Welcome If you’re reading this, then you’re probably an incoming first year (if you’re not then put the booklet back, these aren’t for you). First and foremost – congratulations! Your hard work has finally paid off, you made it, further platitudes and clichés, et cetera! It’s a massive achievement, be proud for a minute. Alright, stop. Don’t be smug. So now you’re here in college and it’s all very exciting – but it can also be confusing, and maybe a little intimidating. Much like your first junior disco, you don’t really know what to expect but you’re vaguely worried that the other kids will laugh at you for not knowing what an action potential is. Lucky for you, Biosoc are here to help.
What is Biosoc? “The Dublin University Biological Association” is a society run by students, for students. It consists of a committee, representatives, and members (that’s you). The committee is made up of fourth year students, and there are two reps per year in years one through three that act as a point of contact for ordinary members. This year we have a great committee, and some really solid reps. First year reps haven’t been elected yet, so if you’re a social and proactive person then put your name forward and get involved! It’s a really great way to get to know people in your year, as well as some people from the years above.
The 144th session: who are we? Chairperson – Rían Hayes Secretary – Dylan F.S. Stacey Treasurer – Leah Carroll Public Relations Officer – Caoimhe Geoghegan Ents Officers – Ally Boyd Crotty & Brendan Sweeney Ordinary Committee Members – Tanna Tan & Beata Carroll 3rd Year Reps – Marianne Foley & Maebh (Miggeldy) Higgins 2nd Year Reps – John Drought & Laoise Geoghegan And here’s a photo of us:
(Don’t we look pretty?)
What do we do? Basically our job is to get you away from the library for a few hours, so that you can make some new friends in your course and have some fun. We organise events throughout the year, such as nights out, booksales, guest speakers, and balls. Your preclinical years are the time to really enjoy college life – make sure to make the most of them and come along to all of our events!
Where to find us? If you’re reading this you’ve probably already met some of us, but be sure to tell your classmates to look out for our stand during Freshers Week – we’ll be in Halls over the weekend, and then in Front Square during the week. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook to stay up to date on all our events, just search for TCD Biosoc. If you need to contact us feel free to message us on our Facebook page or email us at biosoc@csc.tcd.ie.
How to medicine A biosoc survival guide Once the academic year begins, you’re going to have a lot of things coming at you at once. The best way to prevent it all from piling up on you is to nail down the basics. Pay attention to the orientation sessions, and keep a picture of your timetable on your phone for easy reference. Lecturers won’t hold your hand or spoon feed you information, so don’t be afraid to use your own initiative; if you don’t understand something then google it, ask a classmate, or look it up in a book.
Books Buying books for college is a lot different than it was for school, and there is no definitive “book list”. Different lecturers will recommend different books for the same subject. Having your own copy of a book can come in handy, however they can be REALLY pricey and most of them are available in the library – it’s up to you to decide which books you really need and which are unnecessary. If you are buying a book, make sure to pick one that you feel suits your style of learning and is easy to understand – an excessively involved and complicated book will only make studying harder and more discouraging. Fortunately for you, Biosoc have some words of wisdom to guide you on your way to Hodges & Figgis or Clarendon Medical for each of your modules this year. But before you go and drop €100 on Netter’s, you should know that one of the first events Biosoc hold is our book sale – older years sell on their used books for fractions of the cost price, so make sure you’re there and there early! Also, in general you really don’t need to buy books for things. Most people will buy a core text for the big modules (Anatomy, Physiology,
Biochem.) but if you’re buying four textbooks for HDBSE, then you’re doing it wrong.
ANATOMY
Teaching: Lectures and lab practicals in the dissection room. Get into the DR as much as possible because it really is the best learning tool!
Exams: Written exams and v iva voces at both Christmas and
summer. In a viva, there are 3 written spot stations with specific questions about something on the body. The other 2 stations are orals with examiners. The examiner is there to give you marks and actually WANTS to pass you! You’ll pick up far more marks here than on the written spots as long as you remain calm and confident.
Books: A good anatomy book is pretty essential for first year.
Moore and Dalley’s Clinically Oriented Anatomy is the best core text in our (Rían’s) opinion. Gray’s Anatomy for Students (not the real Gray’s Anatomy (aka Big Gray’s)!!) and Last’s Anatomy are both very popular texts as well. As far as atlases go, Netter’s Atlas of Anatomy is fantastic for identifying things in the dissection room.
PHYSIOLOGY
Teaching: Lectures and lab practicals.
