DiveRCSIty – November 2018 (Vol. 4 Issue No. 2)

#DIVERCSI TY RCSI Student run Newspaper and Publications

|November| |Publication Year 2018, Vol. 4, Issue No. 2|

*SEE MEGAN MURNANE’S UNALTERED ARTWORK IN FULL ON PG20

Humans of RCSI is Back!

pg 8-11

Reflect on Freshers Fortnight with Niall O’Huallachain

Printed at

We talk to the Little Bear with the Big Message

A Publication by

pg 4-5 pg 19

// Meet the team.

Editors’ Notes

DIRECTOR AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

DIRECTOR AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

QASIM ALI BARI »

« ALIYA ESMAIL

FEATURE ARTICLES

EDUCATION

DEENA SHAH »

« NYI TUN SAN

CULTURE AND LEISURE

NEWS AND RCSI EVENTS

« DAVID JOYCE

« SARAH CULLEN

SOCIAL MEDIA OFFICER

NEWS AND RCSI EVENTS

« KATHY LIU

« DERMOT FARRELL

COVER ART DESIGNER

ILLUSTRATOR

MEGAN MURNANE »

« MERNA BAWYAN

STAFF ASSOCIATES CORRIENA BRIEN & TANYA CHAPPLE - CONTENT REVIEW, STAFF CO-ORDINATORS PROF CLIVE LEE- WRITER: ANATOMY

November 2018

2

DIVERCSITY.COM

Editors’ Notes.

// At a glance...

Editors’ Notes

DIVE INTO

YOUR AT

D

ear Reader,

Welcome to our second issue of the year! In just two months we’ve added a whole new cast of characters to our committee (you can find their beaming faces on the previous page) and a whopping sixteen additional pages to this issue making it nearly twice the size of September’s! On that note, I’d like to thank all of our contributors without whom this paper wouldn’t be possible!

A TASTE OF THIS ISSUE The sheer volume of content we received for this issue has meant we’ve been able to cover a variety of themes spanning from Mental Health to Medicine’s relationship with the Arts.

RCSI’s Psychiatry Society make their DiveRCSIty debut with a piece on World Mental Health Day and how it was observed here in college. We have an introduction to RCSI’s Centre for Mastery: Personal, Professional & Academic Success (CoMPPAS) and the key role they play in student welfare. This issue also sees the return of the always popular Humans of RCSI with students relfecting on what mental health means to them. Finally, I sat down for a chat with RCSI’s fluffy new ambassador for mental health, Welfare Bear himself.

As for the Arts, we have Megan Murnane’s gorgeous ‘Floraplasia of the Great Vessels’ which graces this issue’s cover and appears in full on page 20. Naheeda Rajmohamed makes a strong case for Medicine as an art form on pages 24 through 25. The artistic stylings of our wonderful new illustrator Merna Bawyan feature throughout, and finally we have the first of what will hopefully be a recurring segment showcasing the poetry of RCSI students.

This issue also features a new section from RCSI’s Sports Union, a new film review column (aptly titled ‘Reel Talk’), a feature article on the college’s new Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Unit, a reflection on the ‘Great Flu’ outbreak of 1918, a brilliant piece from the RCSI Association of Women Surgeons, and a recipe for purple crusted apple pie. That is to say we’ve been working hard to stay true to our title and provide content that will hopefully reflect and engage the diverse community that is RCSI. SPECIAL MENTIONS: The winner of September’s Anatomy with Clive Lee contest was Nabil Imran Yahya who took home a €25 One4all voucher. Congratulations to everyone hot on his heels with correct answers as Prof. Clive Lee admits it was a tough question!

JOIN THE COMMITTEE: If you’ve got ideas, skills or simply the itch to get involved, please drop an e-mail to divercsity@rcsi.com. We’d be more than happy to meet with you and are always prepared to answer any and all questions!

PASSIONS

- QASIM ALI BARI Director and Editor-in-Chief

UNIVERSITY

To join our mailing list, or for societies or general enquiries, email divercsity@rcsi.ie Read anything you love? Did we print something you hate? Have a great idea or suggestion for the paper?

Let us know how we are doing! editor.divercsity@rcsi.ie editor.divercsity@rcsi.ie or divercsity@rcsi.ie

Share the excitement online, Like us on facebook.com/DIVERCSITY www.divercsity.com Join the Facebook Society Group Page for the latest updates facebook.com/groups/divercsitysignup Facebook.com/divercsity Share and view this issue online from issuu.com/rcsidivercsity

November 2018

3

DIVERCSITY.COM

Student Union

//Freshers Fortnight 2018

« NIALL O’HUALLACHAIN

Well guys what a fortnight it was!

Dardistown Carnival: For legal reasons under European Union competition law I can’t go into great detail. However, suffice to say there are bumper cars, live music, free food and waltzers. Not to mention it sold out. “Best event of the year!!!” *cough *cough definitely not said

by Andrew and Ally.

Pizza Night and The Grafton Mile: The first event is always the scariest one. Suddenly, you are being thrown into a room full of people you have never met before.

The apprehension hangs in the air for the first 20 minutes or so, then BAM it feels like you’ve known these strangers forever. As the wise Eoin Campion often says “Pizza is the greatest social lubricant”.

Model United Nations Games Night: Attracted many fans of “RISK” and “Diplomacy”.

World domination and territorial expansion were but a few terms tossed around at Games Night. Be warned next time come with your guns loaded if you wish to converse with Rudy about European Fiscal policy 1996 to present.

Physio Soc Lock and Key: One of the best and most well attended events - the Freshers “Lock and Key” never disappoints. Nothing quite breaks the ice like asking multiple strangers “Does my key fit your lock “?

Cancer Socs Pink Party: You get to wear pink, go to a party and dance. I don’t know how you can top that. Plus all money from ticket sales goes straight to charity!

RCSI Mens Rugby Match: Why was the match so good?

1) Thomas Moore 2) Thomas Moore playing rugby

CAS White Party: If you haven’t experienced the white party it’s hard to explain. The only words that spring to mind are ‘awe’ and ‘wonder’. A night of great dancing, even better chats and amazing banter. The famed Onuche Ochai even graced the event with his latest dance moves.

November 2018

4

DIVERCSITY.COM

Ballad Sessions: Live music to beat the band (please excuse that terrible pun). Hearing great songs like “Johnny B Goode” being performed by the best musicians in RCSI is downright amazing. “We love Ballads, to be honest we live for Ballads” – Amir and Luke

UNICEF DARE NIGHT: Many were dared to do some hilarious things all in the name of the UNICEF. Be it, “Tell someone you like them” or “Buy a randomer a drink”. Most were mortified but laughing all the way.

PIBS NIGHT OUT: For the aspiring fashionistas among us, we could take a page or two out of the PIBS committee. They rock up to the club in amazing outfits and put everyone else to shame. One can only imagine what Diwali will be like.

Cycling Club Ride Out: There is no better way to finish your first week in RCSI than with a relaxing and healthy cycling trip around the city. Who knows it might even encourage you to start cycling to college or even Beaumont!

Climbing Club: This year Climbing club went all out, bringing a massive group of hikers out on a lovely 9 km walk via the upper and lower alpine lakes of beautiful Glendalough. Congratulations to Clare and all the climbing captains on pulling off an amazing event. We can’t wait to see how the next hike to Croagh Patrick goes. On a side note if you fancy a candid nature Instagram go on a climbing club trip.

RCSI Drama’s Carnival Night: Meeting the amazing committee of drama soc in the basement is always great craic. Great activities from charades to musical chairs.

There was also a photo booth on the night!

You may have even been lucky enough to get caught by Darren or Dhruv and be peer pressured into doing the play or musical.

Pharm Soc’s BBQ: The enterprising new Pharm Soc committee gave us a previously untried event: a BBQ in DTwo. Hats off to them it was one of the best and funniest nights I ever had. Lets hope Aoife and the rest of the merry band can keep the good work up for Pharm Ball. Nothing sums up the event more than Hazel saying “Sure you get burgers in a club LIKE … I’M FROM WEST CARK(CORK)”.

MSF Kayaking Trip: Last but by no means least, what better way to end an incredible Freshers week than a fun kayak on the River Liffey. I think the photos do more justice than my words in showing how amazing the event was.

CIMSA and Irish Soc Collab: Hopefully this year we saw the first of many collaborative events between CIMSA and Irish Soc. Well done to both the committees. Now a shout out to Orla Conway: “ Tús maith leath na hoibre” – A good start is half the work done.

November 2018

5

DIVERCSITY.COM

//What’s Next in Malaysia?

O

ne of the several widely celebrated events that exemplifies Malaysia’s rich cultural diversity is Deepavali, an annual festival of light celebrated by the country’s Hindu/Indian population. Also known as “Diwali,” the religious event falls on the night of the new moon between the 7th and 8th Hindu lunar months, which in 2018 will fall on the 7th of November.

The festival is typically held to celebrate the victory of light over darkness, or more specifically the return of the Hindu God, Lord Rama, returning and defeating the devil-king Ravana. Some also use the day to worship the Goddess Lakshmi, the deity of wealth.

The festival occurs over a period of 5 days, with each day serving a specific purpose, although the biggest celebration is usually the day of Deepavali itself, which falls on the third day. The first day is the day of fortune and is devoted to cleaning the home, as well as purchasing gold items and new clothes. The second is usually spent with cleansing oneself with aromatic oils to remove sins and impurities before

« MARISS MOHTAR

decorating the house with “rangolis,” intricate patterns made out of colored powders. The third day is where the worship of Goddess Lakshmi occurs alongside the lighting of candles, diyas and electrical lights at home and temples. The fourth day marks the beginning of the new year, and people typically spend the day visiting friends and families, sharing gifts and feasting on traditional Indian delicacies such as murukku (a crunchy snack), gulab jamun (milk based sweet) and jaleebi (deep fried flour batter that is soaked in sugar syrup). Finally, the fifth day is traditionally spent with brothers visiting their sisters, sharing gifts and meals together.

During this auspicious period, temples are lavishly decorated with flowers and other bright colours, attracting thousands to pray and worship their deities. One such temple where this can be seen is Batu Caves in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, one of the most popular Tamil shrines outside of India.

However, Deepavali is more of a festival that celebrates and strengthens the relationship between family and friends, and as such, the true beauty of the festival can only be appreciated within homes.

Rangolis - intricate patterns made using coloured powders

Batu Caves - Colourful Stairs leading upwards into a temple

The lighting of diyas

November 2018

6

DIVERCSITY.COM

//Slán go fóill (Bye for now)

« LAI WEI HERNG

T

he Penang Medical College (PMC) programme, (now known as RUMC) is where students spend the first two and a half years of their medical education in Ireland undertaking biomedical and early clinical sciences studies in RCSI or UCD. Upon completion of the preclinical studies, they will then return to Penang, Malaysia for the remaining two and a half years for the rigorous and extensive clinical training.

Being able to interact with fellow students from a diverse and rich background of cultures allowed me to expand my horizons and of course my contact list. LOL. Besides, the clubs and societies of RCSI are some of the most active I’ve seen, with various events held during freshers week and cultural month. RCSI has indeed brought the world to Dublin and given me an adventurous experience during my first year here.

