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From the Editors To the First Years,

fashionably late magazine.

You’ve probably heard this a million times by now but congratulations on making it into the JMP, more importantly congratulations on avoiding the pastoral nightmare that is Farmidale1. You pulled countless all-nighters to earn that ATAR/GPA, guessed the middle correctly just enough times in the UMAT, stumbled your way through the interview and now you’re finally in med, so now what? Well my impressionable firsties luckily for you inside this immaculately crafted piece of medsoc propaganda you will find the answers to such questions as;

There are a million clever and witty anecdotes that try to describe med school, some refer to it as the best time of your life while others equate it worst. Now this may seem confusing but it actually makes a lot of sense, med school after all is what you make of it. We’re not suggesting you spend all your time in your room studying but some of our best memories from last year involve 4am trips to Hungry Jacks and spontaneous trips to Sydney. We’re also not suggesting you do the opposite and spend all your time at Kingaz and The Argyle, take it from us, living at the AIC for the entirety of study week and only leaving to make those aforementioned Hungry Jack’s trips gets old fast.

• Where are the best beaches? • What textbooks do I need? • Who is Nyan Du? • How is he still single? • Should I go to O’ Camp?

Now there are a few things that will definitely happen no matter how hard you try:

• Why are mosquitos here 10* bigger than everywhere else?

• You’ll think you have every single disease you study

• Is Medcest ok? (ask Linda & Geoff)

• You’ll be awake till the wee hours of Wednesday morning furiously rushing to finish PBL

• Who are all these super cool people on MedSoc? • Why am I getting the introductory magazine in week 2 of the course? All of these questions (except that last one...) and more shall be answered for you within the 52 magical pages of this

We know that all sounds very scary but rest assured, the pros vastly outweigh the cons (also it’s a bit late to drop out, so…). Our first year of med school was honestly one of the best of our lives. The friendships we forged, the things we learnt and many many many mistakes we made are truly priceless and something we would never ever give up. Before you know it you’ll be us (please don’t let that scare you off), the “veteran” second years looking down at the bright eyed and bushy tailed firsties with the knowledge that they are in for the most amazing time of their lives… So far. From your Editors. Darsh and Raj

• Charles Douglas will pick on you during one of his infamous ethics lectures – no yellow clothing! • Pull an all nighter… Or twelve. • Embarrass yourself in front of a patient

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From the President Dear Freshers of 2016, Hello and welcome to the University of Newcastle Medical School! I’d like to congratulate you on joining us at one of the best medical schools in the country (we like to think so); and help you become prepared for what are going to be some of the best years of your lives. But as cliche as it may bemedical school is what you make it. So if you want it to be the best five years of your life, you have to make the most of it! The best piece of advice I can give you is, yet another cliche (sorry), maintain a balance. You all would have worked so hard to get in, and gone through the horrors of the UMAT and the MSA, but now you’re here the hardest part is over. This is going to be your life for half a decade, so don’t let studying consume you. Four things to look forward to in your first month of medical school:

1. O Camp To this day some of my closest friendships were solidified at O’Camp. It is when most of the cohort come together and have a fun weekend of exciting activities.

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Keep working hard, but also keep up your friendships, socialising, hobbies and passions, and your health. Enjoy it, you deserve it! No need to wait until you’re a budding doctor, why not lead fun and fulfilling lives right now? It’s highly likely that most of you who are starting are not from Newcastle originally, which is actually one of the best things about studying here. Many people move to this town to start this exciting degree, not knowing anyone else and keen to meet new people and start new friendships. Newcastle isn’t the biggest city around so we always in proximity to each other, the beaches, the shops, the cafes and restaurants, the pubs and clubs, you name it, it’s not far away; making it a lot easier to form new and lasting friendships and find your way around! 2. First Day Getting lost in the maze that is the Hunter Building, and the campus itself, making friends and getting free food courtesy of MedSoc

This camaraderie is continued as we have a pass/fail system of the course- so you never find out your actual marks, which is hard to adjust to at first, but actually is great because it takes away competition and helps foster an environment where we all help and support each other getting through what is a pretty intense program. We really are one big family here in Newcastle, it’s what makes us so unique, and so great. Our big family is ultimately brought together by MedSoc. The University of Newcastle Medical Society represents the 700+ medical students at the University. In 2016 we have some fantastic events and initiatives, from sports to social and anything in between, there really is something for everyone here and it’s a great way to take a study break and have a good time. 4. First Incision Our first social event of the year and a great chance to mingle with the 600+ medical students that make up our medical school.

4. PBL You might find it a bit confusing to adjust to at first, but it really is a great and interesting way to navigate your way through the medical field.

Social Social It’s no secret that we med students know how to party, from costume parties to balls and all that’s in between our exciting and packed social calendar will give you a chance to blow off some steam, have a great night and make more friends. And if you think you’ve seen good costume parties, think again and prepare to be mind blown, when we costume, like everything else, we go all out!

Academic These events always stimulate and inspire our keen minds with fantastic speakers and very helpful topics. We have many great opportunities to hear from past students and medical professionals to help us develop not only our careers in medicine but also our overseas placements and many other things. Our academic and education events help you get through your degree and develop yourself for your future as medical professionals.

Social If you’re anything like me, exercise often goes by the wayside when you get busy (and let’s just say I’m usually busy.. oops), but our sports teams and events are a great way to keep up your fitness in an easy going and fun way.

Charity Our charity boys provide a great way to uphold that desire you have (or said you had to interviewers) to help people in the most fun way. From solid fundraisers like BBQs and fun runs to fun events like our trivia nightgetting involved is a great and fun way to help support those in need. Aside from running all these events, we also advocate for our students on a local, state and national level. We work very closely with the faculty to ensure the best experience possible, and also with the Australian Medical Students Association (AMSA) for national advocacy issues and fantastic events. Finally, if there was any advice I could give myself back when I started first year, it would be: 1. Go to as many Medsoc events as you can- I know it sounds a bit of a shameless plug, but in all honesty, I became the President of UNMS because I love what it does. I made my best friends through events like O Camp and First Incision, which are both a must! 2. Attend your lectures (If not for the learning, for the socialising) 3. Attend AMSA events! AMSA is a phenomenal organisation and this year their Global Health Conference will be held right here in Newcastle!

Best of luck! Looking forward to getting to know you all, Jess xo

It was my highlight of first year, and AMSA Convention is pretty phenomenal too! 4. Seek help if things get hard. Your wellbeing matters. We spend so much time worrying about our patients, but they can’t be helped unless we’re healthy too. Get a GP, and if you’re struggling you can contact the University Counselling Services at counselling@newcastle.edu. au 5. Get a Peer Medtor. Older students have been there before! They have all the lecture notes and textbooks, all the advice! Listen to them, they want to support you.

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THE LIGHT IS WITHIN REACH. YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS OUT! The Joint Medical Program’s

OCAMP2O16 11th to 13th March 2016 Port Macquarie

Tickets at jmpocamp.com. Tic Limited spots only.

