accessed by phone from outside Ireland. The service also offers an online portal with helpful information about wellbeing. Call day or night: t: 1800 995 955 (within Ireland) t: +44 2037017293 (from outside Ireland) e: eap@vhics.ie CSAP Online Self-Help Portal: wellbeing-4life.com Access Code: VHIRCOSI Always-on access to information and personal development resources
HOW DO I KNOW WHICH COUNSELLING SERVICE TO SELECT? It’s up to you, but... If the difficulties you are experiencing are so significant that they are impacting your academic performance, you may benefit from accessing the RCSI Counselling Service. If you need urgent emotional support on an out of hours basis, for example at evenings or weekends, or if you need access to short term counselling outside of the Dublin area, or while you are abroad, you may choose to access the Student Assistance Programme. If you would like advice on which service best meets your needs, contact a Student Welfare Officer today.
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//RCSI Student Services Supporting students during COVID-19 Student Services and you: RCSI Student Services remains open (albeit remotely) and committed to supporting students throughout these unusual times. They are contactable via email, and also happy to arrange phone calls, Zoom meetings, etc. for more in-depth conversations. As a reminder, the following services below (though not exhaustive) are available to all students: • Accommodation support • Clubs, Sports, Society, Students’ Union and Sports Union for guidance and support Attention Clubs and Societies: please note that the end of year reports and budget applications are now up on Moodle! • Health and fitness with the Gym team • INIS / immigration assistance • Student features, coffee & catch up and more on @RCSI Clubs and Societies Facebook page Do not hesitate to contact the team directly at studentservices@rcsi.ie
//Student Resources During COVID
« DAVID JOYCE
Mental Health
COVID Resources
RCSI Resources
cpslmerrion@gmail.com
COVID 19 response page on RCSI.ie
rcsi.ie/library
RCSI 24/7 helpline: 1800 995 955
hse.ie/coronavirus
RCSI Challenge quiz from CoMPPAS
eap@vhics.ie
gov.ie
Live gym classes on RCSI’s clubs and societies facebook page
Mindthefrontline.com
careerhub2@rcsi.ie for CoMPPAS career development meetings
Mercer’s GP is still available for non-COVID health concerns
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//RCSI Gym Team Supporting students during COVID-19 RCSI gym and you: The RCSI Gym team remain as committed as ever to the welfare of our students during these difficult times. It is now more important than ever to prioritise your physical health. The usual barriers to most people achieving their goals are gone so it is actually a great time to make positive changes. The Gym team are creating programmes for students and setting them two-week challenges, where they can work towards targets such as weight loss or muscle gain. A trainer checks back in at the end of every two weeks to make a plan for the next two weeks, encouraging short term goals with accountability. The students who have been engaging in the programmes and challenges are reporting great progress to date. The Gym team are offering two live fitness classes every day via Facebook on RCSI Clubs & Societies page. The classes are at a range of times to suit the different time zones so our students can actively take part.
As a reminder, the following services are available to all students: o One-to-one video personal training consultations available to all students. Please email gym@rcsi.com to arrange a time. o One-to-one video nutrition consultations. o Live workout classes everyday via Facebook. No need to register, just join in and do as much as you like. o Pre-recorded videos for people who cannot take part in the live classes are available on the RCSI Gym YouTube channel
For more RCSI Gym opportunities, see p.42-43 Spring 2020
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Clubs & Societies
RCSI Clubs & Societies
Below is a preview of the many exciting events organized over the course of this year. Many clubs & societies are looking for new committee members - keep an eye out for applications!
//A Taste of Culture at RCSI G
ourmet society takes pride in our passion for community, culture, diversity and, of course, food! Our biggest event of the year is International Food Night. This event not only highlights all 62 plus nationalities at RCSI but it gives the students a chance to share their culture through food. It is also an opportunity for other students and staff to try a variety of different dishes from a vast number of nationalities. Through food, you can learn a lot about the country it came from. Cultural dishes stem from what was available to the people at the time whether they were struggling to survive or if they were thriving. Food is so much more than something that fills your stomach, every dish created has a story. To me, this is what makes cooking and learning about different foods a passion of mine.
« SAM GOH
I’d like to thank Jackie Knowles in Student Services for always supporting us. I would also like to thank Gourmet Society, especially our president Faisal Rifai, for putting in so much effort and leading us into a very successful year. “Food is everything we are. It’s an extension of nationalist feeling, ethnic feeling, your personal history, your province, your region, your tribe, your grandma. Its inseparable from those from the get-go.” - Anthony Bourdain
We live in a world where racism and discrimination continues to be part of our lives. I believe food is a way to bring people together and maybe one day put an end to the unnecessary hate towards your neighbour. Whether it’s Eid, Christmas, Hanukkah, Diwali, Thanksgiving, Lunar New Year, or any other cultural gathering, food is a key aspect of the celebration. Food brings people and family together. I believe food is a stepping stone where people can learn to understand each other and bring a fragmented and divided world together.
//Biological Society
« EmerRose Kealy
T
he RCSI Biological Society, revived in 1932 by Prof. J.D.H Widdess, is steeped in rich history and tradition. Our main goal is to organise academic competitions for students at all levels of their training in order to celebrate the academic rigor and success of our future doctors, pharmacists and physiotherapists. We hosted our Harold Browne Anatomy Quiz in November and are looking forward to both the Mary Leader Pathology Quiz and our Case Competitions, which include both the Junior and Senior Case Competitions in the coming weeks. Our 87th Inaugural Address took place on January 24th with a discussion on ‘Technology and Medicine in the 21st Century – Equity of Opportunity.’ A culture of learning and development is foundational to the Biological Society, as it strives to instil in students the great value of knowledge and life-long learning. We hope you will all consider attending our future events and participating in our upcoming case competition and quizzes.
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Clubs & Societies
//Capturing Moments of Student Life R
CSI’s Photography Society (PhotoSoc) comprises a group of passionate student photographers who aim to capture the unforgettable moments at different society events for students and alumni to look back on and treasure. This past year we were present at events such as Freshers’ Week, Taste of Asia, 1001 Arabian Nights, Chocolate Ball, Diwali, and many more. Photography is something that can bring people together, whether through shared interest or simply an appreciation of the art form. A photo is not limited by the constraints of language, and it can convey a far deeper meaning than words alone. Through our photos, we hope to showcase the diverse cultural backgrounds of RCSI students and highlight our vibrant school community.
Chinese New Year Festival – photos by Yashjeet Basu
Zongzi – photos by Chloe Chan
Zongzi, a type of Chinese sticky rice dumpling made around May in the Chinese calendar to signify family and celebrate filial piety. Pictured is the traditional Cantonese style, with salted egg yolk, marinated pork belly, shiitake mushroom, peanuts, and green beans.
These photos were taken at the Chinese New Year Festival at the Fruit and Vegetable market. The Festival included various food stalls, events such as Chinese calligraphy, sugar painting, and overall a good atmosphere.
Arabian Nights – photos by Chelsea Cheng RCSI Middle Eastern Students’ Association’s (MESA) 1001 Arabian Nights event featured various student performances, as well as henna and calligraphy booths.
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Clubs & Societies
//Flowering Days of RCSI SEA Soc F
rom undergoing its extensive transformation from PMCSA to SEA Soc, to attaining a certain level of recognition amongst the RCSI population, the committee of SEA Soc and its proud supportive members, have played a vital role in this snag-plagued journey. Last semester, SEA Soc successfully kicked off the year with its first event – the Taste of Asia carried out in a manner never before seen by the RCSI community. With the society’s vision in mind, the rich Southeast & East Asian heritage was displayed through its wide variety of cuisines to an international audience. With an experimental attitude, adventurous participants roamed past a vast array of spices and condiments marshalled on tables laden with delicacies that lined the walls. Watching our guests take swinging bites at the pure ambrosia piled high on their plates has certainly reaffirmed the direction of the society, in terms of unearthing the attraction of the Southeast & East Asian culture through food. Furthermore, SEA Soc has recently toyed with the idea of collaborating with other societies in RCSI. In conjunction with the recent Lunar New Year celebration, SEA Soc has worked with Gourmet Soc and Art Soc in organising a Dumpling-Making Workshop and Chinese Calligraphy Workshop, respectively. It was a great opportunity to explore culture through creativity, which transcends all barriers of ethnic backgrounds and language. RCSI SEA Soc was built upon the essence of RUMC that must not be forgotten. Events such as the annual RUMC sports day (where friendly fires spark between RUMC students from RCSI and UCD) and Farewell Dinner (for those who have marked their 2.5-year milestone and are to continue the rest of their studies in Penang, Malaysia) are catered so that SEA Soc unleashes its potential as a platform where RUMC students may bond. A year ago, when it all started, we (SEA Soc) did not anticipate the success we would achieve throughout the school year and we look forward to the future success in a years’ time! It flickered like the twinkling of stars, weaved and evolved, sowed into the productive chaos of actions. Once seemingly impossible, novel, radical ideas now became reality. It was a labour of synergy – of trust between the members and the committee for promises to be fulfilled, of transparency between the committee members when honest opinions were warranted, and most importantly, of courage to draw up a painstakingly intricate plan of action and recklessly executing, without the firm possibility of success. RCSI SEA Soc has yet to see its days of harvest, but there remains a modest suggestion of sweet fruition, if we keep up with the effort to share our inheritance – putting our Southeast & East Asian cultural patrimony under the spotlight. These are the flowering days of RCSI SEA Soc.
~Taste of Asia
~ Dumpling-Making Spring 2020
~Farewell Dinner
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~Lunar New Year DIVERCSITY.COM
Clubs & Societies
//Climate Change is an Issue of the Present On behalf of RCSI Enviroment Society Nearly every day we hear that climate change will destroy the planet for future generations and that we need to change now for the sake of our children. But climate change is destroying the planet now. People are already dying. It is estimated that 150,000 people die every year because of climate change. However, everyone isn’t being affected equally. Climate change is exacerbating already existing inequalities. Developing nations, indigenous communities and women are disproportionately affected by the negative effects of global warming. The effects of climate change on island nations in the developing world is already very real. In The Marshall Islands approximately one third of the population has relocated to the US due to rising sea levels. But flooding does not only destroy homes, farmland and infrastructure; it makes it harder to access clean water, resulting in an increased incidence of water-borne diseases such as diarrhoea. It also creates a breeding ground for insects that may carry disease, such as mosquitoes. Water-borne and vector-borne diseases are very climate sensitive and these nations have a high burden of them, meaning that the rising sea levels are not only forcing people to migrate from their homes and communities but also resulting in an increase in disease. It is not only small island nations that are experiencing the catastrophic effects of climate change. Developing countries in general are disproportionately burdened. Climate change can alter rainfall patterns and cause drought. Southern Africa is currently experiencing a drought that began in 2018 and has resulted in more than 45 million struggling to find food. The effects of this drought are worsened by the reliance on agriculture in the region and the high levels of poverty, which reduce an individual’s capacity to adapt to crises like this. While developing nations have felt a greater effect from climate change than developed nations, developed nations have not been unaffected. However, within developed countries, poorer communities are often the ones who feel these effects. In the USA, African Americans are three times more likely to die of airborne diseases. This is because poorer neighbourhoods of colour are much more likely to be situated next to power plants, resulting in higher rates of cancers and respiratory diseases.