From the get-go, PMC seniors were helpful and involved in almost every step of my journey here. Before leaving for Dublin, they met up with us for a pre-departure orientation to ensure that we were fully prepped for the journey. During freshers week, they were hyping up every single event for us, telling us to get involved in events before the tsunami of lectures began. They shared their experiences in Dublin by giving us advice on how we can enrich our lives and experiences here. Before you knew it, the first card signing came knocking on our doors and being first-timers, we were panicking like the world was about to end, and it was the seniors who gave us minor preps to guide us through it. I then joined the PMCSA committee, where I had such an amazing experience with them. To organise event after event with a well-oiled committee was no doubt, a privilege. And then came Cultural Month with more rehearsal and sewing sessions then I can imagine. Despite their hectic IC1 schedule, they not only passionately attended rehearsals, but helped out wherever possible, thus leading us to an amazing International Night.

And very soon, these students will have to part with their RCSI FAMILIA, bidding their farewell as they embark on a new journey back in Malaysia.

PMCSA’s Farewell on the 17th of November, is a dinner held to celebrate these students as they finish a phase of their programme here. It is a night to reminisce on the precious moments spent here.

Don’t cry because it’s over, SMILE because it happened.

I will never forget the moments with them in Dublin, the movie nights, DotA 2 matches (dota>lol) and tiring rehearsal nights. From the depths of my heart, I wish you guys all the best in Penang!!

November 2018

7

DIVERCSITY.COM

Clubs & Societies

//Humans of RCSI

« ALEXANDRA NIEUWESTEEG

“Before coming to RCSI, I was timid, afraid to let my opinions be heard, scared that I would be judged by others. Its a weird feeling you see; to feel that you are always wrong and always second guessing yourself, and eventually you believe that being silent is the best option, constantly criticising yourself by not being good enough at anything.

But I was lucky to meet with so many friends in RCSI that are always positive about me, constantly reminding me of how capable I am despite what I tell myself. Eventually, they were able to help me build my confidence and bring me to new heights, heights I never knew I was capable of reaching.

I might still feel timid and sometimes feel like I’m not good enough, but to a lesser degree than before. I’m 100% sure that I'm surrounded by a lot of people that have been able to make my life at RCSI so much better, and I hope that I’ve done the same for them.”

“I think it’s important to remember that it can be anyone and everyone. Mental illness isn’t selective; not one person is immune to these diseases, no one is untouchable, and anyone can succumb to mental illness at any time. Part of the stigma surrounding mental illness is the portrayal of this sad, lonely, dark individual that looks physically ill. And I think that’s the problem - it’s this subconscious need to associate physical symptoms with a disease that affects the mind; sometimes it’s difficult for people to discern that one does not equal the other. A lot of people who struggle with mental illness tend to remain silent for a multitude of reasons - shame, stigma, fear; whatever these might be it’s our jobs as human beings to ask. Ask your friends/colleagues/acquaintances how they’re doing - even the ones who seem like they’ve got it all “figured out”. It never hurts to ask, and you may help more than you’d ever know than if you hadn’t. Mental illness can still look like joy, excitement, laughter, life don’t let it fool you.”

“Three months ago an allergic reaction stopped my heart, but here I am, a few minutes of CPR and a team of doctors later. Initially I felt like my life was over and I was at a standstill, but everyone around me was still moving. My recovery was (is) slow and it felt like there was no getting better. It was demoralizing. I was in a dark hole that felt like hell but was somehow still Earth.

But I look at myself now, three months later, and I can see a full life ahead of me. I can picture possibilities and happiness and success, and I unapologetically want it all. We’re so young and naïve and don’t realize our potential. We don’t value the opportunities we have around us because we live in the past. Have dreams, have goals, have aspirations and actually chase them.

It shouldn’t take dying for you to realize how much you have ahead of you. I still struggle every day.

Sometimes I feel like I’m only a fraction of what I was before, but that percentage I lack reminds me that I have no reason to complain. Because I’m alive and I’m well and I’m capable to doing anything I want to do with my life. I think about where I’ve been and where I’m going and it’s strange being in the middle of those two things, having both a past and a future.”

SEPTEMBER2018 2015 November

28 8

DIVERCSITY.COM

Societies

“The transition from secondary school to college is a tumultuous time in everyone’s life. New environment, new friends, new schedule and for some of us, a new country. It can be really difficult for us to manage all the new roles and responsibilities that are placed upon us at this time.

It’s very easy to sleep through the 8am lecture because you’re tired from partying all night.

However, these were also some of the best times of my college experience. Personally, I found joining as many clubs and societies was a great way to step back, clear the head and relax after a hard days work. It was an opportunity to take a break from the demands and stresses of life and just have fun doing something new or familiar. The people I met as a first year, especially those in older years, are the ones who made the path easier for me. Be it the exam tips or study tricks their years of knowledge and gentle words of encouragement to go out and enjoy myself definitely added to my college experience and kept me sane.

Everyone in RCSI is travelling the same journey. The medics, pharmacists and physios. We all have bleak days on rotation in the middle of nowhere on our own ahead of us. No matter how miserable a week you have had you must remember that help is always close at hand in the form of friends, or professional counsellors if need be. It pains me to say that too many people lose sight of themselves, caught up in the stress and strife of this transition. The struggles can be great and unfortunately almost every year students will struggle greatly to find the motivation to carry on. My hardest day in RCSI was definitely not an osce or any exam, but the day we received an email telling us of another tragedy.

Please if theres one thing you take from this, just involve yourself and surround yourself with friends so you dont lose sight of what really matters.”

"Living life day by day, not dwelling on the past or staying fixated on the future, but also not ignoring those two concepts. Enjoy yourself, you only live once. And always remember this, "Be clenched, curious. Not waiting for inspiration's shove or society's kiss on your forehead. Pay attention. It's all about paying attention.

Attention is vitality. It connects you with others. It makes you eager. Stay eager.”

"People get caught up in the idea of having everything figured out. Especially in an environment where there is a huge emphasis on getting the perfect mark or the right answer. But I think it's important to remember that there isn't an explanation or a right answer to everything, and some things just need to be learned through trial and error, no matter how painful. I'm trying to come to terms with the fact that I'm only twenty, and I definitely don't have all the answers. I just have to trust the process."

SEPTEMBER2018 2015 November

28 9

DIVERCSITY.COM

Clubs & Societies

"Shout for help if you need it. I remember vividly my first night in a boarding school: scary, cold, but at the same time, exciting. Growing up, I have a very tight relationship with my family, so when I decided to leave home, I knew it would be hard. I just did not know that it would be THAT hard. I missed everything about home: good food, folded clothes, a comfy bed, but most importantly, my family. 3 weeks into the term, although I made some friends, good friends in fact, I still feel empty. Next thing I know, I was sad all the time, was not eating, nor sleeping. I was performing well academically, but I was not happy. I am that kind of guy in which I don’t really show my emotions, so when my friend asked me what was wrong with me, I knew it was severe. I usually dodge these questions with a simple ‘nothing’, but not this time; I decided to shout for help. We talked for hours, and soon enough, I realised that your friends are like the extension of your family. They are there when you are most vulnerable, and always willing to help. Since then, I have realised the importance of having friends. Shoutout to all of my closest friends here at RCSI, you know who you are.

So next time you see your friend feeling down, why don’t you ask them what is wrong, and similarly, if you need help, why don’t you shout for one.”

“Mental Health is a process that has to be maintained on a daily basis. Feasting on positivity is key. I used to hear that everywhere, but always thought it was only a cheesy motivational quote. Until I realized it makes sense. Living by this means getting value out of every experience, good or bad. I believe the time you start to learn from your mistakes is the time you stop losing and start growing which in and of itself is a win on the bigger scale. Failure is not something to be ashamed of, sometimes failing and learning is as important if not more important than being happy about your wins. Life is not meant to be an easy ride, sometimes you have to suffer. That might sound pessimistic but the optimistic part is that humans are adaptable and have great resilience and potential in themselves, so keep sharpening that potential and stay strong.”

“I think that empathy is more than just trying to put yourself in another’s shoes. To me, empathy means trying to put yourself in another’s shoes while simultaneously accepting that you will never be able to fully understand what another person is going through, even if you have experienced something similar yourself. True empathy is about acceptance of another person’s reality.

When people accept and believe our truths, we feel a sense of trust. The burden of worrying ‘Will this person judge me?’ evaporates. We are better able to communicate and confide in one another. And when we are able to truly share how we feel without judgment, we feel at peace.”

November 2018 SEPTEMBER 2015

28 10

DIVERCSITY.COM

“Mental health is a vital part of our existence as sentient individuals. However, sometimes people perceive mental health as a taboo area. Yet we are more than happy to talk about our physical health,"I ran a 5k on the weekend "is a frequent pre-lecture Monday morning saying.

We should not be afraid to talk about our mental health. Everyday we engage with our mental health, whether we laugh and smile or feel sad.

Being open and accepting of mental health is key to living a good life. It is normal to be happy, it is normal to cry, it is normal to be exhausted. The key is to take care of your mental health. Never feel alone. If you have a problem share it with a friend and talk it over. View it like going on a run except for your mental wellbeing.

Mental health is part of our nature. Don't shun it ... accept it.”

“For someone who suffers and have been greatly impacted from anxiety, I feel like it’s really important to educate people about mental health. No one is perfect and it’s okay to feel sad or overwhelmed sometimes and it’s okay to be afraid of the unexpected but don’t let the fear of what could happen make nothing happen. Anxiety does not define who you are as a person. And you’re definitely not alone in this. A lot of people find speaking up scary and are afraid of being judged but there’s a huge misconception around it. I promise you, there are more people out there than you think, that are ready to welcome you with open arms and an ear to listen.

In the profession we’re going to be in, we are constantly faced with challenges that may be difficult to handle or may be out of our control. Our minds have to be as strong as our hearts. It’s okay to not have life figured out, and it’s definitely okay to be a work in progress.”

"Remember to smile today. It might make someone’s day! Who knows, that someone could be you! "Love your Life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people. When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you find no reason to give thanks the fault lies only in yourself."

November 2018

11

DIVERCSITY.COM

Lifestyle

Student Life

// Sports Section

Brought to you by the RCSI Sports Union

W

e, Richard and Clare, just want to take a moment to invite everyone at RCSI to get involved in some of our many clubs here at RCSI! We hope this is a great year for

everyone and we look forward to meeting as many students as we can!

Clare Lambert, 3rd Med, Sports Union Officer:

My name is Clare Lambert and I’m in 3rd Med. I am very excited to be a member of the Sports Union this year. Before I came to RCSI I was a student-athlete on the Canadian Freestyle Ski Team at the University of Calgary, so the juggling act of managing academics and sport has been a constant theme in my life and is what motivated me to join the Sports Union. When students enter college I think there is an incorrect assumption that it’s time to hang up your cleats or your skis or whatever it is you do and hit the books – but I think that is FAKE NEWS! Especially at RCSI because there is a huge amount of staff, funding and motivated students, including Richard and myself, who are dedicated to making sure you have the opportunity to participate in any and all sports while you’re a student at RCSI. I think it would be foolish not to take advantage of that chance! There will never be another time in your life where you play tag rugby, go to a kickboxing class, learn gymnastics, go to Zumba class and then go rock climbing all for free in the same week! So I say go for it and take advantage of the opportunity to try new sports, get moving and stay fit!

My hope for the 2018-19 Sports Union is that we can assist the captains and sports teams in any way they need so they are better able to manage their clubs and provide for our students, while also being an approachable and accessible means of access for students to learn more about getting involved with sports at RCSI. If you ever have any questions don’t hesitate to pop by during our office hours or stop me in the hall!

Richard Hogan, 3rd Med, Sports Union Officer:

My name is Richard Hogan and I’m in 3rd Med. Sport and exercise have always been a massive part of my life. I grew up in Howth in Dublin and it laid the platform for all my sports, particularly sailing. In reality I was just a hyper kid and my parents needed a solution; “How can we tire him out?” In RCSI I play lots of sports and am active in as much clubs and socs as I can be. This does mean that I am sometimes searching for days with only hours left to an exam, but it has only taught me how to get more organized. I’ve been playing with the basketball team since 1st year and really enjoy it. It is such a great sport for fitness and also de-stressing.