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O'Camp “Nice to, meet you, where you been? I can show you incredible things.” – Albert Einstein Congratulations! You have made it to medicine! You have conquered the dragon that is the UMAT and ATAR, you have awkwardly tried to make new friends at orientation day, you have successfully ventured through the swamplands of the University. Now, that you have come so far and done so much, what’s next? The answer, comrades, is OCamp! There is a myth that the O in OCamp stands for “Orientation,” but we assure you that that is simply a myth. The O in OCamp actually stands for “Oh fuck that was amazing.” You think we are lying, but we are not. Nomenclature aside, exactly is OCamp?

what

Picture this: You are at the beach. You are keen. You are with 130 other keen first years. And not just first years; also there are 30 other keen students from older years. To your left, a game of beach soccer has just started. To your right, a few of your new friends have just darted towards the ocean for a swim. You look up – it is sunny. Perfect weather! You start feeling a grumble in your stomach – are you still hungry after those amazing activities in the morning? Or maybe all those tips from

that mentoring session just then really worked you up? You start wondering, what happens after dinner? You have heard there is going to be some form of party under the stars, but you’re not entirely sure – could this be true? Apparently, there is going to be boat races but you wonder how come you haven’t seen any boats around the campsite. Your new friends just came back from their swim. This, you realise, is the time of your life. And comrades, that is OCamp – the time of your lives. OCamp is a weekend away in the sunny beaches of Port Macquarie with 130 other freshers from Newcastle and Armidale, keen and wide-eyed like you are, and 30 mentors from older years, keen to shed light on surviving the BMed program and life in Newcastle. OCamp is where friendships for life are formed, where the earliest memories of your next five years are made, and where you will learn the ropes of doing medicine at Newcastle.

you look back to five years from now, and say, quietly under your breath, “Oh fuck that was amazing.” So are you convinced with our pitch? Dead keen for OCamp now? You can learn more about the event at jmpocamp. com. A ticket to OCamp not only promises good memories, it will also cover all meals, accommodation and transport. And if any of you are concerned, no, we will not be camping. OCamp delegates will be set up in cabins at a tourist park in the heart of Port Macquarie, walking distance to restaurants (if you need extra food), shops (if you forgot to pack something), and Bottle-Os (if you need a cold Pepsi after a day of fun). Details Date: Friday to Sunday, 11th to 13th March 2016 (departure times will be advised closer to the date) Location: Sundowner Breakwall Tourist Park, Port Macquarie. Email: Nas or Ming at ocamp@unms.org.au if you need more info.

With fun social nights, team activities to ease you into the medicine life, dedicated sports and beach time to help you cement those new friendships, and mentoring sessions where you will learn the tips and tricks they don’t teach you in first year lectures, we can almost certainly guarantee that OCamp will be that weekend

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Academyip: FIRSTLY: Congratulations on becoming a med student. You may have survived the application process, but it’s far from over yet. Studying medicine is a marathon of ups & downs, tears & frustration and just enough comfort food to negate the effects of exercise but in the end, crossing that finish line will make everything worth it. It can be intense, but having gotten through the application process, the passion and intelligence you’ve shown has more than equipped you to tackle medicine. We could sit here and lecture you on study techniques and time management skills, but getting into medicine means you definitely know how to study, or at least do a time efficient, pre exam cram. Studying medicine is a little bit different however, so here’s some sage wisdom that will hopefully help you to survive first year. Efficiency is Key. Efficiency is Key The biggest difference with medicine and other courses is its volume of learning. The amount of content is huge, and grows exponentially each year. Although everyone feels overwhelmed at times, there are several key factors you should keep in mind to deal with the workload. Consistency: This huge amount of content isn’t about to learn itself over the few STUVAC (study

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vacation) days you have so try not to procrastinate and leave all 12 weeks of PBL to the last minute. Spending some of your mid semester break in order to catch up on a few PBLs VS revising a whole semester’s worth of work in a week.

Take each week as it comes: Planners help put into perspective how much you need to do, especially in first semester when you’re juggling Public Health and an elective as well as PBL and lectures. It’s definitely tough to get through everything each week, but don’t be disheartened! Even when you realise you can’t finish everything, still do as much as you can because every minute counts. #truestory Understand principles holistically: Although you are told otherwise, you will probably resort to cramming everything the night before exams and thinking to yourself: ‘I regret everything.’ Cramming isn’t recommended as there are simply too many long words that need

memorising (drugs) and too many concepts to learn. You seriously don’t want to increase that list anymore. Understanding the principles will also help to retain information after exams and apply them in your careers, a radical benefit that your future patients are likely to appreciate. Don’t worry if you don’t fully understand everything straight away, because spiral learning is on your side and it’ll be revisited later in the course. The more the merrier: Studying in groups can be a double-edged sword, either you end up wasting time and making John Cena snap stories or you can get some amazingly efficient studying done. More isn’t always better: If you decide to type out your PBL notes, don’t fall into the trap of directly copying and pasting from websites or mindlessly typing chunks of text from textbooks. Something people don’t seem to realise til 2nd year is that PBL is redundant if you haven’t actually taken the time to learn the content. Contrary to first year belief, PBL isn’t about the word count or the beautifully laid out notes, but rather about understanding the content holistically. Spent some time getting your head around those tricky learning targets and understand what you are putting in your notes.

First Year Survival Guide Get Proactive Get Proactive Medicine is definitely hard but can be made so much simpler by seeking out help and resources when you need them. Textbooks: In first semester, your bible will either be Martini or Totora. Different people prefer different textbooks, or some people prefer no textbooks at all. Try both and experiment with different textbooks and resources, but don’t make the mistake of trying to condense every available resource into your PBL notes. If your PBL notes are hitting more than 10 000 words per week, you’ll never be able to remember all the content by the time exams come round, so find a good resource you like and get as much as you can from it. Then supplement this with other resources if you have time. The beauty of PBL is that someone will always bring up something from a resource you have never heard of which gives you a lead into new information. YouTube and Online Videos: These are an excellent resource for people who don’t like textbooks, and perfect for understanding the broad concepts you need to in first year. Many of the concepts in first semester are simply explained in YouTube videos by HandwrittenTutorials, Armando Hasudungan and Khan Academy.

Dr Najeeb’s videos are widely used in second semester and second year, but are probably a little too in depth for first semester. They are a hit -or-miss with most students, he explains concepts very thoroughly and clearly but his videos for some topics can be 34 hours long. If you have time and enjoy a learning environment more like that of high school, have a look at his videos (also his accent adds a nice bit of entertainment to an otherwise boring concept). Lectures: In first semester, don’t make the mistake of disregarding the lectures!! While there are often much better resources out there, they give you an idea of the scope of which you need to study, and most of all what the exams will be testing. First year learning targets are very broad and it’s quite easy to spend hours on something that won’t be tested, and is in PBL to lay a foundation for future in depth study. Focus on keeping within the depth that the lecture goes into in order to be most efficient.

Past Notes: Your Medtor will no doubt hand you a hard drive with hundreds of gigabytes of past notes on it and you will think it is a shining beacon of light in the dark, dark world that is your very first PBL. Beware! Despite how beautifully presented Ming’s notes are we highly recommend you use them as a guide for depth of detail but do all the rest by research and not by copying notes. Whilst copying and pasting your notes could mean that you finish PBL in a few hours, very little of the content will actually go in and you’ll start panicking around exam period. The best way is to read, process and understand before you add to your notes! Ask Questions in PBL: Don’t be afraid to ask questions and clarify people’s ideas in PBL. This is actually the most effective way to learn new concepts, as your peers build upon your initial understanding. Challenge each other and be critical with your knowledge. Ask for help: The beauty of our University is that the environment isn’t competitive. People are more than willing to share textbooks, past notes and tips. Don’t be afraid to ask us, your MedTor, peers, your tutors and your fellow classmates.