« Alice OGorman
Indigenous communities also bear a greater burden of climate change. Indigenous communities are often based in fragile ecosystems that are being devastated due to global warming. Their livelihoods and cultural identity are very often tied to nature and the land where they live. In the Arctic, indigenous communities depend on hunting for food and for the local economy. It is linked to their cultural and social identity. Melting icecaps are posing a very serious threat to their safety and food security. The melting of glaciers in the Himalayas is also posing a serious threat to the future of the indigenous community living there. Communities are dependent on seasonal flow of water for survival and whilst in the short term they may benefit from increased flow, in the long term it could lead to forced migration. Women are also disproportionately affected by climate change. It is estimated that women make up 70% of people who live in poverty. Women often take the role of the provider in poorer communities, working in agriculture. The lack of rain because of climate change forces more girls to drop out of school because they need to help support their family. Women are also often responsible for fetching water. Decline in rainfall means women have to walk longer to reach drinkable water. It’s not only an increased workload women are forced to bear because of climate change; they are also more likely to die as a result of natural disasters. In 1991 when Bangladesh got hit with a cyclone and floods, five times more women died than men. One reason for this was that women were not allowed to leave their homes without men, so they waited to be taken to a safe place. Why, then, with the current impact of climate change so widespread, does our rhetoric focus on generations to come instead of the current generations who are suffering? This demonstrates the deep apathy of Western governments towards less wealthy countries and minority communities. Their focus on unborn generations over current victims shows a willingness to stand by as people unlike them die, something we must stand against. The message that climate change is an issue of the future is a dangerous lie, and if we value life, we must fight against this message at all costs.
//Humans of RCSI
« ALEXANDRA NIEUWESTEEG
« BETH CHIAM
“When I first got to RCSI in the fall of 2018 I was very hesitant, I had a lot of questions on my mind- Am I smart enough to be here? Do I want to be this far from home? Will I make friends? My reason for being so hesitant was because, when I arrived on campus, I was 17 years old, had just graduated high school, and being from Canada, I had never been that far away from home until I moved to Dublin, so in short I was absolutely terrified. However, once I started my first week, almost all my previous hesitations had been silenced, I’d made my own friends, gotten involved in the school’s clubs and societies, and was learning to manage my school work with help from my friends in the upper years. Moving to Dublin away from my friends and family back home was definitely the hardest decision I’d ever made, but thanks to everyone I’d met since I’ve been here, it also turned out to be my smartest decision too.”
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Clubs & Societies
“In Year 1, I lost sight of the real reason why I wanted to do medicine. It was shrouded by my attempts to adjust to the reality of being thrown into a foreign environment alone and stay on top of my academic work. Over summer, I went to Thailand for a medical mission, hoping to rediscover my meaning of doing medicine again. It was then I realised what I have been doing has been so wrong. Yes, studying is important, but not for the grades, it is for my future patients. It is my duty to have the required knowledge to be able to treat my future patients with my best ability. It is only my duty to provide the best from myself for my patients. Instead of prioritising the grades, I seek to be able to apply my knowledge to my future patients and treat them to the best of my abilities. A journey to becoming a physician is a journey of never ending learning. Be it new illnesses or new treatments, we are perpetually surrounded with new information and changing circumstances. In this industry, nothing seems stagnant. In the midst of the stress and chaos, time should be taken off, for yourself to recharge and allow yourself to have better energy to improve our own knowledge to better a patient’s situation. Best doctors are not those with the best grades or those that scan through thousands of patients a day, they are those who have an open mind to change, ability to empathise, those who slow their footing to understand every patient and disease well and those who treat patients as who they are, not as a disease. Getting a medical degree is not for its perceived grandiosity even though it might sound prestigious to many around us. I’ve learnt that it is not about the prestige, it is about the little things I will be able to do for my patients, to help them get better in every way possible, be it physical health or emotional pain. Pain is whatever the experiencing person says it is and I want to be able to empathise and sympathise with the pain they are experiencing. I want to be able to cure it and if I cannot, I want to be able to alleviate it. Moving forward, I will try my best to keep all these in mind, to ultimately treat my future patients with my best ability and as who they are, not as a disease, no matter how difficult this journey may get. “Cure sometimes, treat often, comfort always” -Hippocrates”
“Once upon a time, I was at an animal fair with my family. It was crowded, packed with young kids and full families admiring the animals, big and small. In the centre of the fair there was a stage, with a snake tamer, a massive albino Burmese python. He was showing the kids how the snake slithered around his arms. I couldn’t see properly so I walked to the side of the stage, up the stairs, out of sight to the public but close enough to see the show. I watched for about 15 minutes in awe at the python and the man moving in synergy together. The show ended. “Whoever would like a chance to hold the snake, then come to the side of the stage and line up”, said the man. I wanted to do it so badly, and just as I was about to walk on stage, my legs froze, I glanced at the crowd and felt my heart pound inside my chest. I couldn’t do it. I stopped there deliberating on whether or not I should take those 3 steps onto the stage. As I was frozen in my tracks, another young boy came and walked onto the stage. Suddenly a queue formed and I was out of it. My chance was gone. The last thing I remember from that day was walking away with my parents, taking one glance back at the boy who wasn’t afraid with an albino python on his shoulders. Every time I’m afraid of something, I think of that moment and realized, which one of those boys I want to be.”
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Clubs & Societies
//Book Club
T
ake a second to reflect on the literary tales told to you by family and teachers from your earliest childhood memories. These stories subtly shaped the views, beliefs, and morals you held as a child. Now, imagine if these stories had vastly different myths, settings, characters and endings. How might this have changed who you are today? Language is an integral part of our culture - it encapsulates the way we talk, think, and act. This is mirrored in books and literature; just consider George Orwell’s dystopia, 1984, where the effort of “Big brother” was to control the world by limiting words and expression. Stories provide a window into unfamiliar cultures, with a glimpse into a new world with different norms, societal structure, focuses, heroes and legends. If reading is traveling, then, as spoken by Ahlam Mosteghanemi, “every ticket is a lottery ticket, you buy it but you don’t know what fate sold you… A trip that you never planned may change your life, or destroy it, may open your doors, or close them. You might return from it a rich man, a broke man, a lover, or a man who left someone.” Delve into literature from different cultures! Open more doors and expand your horizons. Embrace the differences in the human race and navigate the grey area. Life is simply not a dystopia nor a utopia where the world is divided into black and white.
A Thousand Splendid Suns: Khalid Hosseini 372 pages. Historical fiction, contemporary.
Why not take the voyage and sleep to another culture’s bedtime story?
Don’t tell me you’re afraid: Giuseppe Catozzella 256 pages. Fiction, and based on a true story. “At eight years of age, Samia lives to run. She shares her dream with her best friend and neighbor, Ali, who appoints himself her “professional coach.” Eight-year-old Ali trains her, times her, and pushes her to achieve her goals. For both children, Samia’s running is the bright spot in their tumultuous life in Somalia. She is talented, brave, and determined to represent her country in the Olympic Games, just like her hero, the great Somali runner Mo Farah. For the next several years, Samia and Ali train at night in a deserted stadium as war rages and political tensions continue to escalate. Despite the lack of resources, despite the war, and despite all of the restrictions imposed on Somali women, Samia becomes a world-class runner. As a teenager, she is selected to represent her country at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. She finishes last in her heat at the Games, but the sight of the small, skinny woman in modest clothes running in the dust of athletes like Veronica Campbell-Brown brings the Olympic stadium to its feet.
“A breath-taking story set against the volatile events of Afghanistan’s last thirty years – from the Soviet invasion to the reign of the Taliban to post-Taliban rebuilding – that puts the violence, fear, hope and faith of this country in intimate, human terms. It is a tale of two generations of characters brought jarringly together by the tragic sweep of war, where personal lives are inextricable from the history playing out around them.”
s
Recom
tion a d n e m
Samia sets her sights on the 2012 Games in London. Conditions in Somalia have worsened, and she must make the arduous migrant journey across Africa and the Mediterranean alone. Just like millions of refugees, Samia risks her life for the hope of a better future. Don’t Tell Me You’re Afraid is the unforgettable story of a courageous young woman, and it is also a remarkable window onto a global crisis.
spring 2020
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clubs & Societies
//Women in Surgery - A Changing Culture
« Emily Panteli
The Association of Women Surgeons (AWS) is an American not-for-profit educational and professional organisation founded in 1981 by Dr. Patricia J. Numann. The association is dedicated to ‘inspiring, encouraging, and enabling female surgeons to realise their professional and personal goals’. AWS addresses the numerous challenges facing women in surgery today such as pay disparities, family leave, resident education, work-life balance, and promotes equity in surgery all over the globe, with members in over 40 countries”. In 2017, RCSI published PROGRESS: Promoting Gender Equality in Surgery report, drawing attention to the need to inform and encourage female medical students and surgical trainees of surgery as a career. Statistics show that while over 49% of medical graduates and 34% of surgical trainees in the Republic of Ireland are female, women occupy only 7% of consultant surgical posts. The PROGRESS report recommends a supportive culture for women trainees, one that allows for family planning and assistance during pregnancy. It also showed that women on completion of HST do not progress as quickly to consultant as their male counterparts. As a result, RCSI launched Ireland’s first fellowship for female surgeons in order give women surgical trainees the opportunity to gain exceptional experience in their chosen field, thereby supporting their progression to consultant. The initiation of fellowships is without a doubt an appropriate and excellent step towards addressing barriers faced by female surgeons. It is evident that mentorship and support need to be initiated at a much earlier stage in the female surgeon’s career trajectory - as early as medical school. Multiple surveys have shown surgery to be an unpopular specialty choice for female medical students. Based on this need, in 2018, a group of RCSI medical students founded RCSI’s Association of Women in Surgery (AWS), the first AWS chapter to be established in any of the Irish medical schools. This society was established with the incredible support of Professor Deborah McNamara, co-author of the PROGRESS report and an important mentor and advocate for future women surgeons. Prof McNamara has also received the 2019 AWS Foundation Olga Jonasson Distinguished Member Award for her continued mentorship. Our aim as a society is to allow medical students of all genders and backgrounds to gain valuable exposure to surgical careers, as well as have early access to advice and mentorship. In addition, we aim to not only continue to highlight the numerous challenges a career in surgery can pose to women, but with the help of our fantastic surgeon mentors, offer practical solutions to overcome these barriers and change the culture of women in surgery. Over the past two years the association has hosted a range of events in order to fulfil our aims. We have hosted distinguished panels of surgical speakers in events entitled Is the glass ceiling really broken? and A Celebration of Women in Surgery. Events such as these provide the RCSI student body, alumni, and staff with the opportunity to discuss the barriers to women in surgery in an open manner, and welcome a wide range of experience, thoughts, and opinions on how to create a more equal and diverse culture.
Statistics published in the PROGRESS report 2017
One of our most notable and popular annual events is our Speed Mentoring day, which is a fantastic opportunity for any student interested in exploring a career in surgery to directly engage one-on-one with highly accomplished surgeon mentors from a wide range of surgical specialities, including neurosurgery, orthopaedics, plastics, general surgery, urology, ENT, cardiothoracics and ocular surgery. RCSI AWS is delighted to be hosting the first ever AWS European conference for medical students and NCHDs on the 7th of March. There will be a range of exciting workshops and talks delivered by highly distinguished speakers, including Professor Averil Mansfield, retired English vascular surgeon and the first British woman to be appointed a professor of surgery. RCSI AWS will continue to nurture medical students interested in pursuing a career in surgery by providing a safe environment to engage with experienced professionals who can offer support and advice based on individual experience. We hope the collaborative, supportive culture we are promoting will change perceptions about women in surgery and create a more gender diverse workforce.