I’m the captain of the tag rugby club and played with them since 2nd year. Tag is a great sport because it’s mixed and also played at any level from super competitive to absolute novice. I also play on the contact rugby team, there’s a real sense of unity within the team and it makes it really enjoyable to play when you know everyone is working together.

This year I also set up the Sailing Club, we offer beginner lessons as well as competing at intervarsity events. I’ve been sailing since I was 7 years old and have loved it since. I’ve represented Ireland at numerous international events since I was 10 but had to slow down how much competitive sailing I did during 6th year due to injury. Being able to set up a club in RCSI has been fantastic, getting to introduce people to such a great sport, while also taking others to events is a real privilege. It is these terrific bonuses that make me love RCSI. We have limitless opportunities available to us in RCSI when it comes to sports and activities, and I really do encourage people to take time from study, and really enjoy their time here.

I joined the Sports Union this year as I really wanted to help promote all the different sports we offer as well as help these clubs organize their events. This year Clare and I will be busy helping you all stay active, so if you have any ideas, feel free to tell us.

November 2018

12

DIVERCSITY.COM

Lifestyle Societies

“Willpower and Dealing With Injury in Sport” Nicolas Kostelecky, Final Med:

Hi. I'm Nicolas. I'm a Final Med Student from Austria/USA and Vice-captain of the RCSI Cycling team. I've been involved in Endurance-distance sports for four years, having completed four marathons, two half-marathons, and a "Canadian Century" (100km), most recently the Great Dublin Ride on September 23 with the RCSI Cycling team. Before that I was involved in swimming, rowing, and water polo. Training while at RCSI has been a significant challenge, but I have found that the organizational skill required to plan workouts (sometimes twice in one day) has made me a better student. Injuries are a common complaint, and my most recent one was a stress fracture in my foot during the Phoenix Park Duathlon (I still finished the race on the broken bone, and my relay with RCSI Cycling still placed first). Returning from that injury was difficult, but the focus required actually made me stronger than I was a year ago. I'm a great believer in personal will, and I believe anyone can run a marathon or farther, or cycle 100km distances and longer. It's not just super athletes, or genetic freaks. If you want to, you can. I even do workouts that are not designed for a particular aspect of fitness. They're designed purely to be long, boring, and require perseverance to complete. I've found this has helped me during marathons and other challenges. The mind is a muscle, so they say.

“The Inside Scoop on Rugby” Thomas Moore, 3rd Med

Not everyone at RCSI knows all that much about Rugby so we decided it was time to go straight to the source - Rugby Captain, Thomas Moore. Enjoy!

Q: What is Hospital’s Cup? A: The Hospital’s Cup is an annual competition between hospitals and medical schools in Dublin. It is the longest running rugby competition in Ireland, this year being its 130th year. It is an honour to play in such a prestigious and historic competition.

Q: What’s the scoop on balancing sport and school?

A: We all try to balance study with physical activity in this college and playing rugby is a great way of doing that, committing to a team encourages you to find the time to get down to training and get some exercise. It’s a brilliant escape from the books and a refreshing change from the library. It’s also a great way to meet other people in the college, there’s a bond of friendship forged when you play rugby with people, I think it’s a testament to this that lads don’t seem to stop playing when the going gets tough in some of the more work heavy years, or even when they leave the college entirely.

Q: What are the rugby plans for the year?

A: We have three big competitions this season, we have our Leinster league which we have the potential to do well in, we’re faced with the challenge of defending our Hospital’s Cup trophy and we have our annual match against our French rivals from Saint Antoine. We have our work cut out for us as a team. I’m really looking forward to seeing how it goes.

Sports Mascot RCSI is proud to announce its new symbol for Sports within the college, the famous Irish Elk. The Irish Elk (Megaloceros giganteus) used to roam the lands of Ireland thousands of years ago. Famous for their enormous antlers, rumour has it that they were the animal’s downfall. Due to Ireland’s thick forestry, the antlers would often get stuck. This year the Sports Union ran a competition for the students to send in their mascot ideas. We had a lot of great submissions and would really like to thank everyone who submitted an idea. Our winner was Connie Dale, who drew the Irish Elk. Our runners up were, Emma Forde, Carina O’Brien and Suzzane O’Mahon. The Irish Elk is a real symbol of Irish heritage, it is symbolic to RCSI because an elk features on our crest but also that RCSI is proudly Irish and is one of the oldest institutions in the country. We are in the process of designing a Sport Emblem related to the ancient species, this emblem will symbolise Sports in the College and feature on future jerseys and other merchandise. We are also ordering in a mascot costume to represent clubs at events and games.

SEPTEMBER 2015 November 2018

28 13

DIVERCSITY.COM

// Excellence in Sport at RCSI Series Part 1. Emily Beatty I’m a second year med student and Irish hockey player. I started playing hockey when I was 10 and currently play for Pembroke Wanderers hockey club and the Irish women’s hockey team. I made my debut against Canada in 2013 and have achieved 88 international caps since then. Before I started in RCSI I played for four years in UCD (where I studied psychology) and I played professionally in Belgium for KHC Dragons.

Compared to Irish hockey the countries we compete against are largely professional/full time therefore we have to try and get as close as we can to this level of preparation while also being an amateur team. This means having to fit in hockey around our daily lives, for example, twice a week we have gym sessions at 6am before going to college/work for the day. We train 3 evenings a week, 2 mornings a week, play a match on a Saturday and train all day Sunday.

It’s a huge commitment but it’s amazing. I’ve made some of my best friends through hockey and I’ve travelled the World playing the sport I love. I’ve been all around Europe, to the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore, to the USA, New Zealand, South Africa where we qualified for the World Cup in 2017 and in the Summer of 2018 to the World Cup in London where we won silver medals and jumped from 16th to 8th in the World rankings. In the next 3 months we are going to Spain (three times), Chile and England for test matches and in June we have our Olympic qualifiers which we are hosting in Dublin. At times it’s quite hard to balance it all with college work particularly around exams but the college are so supportive and accommodating.

I’ve been balancing schoolwork and international hockey since I was 15 years old so whenever we have a few days off hockey I often find I don’t know what to do with my time! Some days are tough, like when you are out training for 5 hours in the lashing rain and then come home to study for an exam the next day, but when you score an international goal, win an important match or come home from a World Cup final to 7,000 people on Dame Street cheering you on, visiting the President at Aras an Uachtarain or on the late late show, it makes the tough days worth it!

Last week I was at the award ceremony for RCSI. It was such a fantastic evening and so great to be at a ceremony celebrating so many of the students in the college’s achievements.

November 2018

14

DIVERCSITY.COM

//Chocolate Ball “What’s better than a friend? A friend with chocolate.” I still remember seeing the jubilant face of two fourth med students as they ecstatically shouted it to the cameraman in Chocolate Ball 2012. It was before I even entered RCSI and I was looking in awe at the RCSI promo video; the flare, the diversity, the fancy clothes, the wine, the chocolate, the everything overwhelmed me with a lust to attend RCSI and be a part of its rich culture and immerse myself in the events, just like Chocolate Ball.

It has been five years since I’ve seen that video and now I’m in fourth med myself, charged with the heavy responsibility of organizing Chocolate Ball, along with my eager committee members. Chocolate Ball has always been one of the big 3 RCSI events, the other two being International Night and College Ball.

My first Chocolate Ball showed me what all the hype was about. I remember staring up at the stage, mouth agape and starry eyed with a chocolate covered strawberry in one hand and glass of wine in the other, wondering how the dancers on stage were able to contort their bodies in such mesmerizing movements. I was instantly hooked by it all. Everything about that night was impeccable and to this day, that Chocolate Ball is one of my favorite memories at RCSI. Every year since then, I have religiously attended and performed at each and every Chocolate Ball.

Being on the committee, I have realized the work needed to execute the event. The committee plans many months in advance, meticulously organiz-

November 2018

« JAVED MACHIKAN (PRESIDENT OF CAS)

ing every minute detail, down to the number of chocolate chips that we want added to each cookie.

Well, maybe not that specific, but I have seen the dancers practice three days a week, every week for 2 months. I have seen the amount of sweat, passion and sheer determination that each performer puts forward. And why not?

They are the crown jewels of the show and trust me, when you sit in that audience and you look at their energy, you will feel every single ounce of passion in each alluring motion that the dancers make.

The beautiful thing about Chocolate Ball is the fact that it doesn’t matter where you come from, once you’re a student of RCSI, you are a part of CAS. Students of all different races and nationalities come together to plan, perform and enjoy Chocolate Ball. This year in particular, we plan to celebrate all the different cultures and nationalities at Chocolate Ball. I truly wish I could tell you more, but I really don’t want to ruin the surprises we have in store.

Chocolate Ball is more than just a show though, it’s an opportunity to be wined and dined with the best that the college has to offer. It’s an opportunity for you and your friends to dress up in your fanciest clothes and then spam the gram with your bad and boujee pics. Chocolate Ball is an opportunity for you to dive into RCSI’s diverse ocean of rich, chocolatey culture.

15

DIVERCSITY.COM

Clubs & Societies

//The glass ceiling - cracked but not broken - yet.

A father and son are in a horrific car crash that kills the father instantly. The son is rushed to hospital where he needs urgent surgery. Just as he is about the go under the knife, the surgeon walks in and says: ‘I can’t operate on that boy, he is my son…’.

In a 2014 study, 78% of students asked to explain the above scenario did not guess that the surgeon was the boy’s mother. More popular answers included the boy was adopted or he was the son of a gay couple. I heard this at the recent, ‘Women in Medicine in Ireland Network’ inaugural conference and recounted it at home, certain that asking it would illicit answers of: ‘It is his mum, obviously’. After all, I’d spent all day at an event that was called women in medicine, and my family is well informed of my interest in surgery. I first asked my two sisters, both women that consider themselves feminists, and who work in male dominated fields. To my dismay, they both got the answer wrong. They maintain it was the way I told the scenario, but really, if you reverse the gender roles, you never suspect the surgeon is not the father. I worked my way through my family, getting increasingly disheartened until eventually my father said straight away: ‘The surgeon is his mother’. I was both delighted and proud. Dad got it; so perhaps there is hope for women in surgery after all. Unfortunately, Dad ruined it by saying it was like another riddle he had once heard. This was not a riddle - or at least it shouldn’t be. It is merely an effective and simple way of demonstrating a gender bias. Most people hear surgeon and they think of a man - it is an ingrained belief that is not consciously considered until you are forced to acknowledge it.

I’ve always wanted to be a surgeon, and I am lucky that I have been supported in this career dream, at least from the people whose opinions matter to me. That is not to say I haven’t heard my fair share of discouragement - largely from strangers- who feel it perfectly acceptable to comment on my life plans, such as how a career in surgery will prevent me having children or a happy marriage. I have never heard anyone make similar comments to male colleagues.