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Random Tips Firstly, just a quick message about first semester: you will probably feel a bit over your head if you haven’t done any medical sciences before. Don’t be too worried. Everyone feels like they aren’t cut out for it at the start. This is mainly because the faculty is giving you a taste of each system throughout the first 13 weeks. You will go from embryology to genetics to the gastrointestinal system within the first month. You go much more in depth into these topics in the coming years so don’t fret if you can’t remember every Trisomy known to man or the ligaments of the lesser omentum. You will come back to them, so go as far as the lectures indicate and if you’re unsure, ask your peers, your PBL tutors or even lecturers. Do the public health tutorial worksheets! Every week, a worksheet will be uploaded onto Blackboard before Public Health. These are usually riddled with mistakes, poorly worded and most of all, much harder than the exam. One of the best ways to survive this is to grab a group of people (usually 15 minutes before the tute starts), and work together to get through it. Doing the tutorial worksheets each week really does help when it comes to the exam. Go to anatomy labs. If you’ve never seen cadavers before,

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these labs are an excellent opportunity to visualise how everything comes together in the body and to actually have a feel around. Most of all, the demonstrators are 4th and 5th year medicine students who are a wealth of knowledge on all things exams, clinical and mnemonics.

whatever you fancy. Medsoc is great in providing team sport, MedRevue, leadership and other opportunities to get involved with, but don’t forget about life outside of medicine too! Join a university club, NUSA, the waterpolo team, and meet people outside of your degree.

Electives. The two most commonly picked electives are Stroke: From Risk to Recovery and HUBS. We both did Stroke: Risk to Recovery and have mixed feelings about it. As high school leavers, we didn’t wish to choose an elective that was too time consuming as we wished to focus on med. However, although Stroke took up very little hours per week compared to other electives, some of the content will be covered in later PBLs and thus, we felt it would have been nice to learn something completely new and separate from med. Some courses that are available and you should think about include:

Remember, everyone is in the same boat and if you ever need a hand, you only need to ask. Medicine is all about lifelong learning so hang in there – it is only the beginning. Perseverance and determination will help the next five years fly by and before you can believe it, you will have an illustrious B.Med next to your name. Medicine may require an unprecedented amount of studying but it is also incredibly rewarding. If you want more sage advice or just a chat, add us on Facebook or intercept us anytime. We’re always happy to help so don’t be shy!

The Long Run

The Long Run Medicine, without a doubt, is difficult, but everyone is finding it the same! In addition, medicine is all about competency so feel liberated from all the competition you have faced to get in. You no longer have to fight tooth and nail to get to the top ten percent. Instead re align your goals and search for interests both in medicine and outside your study. Play a sport, sign up for a research project, read, paint –

Much love and good luck! You’ll have a Hel’en’a good time. Your AcadAMYip Convenors, Helena Qian and Amy Yip :)

How not to be Hungry As a first year the struggle of Living away from home and having to fend for yourself is real, particularly when it comes to feeding yourself. Half a semester into first year I was finally able to crack onto the principles of management for my grumbling stomach. In medical terms, my hunger was a symptom requiring treatment i.e. me gracing the aisles of the supermarket to buy myself food… Facebook remembers that day as “The shattering of the magic of the forever-replenished fridge…” Residential kids… half your food’s sorted out. If you’re living off campus, for safety reasons, I suggest that you live at least a twenty minute walk away from the Jezzo shops, any closer and you’ll be contributing to Australia’s obesity epidemic [after guzzling down your brekkie KFC Zinger box]. Here are my UON Food Hacks: 1. The reason why medicine is based on the hunter side is so that we have the most direct access to NUSA. Yes kids, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise, our program was primed to for us to eat free food. Consider yourself permanently booked for lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays= NUSA’s free lunch days. Pro tip don’t wait till after 12 to go eat.. Skip sontag’s lecture for 10 mins that stuff is recorded on echo for you to listen to later, but once the limited

NUSA food is gone… There’s no way it’s ever coming back :/ 2. MedSoc, WakeUp, Breaathhe. Are just some of the billion societies on campus. Join the ones whose principles resonate with your own, advocate for them and attend every free food event they host. Don’t be rude and leave after eating food. Everything is give and take in life. So you’ve got to stay for the whole seminar, ask profound questions, be interested… then demolish their food. 3. Organise dinner “catch ups” with friends who can actually cook.. Tell them you’ve prepared a poem for them.. And for the next hour recite Ulysses, by the time they’ve caught on the food will be made… be nice and wash the mountain of dishes after you’ve eaten the food. Oh and make sure you take dessert with you…[take Favouriteswhat to bring when you’re told not to bring a thing] 4. Become best friends with a kid whose parents live in Sydney.. Better yet move in with them… or one up and do a face swap and become them…then either A- go home and break sumptuous bread with their fam or B- some of these kids bring truckloads of food down with them every week, I mean one can’t possibly finish that much food.. Trade notes for food

5. For PBL: Buy twenty thousand varieties of cheese.. Put on a cravat, beret and sharpie on a moustache… in your best French accent invite them to feast...on crackers, dip and cheese.. If they say you’ve done a poor job.. Throw them a Frenchman’s filthy glare. OR.. Buy a truck load of fruit… cut it up.. Arrange it… and then present it to them to eat [this simple platter is an example of what I made for my pbl once +/- the B.S filter]

So to those first years who follow my tips, you will not only be cultured and one of the most socially active kids on the block… You’ll also be well fed. - Puneet Sandhu

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Bars and Clubs Whilst Newcastle has been labelled as a ‘semi-rural hole’ by most Sydney-siders, there are definitely a few places worth hitting up for a look, if maybe only once. Godfrey Tanner Bar Renown for always having random 30 year olds drinking jugs of beer at 12pm on a Monday, GT Bar is your place to go for a quiet drink or a game of pool. Pros: its close and its cheap, with good trivia and event nights Cons: can be pretty much a wasteland a lot of the time Bar on the Hill Both is your place for events, and campus parties, as well as a surprising number of good bands. Typically you can find people in here in between lectures having a drink and/or chips and gravy on the notorious beanbags. Pros: full of Hunter-siders who have realised how much better it is than GT Bar Cons: sit on the beanbags at your own risk, these have not been cleaned since the uni opened Customs pretty much your go to club for good music, cheap drinks, and a place to both talk with friends and grind up against random strangers to Taylor Swift bangers. Plus with free entry, you are bound to have a good time. Pros: typically full of uni students on any night of the week, a great mix of a party and relaxed atmosphere.

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Cons: getting too drunk will get you kicked out, and the bouncers remember faces. Also, it is generally frowned upon to burst into the restaurant section looking for vodka raspberries. Argyle If you are looking for a sweaty, STD filled club with girls in crop tops in the dead of winter, head to the Argyle. Entry is free for students on a Wednesday night, minus the last shred of dignity you have left, it’s definitely a great club to dance the night away, or wallow in your terrible life decisions in the Bronx room out the back. Pros: some of the cheapest drinks in Newcastle, with $4 drinks on a Wednesday, and raised platforms on the D floor Cons: any concept of personal space evaporates upon entrance, as is any immunity to several communicable diseases Kingaz Notoriously known for ‘Pingaz at Kingaz™, King St Hotel is your place to be on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. More expensive than Argyle, but less likelihood of being assaulted, it is worth it to trawl through the mausoleum of the club, particularly the top floor dance floor. Pros: Maccas is right next-door with the staff occasionally willing to put your fries on your cheeseburger for you. Cons: beware of the bottom level and smoking zone, proceed with caution.

Soho Tucked away on the corner of Darby St, Soho is about half the size of HB15, but is the only location in Newcastle where you will find shots available. Pros: forms part of the typical crawl of Soho - The Del - Five Sawyers - Finnegan’s (beware) - King St - Argyle Cons: trying to dance will most likely involve spilling your drink or punching the stranger next to you.