Ms Shirley Potter, Ms Ruth Delaney and Ms Melanie Cunningham mentoring students at the 2019 AWS Speed Mentoring event
spring 2020
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Clubs & Societies
//LGBTI Mental Health
« Kathryn Ledden
on behalf of Pride Soc:
Tips for inclusive practice The Health Service Executive (HSE) has estimated that upwards of 10% of patients may identify as LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex). Due to a lack of research into individuals who are transgender and intersex, it is likely this figure is even higher, and so it is crucial that healthcare providers are inclusive in their practice. Members of the LGBTI community are at increased risk of experiencing negative mental health and wellbeing, as highlighted in the LGBTIreland report. This is the largest study of this population to date in Ireland and was published by leading LGBTI support organisations with support from the HSE. Specifically, it was reported that rates of self-harm are twice as high among LGBTI individuals, and that the levels of suicide are three times higher than non-LGBTI peers. People identifying as intersex, transgender and bisexual were highlighted as being at significantly increased risk, as were people under the age of 25. Researchers in social psychology and mental health, such as Ilan Meyer, have proposed that members of the LGBTI community are subjected to minority stress. According to the theory, this stems from being in an environment associated with stressful social exchange, where LGBTI identities are stigmatised and/or discriminated against. These experiences are common in healthcare settings and result in significant healthcare inequalities, according to the Health4LGBTI report, which surveyed participants across several European countries. One key theme was poor communication from healthcare professionals, such as inappropriate curiosity, assumptions of sexual or gender identity, use of non-inclusive and sometimes pathological language. These were also cited as barriers to accessing mental health services in the LGBTIreland report. The need for a whole-of-society approach in tackling self-harm and suicide in minority groups including the LGBTI community has been highlighted in the HSE’s National Strategy to Reduce Suicide 2015-2020 (Connecting for Life). Specifically, they stressed the need for training for healthcare professionals around mental health awareness and specific LGBTI issues and inclusion. Further to the LGBTI Mental Health workshop presented at the ICHAMs conference in RCSI on the 7th of February, below is a list of practical tips for healthcare students for practice that is more LGBTI-inclusive:
Use of inclusive language
Awareness
In working with all patients, do not assume their gender identity or sexual orientation. For example, use neutral terminology, such as “partner” or “spouse” if enquiring about a patient’s personal life, and only do so if it is clinically appropriate. If you are unsure about how a patient would like to be called, simply ask in a non-confrontational way, for example “what pronouns do you use?”, “how do you like to be called?”. If a misunderstanding arises during an interaction, just apologise and move on with the conversation.
Actively increase your understanding of different LGBTI issues and identities. For starters, at the end of this article is a list of some resources, as well as terms relating to people who identify as LGBTI.
Reflect on your own attitudes and behaviours and tackle discrimination
Think for a moment in turn about what comes to mind when you think of individuals who identify as LGBTI, such as a gay man, or a person who is intersex. What thoughts or associations arise? Due to the fact that LGBTI identities are often stigmatized in different societies, some negative themes might emerge, despite our own best intentions. Consider how your own prejudices and preconceptions might influence your behaviour and interactions with patients, and make conscious efforts not to discriminate.
Knowledge of LGBTI support services for referral
Here is a list of support services that you can refer to, and also where you can find more information about LGBTI issues. Transgender Equality Network Ireland: https://www.teni.ie/ • Non-profit organisation supporting the trans community in Ireland
For example, our perceptions could affect whether we offer a person a specific treatment or intervention. This was identified in the Health4LGBTI report, where lesbian women reported being told they did not need cervical smear testing, as they were incorrectly assumed to be at low-risk of contracting HPV.
BeLonGTo: http://www.belongto.org/ • Non-profit organisation supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual & trans young people in Ireland
Signal inclusivity
LGBT Ireland https://lgbt.ie/ • Support service for individuals who are LGBT For further information on how to be more LGBTI-inclusive in your practice, there is an excellent training available on the HSE’s website, HSELanD, entitled LGBT+ Awareness & Inclusion Training: the basics.
Consider signalling that you are comfortable in working with patients who are LGBTI and in talking about related issues, such as by wearing an LGBTI ally badge. These are available from the RCSI Office of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, please contact equality@rcsi.ie.
Terminology (as explained in the LGBTIreland report):
Bisexual: someone who is sexually, emotionally and romantically attracted to both men and women. Gay: a term traditionally used to describe a man who is sexually, emotionally and romantically attracted to other men. • Many women with same-sex attractions also identify as gay. Gender identity: a person’s deeply-felt identification as male, female, or some other gender. This may or may not correspond to the sex they were assigned to at birth. Gender expression: the external manifestation of a person’s gender identity. Gender non-binary: an umbrella term for gender identities that fall outside the binary of male or female. This includes individuals whose gender identity is neither exclusively male or female, a combination of male and female, or between or beyond genders. Other terms that people may use include androgynous, gender fluid, genderqueer, gender variant. Heterosexual: a term used to describe someone who is sexually, emotionally and romantically attracted to a person of the opposite sex. Homophobia: prejudicial or discriminatory attitudes and/or behavior directed at gay men or lesbian women, whether intended or unintended. Intersex: individuals born with sex characteristics (e.g. chromosomes, genitals, and/or hormonal structure) that do not belong to strictly male or female categories, or both at the same time. • It is important to note that most individuals who are intersex do not identify as transgender. Lesbian: a term used to describe a woman who is sexually, emotionally and romantically attracted to other women. Sex: the designation of a person at birth as male or female based on their anatomy or biology. Sexual orientation: an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic or sexual attraction to men, women, both, or neither (asexual). Transgender: an umbrella term for people whose gender identity and/or gender expression differs from the sex assigned to them at birth. • This includes people whose gender identity is non-binary. For further information on how to be more LGBTI-inclusive in your practice, there is an excellent training available on the HSE’s website, HSELanD, entitled LGBT+ Awareness & Inclusion Training: the basics.
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events
//ICHAMS 2020
Jasmine Proudian
The International Conference for Healthcare and Medical Students (ICHAMS) is an annual conference held at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI). ICHAMS
provides undergraduate and graduate healthcare students the opportunity to present their research findings. The 9th annual ICHAMS conference was hosted from February 6th-8th, 2020. The conference included a variety of workshops designed to develop hands-on skills, including suturing, plastering, laparoscopy, endarterectomy, and ECG interpretation workshops. ICHAMS 2020 featured highly esteemed healthcare professionals as keynote speakers. Speakers included Professor Niamh Nic Daéid, Dr Claire McCoy, Professor David Henshall, Professor Norman Delanty, and Katharine Cater. Dr Claire McCoy, head of the McCoy Lab for MicroRNA Inflammation Research and Immunology Lecturer at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, spoke about the impact of the immune system on inflammatory diseases, specifically multiple sclerosis, and how these inflammatory mechanisms can be therapeutically manipulated in order to promote repair and regeneration of damaged nerve tissue. We held an educational Epilepsy Patient Keynote Session which featured Professor David Henshall, Professor Norman Delanty, and Katharine Cater. Katharine Cater, a fourth year medical student at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, delivered a keynote presentation about her personal experience with epilepsy and provided a patient’s perspective of what it is like to live with the condition.
During the year, we hosted a bake sale and donated all funds raised to Epilepsy Ireland, a charity that provides support, information, and guidance to people with epilepsy. Additionally, ICHAMS raised more money during the conference weekend for Epilepsy Ireland.
Professor David Henshall, Professor of Physiology and Neuroscience at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and Director of FutureNeuro, and Professor Norman Delanty, Associate professor at the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland and lead investigator for FutureNeuro, spoke on the panel with Katharine Cater to explore the doctor and patient experience of living with and navigating this disease.
This year, we are delighted to have had 165 active participants who presented their research and published in the BMC Proceedings, as well as over 130 passive participants. Conference attendees came from over 20 countries, delegates representing countries such as Russia, Ukraine, India, Malta, Cameroon, and Sudan. Hosted in the diverse city of Dublin, the ICHAMS social programme strived to highlight our city by hosting a Dublin Walking Tour, Pub Crawl, and Irish Dancing event. We would like to thank our main sponsor, Novartis, and all our other sponsors: AMBOSS, GSK, Fresh Student Living, Fáilte Ireland, Aparto, Meet in Ireland, Cancers, and Fyffes, for their support for ICHAMS.
This conference would not be possible without our wonderful
ICHAMS 2020 Organizing Committee:
• • • • • • • • •
Co-Chairs: Clare Lambert and Bianca DeBenedictis Special Tasks Officers: EmerRose Kealy and Jasmine Proudian Scientific Officers: Chelsea Cheng, Bunmi Adesanya, Emily Hutchings, Lisle Blackbourn, Erin Walton-Ball Education & Workshop Officers: Brian Li, Angela Mazzuchin, Christine O’Keefe, Ola Michalec Sponsorship Officers: Morvarid Zehtab, Joshua Parris, Austin Eakin IT Officers: Alexander Bonte, Razi Alalqam, Shareef Akbari Marketing & PR Officers: Joseph Saleh, Kassandra Gressmann Media & Design Officers: Naeha Lakshmanan, Ishan Antony, Anushka Jayakrishna Advisors: Taylor Cunningham and Isha Bagwe
ICHAMS was an extremely successful event, and we are looking forward to ICHAMS 2021! For more information on ICHAMS, please visit our website https://www.ichams.org/.
spring 2020
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Events
//The 6th annual Teddy Bear Hospital
« Sacha Magder
So much more than just a massive playdate As soon as she realized what was going on, and that she was not in fact going to the shops, she immediately burst into tears. “I don’t want to see the doctor again!” she screamed at her mother. To this poor 3-year-old girl, who has been in-andout of Crumlin Hospital since she was too old for the Coombe, hospitals meant nothing but misery. Her heart condition meant that scrubs and white coats were acutely associated with the pain of IV lines and blood pricks. “It’s ok! This hospital isn’t for you,” we tried to explain. “Today, we’re here because Teddy is sick – and she needs your help to get better.” Her expression started to change. “Do you think you can do that?”, I asked. Slowly, the little girl’s eyes rose from the ground, she turned around, and without saying a word walked confidently through the doors of the Teddy Bear Hospital. To many of these children, the sight of a white coat or scrubs provokes a visceral reaction. The awful memories and emotions of long nights, strange people, and painful procedures are immediately and vividly reincarnated. For many of the parents, bringing their children across the threshold of the hospital door becomes harder and harder with each visit, despite the necessity of each interaction.
This year’s event was in support of St. Michael’s House, a Dublin-based charity that provides a diverse array of services to support individuals with intellectual disabilities. Their primary objective is to provide housing, gainful employment, and guidance to allow their members to live healthy and fulfilling lives. Despite a razor-thin budget, this organization has been successful in supporting an astounding 1,782 individuals across 170 locations in the greater Dublin Area. It is thus without a doubt that the €2, 314.27 raised by the Teddy Bear Hospital will be put to good use by the St Michael’s House team. The fundraising total was nearly doubled by an initiative of Yavani Kulasingham and Zakariya Ali, the male and female captains of the basketball team, who organized RCSI’s first Homecoming event in support of the Teddy Bear Hospital. Tickets were sold in anticipation of a rivalry match between RCSI and DIT with the purchase of snacks and refreshments supported by the Paediatric Society. The event was hugely successful; no empty seats were left to be found, and on top of the RCSI basketball team’s emphatic win, the event produced a profit of 1019.30 €.