Exams: Written exams both at Christmas and summer. There are also short, 15 minute tests after each practical. These are really easy and are very handy marks!
Books: Sherwood’s Human Physiology is the one to go for in this subject. Some people don’t like its style, so give it a brief look over before buying just to make sure you’re happy with it. If you want a proper doorstop (too detailed!) Boron & Boulepaep’s, or Guyton & Hall’s Physiology will do the trick.
BIOCHEMISTRY
Teaching: Lectures and lab practicals.
Exams: Written exams both at Christmas and summer.
Books: BIOS Instant Notes in Biochemistry is great. It gives a brief overview of most subjects covered in the course (but beware, it doesn’t cover everything). If you like a little more detail, have a look at Lippincott’s Biochemistry. Avoid Stryer’s like the plague! Some lecturers recommend it but most people find it too heavy altogether (both figuratively and literally).
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCES, ETHICS
Teaching: Lectures, tutorials and baby visits.
Exams: Written exam in summer term only. There is some continuous assessment as part of the tutorials and baby visits as well.
Books: No need to buy books for this module!
STUDENT SELECTED MODULE Student selected modules are designed to encourage students who are more scientifically minded to consider the arts. There are a wide range of modules available but be warned, it’s first come, first served – get your applications in early! Don’t worry though, some of us on the committee got ones that we didn’t even list as preferences (because we got our applications in really late – oops) and they were perfectly fine.
PROBLEM BASED LEARNING These are group tutorials where you work together to come up with solutions to various problems. Some hints and tips:
Get your voice heard: if you feel like you don’t have any new information to contribute, you should try to ask a few questions; stimulating discussion is a contribution, and maybe you’ll learn something new. If you don’t have a clue about the topic at hand, volunteering to be secretary (typing notes) or chairperson (encouraging and directing discussion) is always an easy option! Just make sure you participate in some shape or form at each session – that’s what the tutor will remember.
Clinical medicine books such as Kumar and Clarke’s can be very handy at saving you time and effort, check them out in the library.
Wikipedia is a fantastic resource, but everyone will have the same few lines and race to get them in first. Also, the tutors will know if you’re reading off a Wikipedia article. It’s always a good option to have an abstract or two from Pubmed printed out so you can refer to it if worst comes to worst.
Don’t spend too long preparing for PBL It already takes up 4 hours a week. Attendance is enough to pass. Doing some work (30 minutes for each session) and participating during the actual tutorial will score you high marks.
EXAMINATIONS Medicine is tough, but if you made it in you can make it through. Here are a few tips for dealing with exam stress: Remember, everyone is in the same boat as you. No one likes exams, no one finds them easy and no one has a magical solution to passing. Keep your tutor’s contact details saved. They will be able to give you advice on sitting exams and be able to sort out any emergency problems on the day of an exam. Ask for help if you are struggling with a particular topic, exam, or life in general. Make sure to talk to a friend, classmate, peer mentor, or anyone on the Biosoc committee. A problem shared is a problem halved! ( Unless your problem is HSV-2…) If things don’t work out on the day, it’s not the end of the world. Trinity have a system in place for repeating exams. You will always get a second chance, so don’t sweat it! Don’t let exams take over your life! Everyone needs a break at some point so make sure to dedicate at least one day a week to relaxing and doing something you enjoy. Biosoc events are specially designed for this purpose.
EQUIPMENT The only real equipment you need in 1st year is a white coat for anatomy labs. Make sure it is a Howie style coat (see overleaf), V-necks
aren’t acceptable. These are available at Hodges Figgis, Clarendon Medical and the SU shop in House 6.
WHAT NOT TO BUY Along the line, someone is going to recommend you buy something that will turn out to be fairly unnecessary totally and utterly useless. These things include: surgical sets for dissection, V-neck white coat for hospital, ophthalmoscopes and otoscopes. Ignore them.
MISCELLANEOUS Lockers Getting a locker is a really good idea. They’ll come in so handy for storing gym bags and your lab coats for dissection. Keep an eye on your emails for announcements about where and when to get a locker. One’s in the BMSI go on sale a little earlier than others. You have to queue up in the arts block to pay a deposit and then get your key from the reception staff in the BMSI.
Laptops If you’re thinking about buying a laptop or tablet, keep an eye out for student discounts and offers over the next few weeks. You can get significant discounts if you buy through campus.ie so make sure to check them out.