Food and Dining You are probably thinking that you’ll be surviving off Mi Goreng and NUSAs free sausage and vege patty sandwiches for your years here, but it’s actually relatively easy to find cheap and pretty damn delicious food in Newcastle. Darby Street The hipsters dream, Darby Street is pretty much the place to go if you are looking for #trendy restaurants and eats in Newcastle. About 20 minutes from campus, it has pretty much every type of cuisine you are looking for, all you have to do is stroll along. The Three Monkeys Have seriously some of the best and most potent smoothies in the land, but saving room for their wedges is a must. If you are looking for hands down the best schnit you could possibly want, head to The Hotel Delaney ‘The Del” on Tuesday and Wednesday nights for $10.90 schnit and chips, you will definitely not regret it. Goldbergs Pretty much the place to go, open until midnight, and serving some of the best damn cheesecake and chai in town at reasonable prices. Beaumont Street The ‘other’ eat street in Newcastle, Beaumont St has a long-standing rivalry with Darby for the best eating spot

in town. Whether its takeaway Indian from Raj’s Corner (ask for a combination Naan and they will make it fresh from scratch), Thai food at The Grain (with Cold Rock located just downstairs), or dessert for breakfast from Eurobar (or a $10 menu after 5pm) you legit can find nearly anything on the street. Stockland Jeso Originally with a bit of an ‘interesting’ reputation, Jesmond or Jeso is a short walk or tiny bus ride from campus. If you’re in the mood for somewhere where you can wear your pyjamas and crocs at 8pm, definitely head this way for takeaway places like Crust Pizza, Kebab’s, Sushi, and KFC but travelling alone at night is not recommended. Everywhere Else If you are looking for something slightly off the beaten track, and don’t mind travelling a little while to do it, Merewether Surfhouse offers some killer pizza and gelato on the bottom level, both being cheap as hell. You seriously can’t go past Doughheads Doughnuts on Hunter St either, and if you don’t leave with a four pack of doughnuts, you are only kidding yourself Westfield Kotara’s new rooftop restaurants are definitely worth checking out, but be warned that these may be a little pricey. By Marcus Cherry

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Guide to Campus For many of you, university life – let alone Newcastle Uni life – may be a whole new world. On top of medicine, having so many new corners to explore and so many new experiences to unfold may seem like just too much to tackle, especially when all you want to know is where the nearest toilet is!

Huxley is on the Hunter side, where 90% of your classes are, and is therefore a more convenient library to go to. Although less equipped than Auchmuty, it is the perfect place to kill the 5 hours you have between a lecture in HB15 and a tutorial in the PBL rooms.

College If you are staying in college this year, then brace yourself for the best year of your life!

Auchmuty, on the other hand, is the main library at Callaghan and houses the famed Medical Reserve collection. Auchmuty is much bigger and is far more equipped with textbooks you’ll need than Huxley but is on a different continent called the Shortland side. However, it’s the perfect place to kill time if you have an anatomy lab session in the building behind Auchmuty, or want to camp-out during stuvac.

Definitely get involved in college life as much as you can. Each college has their own parties, which go off, and also have many sporting events and other activities. These are great to meet new people both from med and other courses. It is also good to meet senior med students who can give you help whenever you need it! Remember: college is fun but make sure you do a bit of study at the same time so you get the best of med and college. Enjoy! Killing time on campus The two main libraries on campus are Auchmuty Library (Shortland side) and Huxley Library (Hunter side). They provide access to more than a million and a half physical items and an extensive collection of online books and journals. Which library is better is like differentiating between lemon and lime.

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The Auchmuty Information Common (AIC) is under the Auchmuty library and is open 24 hours – definitely a good place to hit up come exam time! Again, it is on the Shortland side, far from the places in which you’ll spend most of your time at uni. Fitness on campus The Forum is the campus gym equipped with all sorts, from a 50m heated indoor pool to 18.5m climbing wall. Even better, the Forum is only a five-minute walk from the Hunter building, making it convenient to exercise a little before, between or after (or sometimes during/instead of) classes.

Free lunch For social clubs and activities on campus, it is best to check out NUSA: the student representative body that provides information for any and all types of student clubs and activities. They also provide two free BBQs a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays for lunch so definitely hit them up. Chill-out spots There are two bars on campus: Godfrey Tanner Bar at the Shortland side and Bar on the Hill over on the Hunter side. GT Bar often has stuff going on like regular trivia events, bingo or pool tournaments. Open from 11am, GT Bar is a great spot to grab a drink or some food if you’re over that side. Bar on the Hill is the main place to be on campus. Head there for lunch to treat yourself to an infamous Barger *. The Bar also hosts ® great events throughout the year, like toga parties, Back to School night and of course, the Newcastle Uni Autonomy Day party. They also put on gigs throughout the year, with some pretty big name acts having played in the past, like Hilltop Hoods, Jinja Safari, Boy & Bear, and Lisa Mitchell. Make sure to grab yourself a calendar during O’Week to keep a track of what’s going on.

There are plenty of places to eat on campus: Shortland has a whole variety of food outlets and cafes: Marmadukes and Isabellas, sushi and noodles, Subway and Gloria Jeans. Hunter has fewer spots to eat, namely just the cafe. But worry not, the Bar on the Hill provides a good feed. If you like cheap pie and long walks, we highly recommend Pie House on the Shortland Side. And when we say cheap, we mean uni student cheap: so much so, it sometimes make the long walk so worthwhile. Both libraries also come equipped with coffee shops, making the library your one-stop shop for the knowledge-thirsty and/or caffeine-fuelled. *the authors take no credit for coining the term “Barger,” which is trademarked by BMed’s own Elias Sack-wars. The tos and the froms In terms of transport to uni, trains can take you straight to uni from town or anywhere on the Hunter Regional Line, with Warabrook Station being on campus grounds. The 100, 104, 225 and 226 buses have stops at uni, making it easy to travel from a multitude of suburbs to uni. Bus and train timetables can be found at student hubs.

You can also park on campus, but make sure you get an annual pass (for $75.83 per semester) because parking inspectors are always out in force. If you live in suburbs near campus, you can get the shuttle bus to transport you from within campus or from campus to home, especially at night, for safety purposes (or if you’re just lazy). The security shuttle bus can be contacted on 0407 951 470 and is a worthwhile service to use. Staying safe Besides offering free security shuttle services, campus security work around the clock (literally) to provide you with the safest uni experiences. Some of their services include escorting anyone from the library to their car after late night study sessions at the AIC and giving out free rape whistles. Frighteningly loud, rape whistles can be used at your discretion, be it to gain attention, ward off sexual predators, or to simply annoy people. Other The post office is located in Shortland and you can purchase textbooks from the Co-op Bookstore on the Shortland side. Pinkies, located next to the Huxley library (and one in Shortland too, but no one cares about that one) is also a good place to stock up on study supplies. Besides notebooks and pens and those

boring stuff, Pinkies is famous for its lollies. Its wide variety of lollies has the ability to make lectures seem shorter than they really are and study sessions marginally more bearable. The uni is also equipped with its own GP and counselling services, all conveniently on the Hunter side. The Student Hub, (there is one on both the Shortland and Hunter sides), is where you make your student ID, get a concession and buy a parking permit, among other things. It also houses the university cashier, if you ever need to settle any uni payments. Attractions to look out for on campus include ‘the dapper gentleman’, ‘rasta man’ and ‘the ridiculously built black guy who rides around campus shirtless on a bike with a massive boombox attached’. Ultimately, the lush greens and unique attractions are everywhere around Callaghan, and no guide big or small can replace the experience you get from playing Dora the Explorer (or Indiana Jones if that’s your preference for an Explorer analogy). The uni is your playground, so head out there and explore away! Alex Dennis, Sam Green & Pat Bray

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Textbook Guide Being a good doctor does

not mean being able to recite textbooks, but being able to know which textbook to use for what information. With literally millions of textbooks available to use, how do you know which ones are good? Here’s a concise guide to give you a heads up.