It was the goal of the Teddy Bear Hospital to break this cycle. On February 1st and 2nd of 2020, the 6th annual Teddy Bear Hospital hosted by the RCSI Paediatric Society welcomed nearly three-hundred and fifty children (and their families) from across the country. The goal of the day was to alleviate children’s fears around healthcare and to promote healthy living. Registration was open to anyone and everyone, with a particular invitation for families who regularly interact with the RCSI-affiliated Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) Hospitals at Temple Street and Crumlin. The event was broken into four sessions, with two quieter, more intimate, sessions scheduled on the Sunday for children with special needs. Participants had the opportunity to interact with fourteen stations, which were as diverse as the children themselves. A First-aid station, run by Carsten Opris, taught children how to take care of cuts and bruises and to feel their own pulse. A music station, featuring musical sensation Tara Jamieson, taught children to listen to their hearts with stethoscopes and had a sing-along to music on acoustic guitar. A new station for this year’s event, organized by Trevor Henderson, featured four D-I-Y science experiments with safe ingredients families could buy at their local grocery store. Pharmacy students explained pill packs with candies. Physiotherapy students demonstrated a variety of exercises and tools they use with real patients in the hospital. At each station, inquisitive children walked up with nervous looks, but left with emphatic smiles.
children getting involved in D-I-Y experiments at the science station children getting involved in D-I-Y experiments at the science station
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Events
Moving forward, there is no doubt the funds will be put to good use. As explained by St. Michael’s House Fundraising Executive Jacqui McDonnell, “all funds from the day will support the purchase of new equipment for St. Michael’s House neurodisability and complex health need clinics for children”. But beyond the financial contribution, this opportunity meant much more than the money raised. In their opinion, the exposure on its own represented a gain as substantial as the funds. As they explained, few people were aware of the organisation’s existence outside the few families who are heavily dependent on their services. “St. Michael’s House was delighted to be the Charity Partner for the Teddy Bear Hospital Event 2020. We truly appreciate this acknowledgement of the important work that we do for people with disabilities in the community.” ( Jacqui McDonnell) And the community, in turn, did not miss the opportunity to contribute. A diverse array of businesses across the country provided a series of generous and exciting raffle prizes, including Ballymaloe House, Pickle Restaurant, the Ivy Hotel, Aquazone Waterpark, the Dublin Zoo, Imaginosity Children’s Museum, and Trabolgan Holliday Village. These prizes not only contributed to the financial success of the event but were extremely meaningful to those who were lucky enough to win them. Emotions were palpable when on several occasions, parents were brought to tears when they had won prizes which would have been in far excess of their financial means. But what truly made the Teddy Bear Hospital special was the electric energy of the student volunteers. More than four-hundred individuals applied for two-hundred positions, a record number. Their enthusiasm did not go unnoticed by parents. As stated by one parent, “The student doctors were absolutely fantastic, they were warm and engaging with the kids and they made us all feel very welcome. … Our guide was a really lovely guy who was named Vikneswaran Raj, … he was very kind and thoughtful and he made our day.” The end effect was a positive mark left with these families that was more substantial than volunteers might have realized. “My kids attended … Saturday, and they had a fantastic time”, as explained by an overjoyed parent. “They went into school [Monday] and could not wait to tell their teachers about it.” “How’s teddy doing? I asked. The little girl proudly pointed to the bright yellow plaster on the left cheek and a miniature cast made out of a recycled toilet-paper roll covered the right arm and was decorated with pink feathers. “All better!”, she said. Her smile went from ear to ear. The same was true for myself, knowing she had been in tears when she saw my scrubs two hours earlier.
Alexandr (Sacha) Magder & Lan-Linh (Lanny) Truong - co-coordinators of the 6th annual Teddy Bear Hospital
~Photo credits to Sadhbh O’Sullivan, Hazel O’Shea, Jeffery Lam
spring 2020
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Events
//Humanitarian Response to Crisis Conference
« David Joyce
This year for the first time Friends of MSF hosted the Humanitarian Response to Crisis Conference. It was an exciting day aimed at raising awareness for how students can become more involved in humanitarian work as a student and once they graduate. This was a massive collaboration event between a number of RCSI societies including Red Cross, UNICEF and Infectious Disease Soc. All the societies involved brought a unique flavour to the conference and highlighted different ways that students could use their skills as medics to help people in crisis situations around the world. Each society also had a booth with information about specific work that their charity does around the world and opportunities to work alongside the group.
One of the highlights of the events was the outstanding list of speakers. Many of you will know Prof. Sam McConkey from Trop Med week in IC2. Always a crowd favourite, he wowed everyone at the conference with his stories from abroad and how he is using research to improve patient care and outcomes. Another esteemed speaker at the conference was John O’Shea, the former CEO of the Irish charity GOAL. John O’Shea is a well-known Irish humanitarian and it was an honour to have him attend the conference in RCSI.
spring 2020
The conference also included lunch, a wine reception and a raffle. The event was a great success and all of the societies involved are hoping to replicate its success and to run the event next year.
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personal stories
//On Sleeping Around
« Sarah MacIsaac
I come from a family of car campers. I know it’s very trendy these days to hate on car camping. I am also a person who likes to posture about my ability to do difficult things, like carry a 40lb backpack up a mountain to eat a dehydrated meal and get a terrible sleep, as backcountry campers do. But this is not particularly feasible when you have young children or without the terribly expensive requisite supplies, so my parents took us car camping when we were kids. I moved to Vancouver in 2014, where I levelled-up in my exposure to outdoor activities. I was initially scoffed at by Van-based friends for my learned camping behaviours, like wanting to bring something to “sleep on” and to “make coffee with”. But after three years out there, I became a convert, pledging my full allegiance to the backcountry camping community. In all honesty, it’s quite rewarding, and a great way to disconnect from our current horrific political and environmental realities. I’ve invested in lightweight gear over the years, and have slowly brought it over to Ireland in hopes of finding some decent trails with spots to camp along the way. I am certain that these trails exist. I’ve seen a few online, and I have been diligently using Hinge to gather travel tips for “Overnight hiking spots in IE! *mountain emoji*”. But they are much harder to find in Ireland than in Canada. Maybe there’s less of a camping culture here – my Irish friend is convinced that I’ll be calling search and rescue on any overnight hike in the country – or less of a bragging-about-it-online culture (probably both). But a few of my friends and I determinedly decided that we would camp, somewhere, last October. I scoped out a few potential trails, but wasn’t confident in any given the minimal available information and my limited planning time – thanks, obs/gyn OSCE. The week of the trip, we decided to car camp. My friends had found a small, isolated spot with a fire pit near Sligo on a recent trip, and we figured this would work.
Did you
know!
Car cam pin in your c g refers to camp ar and p ark close ing in which you This mea to where b ns you c you’re se ring all your gea an are not e r tting eve nough, y bring allllll the r ything things, a ou Backcou up. nd if all ntr y cam can drive to get the thing ping refe m away fro s rs to cam ore things. m ping in w multi-da where you parke h d ic y trek. Th h you hik to set up is , sure you e far have eve means you need and often involv r es a to ything y (water o p a c k lightly a ou migh r purifyin nd tn g tablets , first-aid eed for the who make le trip kits, etc.) .
I was a bit disappointed that we weren’t going to be roughing it, but I didn’t have to be. We got there after a big storm at 8pm, and the closest place to the fire pit that we could park was a six minute walk away. The two flashlights we had were certainly not enough for five people in the dark, and not all of us made it there without falling face first into the mud (was this me? who’s to say?). But like true backcountry campers, we survived those six minutes, and the rest of the weekend made me realise that there is a simple beauty in car camping. As a kid, it was what I knew. As an adult, it’s just excessive eating, drinking, and indulgence in other hedonistic activities – but outside. A perfect vacation, no? We happened to run out of our weekend’s supply of food by lunch on the second day, perhaps unsurprisingly. No problem! Our car was right around the corner, ready for a Tesco run. We had a great time, and after reflecting on this full circle moment, I’ll be changing my Hinge travel tip request to “Overnight hiking or car camping spots in IE! *mountain emoji + car emoji*”.
spring 2020
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Personal Stories
//Hello, From the Other Side
« Basma Asmad
“So… where are you from?” No. Oh, the dread. Anything but that question. The question that has plagued every third culture kid and created an internal debate so intense that any US presidential candidate would be put to shame. And how could you even answer a question like that without hesitation? The convoluted calculus of conversation when you’re meeting someone for the first time is a jungle-gym of geographical locations where you have to choose which answer is the most appropriate without having to give an auto-biographical speech that jumps from location to location more than a pizza delivery guy on a Friday night. Do you say the country you originate from - the motherland that you lived in only vicariously through your parents’ memories and occasional summer holidays; the country you grew up in, went to school in and spent every living day in yet somehow still stuck out in those annual class photos despite the myriad of navy blue Catholic school uniforms displaying the conformity that we’ve been victims to at one point or another. Or perhaps, you decide to let the interviewer guess and see what they think. Only to be peppered with nationalities from regions near and far, from Spain to Saudi Arabia, or Brazil to Baku. In moments such as this, you would feel a certain sense of pride that only the famous rapper Pitbull, also known as “Mr. Worldwide”, would be akin to whilst also feeling the urge to call upon the Patron Saint of Lost Causes (St Jude) because you knew this conversation was a lost cause from the moment that they asked that question. And who could blame them? More often than not it isn’t an ill-intentioned question that’s being directed towards you. Curiosity is what makes a man what he is, right? It’s the inquisitive nature of a medic to want to know the origin, the pathophysiology, the inception of everything they come into contact with. Why then, did I not regale these hymnals of harmony before coming to RCSI? Could it have been a lack of exposure or understanding? Or hubris – of not wanting to shed that “snowflake status” of uniqueness after having been inured to it for so long during my childhood? Or perhaps it was just a conglomeration of all of these factors juxtaposed with such a diverse campus. Choosing not to display certain ethnic qualities had become second nature but it wasn’t until I started college that I realized that that was no longer necessary. When on the first day you hear not only English, but also various dialects of Arabic being spoken, Urdu, Punjabi, among other languages. You realize that maybe that’s no longer necessary.
So many students have the same background. The long-winded origin stories. The educated parents that chose to move – for better or for worse – to make it in a new country that wasn’t their own for the promise of better opportunities. The loss of culture due to corruption that wasn’t even related to them, the risk of wanting to return without any guarantee of security, the inability to completely amalgamate without disowning customs and yet wanting to raise their children to be righteous and respected in both communities. The reminiscence of a youth and a country that their children would never see. I found that this was a culture of its’ own. The “third culture kid” that I would soon begin to identify with. To know that you weren’t the only one with this mental tug-of-war between identities was relieving. And it was through this that I experienced something I had once deemed to be very rare - acceptance. It would, however, be unwise to completely ignore the occasional divisiveness that this can present. The dichotomous nature of RCSI is much like Schrodinger’s cat. Both present and absent. Within the intricacies of international settings, you can find subtle barriers. This being due to preservation, apprehension or just innocuous bonding over similarities which is something we can all sympathise with. After all, what is a friend if not someone who can understand you – not just in taste but also tradition, trauma or native tongues. But even these porous borders are so often and easily traversed through such mundane yet monumental things like memes, movies and social media crazes that so inherently mould our generation as a whole. To even try to dissect this macrocosm of a campus in such a short article would be unfair. And so, perhaps, while we’re here, we truly are on the same side. A community of our own, which is defined by it’s foreignness. A cluster of whirling dervishes each representing its’ own origin story but cumulatively sending the same message that cultures combine and cross over, like standing waves that intersect and separate at various points in time, but still travel in the same singular direction. Sometimes it is our past experiences that bond us, and other times it is our dreams and future goals that give us an opportunity to get closer to one another and cross that metaphorical line from the other side. And in that case – hello.