Stationary For those of you who prefer good old pen and paper, there’s nothing wrong with that! Easons on Nassau Street offer a 10% discount for Trinity students and the SU shops on campus sell some really good value stationary.
WHAT’S A “TALLAGHT”? Unfortunately, even though you are Trinity students, a lot of medicine is based on the peripheral campuses. These can be difficult to find, especially for those not from Dublin. Invest in a student travel card. These double as leap cards and are the cheapest way to get around Dublin (other than cycling). You can buy student travel cards from the SU in House 6. Here are some handy directions to the main teaching hospitals associated with Trinity:
St. James’s Hospital BUS: The 123, 13 and 40 all go to James’s. The 123 goes into the hospital grounds while the other two stop outside it. All three buses go from Dame St. (the closest 3 stops to Trinity).
LUAS: Take the Red Line from George’s Dock, Busaras or Abbey. Hop on a Luas towards Tallaght/Saggart.
BIKE/WALKING: Head up Dame St. away from Trinity. Keep going straight until you reach Thomas St. and then James St. The hospital will be on the left hand side, opposite Spar.
Tallaght Hospital BUS: The 49, 56a and 65 all go to Tallaght, all leave town from Dame St.
LUAS: The Luas is the easiest way to get to Tallaght. Take the Red Line to Tallaght (NOT Saggart) and get off at the Cookstown stop. This leaves you at the back gate of the hospital, right into the Trinity Centre.
BIKE/WALKING: Don’t even try.
CAR: There’s a housing estate in Cookstown that the students all park in (to the detriment of the locals). Spaces fill up fast though so get there EARLY (like, before 8am).
Naas Hospital BUS: The 126 Bus Eireann bus goes from Connolly Station to Naas. It leaves you about a 10 minute walk from the hospital. This is probably the easiest route and takes about an hour.
CAR: This is also possible but M50 tolls and a potential lack of parking make the bus an easier route in general.
LUAS/BIKE/WALKING: Good luck.
Support Systems Medical school promises to be some of the best years of your life, but there may be times when it all becomes overwhelming. And that’s okay! Thankfully, Trinity has a vast support system in place for its students, whether you need help academically, personally or financially.
Your tutor A tutor is a member of academic staff whose duty it is to look out for your welfare and academic support. Your tutor is assigned to you before you start college, so meet them as soon as you can. If you are not sure who your tutor is, check out your portal page on my.tcd.ie or email the Senior Tutor on senior.tutor@tcd.ie.
The Students’ Union The 5 SU officers are here to help and are all very approachable. The education and welfare officers have particularly useful roles. Check them out on Facebook, at tcdsu.org or call into House 6.
Student2Student A group of student volunteers who are here to help you with student life. You should get an email from your mentors in Freshers week but if not, get in touch with them at student2student@tcd.ie.
Student Counselling Service SCS offers free, professional, confidential counselling services to students. For more information check out the website at tcd.ie/student_counselling.
Biosoc Calendar Biosoc has a jam-packed calendar, ensuring there’s never a dull moment in your year! Try to make it to as many events as possible! Remember to bring your membership card with you to all events, otherwise, you might be asked to sign up again. Keep an eye on our Facebook page for further details of events closer to the time!
SEPTEMBER Freshers Week Event This annual tradition is a great way to start the year and get to know your new classmates. Things will be kicking off at the Pav this Thursday 6th September. Let’s start the year off on a high!
OCTOBER Book Sale The book sale will be held on Thursday, September 13th in the Moyne Institute. This is the building on the corner of the cricket pitch beside the Pav. Here, you’ll be able to buy all the books you need throughout the year at dirt cheap prices, so most people hold off on buying textbooks until now. Make sure you’re there early with your Biosoc card. There will be a reception and guest speaker following the sale, just before the much anticipated MED
DAY WARM UP NIGHT
Surf Trip This October from the 26th-28th, some very lucky (and gnarly) Biosoc members will be hitting the waves on Irelands exotic coastline for a weekend filled with fun. Surfs up bros!!
Debate at the Hist/Phil Building on the success of last year’s collaboration, Biosoc and The Phil are teaming up again – join us in the GMB to hash out a variety of ethical conundrums over the course of the year.
Med Cup This soccer tournament sees all 5 years of medicine battle it out for that much coveted Med Cup glory. This is a really fun Saturday morning out on the cricket pitch, come down for fun vibes, even if you have no intention of playing.
Halloween We couldn’t let an opportunity to embarrass ourselves in fancy dress go past uncelebrated. There will be a competition for best (and worst) dressed.