Anatomy and Physiology A&P are the only textbooks you’ll need in semester one and the classic two are Martini a nd Tortora. You’ll often be asked if you’re a “Tortora guy” or a “Martini kinda person” although there are barely any differences between the two. Most people, however, find that they are more comfortable with one or the other. My advice is to buy after you try them both out. I bought a Martini in first year and realised I was a Tortora person. Also note that easily 80% of semester one MedSci won’t require sources outside Martini/Tortora/lectures

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Anatomy It’s no secret that Newcastle is not renowned for its anatomy education but this should not stop you from gunning anatomy. The two classic anatomy texts are G ray’s Anatomy for Students a nd Moore and Dalley. Gray’s barely goes into depth, but is concise and has clear, straightforward diagrams. M&D has been known for its insane depth and never lacking info. I like depth, so I like M&D but if you’re the concise type, go for Gray’s. Atlases are also useful. N etter’s have beautiful images, while R ohen and Yokochi u ses labelled specimen photographs.

Histology No doubt Shotgun Histology o n YouTube is brilliant but don’t base your histology off that! A good textbook can help you get more out of histology labs and easily 75% of these books are labelled photos of histology slides. If you’re a loser for pretty drawings like myself, then you’d want to go Netter’s Histology.Wheater’sis by far the most used histology textbook (because there are more Wheater’s in the Med Reserve than Netter’s, which you can only find at the John

Hunter library). Histology is just histology and there really is no difference at all which textbook you use.

Pharmacology Rang and Dale is really the only textbook you will ever need for pharmacology. It has depth, it is concise, and it explains pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics in the clinical context. Note that you’ll barely use it in semester one but you’ll be using this book well into your degree. Havard’s Nursing Guide to Drugs is no R&D but a good drug companion. It is nice having a concise drug guide for the million different drugs out there, and it is particularly helpful for patient write‐ups and to find out about the weird‐sounding drug your patients go on and on about.

Clinical Talley and O’Connor’s Clinical Examination and O xford Handbook of Clinical Medicine(available through

UoN Ebook Library) w ill be your medical bibles. No day goes by in medicine when Talley and O’Conner isn’t mentioned – even consultants use them and it is no rumour that passing OSCEs and clinical exams comes easy to those who are able to recite contents from T&O’C. No joke about Oxford being the bible of clinical medicine. It has everything you need to know about everything medical in the most concise way possible. Bonus points for being small and light enough to carry around easily. Like T&O’C, you’ll be using Oxford well into your medical career.

Medical Textbooks on medicine systematically run you through diseases and guide you through etiology, pathology, diagnosis, investigations, management, etc. Three books come to mind when talking about textbooks on medicine: Davidson’s,Kumar and Clark’s (available through ClinicalKey via NEWCAT) a nd Harrison’s (available through AccessMedicine via NEWCAT). To‐may‐toe, to‐mah‐toe. I don’t see much of a difference between the three. Like Tortora and Martini, it really just comes down to which one you feel comfortable

with and to which you take a personal liking. I for one prefer Davidson’s but that’s only because I like its layout.

are medically comprehensive (unlike some tailored to be colloquial).

The thing about textbooks is that you may sell your soul to one but find your best friend There is a saying: “Guyton is may hate the same one with God.” I believe in that. I love all his / her guts. That said, Guyton (available through don’t buy a textbook without ClinicalKey via NEWCAT).having a run of it first! So much. Putting bias aside, Guyton is the most Textbooks are very expensive used physiology textbook so you should only buy those in BMed and presents you are certain you will use. in‐depth physiology in a Some of the ones listed above straightforward and easy‐to‐ also have their latest editions understand way. People tend available online through to complain that Guyton goes the UoN Library or through into too much unnecessary subscription databases, depth but if you know what which are shown in italics.If you need and what you should you’re traditional like me and leave out, you’ll be fine. I hate prefer hard copy books, you pathology so I won’t make can often find these textbooks recommendations. But I heard at the Co‐Op Bookshop in the R obbin’s Basic Pathology i Shortland Building near the s good for semester one and Bakehouse. T hese textbooks R obbin and Cotran i s good are also available at slightly from semester two onwards. cheaper prices online at sites, such as Book Depository, Dictionary Booktopia and Abe Books. Misc

Jargon is a common struggle when you first start medicine, that’s why having a medical dictionary is a good idea especially in semester one. Besides having a go‐to when you come across words like polycythaemia, cholelithiasis and dysdiadokinesis, medical dictionaries are also good first point references for systems and diseases you study each week, since they are good at providing an overview in a consie form. Mosby’s and Black’s medical dictionaries are awesome, I would recommend, since they

By Ming Yong Updated by Amy Yip & Helena Qian

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Taking Care Welcome to the world of medicine! Get ready to learn a whole new language and skill set. Medical school can be challenging but with it comes amazing fun and an incredible experience. We all struggle at times, but knowing ways to manage these struggles is essential. We’ve made some “Top Tips” to ensure you get the most out of UoN. Socialise and Get Involved: Friends just make everything better, whether it is a reassuring hug, laughing until your tummy hurts or 3am mugcakes. These are friendships that could last a lifetime! Make the most of opportunities to socialise with those in your year, and in older years. Top Tip: First Incision and O’Camp are fantastic places to start! There are also heaps of UNMS events, and opportunities to get involved in med-related (or unrelated) groups and committees. Fun Fact: We (Steph and Zoe) happened to sit next to each other on the bus to O’Camp. 4 years later and still besties. Stay Active: Staying active helps you feel better physically and mentally (not to mention reaping the rewards of a hot bod)! It’s a win-win! Team sport is a fantastic way to start exercising, while also building friendships and having fun. Find an activity you enjoy, and the right worklife-balance for you.

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Top Tip: Check out and join one of UNMS’ social sport teams! Sleep: Aim to get 7 – 9 hours sleep each night. We know, this is much easier said than done. Try to turn off electronics at least 30 minutes before bed, and take time to unwind before you sleep. Food and Nutrition Despite what some med students say, coffee, energy drinks and muesli bars don’t make for a nutritious diet! You will be working hard, and so it’s important to fuel your body with the right things. Do your best to eat a wellbalanced, nutritious range of food (most of the time, procrasta-baking is certainly acceptable). Top Tip: Cooking big meals and freezing it for later can save lots of time when you’re in a rush. Time Management: Be realistic about how much time you have, and do your best to manage it. It’s important to know yourself, what works for you, and how you best study. Some things that work for us: making to do lists, keeping track of dates, and tackling the most challenging task first.

Chillax Med students are often guilty of spending too much inside, and studying can easily take over our lives if we let it. Make sure you take time for breaks, your body and mind will thanks you for it! There’s always time for 5 minutes to get outside into the fresh air and sunshine. No matter how busy you are, don’t forget to stop and smell the roses. Top Tip: Blast your favourite song, and get up and dance (can be done solo or with boogie buddies)! Ask for Help: There are many places to turn for help. Your peers are a great source of support in times of need. We’re all in the same boat, and can relate to the challenges of med. Tutors, year managers, university services and your GP are also available. Don’t hesitate to seek help if you need it! Best of luck from your VP team, Zoe and Steph, we’re sure we’ll see you around!

Education Hey everyone, Theju & Pie here, your edu officers for 2016! We believe that giving you the best educational experience in your BMed can be broken down into the following equation: Enhanced ACADEMICS + promoting your WELLBEING = EDUCATION Med’s not easy, so while you focus on getting through the year and having a good time, we’ll be here to make sure all your academic and wellbeing needs are being taken care of! We are here to be your big sisters of med whether you need help finding the best textbook for PBL or just want someone to talk to. We also have some great events and programs coming your way and here’s just a few of them to get you excited: 1. Wellbeing breakfastsa chance to mingle with fellow first years and mentors and we’ll even throw in some food and music!