//Poet’s Corner
« ANUJ RASTOGI
Legacy Outstretched tongues with dangling showmanship, But still too shy to let it be known to people who don’t matter. Who best to evince the dreamlike tug of what exactly? Only to be abjured by who exactly? What a strange way to go about your business. If it did, you would surely know – A piece of dust drifting on the dull dunes of Mars, Look, can you see it? The shifting sands of a cultural zeitgeist. Yes? Ah, I understand. You have a surfeit for legacy, Or are just a moron.
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personal stories
//Year of Return Celebrations
« Cherie Obenewaah Sackey
After being away from home these past few years, I was definitely looking forward to spending Christmas at home with my family and friends in Ghana with some good homecooked meals and much needed family banter that keeps the house alive and always buzzing. Ireland is a wonderful country but as the popular saying goes ‘There’s no place like home.’ I looked forward to having a good time not only for this reason, but also because of the Year of Return celebrations and the massive publicity it had received due to the line-up of activities for the Christmas season. As much as it was about having a good time, it centered on love and togetherness as one people- Africans. Year of Return Celebrations: The Christmas holidays tagged ‘Detty December’ by many Africans saw a multitude of people trooping into the “Motherland” for the Year of Return celebrations – an initiative by the Ghana government under the administration of H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo- President of the Republic of Ghana. The ‘Year of Return, Ghana 2019’ is an initiative of the government to mark 400 years of the arrival of the first enslaved Africans in Jamestown, Virginia. “It celebrates the cumulative resilience of all the victims of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade who were scattered and displaced through the world in North America, South America, The Caribbean, Europe and Asia.”
W hat is
The Ghana Tourism Authority under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture put together a number of events as part of the celebrations. Some events held were music concerts like Rapperholic Concert, Afronation, Detty Rave, Decemba to Rememba, T.I.N.A. Fest and Afrochella which showcased the wonderful talents Africa has to offer and gave the people a true taste of the African vibe! Trying the award winning “Ghana jollof ” as well as many other Ghanaian delicacies was on most checklists, as well as viewing art works, touring different parts of the country and experiencing the nightlife.
Detty D
ecembe
r? Detty D ece which m mber is a term u eans to p se arty hard d during the C end of y h , have fu ear celeb n and en ristmas season rations. E and do so joy the C mp mething hrist crazy - so ty your bank acc consider ount if y mas & doing be mething o cause in y o u m ost likely u must January wouldn’t it ’s back to reality .
There was definitely no dull moment this Christmas for sure, as the city was alive from sunrise to sunset. One of the main goals of the Year of Return Celebrations was to welcome our brothers and sisters from the African Diaspora and African Americans to Ghana, to have a wonderful experience and see the opportunities that exist in the nation.
A large number of celebrities in the American entertainment industry were spotted: Ludacris, Idris Elba, Steve Harvey, Boris Kodjoe and Nicole Ari Parker, Pat and Nicole Kodjoe, Naomi Campbell, Kofi Kingston(WWE), Anthony Anderson, T.I. Akon, Hisham Tawfiq, Tina Knowles, Rick Ross, Conan O’Brien and many more. The celebration is said to have generated over $1.9 billion dollars in revenue, making it one of the most impactful tourism initiatives. The initiative has made an impactful mark on the lives of those who undertook this journey to go back to their roots – many shared their experiences on their various social media platforms. This campaign has placed Ghana as a key travel destination for the African Diaspora. The Ghana government plans to keep the vision alive as the President launched “Beyond the Return, The Diaspora Dividend”. This is the succeeding initiative by the Ghana government to foster economic relations between the African Diaspora and Ghana. If you are thinking of a holiday destination, Ghana is definitely one to consider. From the culture, to the people, food, music, the wonderful weather and tourist attractions, you’re definitely in for a fulfilling experience.
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Personal Stories
//Just Stick to the Basics
« Shareef Akbari
“The patient is a 67-year-old male that was brought in by ambulance for massive hematemesis and abdominal pain. He has no allergies, is on diclofenac, warfarin and aspirin. He had a hip replacement two weeks ago. They reported a large alcohol intake last night.” I’ve become more comfortable with these situations since I’ve been a part of Simwars. If I had gotten this scenario in October, my first action would’ve been to pre-emptively call the morgue. Instead, I quickly assign my team to airway, circulation, assessment, and assist. I open the door to the simulated resuscitation bay and quickly announce “okay guys, this is a 67-year-old male with massive hematemesis precipitated by alcohol, on diclofenac, warfarin, and aspirin. Nikki, I need you to do a primary survey and get a history if you can. Harriet monitors on and two 16-gauge lines into both ACs. Once those are done, send a group and cross, VBG, FBC, UnE, LFTs and coag plus PTT and fibrinogen. Danielle, call the blood bank and ask for a massive transfusion protocol, then grab two units of O neg from the fridge.” My team springs into action; Nikki has a stethoscope on the mannequin’s chest while Zac has suction and is constantly talking to the “patient”, and Harriet is taping down IV lines. Meanwhile, I’m standing at the bottom of the bed, mind racing and not at all comfortable with my role as team leader, but much more comfortable than I would have been in October. “Lines on and blood sent!” “Massive transfusion protocol is on its way, here’s the blood Harriet!” Honestly, I’m amazed at how well we communicate after six months of simulated polytraumas, MIs, overdoses and anything else the tutors could think to throw at us. Or maybe I’m not amazed, we’ve practised every week for 5 months. We’ve stressed together, celebrated together (when we didn’t have to make those morgue phone calls), yelled at each other (okay maybe not too often) and comforted each other after a particularly hard and stressful sim (who knew ACLS drugs didn’t work when the patient’s temperature is 29 degrees?). I shouldn’t be surprised, we should be working like a well-oiled machine, and the thing is, we are. “Alright guys, let’s start. A 67-year-old male with hematemesis. How are we on airway Zac?” It’s a lot easier to try and adopt an easy-going attitude without the constant internal screaming that’s slowly faded away over the last couple of months. “Airways patent and he’s talking to me! Oxygen sats are 98%”. “Great, let’s go onto breathing. Nikki, how was his chest?” “Decreased breath sounds and dullness to percussion on the left!” – hemothorax? Chylothorax? Who-knows-what-thorax? “Okay so they need a chest tube, Danielle can you call the surgeons to put one in?” “On it” ABCDEFG, ABCDEFG, it’s all that’s going through my head. Airway will kill you first, then breathing, then circulatory problems. Once those have been dealt with, move on to disability and disposition, environment and exposure, call the family and get a foley in. Then finally never ever, ever, ever forget to get a glucose level and a pregnancy test if needed. This is the structure that has been drilled into us over the past few months. No matter what situation we’re thrown into, we’ve been taught that ABCDEFG will see us through. “Okay, circulation is next. Nikki?” “Tachycardic but normal heart sounds.” “Harriet, vitals?” “Blood pressure’s 90/60, heart rate is 140, resp rate is 26, O2 sats 98, and temperature is 36.5.” “Great, blood is going in, massive transfusion pack is here. Can we get some RBCs and plasma into the infuser? And hang a bag of platelets. Let’s get a gram of TXA in –“ “Shareef, he’s unresponsive!” Zach’s voice cuts right through what I was saying. Nikki quickly checks ABCs. “No breathing, no pulse!” Okay, he’s dead. Moment of panic? No. Dead gets ACLS. I can do ACLS. I’m good at ACLS. I take a deep breath in. “Alright,” a quick glance at the monitor, “guys the patient is now unresponsive and pulseless. We have a shockable ventricular fibrillation on the monitor. Nikki, hands on the chest. Harriet, charge the defibrillator to 150 joules. Zach get a BVM on him. Danielle, turn on the oxygen at 15 L/min and 100%, you’re on airway now too.” The amazing thing is, everyone was already moving before I finished speaking. This is the kind of team we’ve become over the past couple of months. Nikki’s already doing compressions, Danielle’s halfway to the oxygen, Harriet’s already turned to the defibrillator by the time I said “shockable”. “Defib is charged!” I can practically hear our tutor say the words in my head before Harriet does. “I’m clear, you’re clear, everyone’s clear, oxygen off !” She yells while waving her arm over the patient. “Shock delivered!” Nikki’s back on compressions. Right, my cue now. “Okay guys, in two minutes, stop, Nikki and Danielle, swap, and I’ll analyze the rhythm. Harriet, can you prep 1 mg of 1:10000 epinephrine to administer after the next rhythm check?” Breathe. Everyone is focused on their work. Everyone is silent, and all of a sudden, this situation starts to feel a lot more real. Our patient is a mannequin and the only consequence of screwing up is temporary embarrassment, but what if that wasn’t the case? I could be on the wards in two years and a patient crashes. It’s those cases that Simwars has been training us for. The competition is important, sure, but what about when we’re the ones that have to deal with a coding patient at 2 am, during our first night on call? Thinking about that still makes me nervous, but I’m a lot less nervous than I was before Simwars. “Okay guys, stop, swap, and I’ll analyze –“ “Time!” Our tutor’s voice comes out of the PA system, “please go back to the holding room guys!”. Just like that, it was over. Anti-climactic, I know. We all look at each other and walk out the door into the holding area, where the other 3 teams had been watching us. “Psst, Danielle,” I whisper as we sit down, “you’re up next for team leader!”