It was just before my third birthday when I had my tonsils removed. The surgery was performed by an amazing female ENT surgeon. I left the hospital and told my parents (and anyone else who would listen) that I was going to be a doctor like that one day. When someone gave my sisters and I toy irons (terrible present for little girls by the way!) my Mum was very amused to see me using two of them as defibrillators to ‘shock’ my giggling sisters. I never doubted I could become a surgeon because of two major elements;

« SUZANNE M. MURPHY

During the summer, I attended the Association of Women Surgeons (AWS) meeting in RCSI. The AWS is a global organisation, based in the United States, committed to supporting women at every stage of their career. I found the meeting to be truly inspirational. Every woman who spoke was eloquent and passionate about their chosen field. They did not list ways in which their lives had been impacted but instead listed ways in which they had OVERCOME potential barriers. These were women who were doing it all. They were not pretending it was easy but they were saying it was possible. The AWS motto of: ‘Engage, Empower and Excel’ resonated with me and I knew it was something I wanted to be more involved in. I began reading about AWS student chapters and the amazing work male and female medical students were doing across the world to encourage women to consider a career in surgery. I knew that I wanted to start something similar in RCSI. After a lot of work, emails and phone calls between myself, the AWS and RCSI, this September we launched the RCSI student chapter of the RCSI Association of Women Surgeons. The organisation is open to everyone in RCSI regardless of gender or career goals. This is an organisation aiming to encourage female medical students to consider a career in surgery. It is just as important for us that we have male students willing to support their female colleagues as we do female students getting involved, and supporting each other.

We offer an opportunity for students to see female surgeons at the top of their game, and we are lucky in RCSI that we have such a rich pool of successful alumni to draw from. We will be establishing mentorship opportunities for students, with successful surgeons across the globe. We want to engage everyone in RCSI to get involved so that in the future when people hear the hypothetical story about a surgeon unable to operate on their child, they don’t hesitate to answer: ‘It’s his mother!’.

Footnotes: If you wish to learn more about AWS or get involved, contact womeninsurg@rcsi.com or find us on Facebook at RCSI Association of Women Surgeons

1. I saw an amazing female surgeon. My ENT surgeon was able to ‘fix me’ , stopping the constant sore throat. She was kind but I saw how she commanded respect when she walked into a room. She was instantly trust-worthy with a calming air about her.

2. My family, particularly my Mum, encouraged me every step of the way. Mum was determined to show myself and my siblings we could be anything we wanted. There were no barriers to our dreams.

I know not everyone is lucky enough to have similar levels of support or encouragement. Many female medical students have not had exposure to women in predominantly male-dominated fields. They don’t have a list of names they can consider ‘career goals’. What is more, they don’t have people around them telling them it is achievable.

Of course it is not just about having female role models, I have just as many male role models as I do female ones. It is about having people who show you that becoming a surgeon is not impossible, regardless of gender. I would be just as determined if I’d never met other female surgeons because I have a strong network of people around me that have never once suggested my gender was a barrier to anything in this life. This was something I only really became aware of when I started medical school and heard friends tell me they wouldn’t do surgery because of their fears over how they would manage their career goals alongside having a marriage/children/a life. It was something I only ever heard from female friends. The odd male friend would comment that surgery could impact on lifestyle, but never that it would prevent them having a family.

SEPTEMBER2018 2015 November

28 16

DIVERCSITY.COM

Societies

//World Mental Health Day

« NIMRIT BATH

RCSI Psychiatry Society is very proud to present their first newspaper spread in DIVERCSITY! On Wednesday, October 10, 2018 the world came together to observe WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY which brought the topic of “Young people and mental health in a changing world” to the attention of the RCSI community. With the perfect opportunity to spread awareness regarding care for one’s mental health, how to support others in need, and the services which are available through the College and elsewhere, RCSI Psychiatry Society was proud to present a booth for Mental Health Awareness Day which was made possible with the help of our friends from COMPPAS, the RCSI Welfare Bear, and Niteline.

While caring for one’s mental health often gets pushed back on our list of priorities, this time of year it’s more important than ever for students to start the term off right as the transition from secondary education to university in an unfamiliar country for most, is incredibly difficult. Adjusting to life in Dublin, creating and maintaining new relationships, and managing the work load in a highly competitive and sometimes claustrophobic subject of study while requirements for the ever elusive GNIB, housing, and dealing with banks is… for a lack of better word… really hard. It’s ok to sometimes feel down, homesick, stressed, lonely, and burnt out. We all experience these motions from time to time, but it’s important to know how to properly care for yourself so these feelings don’t progress to a situation that’s unmanageable or requires urgent intervention.

By increasing community awareness, understanding early warning signs, and taking advantage of psychosocial support provided by RCSI, RCSI Psychiatry Society brings mental wellness to the forefront of our events. We provide a variety of pamphlets on these early warning signs and help direct students towards organizations suited for their particular needs. Our events, such as sign up day, the Welfare Fair, and World Mental Health Day, aim at promoting services and awareness. We would like to extend a BIG thank you to all those who participated at the Library commons at 26 York St. on Friday, September 21st to mark the end of Health and Wellbeing week. The Welfare Fair and bake sale were also a huge success and with your generosity, we ended up raising over €178 in support of our friends at Pieta House! Thank you so much to everyone’s support, all of our committee members and volunteers, as well as the wonderful team at COMPPAS and all of those kind enough to bake for us! Your treats were truly delicious and we couldn’t have done it without you. I also hope that everyone found the Welfare Fair really informative on what supports are available in the community. I just want to send out a reminder that COMPPAS is a valuable resource that can be used by all students, to support you in your life at college and are a pool of knowledge and a great starting point if you’re facing any difficulty during your time at RCSI. Comprised of professionals, they can direct you to valuable resources, advise academically, and they host plenty of events and opportunities to improve one’s skills and one’s chances of success.

SEPTEMBER 2015 November 2018

28 17

DIVERCSITY.COM

Clubs & Societies

RCSI Centre for Mastery: Personal, Professional & Academic Success is a multi-disciplinary team of specialists working collaboratively to facilitate and empower RCSI students to achieve their personal, academic and professional goals. We seek to promote and facilitate continuous growth and skills development for future healthcare leaders at all stages of their training. Make an appointment to meet us today. Office locations in both 123 St Stephen’s Green and Beaumont Hospital, Student Centre.

Meet the Team Ronan B. Tobin Head of Student Engagement & Development and Head of Unit.

Aoife Gilligan Quinn Student Welfare Officer

Tel: 01-4028565 Email: comppas@rcsi.ie

Tel: 01- 4022504

Career Development

Communications & Language (CAL)

Pro-active and integrated career readiness services enabling a 3-stage RCSI Student Career development Journey: Career Discovery, Career Choice, Career Ready

Email swo@rcsi.ie

Embedded and aligned academic programmes enhancing professional communication and language competency in academic and clinical learning environments.

Fionnuala Rahilly Helen Kelly Career Development Manager Lecturer in Communications & CAL Programme Co-ordinator

Tel: 01-4022565 Email: Careerhub2@rcsi.ie

Tel: 01-4022252 helenkelly@rcsi.ie

Dr. Ebun Joseph Career Development Consultant

John Baird

Teaching Fellow, CAL

Tel: 01-4025046 Email: Careerhub2@rcsi.ie

01-4028505 johnbaird@rcsi.ie

Academic Development

CoMPPAS Administration

Learning Access & Facilitation

Margie Morgan CoMPPAS Faculty Co-ordinator

Enhancing academic and digital skills through one to one coaching, workshops and peer-led tutoring.

Empowerment and direct facilitation of students with disabilities, ongoing medical conditions and specific learning difficulties.

CoMPPAS Administrative support, planning and project management

Jacinta Burke Tel: 01-4028565 Email: comppas@rcsi.ie Academic Development Officer & Learning Access Jessica Doherty CoMPPAS Co-ordinator

Tel: 01-4028663 Academic Development Email: academicdevelopment@rcsi.ie Learning Support learningsupport@rcsi.ie

Tel: 01-4022222 Email: comppas@rcsi.ie

Student Welfare

Confidential practical and emotional support. Promoting positive growth, resilience and student wellness. Assistance with RCSI regulatory processes.

Sinead O’Kelly Student Welfare Officer

Follow CoMPPAS on Twitter @RCSI_CoMPPAS Find us online at http://www.rcsi.ie/comppas Instagram Follow #RCSIWelfareBear on Instagram at welfarebearrcsi

Tel: 01-4028537 Email: swo@rcsi.ie

SEPTEMBER 2015 November 2018

28 18

DIVERCSITY.COM

//In Conversation with Welfare Bear

« QASIM ALI BARI

Q: Good morning Welfare Bear! I must say I’m delighted we found time in your schedule to have this one-on-one. I think it’s fair to say you’ve been quite the busy bear these past couple of months.

WB: Thank you Qasim. It’s a pleasure to be here. And yes, ever since I arrived on campus back in orientation week I’ve been trying to introduce myself to everyone here at RCSI from the top down. I’ve met with CEO Cathal Kelly, Dean Hannah McGee, Head of SARA Judith Gilroy as well as Professor Arnold Hill just to name a few. I also hope to make the acquaintance of President Kenneth Mealy in the near future. Thankfully everyone has been very warm in welcoming me to the college and in showing their support for my message.

Q: On that note, you have been given the title of ‘The Little Bear with the Big Message’. What is this message you hope to spread?

WB: As RCSI’s new ambassador for mental health I want to share information promoting positive mental health on campus, as well as demonstrate the importance of self care. To that end I have attended a great many events at the college, starting during freshers fortnight and continuing throughout mental health awareness week. Just the other night I met with the running society before they went out on their Thursday night run - I think it’s important I practice what I preach. I also promote a lot of external resources such as NiteLine, the Rape Crisis Centre and LGBTQ organizations. In addition to Mental Health I feel very strongly about promoting human rights and social wellness. I like to consider myself a wholistic bear.

Q: I understand you also maintain a strong social media presence?

WB: Absolutely, I’m very active on Instagram. People can keep up with me by following #RCSIWelfareBear at welfarebearrcsi. You’ll find pictures of me playing the piano, attending events and spending time with friends. I think I currently have 153 followers since freshers fortnight, but paws crossed this interview gives my profile a boost. I’ve also made an appearance on the CoMPPAS Facebook account, but I have plans to make my own page soon. I would love for students to interact with me over social media. Anyone can contact me with regards to resources or ideas they think I might like to share. I’m also always ready to attend society events so please send me invites. Not to be a braggadocious bear but I really can draw a crowd, and I’ve been told I’m a terribly good hugger. In fact it was wonderful meeting students over freshers fortnight, many of whom were away from home for the first time, and being able to give them the biggest bear hugs I could.

Q: Well Welfare Bear, you’ve been an absolute delight to speak with, and I expect you’ll be receiving invites to every event on campus. Before we wrap up, I’ve been meaning to say how much I admire your spiffy CoMPPAS t-shirt!

WB: Aww thank you kindly Qasim. It’s funny you should mention it. I actually introduced the idea of the CoMPPAS team having t-shirts to make themselves more accessible over orientation week. I suppose you could say I’m a bit of a trend setter. I’m also wearing my green ribbon, and hope to pick up a pink one at the breast cancer event on Wednesday. In fact if anybody would like to donate a particular badge or ribbon to me, for instance if there’s an organization they feel strongly about or society they’d like me to represent, I’d be more than happy to oblige.

Q: Thank you again for meeting with me this morning Welfare Bear. I wish you every success in spreading what is most certainly an important message.

WB: Thank you for your time Qasim, and I can’t wait to pick up my copy of DiveRCSIty!

SEPTEMBER2018 2015 November

28 19

DIVERCSITY.COM

//Floraplasia of the Great Vessels

November 2018

20

« MEGAN MURNANE

DIVERCSITY.COM

Lost Ashore I watched the child being told it would kill her.

A daisy softly shattering under moonlight– Effete white petals silently drowning.

The team’s self-importance stopped them from admitting why.

Scan it, blast it, then salt the soil.