2. Mock OSCE nightsthe best kind of preparation for your first set of OSCEs with students from older years and interns to help brush up your skills

3. The opportunity for you to provide feedback at ANY time through the brand new education feedback form located on our website: http://www.unms.org.au/ advocacy/feedback/ We have some very cool events aimed at making your degree as beneficial as possible, to ensure this, a part of our role is to advocate for YOU. One of our big aims is to liaise with the school to provide all our medsoc members with the best educational help available. If you have any feedback, please let us know! FAQs? I really need some advice, I don’t know who to turn to? We’ll tell you a little secret, here in medicine, we love it when we are asked questions. It makes us feel important and let’s be honest, who doesn’t like feeling important? If you have a question, ask any med student and chances are, they can’t wait to help you! How can I make the most out of uni? Get involved! Whether it is with UNMS, with BREAATHHE or a sport club, just get involved! (p.s. the more you are involved, the more parties there are to attend)

I have an idea that I really think could change the world, who can I speak to? Your year representatives and your Education Officers. We are here to listen to your ideas, ensure that the right people listen to them and potentially turn them into actions! I have a stupid question? Here in med, there is no stupid question, ask away! I heard medicine is full on, is that true? Yes it is, medicine is a full on degree but it is also a lot of fun. Have fun, party and make friends, but also pay attention to your education, one day someone’s life may depend on it. No pressure or anything. Keep your eyes peeled for more events, and remember: if you need a helping hand, someone to point you in the right direction, someone to help you smile or a shoulder to cry on, we are here for you! Please don’t hesitate to contact us! Much love, Your Education Officers! X Theju & Piyumi

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The Land Down Under So it’s the first day on Med school and you wander into the lecture hall and find a seat. Trying to make new friends you join in the conversation with the people sitting next to you but notice immediately that everyone is speaking in a strange language. It sounds vaguely like English and you manage to catch every other word. Someone is saying something about ‘Maccas’ and how they are really in the mood for some chips. The girl next to you is complaining about how she regrets wearing her ‘thongs’ to class. You blush wondering why she’s so forward. The two boys behind are talking about ‘schooners’ and you’re just completely lost at this moment. Panic sets in and you start wondering: Did I make the right decision on coming to Australia to Study?! Don’t fret. We’ve all been there. Welcome to Newcastle! As an international coming to Australia to Study the culture shock is going to be quite, well for the lack of better word, a shock! Everything from the language to the food and the temperamental weather. You will be lost for a while, embrace that fact, but everyone in Newcastle (international or domestic) is extremely friendly and will definitely give you a helping hand and a truckload of advice on the do’s and don’ts of med school.

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Speaking of advice, here are a couple of things you should know about MedLyf here in Newy. 1. Now, the first thing you’re going to realise is that people in Australia, more so in Newcastle, are friendly. Super friendly. The lady that bags your groceries at Woolies is going to be asking you all sorts of questions before she delves into giving you some well-needed life advice on why you should be getting a Woollies rewards card(trust her on this). It’ll take some time to adjust to but making small talk is going to be a skill you have to pick up quickly. So the next time you say hello to someone consider adding a ‘How’re you today?’ or ‘How’s your day going?’ 2. Be prepared to introduce yourself: over and over again. Keep some fun facts about you and your country up your sleeves because most people love fun facts! And also be prepared to explain the geographical location and culture of your country because most people are really interested in knowing and you will be showered with questions! 3. Aussie Slang: You’re going to come across many new words and not know what they mean. Be prepared to pause a conversation and ask what a certain term or word means! No one is going to be offended by you wanting to learn from them. Like for instance, while you’re reading

this you’re already wondering what I meant by woollies earlier so turn around and ask the person next to you who is potentially you’re new best friend – you’re welcome. 4. Find yourself a mentor! The UNMS Mentoring program will begin from the first week of Uni and signups will going around. Be sure to sign up and get yourself all the help you can get, including insider info on lectures, tutorials and study tips! 5. Go to the beach! Newcastle is known far and wide for its beaches and you will understand why when you go visit the beaches! Take some nice photos at Nobby’s Lighthouse and chill out at the bogey hole! 6. Explore the café culture! From Darby Street to Beaumont Street you’ll find the best coffee and caféstyled food. Trust me you’re going to need the study breaks and the coffee. 7. Stay active and stay involved: Join a sport with UNMS Sports or organise an event with UNMS International or Academics! The choices are endless. Make sure to be involved so you don’t get bogged down by just studying all the time. 8. Try vegemite. I hate personally hate it but hey it could your next great love affair!

“It's all about the maccas” UNMS international is aimed at enhancing student welfare specifically for international Students! This year the focus is going to be on three main areas: Academics International Students face a different type of academic hurdle in comparison to domestic students in terms of language barrier and study style and this will be addressed in the year to come Engagement Increasing International student involvement in events both social and academic Advocacy Representing International students at a national level to identify and address key issues such as the internship crisis More details will come at you via the Facebook group UNMS International Students, please join the group if you haven’t done so already! Best Regards, Karthik Natarajan International Officer

Introducing the International SubCom!

2nd Year Rep - Li Xiong Chan Hi guys, my name’s Li Xiong Chan and I’m a 2nd year med student from Malaysia. I was pretty intimidated when I moved to Newcastle. It just seemed like such a daunting idea to move to a foreign country by yourself and spend five years trying to get a degree. Understanding the locals was tough. I had to deal with the people here shortening every single word they say. I still remember when I was asked me how my arvo was. There was a very long silence and an awkward question after that. Settling down wasn’t too hard. The people here were super friendly and welcoming, besides the fact that I get constantly asked whether or not dog meat is a delicacy from where I come from. I’m really excited to meet the new batch of 2016. Welcome to a new chapter in your life. You’ll have a great time!

2nd Year Rep - Yara ElGindy Living in Egypt, it was never a part of my plan to come to Newcastle because let’s face it, it’s halfway across the world, but I’m glad it turned out this way. At first, Newcastle was a weird new land where people walked around barefoot, went to Uni in “thongs” and abbreviated every word possible. Coming from the city, it wasn’t easy living in the quiet suburbs. Having said all that, you get accustomed to it all and before you know it, you easily find yourself part of this mad culture... Med has been a great new experience; a different style of teaching; a diverse blend of people; and an awesome time! It’s not always easy but it’s interesting. First year has been a lot of fun; starting from first incision, where I first got to meet many people, to O-Camp, where a lot of my friendships were made, and many more memorable moments! It’s been a wonderful year and I’m looking forward to the following years. Welcome to Med!

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3rd Year Rep - Sneha Ninan Hey guys, my name is Sneha Ninan and I am from Brunei. When moving, I soon realised how friendly and welcoming everyone was so settling in was really easy. Med has been a challenging yet exciting experience. As I went along first year, (as well as medical things) I learnt time management and how to prioritise things and therefore I learnt to make time for everything. Initially, I thought id have to be studying 24/7 (and even though during exam time I feel like I spend more time in the library than home) I soon realised that I can still do everything else I want to do. So don’t worry! I also thought I had to be super independent and be 100% on top of everything, but slowly I understood that I was learning and it was ok to make mistakes and that there were always people around to help me. Whether its about PBL, exams, where to live or anything else! There is always someone to help you out, just make sure to ask.

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4th Year Rep - Cheng Hoi Yan Hey there! I’m Hoi Yan! I’m doing clinical in Gosford though, so you might not see me around too much. Newcastle is a great place to study! I admit it took a little getting used to at beginning, but trust me, Newcastlwill grow on you. It doesn’t matter why you ended up in Newcastle, remember we’re all on the same boat. There are many things you can do in this small town - meet up with friends in a quaint café, visit and swim at the beautiful beaches, catch a movie or head to a local weekend market! Top tip would be to get to know the seniors and learn what is important. Don’t get too bogged down with studying hard – learn to study smart! Be daring and step out of your comfort zone, that’s what studying overseas is about isn’t it? Oh, and don’t forget your mozzie spray when you go for the free sausage sizzles in the summer! Se e you around!