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//Blooming Brain
spring 2020
« Nadiha Noor Chelsea
25
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Personal Stories
//Mental Health in College
« Anonymous
M
ental health is an immensely personal topic upon which there is still a huge stigma in society, to this day. So many people have lived their lives, protecting their secret because for so long people simply didn’t talk about mental health. It was a taboo subject, shameful, embarrassing etc. While society is becoming more accepting, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done to create a supportive environment for people to feel comfortable with being open and honest with their personal matters, should they choose to do that. It’s a daunting task to share these matters with people, no matter how near and dear they may be. Unfortunately, the recent news about Caroline Flack has highlighted the pain and suffering that many people have to live with on a daily basis. I have suffered from my mental health for a long time, and I have learnt to deal with it in my own way. However, reading about Caroline has certainly brought about emotions which I was not expecting to explore at this moment in time. It’s not easy and I think that if you add into the equation a college environment, many aspects worsen an already difficult situation. College was what triggered my initial depressive episode and many aspects of a normal college life made my life incredibly challenging. I was fortunate enough to learn how to ask for help and to use the services within college to make the experience work for me, the best that it could. As such, when offered the opportunity to write an article about mental health, I felt that I might have some information which could be immensely valuable to some people. But of course, we are all different and what worked for me may not work for the next person, so take everything with a pinch of salt! To begin, I would like to give a brief overview of my journey, for lack of a better word. It was a slow process, like a sand timer, one piece of sand dropping per day until one day I was more depressed than I was happy. The worst part was that I was completely unaware of this shift in myself. As aforementioned, college was a trigger. Of course starting college was exciting, thrilling and rewarding, but it was quite difficult at the same time. I went from a structured environment of secondary school, to one whereby I could choose when I went to lectures, when I exercised, when I ate and drank and socialised. All of a sudden staying out until 5am on a Wednesday was a perfectly valid way of socialising (still would be if my hangovers weren’t so bad!). I was enjoying this first step into adulthood, but there was an underlying issue that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. It started out with losing my appetite. I was aware that I wasn’t eating, but it wasn’t a conscious decision so I wasn’t overly concerned. If anything, it suited me as it made losing weight after my leaving cert dangerously easy. I would still eat when I remembered too, I just had no signal to tell me when I was hungry. Not long after that I began excessive binge drinking a few nights a week, which never ended well. It was different to how I drank before, there was less control, more a sense of needing the alcohol than wanting it. There was times where it felt as if I had no choice but to get more alcohol in a desperate attempt to make my thoughts of low self-worth go away, to allow me to socialise. I don’t think it began in an attempt to self-medicate, my memory is more one of “going with the flow”, however as my mental health became worse, it became an obvious and easy clutch, one which was a core part of my socialising and also seemed to make me feel better; until it didn’t. It seemed to be too easy to fix my problems with a socially acceptable and encouraged activity, but of course social drinking and self-medication are different issues. Soon I found I couldn’t sleep at night, and I would wake up in the morning with a devastating tiredness, so much so that I simply couldn’t get out of bed. I stopped going to early morning lectures, then stopped going to lectures all together. Throughout this time, my concentration dropped so much so that I didn’t pay attention in a single lecture for 2 years (of those that I attended), let alone a full TV show or a chapter of a novel. I stopped playing music, I stopped socialising. I hated myself and I felt my friends must hate me too. I would see posts on Facebook and Instagram and feel so alone, comparing my life to the superficial postings of my acquaintances. They would post about their lives, from mundane daily living to exciting experiences. It brought forth for me the harsh belief that I was not normal, that I was not experiencing life as I should or how I wanted. I was so scared and confused about what was happening to me that I was desperately attempting to explain the way I was acting. I had convinced myself that I had a mutation that meant I couldn’t socialise and it was only activated in the recent months. It sounds mad to think that now, knowing what I know, but then I didn’t know. I just wanted to be happy again. Now, looking back after just coming off my SSRI’s (long after the initial recommended time), I realise that I cannot really remember much from my initial depressive episode. I have since learnt that this is because my concentration had gotten so bad that I wasn’t making memories. I know I felt these things and behaved in these ways, but it was never me. How can that be? Well to kind of explain, for those of you who are aware of Bressie and his mental health issues, you’ll know he calls his “alter ego” Jeffrey. While I have not named my “alter ego”, that idea is somewhat comforting. It provides a clear line between
Spring 2020
been my being well and being sick, giving me a goal to work towards when I feel myself relapsing or in a full blown relapse. This brings me to how I learnt to manage my college experience with my mental health. My first step, through the advice of my GP, was to reach out to the counselling service. RCSI offers a great counselling service, through which I learnt how to talk and express myself. We discussed stress management, which included mindfulness (took quite a while to see the benefits of it I must say, but it’s grown on me) and setting realistic goals that encouraged me to be kind to myself and accepting of current situations (for example, repeating an exam is better than a severe deterioration in mental state if the exam isn’t of any significance. Better planning is key for those exams which are of significance!). I set rules for myself regarding alcohol, namely that I can only have a drink when I want one and not when I need one (trust me, there is a massive difference!), and having to stop drinking if my mood becomes depressed as opposed to drinking more in an attempt to bring it back up. I learnt to be kind to myself and to use logic to challenge my negative thoughts, encouraging a positive mindset where all possible. Talking is cliché, but it is so important. But for when talking isn’t an option, I find my diary is a great alternative. I was never one of those kids that could maintain a diary so I’m always surprised with some of the revelations that occur when I have a pen and paper. Exercise is also a vital aspect for health in general as well as mental health, as we all know. I went from a teenager who was exempt from P.E. to go to music lessons, to someone who valued exercise and makes time to incorporate it into my day. We are so lucky to have access to free exercise classes and personal training in RCSI. It helps in so many aspects of health that it has become a valued part of time. But of course, sometimes the gym can be daunting. It took me a long time to get over my fear of the weights room! I found apps like Couch to 5k are great, or even taking a walk outside and getting some fresh air has been of immense help when I have gotten myself into a bad frame of mind. Yoga is something I have found particularly helpful for encouraging a positive mindset, especially hot yoga. I could go in there with the weight of the world on my back and come out feeling such a sense of calm (but I respect that hot yoga is taking things to an extreme!). Making time for friends is always important, and especially when I’m feeling down. Sometimes a coffee or a walk can be just what I need, to take my mind off things or to share how I’m feeling. Reaching out is difficult, but worthwhile and has strengthened my friendships and relationships over the years. Finally, nutrition is a big factor, and for me the most difficult. I love the idea of feeding myself to get better, but it involves planning and discipline. Even just attempting to eat one healthy meal a day helped my start on good habits, but of course perseverance is key. I have a very limited presence on social media now. I deleted Instagram and snapchat, and unfollowed 90% of the people I’m friends with on Facebook. I don’t turn to social media to fill my idle time. It was hard at first to break that habit, but it had immense benefits once I managed to implement it. It stopped me from comparing myself to others and allowed me to live life how I want to, without feeling the need to get the approval of others. If I want to stay in on a Friday night and watch Netflix, then that’s what I’ll do! I also need to acknowledge, that when I relapse some of these things are simply too difficult to do and that’s ok. I’m shocked that the one thing that I have, to a certain degree, been able to maintain is talking and acknowledging that I need help. I hope that if I relapse again that this is something I can keep going, because I find that once I ask for help and start to work through my thoughts and feelings, I can begin to build my other techniques into place. I have relapsed twice, and it’s hard. But having set the foundations of nutrition, exercise, stress management, talking etc. makes recovery a bit easier each time (so far anyway!). When it gets tough I sit with the emotions and tell myself that I’ve gotten better before and that things wil4 pass. Unfortunately, these things take time, sometimes quite a bit of time, but trusting in myself and the work that I have put into myself pays off. College makes things harder in many aspects, but the ready access to counselling and exercise facilities, as well as stress management and careers advice is something which takes the blow out of it. Whatever you think of my story or my techniques, mental health affects us all in one way or another. The more people talk and share, the greater the chance that you might stumble across something that helps you. We are all deserving of help, and it’s ok to ask for it! There is no shame in asking for help to set you on a path to better yourself, turn the sand timer upside down and set it going in the right direction. For confidential support, contact: RCSI’s Student Welfare Office: swo@rcsi.ie NiteLine: 1800 793 793 (Lines open 9pm - 2:30am) CoMPPAS: comppas@rcsi.ie or 01-402-2222
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Lifestyle
//One Breath
Spring 2020
« Megan Murnane
27
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Personal Stories
//The Top 10s of the 2010s
« Trevor Henderson
The 2010s were monumental years for film - full of milestones. Box office records were shattered on an annual basis, Star Wars came back into the big screen, Marvel dominated Hollywood, new streaming services came into play, and Ben Affleck was cast as Batman!
#10
I always tried to get out and see as many movies as I could in GEM1 and GEM2. This year has been more hectic and alas, I haven’t been as foregoing to the box office, but I’ve still managed to compile a list of, what to me, are the Top 10 films of the 2010s.
Logan (2017)
This was a ground-breaking film for not only the X-Men franchise, but for superhero films in general. For one, it was one of the first superhero films to receive an ‘R’ rating in several years (the one exception being Deadpool). Many of us went into this film expecting to see only some heavy Wolverine-action, and although there’s indeed action, there was also a great deal of attention to the importance of family and caring for others. Hugh Jackman gives his best performance as Wolverine in this film, mainly because it’s a Wolverine we’ve never seen: he’s broken, beaten down, and tired. However, he manages to rise against adversity and fight for those he cares about.
Whiplash (2014)
#9
Initially I was skeptical walking into this film. I’ve never been a fan of movies that revolve around musicians, but Whiplash absolutely blew me away. Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons have an unexpected chemistry on-screen as a desperate student and a harsh orchestra director, respectively. J.K. Simmons gives the best performance of his career to date, full of energy and raw enthusiasm to the point where I felt scared of his character during some of the more intense scenes. However, the biggest appeal of this film was to take a film concept that was so simple: a student wanting to be in a band, and transforming it into an engaging film that you can’t take your eyes off of.
#8
#7
Nightcrawler (2014)
Jake Gyllenhaal gives an out-of-character performance as a would-be journalist who records late-night events and sells them to local TV stations, but ultimately gets too caught up in his work. Focusing on unethical journalism, this film was a huge surprise to me as Jake Gyllenhall is not typically used to playing an anti-hero of sorts, but he managed to absolutely own the role. It is one of the few films that makes you feel like you are in the mind of someone slowly descending into madness and is willing to do anything to succeed.
Hush (2016)
This is the smallest-scale of the films on the list. The premise is simple: a game of cat-andmouse in a cabin in the middle of the forest with no way of calling for help. There’s only one added catch: our heroine is deaf. This entire movie takes place in almost complete silence as our main character is stalked by the antagonist. She has to rely on her other senses to try to defeat him. This is one of the most nail-biting films I’ve ever seen and I watch it at least once a year. The lack of sound or communication between the characters racks up the tension in the scene by a factor of 10!
Gone Girl (2014)
#6
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Next to Silence of the Lambs, this is the best psychological thriller I’ve ever seen. Ben Affleck and Rosemary Pike go against their typecasting and play a married couple, both of whom are narrators for the story but are unreliable storytellers, so it’s tough to tell what is true during the movie and what is fake. Amy (Rosemary Pike) goes missing and the movie chronicles the search for her and how Nick (Ben Affleck) deals with the media and how he’s portrayed by them during the search. This film grips you and doesn’t let go for the entire runtime, and doesn’t let up with up with one of the most unexpected twists in a film that I’ve ever seen.
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PERSONAL STORIES
#5
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
No film list would be complete without at least one Marvel movie on here. I can remember standing outside the theatre in my Avengers hoodie waiting for the film to start and hadn’t been this excited for a movie since The Dark Knight Rises. This is, by far, the most emotionally investing and heartfelt Marvel movie. It was able to balance all of the characters we love and give them appropriate screen time. Overall, this was the film that culminated over 11 years of universe-building and still managed to surprise us in the end.
#4
#3
A Quiet Place (2018)
This is easily in my top 3 favourite horror films. In a post-apocalyptic world where Earth has been invaded by aliens that hunt by sound, a family must survive on their farm whilst remaining completely silent. This film has the most tension in a horror film since Aliens (1986) and still manages to surprise you. Funny enough, it’s directed by (and stars) John Krazinski (from The Office!).
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
Have you ever imagined a film that is literally a non-stop action scene? Well, look no further. This is the first Mad Max film since Mad Max: Thunderdome (1985), so many of us were skeptical but everyone was blown away. Beyond minimal dialogue, non-stop action, entirely practical effects, and barely any CGI, Fury Road is a film that is very simple but engaging and, therefore, immensely satisfying.
#2
#1
Joker (2019)
One of the biggest surprises of the decade. Who would’ve thought that the director of ‘The Hangover’ would’ve been able to make one of the most compelling films of the year? This is the first DC film that was a stand-alone from the DCEU. One might expect to see a crime movie, but in fact it was a psychological thriller about a mentally-ill man who feels rejected by society and turns to a life of crime. It also manages to do the unthinkable and lets you sympathize with the main character, even though he may not be doing the morally right thing. It’s surprising because you never expect to see the Joker without Batman, but this film is so good that you never pay attention to the lack of Batman. The last 30 minutes of Joker are some of the best film-making that I’ve seen in a film this decade.