NOVEMBER Med Day Med Day is one of the best days in the medicine calendar. It kicks off bright and early at 6am on Friday 4th November. All med students get a day off lectures to hit the streets and collect money for our teaching hospitals. This year’s beneficiaries include: The Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) unit, Tallaght Hospital Establishment of a portable ultrasound unit in St. James’ Hospital New MSK imaging machines in the National Rehabilitation Hospital New 24 blood pressure monitors for the hypertension clinic in St. James’ Hospital. Med Day also annually supports the Trinity Access Program. After a morning of collecting, your team leaders will bring you back into the college to hand in your buckets. From here, you can head to the Pav where the fun continues. There will be lunch deals, fun and games, tug-of-wars, slave auctions/strip shows, gumball challenges and an extremely entertaining talent show! It’s an unforgettable day so naturally we will follow it up with a huge night out!
Why collect? Can’t we just do the fun parts? First off, the Med Day collection is a great way to get to know people from your year and the years above you. Collecting is always a great laugh, particularly if there is face paint involved! There are other ways to raise money too: sponsored swims, bake sales, busking, etc! If that’s not enough of an incentive for you, the year with the earliest and best
turnout for the collection will be hosted at a special reception later on that night. Finally, and most importantly, Med Day is a chance for the students to give back to the hospitals where we spend so much time. So set your alarms, don your free t-shirts and get ready for the best day of the year!
DECEMBER Christmas Panto Oh no you didn’t! Oh yes we did! Kick back after exams with some refreshments and let the 4th years entertain you as we take to the stage in our twist on a cheesy classic. Last year, “Cinderella” went down a treat. What will Biosoc come up with this year?
Christmas Trip Start saving your pennies now, because you don’t want to miss out on the Biosoc Christmas trip! We pack up and load off to a city location the weekend after your exams. The location will be disclosed at a later date (or we may not tell you until you get to the airport, depending on how we’re feeling). This is the perfect way to round up first term and wish your friends Happy Holidays!
JANUARY Inaugural Ball Get suited and booted ladies and gents: Inaugural Ball is one classy affair! At least, until the wine reception begins... There will be talks from our new President and a few select guest speakers, followed by the prize giving ceremony. After the ceremony, all attendees will be hosted at a special reception from which we will move on to a venue in town.
FEBRUARY Med Ball This is the highlight of Biosoc’s social calendar and the most anticipated night of the year! Don your finest gowns and monkey suits and let Biosoc whisk you away to a swanky hotel where there will be a slap-up sit-down meal waiting for you with a band and DJ afterwards so we can boogie the night away! Date, time and venue will be revealed at a later date. Dapper dress is required by all!
MARCH Careers Night This event has quickly become an annual tradition. Some of the best doctors and surgeons in the country are invited to represent their chosen speciality in a debate to end all debates. Past teams have included Mr. Quinn for Orthopaedics, Prof Meaney for Radiology and Prof Ridgeway for Surgery. If you are unsure of what speciality to choose, this is sure to set you straight. Or if you are 100% sure of your future career path, it’s very entertaining seeing these well respected physicians giving each other a good slagging!
OTHER EVENTS Along with all of the major events above, Biosoc run a number of smaller events throughout the year. Make sure to keep an eye on our Facebook page for the following and more! Medicine Through the Arts Case competitions Finals night Annual Biosoc AGM
Other societies
MED DAY There’s a lot more to Med Day than just the day itself! Watch out for the Freshers Week Quiz in The Long Stone on September 20th, and the Med Day warm-up night after our book sale in October. Follow Trinity Med Day on Facebook to keep up with news and further events.
MOVE MOVE is a Trinity charity run by third year medical students with the aim of fundraising for hospitals in the developing world. They organize some great fundraising events throughout the year. MOVE Ball is the first and cheapest ball of the college calendar, a great way to get to know your peers!
Association of Medical Students Ireland AMSI is a medical student society with branches in all Irish medical schools and is involved in several international collaborations, offering lots of opportunities to get involved.
Surg Soc Join this year to take part in different surgical workshops, attend the annual Bennet lecture, participate in the surgical case competition, get involved in surgical research and lots more!
Emergency Medicine Student Society Ireland EMSSI promotes Emergency Medicine as a speciality. They run a variety of expert-led seminars and hands-on skill workshops which are always exciting and engaging, regardless of your clinical experience level. And they provide refreshments! Just before we go, make sure to join MPS! Thanks guys!