5th Year Rep - Aizat Drahman I would say that being an international student is no different than being domestic. Seriously. Although we have to be actively involved in understanding their culture and language. I have to be honest, it can be a bit overwhelming at first, especially to understand their accents and jokes, but it’s all about adapting to the environment. They are very friendly and always willing to start a conversation with you so please don’t be scared to talk. For example, I myself in first year took an initiative to join as many clubs as possible as well as joining social events. I try not to miss this opportunity because these are the only time where you can socialise and get to know people. Hence, building circle of friends that you can rely on for the next 5 years of your medical school journey (trust me it is important). I believe that in everything you do it is all about balance. Study smart and at the same time, socialise and have fun!

Graduate Reflection On my first day on the hospital ward as an intern, I saw the medical student on my team head home at about two-thirty in the afternoon. I watched with longing eyes, as it was only a couple months ago I was leaving early and taking long lunches too! Medical school provided me with some of the best years of my life. Being a medical student comes with many privileges. Patients let you into their lives. They share personal, sensitive and intimate information with you, they let you poke, prode and examine them even when they’re in extremely vulnerable situations. I found this both incredibly rewarding, and occasionally quite confronting. There are even more privileges. Society views medical students as altruistic and intelligent people. This opens up many doors, which I think encapsulate the best thing I found about med school- the opportunities! There are just so many chances to follow your interests and really enrich your time at university. I remember being inundated with student societies to join in first year: Medsoc, Wake Up!, BREAATHHE, NUSA and the list goes on. I interacted with each of these groups over the years, some more than others, whether it be joining a committee or just attending one of their parties. While some may do more than others, the best thing I found with groups

like these was that it connected me with other medical students across all the years in Newcastle and even with students across the country. This helped make some really strong friendships that I still value immensely today.

I was concerned that medical school would confine me to the books for 6 years. I often felt like I wasn’t studying enough, but I soon realised this feeling would remain irrespective of how much time I spent preparing for a PBL or exam. Once I had this realisation I found myself enjoying medical school much more and embracing the extra-curricula opportunities around me. However, even within the confines of the curriculum there’s plenty of room to spread your wings. The elective (HES) in 3rd year allows you to go almost anywhere in the world and in 4th year you can actually complete one of the semesters overseas on exchange in Norway or the UK. One student even completed the optional Bachelor of Medical Science (which I highly recommend) in Sweden!

Med school wasn’t easy. There were times when I doubted that I was cut out for it. In the pre-clinical years I sometimes lost sight of where I was heading. In the clinical years I would sometimes get exhausted and overwhelmed with the amount of knowledge they expected us to know, but I was never alone during this. So many of my close friends went through similar thought processes, but the beauty of studying in Newcastle is that like a herd of wildebeest, we get through it together. Med school is amazing. Congratulations on getting in, you’ve got an incredible five years ahead of you. Dr Steve Hurwitz BMed First Year Paediatric Trainee, St. George Hospital, Sydney.

Steve graduated medicine in 2013 over his 6 years in the BMed/BMedSci program, embodied every aspect of medical school, from serving as MedSoc President in 2012, going on exchange in Oslo, attending 5 Conventions, and everything in between.

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AMSA Your guide Orange

everything

Hey there, you wonderful, bright-eyed sack of potential. In your first few days of medicine, you’ve probably been bombarded with all kinds of information and presentations and people trying to sign you up to their organisations and cults and whatnot. Well let me tell you, if there was ever a cult you needed to join, it’s AMSA. But wait, what’s an AMSA? I’m glad you asked! (just go with it) Officially, the Australian Medical Students’ Association is an organisation whose aim is to ‘connect, inform and represent’ Australia’s 17,000 medical students. Medical students from all over the country come together to achieve this in the most amazing ways – through national events, advocacy and local initiatives.

Events Convention AMSA is most famous for its world class events, the biggest of which is Convention. You will often hear this being described as the largest student-run conference in the world as well as the best 7 days of your life. Both are true. It is a week long event where your body and mind will be pushed to their limits through an phenomenal academic program by day, and a breathtaking social scene by night. Make sure you read my trusty Jr AMSA rep Maddie’s article on Convention. Global (GHC)

Health

Conference

AMSA’s GHC is a smaller scale event but with a much larger vision. It is my personal favourite and always has the most inspirational set of speakers and workshops – I’m talking Medecins Sans Frontieres, the founder of Thank You water, even Julian Assange! This year GHC will be in Newcastle, so it’s definitely one not to miss. Checkout the official hashtag at #NewGHC. National Leadership Development Seminar (NLDS) Interested in political advocacy and becoming a leader in medicine? AMSA’s 4-day workshop is held in

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Canberra each year with highly regarded speakers and activities to help upskill you into becoming that changemaker you always wanted to be.

Advocacy A very important part of AMSA is advocacy on behalf of Australia’s medical students. As your AMSA representative, my job is to listen to your concerns on anything even remotely related to medicine and represent your views at AMSA on a national level. Three times a year, AMSA reps and MedSoc presidents meet with the AMSA executive for AMSA Council to discuss, debate and vote upon everything AMSA. This is where AMSA gets directed on its advocacy efforts which in 2015 included Bonded Medical Places and the Internship Crisis.

AMSA @ UNMS In addition to national events and advocacy efforts, AMSA has local initiatives directed by your trusty AMSA and Jr AMSA representatives. We’ll be here to listen to your views on the key issues affecting our medical students through our Thinktanks and surveys. We’ll also be here to care for your wellbeing and talk about your mental health through our fun-filled puppy-packed Blue Week.

There are so many ways you can get involved, including: - Going to a national AMSA event! - Signing up to become an AMSA member at www. amsa.org.au - Applying to be on our Blue Week subcommittee - Signing up to donate blood and score points for UNMS in AMSAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s annual blood drive, the Vampire Cup. - Voicing your opinion attending our think-tanks and completing our surveys There is so much in store for AMSA and Newcastle this year and I am so excited to be your representative. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re interested, have any questions or just want to have a chat, feel free to contact me or my trust Jr AMSA rep Maddie on Facebook or send us an email at amsa@unms. org.au or jramsa@unms.org. au. Make sure to check out the AMSA website as well at www.amsa.org.au. Much love, Bash