A chance for redemption – Eager to make up for their previous blunder.

They asked me, “Can you see in the dark? Didn’t think so” Wordless – I stood there.

First surrender – Rank with the inexperience of too coy blood.

Lost in its abstraction.

Then the joke was delivered like a patronizing fib.

But I missed the punchline, And so did she, Which made me happy.

I should have told her I’m sorry.

Catatonic – I stood there.

Suited furrowed brows told me no.

So, I wore the team’s off-color, routine smile, With wide-eyed incredulity, Watching as she was sinking in the boat.

I wanted to help bail the malign water, Gushing in through slapdash workmanship.

She called, “Can you see in the dark?”

Please, swim to me, I thought.

Please.

But, I just stood there, Gawking from ashore, Smiling at the encroaching sea – Drenched in the tidal fugue.

–Anuj Rastogi

Elsewhere I keep dreaming about elsewhere where I can be my true self where there’s no masked faces, gun barrels, or siren sounds Where blood of innocent souls isn’t shed in the streets by people so obscure and obscene, people that can’t see further than skin deep Elsewhere where they don’t differentiate, Based on the color of your skin or the features of your face, your last name or the religion you obey Vivid dreams of elsewhere haunt me, or maybe I simply want to go to no-where, to disappear forever, at times that I feel my skin crawling When the blood running in my veins begs me to stop it Sometimes I want to end it all, and go to no-where Where there’s no hidden agendas, or alleys that lead to a dead-end I want flowers to be embedded in my veins, instead of these thorns that cut deep into my skin, For leaves to grow out of my chest instead, Maybe then I will be able to breath clear air –Merna Bawyan

November 2018

21

DIVERCSITY.COM

Undrinkable a green glass bottle standing proud on a shelf unopened amidst the crowd clear bubbles rising towards the top elated chaos in every drop it holds itself with grace and poise shoulders back adrift the noise of tumbling staggering circumstance a violent mix of fate and chance one day came when it was insisted the bottle opened the wire untwisted with cork unleashed to whip the air a deafening crack began the affair hurtling fire washed down each throat spilling and tumbling with forceful note unsuppressed and running free a torrent of vicious intensity the dance went on throughout the year guests went home fatigued in fear concern no longer a convenient choice no more time for an unstoppable voice that made no sense in time or place and had no control over tone or pace it spewed and choked on the unreal its euphoria rapidly lost its appeal until soon the bottle sat on the table abandoned and fixed with a warning label enclosed in a cabinet shut out from the world as the next phase of life slowly unfurled

November 2018

the bubbles now flat and the taste soured the green glass bottle no longer empowered turned in on itself and seeing inside recoiled in horror and tried to hide in guilt and shame it searched for meaning stale and empty on others leaning hoping to fall from the shelf and break shattered oblivion that last act take no longer to sufffer just barely alive no hopes no goals for which to strive but the green glass bottle there would stay on a dusty shelf through night and day wishing time would end the despair and that someone someday would again dare to choose this bottle and spark once more the intoxication worth living for an inebriated explosion of intense highs that felt so freeing that it could prize this poor lone figure from its isolation plunge from bitter cold into exhilaration trapped between mania and deep depression with life derailed no form of expression audible by the masses but never heard an undrinkable liquor on a shelf preserved – Niamh Kyne

22

DIVERCSITY.COM

Niteline listens ARTICLE WRITTEN BY NITELINE.

I

haven’t studied hard enough. I’m finding it hard to fit in. I miss home. I feel lonely. I’m not having fun. I wish I didn’t get drunk last night. I’m scared of coming out. Is this course for me?

Everyone experiences college differently, there is never a ‘right’ way.

A lot of the time people say that college has to be the best years of your life, and you feel like you have to make it so. No one tells you how hard it can be and no one tells you that it’s ok to have these feelings. It sometimes feels difficult when things get on top of you. You deny yourself the right to feel sad because you think you shouldn’t. If everyone around you is coping with the same things as you then why is it that it is more difficult for you? When things get too much it can sometimes be hard to open up and talk about it. You’ll say you don’t want to bother anyone. Opening up isn’t easy but by sharing how you feel with someone else they might be more at ease with sharing with you. No one feels fantastic all the time, it’s important to know that. The simple act of asking someone if they are okay could be more beneficial than you know. Giving someone your listening ear to let them talk about their day can make a huge difference.

We don’t have to worry about things on our own. If you ever need to talk about your day you can call Niteline any night of term from 9pm to 2.30am. We provide a non-judgemental, non-directive completely anonymous and confidential listening ear. No problem is too big or too small. We listen.

The Wellness Wheel take a moment to reflect...

November 2018

23

DIVERCSITY.COM

//The Artist

« NAHEEDA RAJMOHAMED

Picture an artist. Who comes to mind?

Is it someone famous, like your favorite pop sensation? Perhaps a classic like Mozart or Van Gogh?

Or do you picture the societal image of a cool disheveled and broke individual, a French beret atop their head in a coffee shop with book, paintbrush or journal, sipping away at their double shot, non-fat mocha late? Words like passion, drama, inspiring and creativity come to mind, places like beautiful cities, art studios, coffee shops and museums are brought up and paintbrushes, pens, speech and imagery are heralded as the weapons of choice. No matter your perspective, society has made one thing clear, an artist is the paradoxical partner of the scientist. Lab coats and poetry are not supposed to mix.

Art is a complicated term. Definitions, explanations and perceptions vary depending on the sources you look at. According to the oxford dictionary, art is defined as “a skill at doing a specified thing, typically one acquired through practice”. Not only does this contradict society’s depiction of an artist but this statement could also arguably be applied to any craft; the art of lying, the art of painting, the art of teaching and, most notably, the art of medicine. I know what you are thinking.

Medicine is a science not an art. We use calculations, research, and long hard years of education to mold ourselves into the future leaders in healthcare we aspire to be. The oxford dictionary is merely describing the word art as being used as a descriptor, not art itself. In many ways you are correct.

Science is the backbone of any healthcare practice, knowledge is built on research and our advancements in healthcare are attributed to the work we put into the methodological practice of trail and error, but hear me out. Art is much more than just a term used to describe those who paint or spend their days philosophically postulating the meaning of life. To be an artist is to be able to understand and reach people at an individual and personal level. It is being able to see someone, empathize with them and understand what they are trying to say to you. The art of medicine is our ability to apply the science of healthcare to our future patients.

It is no secret that medical students on average spend more time staring at books than studying the ethical or underlying relationship we will one day have with our patient’s. Especially early on in medical school, the lectures focused on health behavioral sciences or on ethical decision making skills are not attended by a very large percentage of the class population. This is because, as medical students, we have been brought up in the false pretense that medicine is purely a science, making all non-science related lectures feel alien or unnecessary to our curriculum. Why should we waste our time studying something that is so much less important to our futures? Well, sorry to burst your bubble but you my friend are an artist, an artist studying arguably one of the hardest arts to conquer: the art of understanding and aiding people. Let me break it down. For arguments sake let’s focus on the painting aspect of art. A painting is a form of artwork and being a painter would be the correct grounds to name someone an artist. The purpose of the artwork is to inspire people in four main ways: 1) Hope, 2) Connection, 3) Balance, and 4) Motivation. If medicine is an art then these four principles should be transferable to its practice.

November 2018 SEPTEMBER 2015

28 24

DIVERCSITY.COM

Lifestyle Societies

Hope The most popular pieces of art in the world focus on things that are beautiful to look at, beautiful skies, gardens, flowers and happy people. It is no surprise that the world we live in is filled with terrible problems globally and independently within our own lives. These things weigh down on us as a community and through positive depictions in art we can avoid slipping too far into depression or despair. It is an emblem of hope for the future and an escape within the moment.

Similarly as a physician you will be dealing with people in their darkest hours. They will be attempting to come to turns with feelings of grief, loss or hopelessness, which they have never experienced before. Your job is to do what is best to treat your patients. In order to do this you will need to focus on their choices and identify what their concerns are.

Although you may not be able to cure them or prevent a crippling disease from progressing you need to explain the options they have and the risks and benefits of each. By doing so you may be able to give the patient and their family a sense of hope in you and in themselves. In some cases your patients may just need someone to talk to whilst dealing with a difficult time and your kind ear with your support can give them the hope that they need.

Connection Often times in life the world expects us to be happy. We are expected to act joyful and pleasant to one another despite the inner turmoil that may be burning through our hearts.

Sometimes if these feelings are bottled up we can feel isolated by them. We can start to feel abnormal or different because we seem to be suffering through something that no one else seems to be having trouble dealing with. Art can reassure us of the normality of pain. Through paintings, music or sculptures artists can depict pain, suffering and grief in ways that we can relate and feel connected to. It can give us the welcome feeling that pain is a normal part of human existence.

In the same way a doctor can act as a normalizing factor in an otherwise traumatic situation. No patient wants to be put in a place where they need to seek medical help. A consultation is a private situation and the information that a patient shares with their physician is confidential by law. People can feel embarrassed, ashamed or humiliated by whatever they are suffering from. They can feel very alone and being told that a healthcare professional is a safe trustworthy person to talk to can ease the anxiety they are struggling with.

Depending on the situation you might be in, you may be able to reassure them or offer them further help. In doing so you are not only helping your patient but also assuring them that they are not going to be fighting their problems alone.

Balance Society likes to tell us that we are all unbalanced in some way. We are all too rational or too emotional, too feminine or too masculine or too calm or too excitable. Art has been acting as a counterpart to our lives for years. Giving us calm when we are agitated or depicting the love that we aspire to achieve. The art that you find beautiful is often a clue to what you would find beautiful in your own life and in many cases depicting that which you don’t have. It can inspire you to seek a different route in life and potentially reach a level of balance that you are happier with.

In a healthcare setting balance is especially important. As a physician you need to be able to balance your understanding of the science of medicine and emotions associated with aiding your patients. This will take time and practice. In some cases you might come off too removed from the situation and give a cold reception to those you are treating, whilst in other you may lose your composer and appear weak or unable to support the situations they are dealing with. This delicate balancing act is critical to maintaining and furthering a healthy relationship with your patients. From the patients perspective your role will help balance them and hopeful bring them some sense of composer. Unfortunately a visit to the doctor is not always filled with good news, and the reassurance of a physician or confidence that they have with their plans of treatment can help a patient find the balance that they need emotionally.

Motivation Someone once said, “a painting speaks a thousand words.” For centuries art has been used as a means to get people in the mindset for a certain event. Whether that is through posters for a movie or artwork depicting a historical event, the emotions artwork can stir are powerful. A picture can instill an emotion with a single glance. This powerful medium can help open our eyes to the things around us we were unaware of. It can spark an incentive to act for a cause. Healthcare offers many things to patients. One of the most important things that any healthcare worker can hope to instill with their patient is the motivation to keep fighting. It is too easy to give up and the clinical outcome of any diagnosis can dramatically change based on the attitude a patient has whilst dealing with their treatment. This, in combination with all of the above, are aspects that a good physician needs to learn how to express to their patient. Situations will be different in every case you deal with, but gaining the ability to empathize and motivate someone when they need it most is something that can make a difference on a universal level.

In the end the most important thing to keep in mind whilst on your way through the ranks at RCSI is that, although you primarily deal with books and are studying within the realms of science, you will one day be responsible for the life of another person. The art of medicine, unlike the art of a painter, is focused on your patient. They are your top priority and you need to be able to use the knowledge you have in the most respectful and understanding way as possible. In science it’s sometimes easy to dehumanize the process. The scientific perspective is often clear-cut divided into wrong and write. But the human mind and body are far more complicated. It is unprofessional and inappropriate for a physician to forget that. As put by Paracelsus, a famed Swiss physician, “medicine is not only a science; it is also an art. It does not consist of compounding pills and plasters; it deals with the very processes of life, which must be understood before they may be guided”.