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Without question, The Dark Knight is the most groundbreaking superhero film that’s ever been made, so it stands to reason that its sequel would be just as good! Spoiler warning: it is. This film may start a little slow and doesn’t have as much Batman as The Dark Knight, but instead focuses on the character of Bruce Wayne as a broken, battered, and beaten man who needs to put on the cowl again to face the greatest adversary he’s ever had: Bane. What makes this film stand out from the other two Batman films is that in TDKR, Batman is physically matched for the first time. Bane is a brutal mercenary who will stop at nothing until Gotham is destroyed. Overall, the film builds to a sensational climax that lasts for the final hour of the movie that grips you and doesn’t let go!
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Personal Stories
« Therese Lynn
//The Future is in Safe Hands W
hen you think about the future, there is a tendency to don an air of pessimism, anxiety or even fear. Perhaps it is due to the age-old human condition of being averse to the inevitable change the future holds, or perhaps the future is truly something to be feared – an uncertain political climate, the global environmental crisis, the dawn of extreme antimicrobial resistant infections, the expanding sense of an unconnected human experience in the cyber world of “connectedness” and social media. However, when I interrupt this train of thought, and I think about our future – the future of RCSI’s graduates – I am hopeful. I am not naïve to the challenges we will face both individually and as part of the global population, but I am certain that both current and future students will be equipped with the skills necessary to handle whatever the future holds. As part of the Transforming Healthcare Education Programme (THEP), the university is in the midst of a massive curriculum update across all disciplines, revising and realigning each facet of education to fit an updated multidisciplinary and student-focused model. For me, the most exciting element of this project is the incorporation of Positive Education. As a student representative on the group tasked with incorporating Positive Education into the new curriculum I have come to understand that Positive Education is where academic education blends with character and well-being. It’s where the traditional educational approach is complemented with a focus on well-being and positive psychology. I feel our success as future medical professionals is not solely dependent upon the necessary medical knowledge and clinical skills we possess – but that these two elements must combine and be built on a strong foundation of humanity and interpersonal skills. First and foremost, we are
human, and we need to be mindful of our own well-being and enjoyment of life, integrating a work-life balance throughout our careers. Medical professionals should demonstrate this self-awareness, clear communication, empathy, strong moral conscience, emotional intelligence, humility, perseverance, resilience, strength of character and assertiveness. Each student should be encouraged to blend these elements together, drawing on their own unique life experience to eventually become the best version of a person, and a professional they can be. Our own humanity and that of our future patients should be at the very centre of all that we do. I am enthusiastic about our future because that is exactly what the premise of the Positive Education element of our new curriculum is aiming to achieve. The end goal is that each student will receive training, coaching and upskilling in these areas alongside their traditional academic lessons and clinical training. Each graduate can then leave RCSI with a keen sense of personal and professional identity; fully thinking, acting, and feeling like a member of their chosen profession, whether it be a doctor, nurse, physio or pharmacist. While time remains before we see these changes tangibly reflected in our timetable, it is inspiring to be sitting in on conversations and planning actions to move the process along. Imagine a workforce of new graduates equipped with these skills - empowered, confident and resilient in the face of adversity. Imagine a workforce of new graduates able to work cohesively with their colleagues, overcoming challenges with empathy, kindness and a sense of well-being. As these exciting and encouraging developments unfold, I am hopeful for our future – confident that we can overcome whatever seemingly frightening challenges it may bring.
//Irish Red Cross: A Student’s Perspective
M
any students have likely been in a similar position; jumping into the Medical School life, eager to become a doctor and incredibly excited to not only see our first patients; but to start learning the practical medicine that could one day save lives. However, it was not until I was well into foundation year that I learned I would need to wait several years until the clinical medicine and patient interactions would begin. Towards the end of foundation year I realized I did not necessarily have to wait until RCSI decided it was time for us to see patients because organizations like the Irish Red Cross were in existence. Irish Red Cross would not only give me the opportunity to treat patients (to the level of my training), but I would get to do so at rugby matches, parades, music festivals, and more, all with free entry. I believed this would be a great way to meet people, learn practical skills, and make many memories. So, in the first few weeks of JC1 I applied for the Red Cross so I could finally start practicing hands-on medicine. After a few days of training, several trips to the headquarters and a commute to the unit branch in Terenure, I was finally an Irish Red Cross Member. Now the next challenge was to find a training weekend which typically happened once or twice a year. While waiting for the training course I decided to attend weekly meetings and start learning some of those hands-on skills for which I had been so excited. Finally, I was able to do my training over a weekend in February, and after completion, I was added to a group chat where all the duties (medical coverage requests) are posted. Within two days, I attended my first duty at a teen disco, where I saw my
Spring 2020
« Carsten Opris
first patients. It was such an incredible experience and although many people do not like taking care of drunk teenagers, I saw them as my patients, and I was happy to be taking care of them. I was also fortunate enough to cover the Paddy’s Day Parade, which is an entirely different experience from a parade goer trying to shove your way to the front or freezing in the back hoping you can catch a glimpse of the parade. For starters, we are on the inside of the fences with the parade providing for an ideal view, I personally love parades so this was an added bonus. Secondly, we were given free food at the event, and we all know how much better food tastes when it is free! The sheer unpredictability of what can happen at large events such as parades and music festivals is part of what makes participating in Irish Red Cross so exciting. There is a possibility you may respond to seizures, unresponsive patients, cardiac arrests, potential spinal injuries, and so much more (all of which have happened in the last year by the IRC). In short, I think my time so far with the Irish Red Cross has been incredible, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to practice physical skills, taking histories, talking to real patients, or those who crave a break from studying. Another great aspect of Red Cross, is that given the volunteer based nature of the service you can pick and choose which duties you attend and for how long. As I am writing this, I am looking forward to working at Electric Picnic this year, I would be more than happy to share my experiences there, as well as answering any questions you may have about joining the Irish Red Cross!
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Personal stories
Chilli Cheese Toast !
« SANAT RASHINKAR
The exam season is about to come and you are likely to get tired after a busy day and end up with a growling stomach ! Here is a quick and delicious snacks recipe that will re-energise you and push you to further limits.
Ingredients • • • • • • • •
4 slices of white or brown bread Shredded cheddar cheese 1/2 diced bell pepper (Capsicum) 1/2 Onion thin slices 2 green chillies Butter Ginger and Garlic paste Salt and pepper according to taste
Method 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
Preheat the oven to 220oC. Apply butter to 1 side of each of the 4 bread slices. Apply Ginger and Garlic paste onto the butter. You can skip the 3rd step and instead spread finely chopped garlic. Spread the Onion slices and diced bell pepper equally on to each of the 4 bread slices. Finely chop 2 green chillies and add them equally to the 4 breads. Add salt and pepper according to your need and taste. Finally add the shredded cheddar cheese onto the 4 breads with all the ingredients already in place. Carefully place the breads with the ingredients in the oven rack and let it bake for 5 minutes until the bread becomes golden brown and toasty and cheesy from the top. 10. Enjoyyyy !
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Education
// Anatomy WITH Clive Lee
« PROF. CLIVE LEE HEAD OF ANATOMY RCSI
ARTHUR JACOB & THE MEMBRANA JACOBI Arthur Jacob was born in 1790. At the age of 18, he started his medical education as an apprentice to his father John, Surgeon to Queen’s County Infirmary. He became a pupil of Abraham Colles in Dr Steevens’ Hospital in 1811, a Licentiate of the College in 1813, and MRCSI the following year. In 1819, he published a paper in the Philosophical Transactions in which he described dissecting an eye: ‘…the choroid coat should be gently torn open and turned down. If the exposed surface should be now carefully examined, an experienced eye may perceive, that this is not the appearance usually presented by the retina; instead of the blue-white reticulated surface of that membrane, a uniform villous structure, more or less tinged by the black pigment, presents itself. If the extremity of the ivory handle of the dissecting knife be pushed against this surface, a breach is made in it, and a membrane of great delicacy may be separated and turned down in folds over the choroid coat, presenting the most beautiful specimen of a delicate tissue which the human body affords.’ The layer which he identified was later recognised as that containing the light-sensitive cells, the rods and cones, which detect light and colour. It was named the membrana Jacobi in his honour. In 1827, Arthur Jacob became Professor of Anatomy and Physiology in RCSI, and served for 40 years. In 1837, he was elected President of RCSI, and again in 1864. In 1860, RCSI presented him with a commemorative medal in copper by John Woodhouse – see below.
To test the function of the superior oblique muscle, you should ask the patient to look: A. B. C. D. E.
Laterally & downwards Laterally & upwards Medially & downwards Medially & upwards Upwards & outwards
BE IN WITH A CHANCE TO WIN A PRIZE! Winner will be announced and contacted in the next month’s issue.
Illustrations courtesy of freepik
Enter by emailing A, B, C, D or E with the subject Anatomy Quiz! to divercsity@rcsi.ie
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DIVERCSITY.COM 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
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ANSWERS
Mobile erect chest x-ray demonstrating free air under the hemidiaphragms. Pneumoperitoneum secondary to bowel perforation, or gas-forming infection e.g. Clostridium Perfringens. Free air under the diaphragm is common post-laparoscopy. The patient should be sitting erect for at least 15 minutes before this x-ray is taken to allow the air to rise and collect under the diaphragm. CT Abdomen is very useful to detect location of perforation. Abdominal X-Ray (PFA) is also commonly requested. Broad-spectrum antibiotics should be started early, especially in those deemed to need surgery for contamination. Adequate IV fluid support and appropriate analgesia should be provided. Many then have surgical intervention, including repair (e.g. peptic ulcer) or resection (e.g. perforated diverticulum) of the cause. Patients will also need thorough washout. In some patients deemed not appropriate for surgery, they may be treated conservatively. The most important and severe complications of a GI perforation are: infection – peritonitis and sepsis, and haemorrhage, with incidence depending on the site involved.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
What pathological finding can be seen in this X-ray? What is the most likely diagnosis? Name another common cause of this radiographic finding. What special measure needs to be taken when this patient is sent for chest x-ray when you suspect this pathology? What other imaging might you request? How would you treat this condition? What are the major complications?
QUESTIONS
Rad Soc’s Time to Test yourself!
« Rachel Joyce
Education
Education
Clubs & Societies
//10 things I learned through SC1 clinical rotations
« Aung Kaung Sett Hein
1.
Having too many resources is not going to work! Stick to one or two good resources after you’ve decided on them, and avoid bouncing around and getting overwhelmed. It is all about studying smart and effectively. It saves a lot of time dilly-dallying and gets you to the actual work of studying.
2.
Customise your study notes. What works for you? Come up with acronyms and mnemonics or draw illustrations to help yourself better picture a disease clinical presentation, manage ment, or recall a long list of risk factors. For visual learners, one-page summaries do help the brain retain large chunks of info better! Studying becomes fun and less boring when you consider it an art / creative process.
3.
Be punctual (even if you can’t arrive early; professionalism is key), demonstrate your enthusiasm. Rotations are too short not to enjoy and widely appreciate the unique flavors each specialty offers. Always stick to schedules you’re advised of; go to the clinic at fixed times, scrub into surgeries.
4.
Be proactive in learning. Ask questions at appropriate times, and ask if you could learn how to take bloods, for example, when possible. Ask the on-call regs/SHOs on wards if you can present patient histories to them (even though it’s daunting at first). Be an active, alert player on your assigned team. Get a chance to take at least one history a day, all the way until the exam week!