SEPTEMBER 2015 November 2018

28 25

DIVERCSITY.COM

Clubs & Societies

//DiveRCSIty connects with RCSI’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Unit

Last year, RCSI took important steps towards fostering a culture of inclusivity on and around campus, for students, faculty and administrators alike. Did you know eight new portraits of pioneering female healthcare professionals from RCSI have been commissioned for the Board Room through the #WomenOnWalls project? Have you noticed the installation of campus-wide gender neutral bathrooms, implemented last spring? Did you hear about or attend our first official Pride celebration? These initiatives, and many others, were led by RCSI’s new Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Unit.

« ALIYA ESMAIL

« JULIA MORROW

policies have been launched at medical schools across Ireland. In case you might like to learn more - Trans 101 trainings are also available to student groups through the Student’s Union and Student Services.

What is EDI? The EDI Unit represents the commitment RCSI made to ensure everyone who enters the College is welcomed into a community whose core values are dignity and respect.

In Ireland, the Equality Act 2010 identifies nine protected characteristics: age, disability, ethnicity/race, family status, gender, membership of the travelling community, religion, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic variation. The EDI Unit was founded on these principles, which will serve as the motivation and inspiration for developing inclusivity initiatives in the years to come.

Past, current and future initiatives by the EDI Unit Since its inception, the EDI Unit has had a busy year. A number of projects and events have come to fruition, and there are many more in the works! Below, check out some highlights.

Investors in Diversity In March 2018, RCSI became the first higher education institution in Ireland to achieve the Investors in Diversity Ireland standard, demonstrating the College’s commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and to continuous development in this area. The EDI Unit would love to engage with and learn more about any upcoming diversity initiatives in the student body so do let them know if you have exciting events coming up!

Athena SWAN Bronze Award You might recall seeing “What is Athena SWAN?” posters across the campus last year. Athena SWAN is a recognition and award scheme for positive gender practice in third level education.

It is based on a charter which recognised the advancement of gender equality and progression for all. In October 2018, RCSI was very proud to be awarded an Athena (SWAN) Institutional Bronze Award in recognition of the College’s efforts to advance gender equality. This award is a hallmark of RCSI’s collaborative spirit, bringing together contributions from all departments and hundreds of staff and students. Over the next four years, RCSI has committed to implementing a gender equality action plan based on feedback gathered during a comprehensive staff and student consultation process. Oh, and in case you were wondering, SWAN stands for Scientific Women’s Academic Network!

Women on Walls Have you ever sat an exam in the College Boardroom of RCSI’s historic building on St Stephen’s Green and looked up at the walls hoping for inspiration!? Women on Walls at RCSI (in partnership with Accenture) is a new campaign aimed at recognising the achievements of a group of extraordinary RCSI women and enhancing the visibility of historical female leaders in healthcare. The campaign started in March 2018 with a nationwide call for artists, and in March 2019, eight new portraits will be unveiled as part of RCSI’s International Women’s Day celebrations. Come and learn about the life-changing work of these RCSI female pioneers who have dedicated their lives to advancing healthcare, nationally and globally.

Gender Identity & Expression Policy In late February, the EDI unit welcomed Gordon Grehan of the Transgender Equality Network Ireland (TENI) to run Trans 101 training sessions for staff at RCSI. So far, over 150 staff have completed this training. The sessions were held parallel to the launch of RCSI’s Universal Access bathroom facilities and accompanying signage that you may have noticed across campus. These are two important steps in supporting the health, wellbeing and safety of our trans community, and are integral to RCSI’s Gender Identity and Expression Policy for Staff and Students which was launched by Minister Regina Doherty T.D. in April 2018. Similar

November 2018 SEPTEMBER 2015

Pride celebrations This summer, the EDI Unit hosted a Pride celebration for the first time. This event was open to the public, those walking by were welcome to come in for breakfast, drinks, face painting, music and more! Over 300 people were in attendance, included 30 staff and student volunteers.

A special thank you is extended to Andrew Cox, President of the Student Pride Society at RCSI who recruited many volunteers to help support the event!

Keep an eye out for EDI events coming up soon, and in the new year!

AHEAD Better Options Fair: On November 19th, the EDI Unit is hosting AHEAD Ireland’s Better Options College Fair for students with disabilities (mental, physical or learning disabilities). Representative from colleges nationwide will gather in Exam Hall to provide information and support to students regarding college support services, including how to submit an application for DARE (Disability Access Route to Education). This event is open to the public, and no registration required.

International Men’s Day On November 27th, the EDI Unit will celebrate International Men’s Day with Movember celebrations at the SSG campus. More details to come!

Women on Walls Unveiling (see above) – 5th March 2019 Volunteers needed!

Volunteers are always welcome! If you are interested in being on the EDI general mailing list or want to join the team of event volunteers, please email equality@rcsi.ie. The EDI Unit is specifically looking for volunteers for the Women on the Walls launch and AHEAD gathering. If you have a musical talent you’d like to share, the EDI Unit are always seeking singers and musicians to perform at their events and would love to hear from you!

Stay updated!

For regular updates on the initiatives by the EDI unit, follow them on Twitter! @RCSI_ Equality Meet the team The EDI team is currently staffed by four members: Dr. Avril Hutch, Associate Director - Head of Equality, Diversity & Inclusion; Ms. Julia Morrow, Research and Policy Officer; Ms. Sarah Fink, Athena SWAN Project Officer; and Ms. Elisa Duncan Cullen, EDI Operations Assistant.

The EDI Team: Julia Morrow, Gordon Grehan (TENI), Dr Avril Hutch, Elisa Duncan Cullen and Sarah Fink at the Athena SWAN celebration on Wednesday, 9 October.

28 26

DIVERCSITY.COM

Societies

Engaging Ageing In April, the EDI Unit facilitated the establishment of an Age Friendly Staff Network. This is a platform by which the staff can engage with the college to strengthen supports available to staff members throughout all life and career stages. The AFSN also plans to become a member of the global Age Friendly University Network in the coming year.

Intergenerational day

Positive Ageing Week In keeping with the spirit of engaging ageing, the EDI Unit held a Positive Ageing Week in October to encourage the RCSI college community to rethink the ways in which we engage with staff at different career and life stages.

Positive Ageing Week is a nationwide campaign and series of events that encourages people to rethink how we engage with ageing which is sponsored by the EDI Unit’s partner organisation, Age Action. For the RCSI community, this week challenged our community to reimagine how RCSI recognizes and engages with staff and students at all life stages.

Every day of Positive Ageing Week has a theme, each of which bring awareness to one aspect of positive ageing: Motivation Monday Meaning behind today: bringing awareness to this week, and the importance of positive ageing.

Activity: The EDI Unit showcased facts and figures of research on aging on Twitter to motivate us to adopt practices promoting lifelong health and wellbeing.

Tech Tuesday Meaning behind today: to share knowledge of smart technologies with older adults which will make day-to-day tasks easier and enabling people to live independently at home for longer.

Mr Jody Spooner, father of Dr Muirne Spooner, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Medicine, holds Lucina's baby following Miroslav Voborsky, Simulation Technician, demonstrating the birth simulation suite.

Activity: RCSI hosted Age Action’s first-ever ‘Tech Tuesday’ event that provided a platform for organisations offering services and products that leverage smart technologies to allow people to live independently at home. Exhibitors included Bonovox, Doro phone, Facebook, Tesco, Children’s’ Books Ireland, EPIC Irish Emmigration museum and Pascana! Each exhibitor/booth offered a technology related support for older people. For example, Tesco was in attendance to promote their recently launched complimentary home-delivery services for over-65s.

Wellbeing Wednesday Meaning behind today: bringing awareness to, and strategies on, living a healthier, more informed lifestyle.

Activities: Several guests were welcomed to RCSI to speak about pertinent issues regarding healthy ageing: •Dr. Una O’Neill, a GP at Mercer’s Clinic prepared a lunchtime talk on wellbeing at various stages of life, and how the meaning of wellbeing can change as you age •Willis Towers Watson provided financial management and pension advice one-onone sessions

Joseph Tighe, father of Orna Tighe, Vice Dean for Student Support and Development Senior Lecturer/Academic Administrator MCT, dons a lab coat with the help of Olwen Foley, Co-ordinator: Laboratory and Teaching Services, ahead of the MCT Lab visit at Intergenerational Days.

Thursday’s Intergenerational Day Meaning behind today: A day to provide an opportunity to foster and strengthen intergenerational relationships and share with our visitors a selection of the activities that the College is involved in, such as cancer research and surgical training.

RCSI opened their doors to family and friends of students and staff, to provide an opportunity for them to learn about what RCSI has to offer. Almost 30 family members attended this first-ever event. The day’s agenda included a Roots genealogy class, Digital Skills technology class, a talk on the DNA of Irish Ancestry, Stretch gym class, MCT Lab visit, 26 York Street Simulation Lab visit, and a tour of 123 SSG. Phone-a-friend Friday Meaning behind today: This day was meant to remind us to reach out to a family member, friend, or neighbour to say “Hi.” Social interaction throughout all ages is a part of positive mental health and wellbeing. This was promoted via all-staff email and staff portal posting!

SEPTEMBER 2015 November 2018

Anne Curtis, mother of Annie Curtis, Research Lecturer (StAR programme), use the microscope to view materials used in one of the research projects presented during the MCT Lab visit at Intergenerational Day.

28 27

DIVERCSITY.COM

Clubs & Societies

//Commemorating the Great Flu Outbreak 1918-2018 The Spanish influenza or ‘Great Flu’ of 1918 was one of the greatest pandemics of all time. It killed between 50 and 100 million people – approximately 35% of the population.

Despite its name, the outbreak affected virtually every country in the world. To mark this centenary RCSI Library worked with Research Summer School students Kate Moran and Vikneswaran Raj Nagarajan to investigate the historical impact of the outbreak under the following questions: • What features of this strain of influenza lead to it being such a severe outbreak?

• What was the impact of the pandemic, socially, medically, politically?

• What was the response to the breakout in Ireland?

• What did the Irish public health sector do in response?

• How can we use the pandemic as a model for future pandemics?

« SUSAN LEYDEN (COLLEGE ARCHIVIST)

In terms of the long-term impact of the pandemic, the effect of those who were in utero during the outbreak was broad and severe. The likelihood of someone from this cohort completing high school was 9% lower than average, and disability rates of those born in 1919 were 6.5% higher than the surrounding years. Later in life, this group had higher rates of kidney disease, respiratory disease and cardiac disease - possibly due to organ damage caused by a cytokine storm.

The impact of the pandemic on the field of public health was also considerable. Influenza became a disease worthy of more recognition – it became a reportable disease during the pandemic, and was isolated in 1933, with a vaccine being developed in the 1940s. An international bureau was established in Vienna with the aim of fighting epidemics – this may be seen as a precursor to the World Health Organisation and Centers for Disease Control.

Over the 8 weeks, Kate and Vik, investigated and analysed primary and secondary sources available to them in RCSI Heritage Collections including medical journals, pamphlets, archives and newspapers. They also got the opportunity to use science-focused search engines such as PubMed to identify published studies and articles on the topic of pandemics, Epidemiology and Public Health. In addition, both students, were offered the opportunity to visit external library and research facilities largely associated with historical research, including the Dublin City Library & Archive, the National Library and the Archives of the Royal College of Physicians in Ireland. In doing so, they were able to identify, select and analyse material that would help them answer their research questions.

At the end of the program, both students presented their work through a poster and presentation to the staff of RCSI Library. And it doesn’t end there! RCSI Library are in the process of organising a November seminar to further commemorate the outbreak of this pandemic - ‘The Spanish Flu: A century of medical science and public health response’ where talks will be given on both the historical and clinical aspect of the Spanish Flu and will include our very own Research Summer School graduates. We hope to see you there!

As the weeks progressed, both students were able to delve into the topic and were successful in garnering results to their questions. They learned the spread of the 1918 influenza was largely facilitated by the mass movement of people due to World War I and, later, the end of the war. Contrary to expectations, the transmissibility of the virus was quite low, with its reproductive rate (R0) being between 2 and 3 – only slightly higher than that of normal seasonal influenza. Meanwhile, its mortality rate was 10-20%, in sharp contrast to the usual seasonal influenza rate of 0.1%. Even more notably, the group at highest risk of death was young, healthy adults – those aged between 20 and 30. This was due to the effect that the virus had on the immune system – it caused a “cytokine storm”, wherein the immune system would mount a huge inflammatory response to the virus. Those with the strongest immune systems (i.e. the aforementioned group) were hence at highest risk of death.

November 2018 SEPTEMBER 2015

28

DIVERCSITY.COM

Societies

//RCSI Library WWW.RCSI.IE/LIBRARY | 26 YORK STREET | BEAUMONT HOSPITAL

EXAM MORALE BOOSTER @ EXPO STAGE, 28, 29, 30 November

L2, 26 York Street in Silent Study Mode including Lift Concourse Area

Additional Study Areas Atrium & Windows, L3 & 4 TRs, L 3&4 from 5pm/6pm

| USE LOCKERS FOR BELONGINGS WHEN LEAVING SEATS FOR MORE THAN 30 MINS | USE BLUE SLIPS FOR 30 MIN BREAKS, 26 YORK STREET |

>>> NEW SUPPORT MATERIALS <<<

FINDING INFORMATION REFERENCING ENDNOTE X8 FOR WINDOWS & MAC RESEARCH SUPPORT

• • • •

Further resources on

www.libguides.rcsi.ie

SEPTEMBER 2015 November 2018

28 29

DIVERCSITY.COM

Education

November 2018

30

DIVERCSITY.COM

//Just a Day in the Life

« DEENA SHAH

It was a cold rainy Monday morning, I had already woken up late, I would now have to speed walk to Waterford University hospital to make it on time for the start of a long day of colonoscopies. By ‘long day of colonoscopies’, I mean long day of observing colonoscopies, on the off chance I would get the opportunity to have some hands on experience maybe cannulating a patient or prepping them for this slightly invasive procedure; And by ‘on time’ I mean 5 minutes early because according to the golden rule on time is 5 minutes early, late is on time and late is code for good luck finding your team!

Once we made it over to the colonoscopy suite the team outlined the plans for the day and, classic, pointed us in the direction of several patients that proved for a good opportunity to take a medical history. If there is one thing you can never get enough of in IC3, it is history taking. I was initially under the impression that history taking would not be a difficult task to master, however after watching the fluidity with which one of the interns was able to gather information from the patient, gracefully dancing through SOCRATES, inquiring about every associated symptom, extrapolating the finest details enabling the solidification of a differential diagnosis, I quickly realized this was not a task one would master overnight and that my semester would be spent taking history after history after history in attempt to master the art.

The day slowly petered on, we were 3 histories in when finally one of the interns turned to me and my fellow medical student and said ‘Hey could you guys lend me a hand for a bit?’ this was the moment every medical student waited for, the moment when you are actually needed and not seen as some extra body constantly in the way. We jumped at the opportunity, our day had just become exponentially more exciting. The intern talked us through the consent form and gave us a detailed explanation of how to ‘prep the patient for the colonoscopy’. We were to explain the procedure and the possible risks, ask the patient relevant questions with respect to indications for the colonoscopy, seek consent and finally we were to place an IV cannula into the vein so an anaesthetic could be administered. We walked in to meet the first patient we were prepping and my eyes automatically went to the veins on the this elderly man’s arm, they were beautiful. They looked as if they had been painted, cascading down his forearm and over the back of his hand. This was my first time inserting a cannula in a real patient. Deep breath, here we go. I decided to go with the veins on the dorsum of the hand because I figured if I blew my shot in the hand I could just continue to move up. I place the tourniquet over the proximal part of his arm and decided to go with the biggest looking vein, I then wiped the area with an alcohol swab careful not to re-contaminate areas I had already cleaned. This was it, I took the cap off the needle palpated the spongy ocean blue vein and slowly slid the needle into the vein. Knowing my technique was correct I advanced the needle, touch down! I then methodically removed the tourniquet, took the needle out and placed the stopper in its place solely relying on muscle memory from the clinical tutorials we had earlier on the fake arms. My heart was racing, I had just cannulated my first patient.

So this was a small victory, but this is one of those moments that is monumental in every medical students’ life. The first time someone is putting their faith in you to properly perform a necessary, required task. It was exhilarating!

The day went on and my partner and I continued to prepare patients for their colonoscopies. Once we had helped the intern in prepping some of the patients, we observed some of the colonoscopies to try and get a better idea of the underlying pathology in some of the patients. The day basically went on like this and by the end we were exhausted. It’s not like we did a significant amount of work, however being on your feet all day and trying to stay sharp to answer questions that are constantly thrown at you can take a toll on the body. It was just another day in the life.

One day at a time, one vein at a time, I may not be exactly where I want to be, but I am well on my way!

November 2018

29 31

DIVERCSITY.COM

Education

Anatomy WITH Clive Lee //

Clubs & Societies

« PROF. CLIVE LEE HEAD OF ANATOMY RCSI, PRESIDENT OF THE ANATOMICAL SOCIETY

CORRIGAN’S COLLAPSING PULSE Sir Dominic Corrigan (1802-1880) was born in Dublin and attended anatomy classes at several medical schools, including RCSI. During his student days, he acted as a ‘resurrection man’ and wrote the following account of his experience: We moved with our hands the recently deposited clay and stones which covered the head and shoulders of the coffin – no more was uncovered; then a rope about three or four feet long was let down, and the grapple, an iron hook with the end flattened out attached to the rope, was inserted under the edge of the coffin-lid. The student then pulled on the rope until the lid of the coffin cracked across. The other end of the rope was now inserted around the neck of the dead, and the whole body was then drawn upwards and carried across the churchyard to some convenient situation…awaiting the car that was to convey it to some dissecting theatre.

The Anatomy Act in 1832 provided for bodies to be obtained legally and stopped the practice of body-snatching.

Corrigan qualified in Edinburgh in 1825 and was appointed physician to the Charitable Infirmary in Jervis street, now part of Beaumont Hospital.

He wrote his classic paper ‘On permanent patency of the mouth of the aorta or inadequacy of the aortic valves’ in 1832 describing a pulse which rises quickly and falls quickly.

With the patient reclining, the examiner grasps the muscular part of the forearm and raises the patient's arm vertically upwards. If the patient has an incompetent aortic valve, a pulse is felt as a tapping impulse transmitted through the bulk of the muscles. This happens because the blood that is pumped to the arm during systole is emptied very quickly through the incompetent valve back into the left ventricle due to the effect of gravity on the raised arm. This is Corrigan’s ‘collapsing’ pulse.

But where is the best place to listen to the aortic valve?

A. B. C. D. E.

2nd left intercostal space – sternal border 2nd right intercostal space – sternal border 4th left intercostal space – midaxillary line 4th right intercostal space – sternal border 5th left intercostal space – midclavicular line

Corrigan was elected President of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, a Westminster MP and was knighted by Queen Victoria. A marble statue of Corrigan by John Henry Foley RHA is in the College of Physicians in Kildare Street, and a plaster model of it is in the Anatomy Room – photo below.

BE IN WITH A CHANCE TO WIN OUR MONTHLY GIVEAWAY! 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

SEPTEMBER2018 2015 November

28 32

DIVERCSITY.COM

Education

//Rad Soc’s Radiograph of the Month Patrick Thompson is a 67 year old banker from England that presents with a history of a five day harsh, productive cough. Associated with the cough is a fever, chills and malaise. Yesterday he developed right sided non radiating chest pain, worsened with inspiration. Past medical history is significant for 60 pack year smoking history. The patient has been previously treated for mild hypertension, bronchitis, appendicitis (as a young adult) and a fractured femur and splenic injury (motorcycle accident). He’s not active physically and denies any recent travel out of Ireland.

His ordered X-ray’s are shown below:

QUESTIONS 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

What would you say if asked to read this x-ray?

What is your differential diagnosis for this patient?

What else could consolidation on CXR be indicative of ?

Is there anything in his PMH that makes a future complication more likely?

Three weeks of treatment later the pt feels much improved and asymptomatic - is there any further treatment/procedures needed?

Anything you’d advise the pt to do going forward?

(Streptococcus pneumonia fun fact: it is the most common cause of community acquired pneumonia and secondary pneumonia; usually seen in middle aged adults and the elderly. The second most likely is Klebsiella pneumoniae.)

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

RML consolidation with hypertrophy of right hilar Lobar pneumonia - from symptoms, CXR and hx of smoking Consolidation is a radiological sign for fluid (instead of air) in the lungs. This could be due to pulmonary oedema, pulmonary haemorrhage, or inflammatory exudate.

Asplenism - more likely to have issues with encapsulated microorganisms - pneumonia - leading to a lung abscess.

Pneumonia always mandates a follow up CXR at 6 weeks Quit smoking, as he is 67 years of age he should receive sequential administration of both PCV13 and PPSV23. Pneumococcal vaccines are indicated to all adults ≥ 65 years of age.

ANSWERS November 2018

33

DIVERCSITY.COM

Clubs & Societies Lifestyle

// Food Diaries

« SIMRANPAL DHANJU

Welcome back!

Since the last issue I received some requests for Indian recipes so today I’m going to show you all how to make one of my favourites, Palak Paneer. This is a really simple cheese and spinach curry that only takes about 30 minutes to put together.

You’ll have to get quite a few Indian ingredients for this one but luckily you can find them all at Asia Market in Dublin 2. The cheese we’re using is called “paneer” and it’s usually in the refrigerator section alongside the tofu. For spices you’ll need garam masala (the all-purpose Indian seasoning, any brand will do), turmeric powder and whole cumin seeds.

Feel free to adjust the spiciness to your own tastes. You can add as many chilies as you can handle. Remember: the finer you slice the chilies, the hotter the dish will be. Personally I recommend Thai chilies for this (again, Asia Market) but any will work. This is best served with some warm naan, which is pretty easy to find in grocery stores these days, but what’s even better is to just pick up a few fresh ones from the takeaway!

Note: to be truly authentic you should use “ghee” (clarified butter) as your cooking fat but you can get away with olive or vegetable oil too. You may want to add a bit of butter at the end for some richness however.

Palak Paneer Ingredients • 250 g paneer, cut into cubes • 300 g spinach (fresh or frozen), pureed or finely chopped • 1/2 bunch of cilantro, pureed or finely chopped • 1 medium sized onion, diced • 4 gloves of garlic, sliced • 1 thumb size piece of ginger, grated • green chilies (to taste), sliced • 1 tsp of garam masala • 1 tsp of turmeric • 1 tsp of cumin seeds, whole • 4 tbls of yogurt • salt (to taste)

Recipe 1. This is purely optional but I like to quickly fry the cubes of paneer (about 5 mins, flipping so all sides cook evenly) before I make the spinach curry. They’ll take on a nice golden-brown colour and get a little crispy. This is how my family always does the dish so it’s my personal favourite method of preparation. If you want less hassle (and a healthier dish…) you can skip this.