5. Rotations. Are. Unpredictable. (like ‘life in general’). They can be fun. Some can be tough as well. Sometimes it’s really a game of luck, you just don’t know which hospital you’ll be allocated to, or which consultant will supervise you. So carrying a sense of humility and a receptive mind is important. Do not take certain things to heart, i.e. you might get harsh criticism for your mistakes from time to time but let that be a reminder to learn and better your knowledge, and find solace from the fact that you are NOT the only one in this situ. tion! 6.
Each rotation (obviously) requires hard work and boundless energy, because we have to be on our feet for hours. So getting a good night’s sleep and having a proper breakfast before going into hospital is indispensable. Stay hydrated throughout the day.
7.
Always prepare by reading the material before going in, review the physical exams of different systems, go over how to take focused histories. You may be bombarded with questions now and then, and you’re expected to have an appropriate (i.e. high) level of knowledge of the content.
8.
First impressions matter! Be presentable with a badge, proper attire, and an ironed white coat where necessary. Don’t come in bare-handed. Bring a mini sling-bag with a stetho scope, tools, and some *portable* books/files/notes inside (plus some snacks!). Always have a (working) pen and paper on hand, because you don’t wanna miss quick tidbits on ward rounds/ bedside tutorials; also for history taking, #4, make sure to have papers already organised and mapped out with appropriate headings of a ‘history’, because you might not want to waste your time looking for blank papers to write notes on, only to lose them later, or to find what you wrote illegible.
9.
Get as many readings done as possible in the time available; On rotations, you are not occupied with tasks all the time! (In addition to breaks) there may be times (more than you think) when you have to wait for a surgery, or for team members, or when your clinic ends early, so this is where #8 comes in useful. Revisit your notes. Make sure you have pdf files downloaded on your phone also.
10.
Finally, take a much-needed and well-deserved rest at the end of the week. No amount of inspiring quotes, or positive thoughts can shield you from burnout, but a quality rest can.
//Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Unit Update
« Sarah Fink
RCSI’s EDI Unit is committed to raising awareness and delivering a comprehensive series of training and events to implement measures that strengthen EDI across the College. In November 2019, the EDI Unit, with the Student Pride Soc and RCSI Chapter of AMSI hosted a Trans 101 training delivered by TENI (Transgender Equality Network Ireland) with almost 70 students participating. Thank you to everyone who completed the EDI Student Survey. Your feedback is invaluable and we look forward to sharing the results with you soon. For more information or to reach out to the EDI Unit directly, please email: equality@rcsi.ie You can also follow us on Twitter: @RCSI_Equality
Pictured (L-R): Julia Morrow (EDI Unit); Gordon Grehan (TENI); Julie Croll (RCSI Student Pride Society); Steven Harris (TENI); Ciara Malone (RCSI Chapter of AMSI).
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//Productivity
Spring 2020
« Anushka Jayakrishnan
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// The Social Side of Exercise and Motivation
« Chloe Leddy
I
f you’re one of 39.2% of people globally who have made a health and fitness related resolution, there is a chance that by now your motivation has subsided. Research suggests that 50% of people starting an exercise program will drop out within the first 6 months (Wilson and Brookfield, 2009). Motivation is an internal process, which enables people to push towards their goals. Motivation in students varies from semester to semester and often even day to day, for example their motivation to study may peak during exam season. Motivation toward training and exercise is similar and tends to dwindle toward the end of January when all of our good intentions are expended. If someone is only training in the gym, they need to be very motivated all of the time; deciding on the types of sessions, duration, intensity etc. We can begin to question all our hard work when that 5am alarm is ringing or when 7pm creeps upon us, and there is nothing more you want to do than catch up with friends. Wouldn’t it be nice if we did not have to choose between having the craic or getting that all important gym session in? Well, here at RCSI Gym, we have a strong sense of community and believe that the social aspect of going to the gym is just as significant as the physical aspect to the overall health of our members. Sign up for some group training sessions with your friends to keep motivation high. A (friendly) instructor telling you what to do, you just have to show up and do what everyone else is doing! You are less likely to hit snooze or head home for the night if you know you are leaving your workout partner in the lurch. Group training improves motivation because group workouts are often filled with encouragement and we by nature are social creatures; a team atmosphere and a sense of community will power you through a workout after a long day. A recent study found that gaining support from a significant other or meaningful friend is highly associated with exercise adherence (Trost et al., 2002) Still not convinced about group training? Book in on the FitSense app for a fitness consultation or body composition analysis instead. According to a study carried out by Huberty et. al (2008) individuals who seek and gain specific knowledge about actual gains regarding their fitness participation experience increased motivation and adherence to exercise than those who don’t. Join us in an inclusive fitness training and learning environment where the staff are invested in the success and happiness of our members! References Trost, S.G., Owen, N., Bauman, A.E., Sallis, J.F. and Brown, W. (2002). Correlates of adults’ participation in physical activity: review and update. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 34(12), 1996-2001. Huberty, J.L., Ransdell, L.B., Sigman, C., Flohr, J.A., Schult, B., Grosshans, O., and Durrant, L. (2008). Explaining long-term exercise adherence in women who complete a structured exercise program. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 79(3), 374-384. Wilson, K. and Brookfield, D. (2009). Effect of goal setting on motivation and adherence in a six-week exercise program. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Physiology, 6, 89-100.
//Careers Team of CoMPPAS Congratulations on reaching this stage in your healthcare career! No matter what stage you are currently at, what is generally understood is that with a new environment, new friends, training, learning and expectations from your tutors and professors, time to consider life beyond graduation might be at a premium. That said, there is always just that little bit more time to be found and engaging with the Careers Team at RCSI is crucial to the next stage of your healthcare career. We have developed an integrative programme that helps lay the foundations of your career ready skills at Foundation level and develops your personal, professional and academic skills at each stage in parallel to your healthcare education. Our purpose is to ensure that you graduate from RCSI with not only a world class recognized qualification but that you are equipped with up to the minute employability and career enhancing skills. Early engagement is encouraged as exampled from the Passport4Success programme offered to you in Year 1 offering a six week taste of the essential skills a healthcare professional will require to make the transition from student to graduate to healthcare professional. The early stage of Career Discovery irrespective of the discipline begins with developing your self-awareness, self-development and communication skills, doing this through participation in career workshops, society memberships and events. Mid stage through your education you may be considering your Career Choice, deepening your understanding of your options and beginning to identify pathways to achieve those options through exploration of various licensing exams and destination requirements. Continued engagement and developing your career skills portfolio is paramount to your career development competencies. Those key final years we tailor tools and workshops to increase your professional profile and competitiveness as well as developing your International profile and network outside of RCSI to best position you to secure the best available internships for you.
Spring 2020
« Ciara Tallon
The consistent message coming from previous students and graduates is to start your Career Profile and plan as early as you can – it is never too early to make life a lot less stressful for yourself in later years! What to do now: • If you haven’t already done so – use the Career Profile builder on Career Hub to start a profile for yourself that you can update as you progress. • Attend as many of the CoMPPAS/Careers Team talks, workshops and events in order to keep up to date on developments within your chosen field and future skills requirements. • Ensure you attend crucial information evenings and key application dates for the jurisdiction that you are interested in - irrespective of where you will be completing your internship. • Start your CV now, you may need it at short notice for observerships, placements, research schools or internship/licensing applications – keep it current. • Book an appointment with the Careers Team via Career Hub where we can answer specific queries for you. Above all, we’d encourage you to engage with all of the services provided by RCSI for you, your success and achievement is our motivation
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C MPPAS
Centre for Mastery: Personal, Professional & Academic Success
Leading the world to better health
CoMPPAS Student Assistance Programme
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RCSI CoMPPAS Student Assistance Programme is a confidential and independent counselling and specialist information service available to you 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It provides professional support and information on a wide range of topics. This service is provided through VHI and is available to all RCSI students located anywhere at anytime. So whether you are based in Dublin, on a clinical training placement or internship somewhere in Ireland, pursuing an elective somewhere abroad or at home on holiday, help is available. So if there’s an issue that’s been bothering you or you need assistance, a simple phone call or email could set you on the path to a solution and ultimately help change your life for the better. This Student Assistance Programme is accessed by you independent of RCSI and we will not be notified that you have used the service. However, if you feel you need additional follow up support, the CoMPPAS Welfare team is available to confidentially link you in to our full range of professional services.
Key Features Confidential Voluntary 6 sessions per issue, per year Telephone or local face-face counselling available Information Services Coaching services Also available to family members resident in Ireland and over the age of 16 Access to information and well-being online portal
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Counselling Process: Freephone 1800 995 955
Mention you are a student of RCSI
Initial Assessment
Call back within 48 hours with appointment*
Appointment within 5 days
*Please Note: Counselling access may be fast-tracked on the basis of this assessment
Some of the issues covered by the CoMPPAS Student Assistance Programme include: •
Feeling anxious or depressed
•
Academic stressors
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Social pressures and expectations
•
Environmental or cultural changes
•
Homesickness
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Managing finances
•
Bereavement
•
Coping with loss or change
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Strategies for self-care
•
Family issues
•
Legal situations
•
Property & Renting
WHATEVER THE ISSUE, YOU CAN CALL US DAY OR NIGHT ON: Freephone 1800 995 955 Email eap@vhics.ie Visit the SAP Online Portal: wellbeing-4life.com Access Code: VHIRCOSI TO ACCESS THIS SERVICE WHEN ABROAD
Phone: +44 2037017293 Text: 00353 86 776 6010
Email: Use the online contact form on the SAP Online Portal above.
Service provided through VHI Spring 2020
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Portable CSAP Service What is the ‘Portable CSAP Service’?
Cost of phone calls
This service is provided to students who currently benefit from the CoMPPAS Student Assistance Programme through Vhi Healthcare and wish to access when abroad.
Calls from abroad can be expensive. Our service provider Vhi will always call you back if you contact them from outside of Ireland. We also accept reverse charge calls, as long as these are available from the country from which you are calling us.
How to Access The service can accessed in one of two ways when outside of Ireland: • By dialling the non-freephone equivalent of your current CSAP number: +44 2037017293 • By texting our service centre on: 00353 86 776 6010 • By emailing us using the online contact form on our website at: www. wellbeing-4life.com Access Code: VHIRCOSI
What happens next?
How long does my eligibility last? If you are travelling outside of Ireland, for either work, training, study or pleasure, you are entitled to access the CSAP service for up to three months from your departure.
What services are available outside of Ireland? Our service provider VHI aims to offer you the same standard of service that you would receive if you were in Ireland. Having said this, there are some services which cannot be covered in very remote parts of the world.
Our service centre team is available 24 hrs/365 days a year, and we will be able to respond to you wherever you are in the world. • If you phone us, we will explore your concern with you immediately, and we will arrange access to the CSAP services you require. • If you text us, we will respond by text, asking you whether there is an available number on which we can call you. • If we receive your request by email, we will also respond to you by email. As with text messaging, we can respond to your request entirely by email, if that is most convenient. If there is a phone option available, we would prefer to call you back.
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• We can offer you telephone counselling in English from any country in the world. • In many countries, we can offer you face-to-face counselling in English. • In most countries in Europe, the Americas and Asia, we can offer a telephonic information, legal and financial services. If the service you are seeking is not available through Vhi, they will signpost you to a source of support in the country in which you are staying.
RCSI Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Coláiste Ríoga na Máinleá in Éirinn 123 St Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2 Tel: +353 1 402 2222 www.rcsi.ie
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Interested in getting involved? DiveRCSIty is always looking for editors and contributors!
SEPTEMBER 2015
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