2. Heat a few tablespoons of ghee/oil in a medium size pot set to medium-high. Add the onions and cook until the onions start getting dark around the edges.

3. Add in the garlic, ginger and chiles. You won’t need to cook these very long, once you can smell everything you’re good to move on to the next step.

4. Add in all your spices to quickly toast them. Again, cook until everything is fragrant.

5. Add in the yogurt and stir to combine.

6. Add in the spinach and cilantro purees and stir to combine everything. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 10-15 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir occasionally.

7. Add in the paneer and cook for 5 more minutes.

SEPTEMBER2018 2015 November

34 28

DIVERCSITY.COM

// Q’s Counter

Societies Lifestyle

« QASIM ALI BARI

Spiced Apple Pie with a Blueberry Crust Ingredients

BLUEBERRY CRUST • 2 tbsp. freeze dried blueberry powder • 3 tbsp. cold water • 300 g (2 cups + 1 tbsp) all purpose flour • 2 tbsp. granulated sugar • 1/2 tsp. sea salt • 250 g (2 sticks plus 2 tbsp.) very cold salted butter • 1-3 tbsp. ice water (as needed)

IE” P E N FI N M A D “

APPLE FILLING • 1 kg apples (about 6, depeding on size) • 100 g (scant 1/2 cup) granulated sugar • pinch of salt • zest and juice from one small blood orange (about 3 tbsp. juice) • 3/4 tsp. freshly ground cardamom • 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon • 25 g salted butter • 2 tbsp. water • 2 tbsp. cornstarch

Instructuions PIE CRUST 1. Stir together blueberry powder and water in a small bowl. Set aside. Mix together flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. If you have one, use a cheese slicer to slice the butter thinly – if not, you can dice the butter with a knife. Add the sliced or diced butter to the dry ingredients, and using your fingers rub the butter into the flour mixture until the dough is crumbly but there are still some small visible pieces of butter.

2. If you want the dough to have a completely smooth purple color – place the mixture in a food processor, add the blueberry powder and water mixture and pulse until just smooth. You might need too add an extra tablespoon or so of ice water if the dough is too dry. Make sure not to overmix the dough!

3. Divide the dough into two pieces, one slightly bigger than the other (the bigger one will be for the lattice top). Place each piece of dough between two pieces of plastic wrap. Flatten into discs using a rolling pin. Place in the fridge for at least one hour.

APPLE FILLING 1. Peel and core the apples and slice them in about 6 mm (1/4 inch) thick slices.

Place the slices in a bowl and add sugar, salt, zest, juice, cardamom and cinnamon.

Gently fold so that everything is distributed evenly. Let stand for about 5-10 minutes or until the apples start releasing liquids. Gently stir every now and then.

2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan, and with the pan over medium heat, add the apple mixture and cook, stirring often, for about 2 minutes or until the apples release more liquid. Stir together the water and cornstarch in a small bowl, and add to the saucepan. Stir constantly until liquids thickens, about 1 minute. Spread filling onto a large plate or a wide bowl and let cool completely.

SEPTEMBER 2015 November 2018

ASSEMBLE AND BAKE 1. Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F).

2. If the dough is very cold and hard, leave it in room temperature for a little while before rolling it out. Roll out the smaller piece of dough to a large circle on a lightly floured surface, about 1/8 – 1/4 inch (3-5 mm) thick. Make sure to roll and turn the dough so it doesn’t stick – or roll the dough out directly onto a piece of baking paper.

3. Using the rolling pin, transfer the dough to a 8-9 inch pie pan. Trim the edges of the crust, but make sure to leave a little overhang if you want to crimp the edges. Set aside.

4. Roll out the second piece of dough, and cut out 10 strips (or the desired amount) of dough using a knife or pizza cutter.

5. Spoon the cooled filling into the pie pan. Place the strips in a lattice pattern on top of the filling (great videos for this online). Trim excess dough around the edges using a knife or kitchen scissors.

6. Place the pie in the freezer for 15 minutes.

7. Remove the pie from the freezer. Place a baking sheet or a piece of baking paper (to catch drips from the pie) on the lowest rack of the oven. Bake the pie for 10 minutes at 200°C (390°F), then lower to 175°C (350°F) and bake for an additional 35 minutes. If the edges are browning too much, cover them loosely with aluminum foil.

Turn the oven off and leave the pie in the warm oven for an additional 10 minutes.

Remove the pie from the oven and let cool completely before serving with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

35 28

DIVERCSITY.COM

Entertainment

Entertainment

//Reel Talk Welcome to Reel Talk!

Every issue will feature a new “theme” and our contributors will share their favourite movies that fall under this theme. With the cold weather on its way we thought it would be great to share a few of our favourite movies for a night-in, because who really wants to trek to Cineworld when it’s cold and rainy?

Rush Hour One part awesome martial arts plus one part hilarious comedy equals one of the best movies you could pick for a night-in. Rush Hour is one of the quintessential buddy cop movies and one of my personal favourite movies of all time (I watch it at least 2 or 3 times a year. In fact, I’m hard pressed to choose between Rush Hour and Rush Hour 2 but we’ll stick with the OG since it came first). Oh you’re wondering about Rush Hour 3? Yeah…it’s….there…?

« SIM

Rush Hour is funny and light-hearted, it doesn’t take itself seriously yet it still has awesome action scenes. From the outset the film merges Chris Tucker’s outrageous stand-up routines with Jackie Chan’s masterful stunt work and fight scenes. The 90s were the pinnacle for both of these actors and their A game really shows here. If you were ever a fan of the Friday movies or 80s/90s era Hong Kong martial arts movies, then Rush Hour is exactly the movie for you. It definitely sounded like a crazy idea back in 1998 but all these years later the pairing holds up.

« KIM

There isn’t a time of year where this movie doesn’t work so if you haven’t seen it yet you really need to stop whatever you’re doing (even if it’s studying for card-signing…) and sit down and watch it…and then go and watch the second one. When you’re done, you can join me in praying for Rush Hour 4!

Mean Girls

Jurassic Park

In my opinion, Mean Girls is one of a few movies that gets female comedy right. The perfect plastics cast of Lindsay Lohan (pre-crazy), Rachel McAdams, Amanda Seyfried, and Lacey Chabert, alongside the comedic geniuses that are Tina Fey and Amy Poehler make for a timeless masterpiece. It’s hilarious, fun, endlessly quotable and so fetch.

Mean Girls is a teenage comedy that has remained relevant through the years. If you haven’t seen it, you really need to come out of that rock you’re living under cause you’re missing out on our generation’s Breakfast Club. If you have seen it, this is just to remind you of how grool this movie is, especially for a night in.

« TREV

Jurassic Park involves a genetic company that discovers a way to recreate dinosaurs using DNA extracted from mosquitoes that have been buried in amber and preserved since the Cretaceous/Triassic/Jurassic periods.

They successfully recreate an array of dinosaurs and plan to create a theme park. Before opening the park to the public, they recruit a small team of scientists to come and inspect the park, and something goes wrong….

The ideal time to enjoy this masterpiece is October 3rd (and if you don’t know why – do you even go here?) but there really isn’t a bad time to appreciate Kevin G do his thang. So pop some buttered popcorn (but wait...is butter a carb?), make some strawberry margaritas, and enjoy this classic teen flick.

Please note that this is not a movie you should put on while doing chores around the apartment. This is one you need to pay full attention to. I mean, that’s just, like, the rules of feminism!

Jurassic Park is not only a great science fiction film, but a film that provokes discussion around the idea of toying with nature and the ethics of genetic engineering. It boasts strong characters, thrilling action, emotion, and was the kickstarting point for several big-name actors such as Samuel L. Jackson (playing Mr. Arnold), Laura Dern (playing Ellie Sattler), and Jeff Goldblum (playing Ian Malcolm).

Jurassic Park was also ground-breaking in the area of computer-generated imagery and animatronics, being the first film to have fully-animated dinosaurs. The effects still hold up today and had a massive influence for future science fiction films and any CGI-films that came after it. The opening scene with the T-Rex is easily one of my favourite scenes in all of film.

This is a timeless film that ranks among Steven Spielberg’s best and is certainly among the 101 movies that you have to watch before you die!

Fun fact: I was supposed to be born the same day this film was released!

November 2018

36

DIVERCSITY.COM

//RCSIdrama presents THE PILLOWMAN

« DHRUV KAPOOR

One day last summer, a few GEMS and I decided to see Dublin University Player’s Society perform, “The Pillowman”, a play none of us had heard of before, performed in their Trinity theatre. We were in involved in last year’s play, “The Playboy of the Western World” and were wondering how our acting skills faired against a cast of drama students.

Their performance was spectacular, and after leaving the play, there was no doubt in my mind that RCSI DRAMA had to give this a go. The dark comedy was, in my opinion, something novel for the society to attempt and to see how far a group of medical students could push themselves in emulating a performance that went beyond our comfort zone.

The story focuses on Katurian (Katyani Mehra FY), a writer. She is under interrogation by Detective Topolski (Faizah Abubakar Sani JC1) and Detective Ariel (Ryan Woodland IC2 RCSI Bahrain) due to the fact that her stories bear an identical resemblance to a recent series of murders. As the plot develops, we come to terms with Katurian’s childhood and her relationship with her brother Michal (Ross McGuiness JC1). We soon come to realise there is something far more sinister at work.

The Pillowman is written by Martin McDonagh who has both written and directed the award winning films: “In Bruges” and “Three Billboards outside Ebbing Missouri”. The play itself has won numerous awards, including a Tony Award.

Our performance of “The Pillowman” will hopefully stand for everything great about RCSI; diversity, comradery and hard work! So we hope to see you all at our show on Monday, 19th of November at 6:30 PM in the O’ Flanagan. Reception and pizza will be held at intermission. Entry fee is €2 with all proceeds going towards Movember.

November 2018

37

DIVERCSITY.COM

//Period Poverty: How can you help?

OBSGYN Soc & RCSI SU Menstruation Donation Station & Bake Sale Period poverty (a lack of feminine hygiene products due to poverty) is experienced by approximately 1.2 billion women worldwide. Pads and tampons are not just back isle products; they provide cleanliness and personal comfort to women, while promoting health and well-being. In fact, the United Nations recently declared period poverty a global public health and human rights issue. In addition to the significant global burden, locally 1 in 10 Irish women are unable to afford feminine hygiene products.

The RCSI Students Union and Obstetrics & Gynaecology Society are teaming up to raise awareness and develop an inclusive space where period poverty is a recognised and respected issue. With the holidays right around the corner, we hope to give back to the local community by running a Menstruation Donation Station and Bake Sale!

RCSI students are encouraged to donate tampons and pads, with all proceeds and donations going to Homeless Period Ireland. This organization works with women at high risk of period poverty, including homeless women and refugees, to ensure access to feminine hygiene is available and equitable!

Women need your help! Our station of goodies will be open from 12-6 pm on November 30 at the Expo Stage, where you can bring feminine hygiene donations and purchase treats to support womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health.

November 2018 SEPTEMBER 2015

28 38

DIVERCSITY.COM

“When you’re in there, when you’re watching the game,the rest of the world just falls away.”

@KeithDugganIT

Societies

CHIEF SPORTS WRITER

Sign up to our Digital Subscription for just €1 for the first month

irishtimes.com/subscriptions

SEPTEMBER 2015

28

DIVERCSITY.COM