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Calendar

April

March

February

January

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

May

Sun 3

26 Australia Day

18 O’Week

26 First Incision

27 Raj’s Birthday

3 10

12 O’Camp

Pub Crawl

WakeUp! Red Party Year 3 break

25 Good Friday

3 10

Years 3-5 begin

Years 1&2 begin

JFPP Info Night AMSA Orientation

WakeUp! 4 Int Meet & Greet 5 Birthing Night BREAATHHE Welcome

Year 1 & 2 break 7

Med Ball

Wellbeing Breakfast

25 ANZAC Day

30 Charity Movie

13 Charity Trivia

WakeUp! 5 Jazz In the Pub BREAATHHE 12 Skills Night 18 Blue Week 19

Years 1-3 stuvac 2

Years 1-3 assessments / Year 4 stuvac

Years 1, 2 & 4 assessments / Year 3 break

Years 1 & 2 assessments / Year 3 & 4 break

Specialties Night

9 16 23

June

Sat

Calum’s Birthday

Pub Crawl

WakeUp! Health Education Week 4

Fri 1 New Year’s Day 2

Year 1 OSCE Night

Queen’s Birthday

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Years 1 & 2 break

Year 3 break

Night

27 Hill to Harbour

Wellbeing Breakfast

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

November

October

Septem-

August

July

Years 1 & 2 break 2

AMSA Convention

5 NAIDOC Week Years 1 & 2 break 7

29 Halfway Party 30

5 Autonomy Day 6

Charity BBQ

City2Surf

AMSA Convention Years 1 & 2 break 14

18 Catheter Night 19

21 AMSA Debate 22

25 Electives Night 26

1 WakeUp! PAHS 2

Years 3 stuvac

Years 3 assessments

Years 1-3 break

Years 1 & 2 break 29

Faculty Feud

WakeUp! Refugee Health Week

MedRevue

Year 1 27 OSCE Night Years 1 & 2 stuvac 3

Years 1 & 2 assessments

Years 1 & 2 assessments / Year 4 stuvac

Years 1, 2 & 4 assessments / Year 3 break

AMSA Global Health Conference

December

Sun 3

Labour Day

19 26

Talent Night

AMSA Global Health Conference 3 The Wedding 4

ER Party

21 President Jess’ 22

25 Christmas Day

Semester holidays

Birthday!!!

Pratik’s Birthday

Darsh’s Birthday

31 New Year’s Eve

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Convention convention kənˈvɛnʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. a meeting or formal assembly of representatives or delegates 2. a way in which something is usually done 3. The best week of your life

If you’ve ever known an Australian medical student, you might already have heard of this ‘thing’ – Convention. It’s about as enchanting as the Elder wand, as spellbinding as the Golden Snitch and as mythical as Voldemort’s nose, gathering some of the brightest minds in Australia for 7 days and 7 nights of sun (at least this year!), schooling, socialising and just something special. But it’s oh so much more magical. All those years ago when I was in first year…I remember the absolute legend Jim Fann, bespeckled in orange and dancing down the aisles of HB15, describing his absolute love affair for all things AMSA. Advocacy was their first date, initiatives were their first hand-hold, all the amazing events, both UNMS and nation-wide, their first anniversary. But to a brighteyed, bushy-tailed fresher Convention was like the mother of all proposals – a week of joy, laughter, maybe some tears, new and amazing beginnings and a whole lot of sparkle.

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Right now you’re probably thinking who is this mad woman and what is she talking about? And I can’t even think of how to put into words the real experience of Convention (still with only one convention to claim myself), but here’s hoping a little more convention-al definition or step-by-step guide to the greatest week of your life might tempt you. WHAT: The 57th Annual AMSA National convention – a gathering of 1500 medical students from across Australia and New Zealand for the exchange of innovative and progressive ideas amongst the present and future members of the medical profession. 7 days and 7 nights of Academic and Social events to remember for a lifetime. WHERE: Townsville, Queensland – close to Cairns and on average 25 degree days all year round. WHEN: July 2 – 9th, 2016 with registration in March (don’t worry, that’s during holidays for you first years!)

How it works How it works: Academic o 4 days of awe-inspiring academic sessions modelled around certain themes, for example M15 days included Ignite, Explore, Energise and Launch o A series of panel-based, lecture style and motivational talks from eminent professionals catering to each interest (did I hear you say the legendary Patch Adams, Hugh Jackman and K-Rudd himself as past speakers?) o Find yourself in workshops and breakouts that never fail to amaze, whether you’re trying venipuncture for the first time or hearing about the experiences of MSF workers o So basically, mandatory because Academic WILL WOW (also free coffee and hydration for post 3am kick-ons you’re sure to experience) Competitions o Let’s not even start – The Great Debate, Australia’s Brainiest Medical Student

(shout out to our sneaky and very legitimate M15 comeback…) Social o 6 social nights at stellar venues (Gala ball included) – get ready, your definition of partying will be redefined. Gold Coast ’13 and it’s transformation of Movie World is a legend to remember. o Each night is modelled around a different theme, released in the lead up to convention. Past include Deranged/Departed, Jungle Party, Whips and Chains and more o Costuming: effort is key (trust me you’ll reap the rewards). Tips I can give are body paint, body paint, and body paint. Oh and stick to the themes, work out some group costumes and Bash and I are working on some special #Newypride so stay tuned Sports Day o Breakout your miners hats and axes to unwind midweek and fight for UON in games like tug of war, the Emergency Medical Challenge and more, and...

Sure at first you’re lost, you’ve got no idea what you’re doing or where you are (or sometimes where you wake up in the morning). It might be the craziest thing you’ve ever done, but Convention brings out the weird, the wacky and the wonderful in people (ahh all the fantastic people just make Convention for me!) and I know you’ll love every minute of it. 7 days of academic, 7 nights of social, 1 amazing Newcastle delegation to call your Sunvention/T16 family and 1500 Other medical students right at your doorstep – what more could you want? So come runaway with us, define your own unconventional memories and get ready for the best week of your life. P.S Please, please come and talk to Bash and I or any other Conveterans. We’d love to chat about just what Convention is like, any details on logistics, academia, social and more. See you all on rego night! Madeline Temple

Convention Cup • Secrets you’ll just have to find out for yourself (and some I’m yet to find out too!) o Legends like Chicken and Champagne, the world of ‘Remier League, maybe even some Pipps and Cascade… you’ll just have to wait and see

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Social Welcome to the jungle first years, we’ve got fun and games!!! To give you a bit of an idea what we’re about, UNMS social focuses on bringing everyone together and celebrating all the important milestones of your degree and in 5 years, there’s a lot to drink to! If you haven’t already, it won’t be long until you get to meet the biggest party animal in med, the social seahorse. Keep an eye out on the UNMS Facebook page to watch him neigh neigh! The much-loved (and just a little bit shmancy) ‘First Incision’ is back again to kick off the social season. It is set to go off on Friday 26th February at Merewether Surfhouse. Be there or be a triangle. You want to be dressing to impress because this is your big introduction! You might meet the Sam to your Dennis, the Ned to your Tridge or if you’re very lucky the Darlow to your Ming. The night is all about meeting fabulous people, drinking, dancing, and stuffing yourself with delicious canapés – No one appreciates a good feed like a poor med student. Keep the potential hangovers to a minimum please my fellow students because the next social event on our calendar will be a short three weeks later! Is there a better way to familiarise yourself with fabulous Newcastle than a tour of its finest pubs? The chamber of commerce may think so, but not us, so won’t you join our hugely popular

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Pub Crawl on Wednesday 16th March for delicious, refreshing and hard-earned refreshments. Keep in mind the theme this year will cowboys and Indians. Yeehaa! But make sure to wear something comfortable folks, because a dance off will determine the winners of our prizes! Question: what’s better than a boat party? A wedding boat party! The 30th of April (that’s a Saturday for those familiar with the Gregorian calendar) will play host to our voyage of loooove. There’s just one catch, and it’s not a fish. You guys have to battle it out for the right to commandeer the ceremony! Propose to your unsuspecting first mate in a pubic display of embarrassing hilarity, making sure to have it filmed so you can upload it to our Facebook page, and the most outrageous entry will win the right to get pseudo-hitched. So bring your sea legs, put on some classy gear, and look forward to a night full of smooooth sailing with good mates, good music and good times (with a little wedding in between). As an added bonus the coast guard has forecast pirates, so please pace yourselves my fellow sailors, and keep one eye on the horizon! Five years is a long time. Heck, two and a half years is a long time. The halfway point of anything is cause for celebration, and what better way to congratulate our mighty 3rd years by celebrating with them for making it halfway through

their degree on Friday 29th July. The ‘Halfway Party’ is a full on, action packed night perfect for first years to meet some of the veterans of our illustrious degree. Mystery theme and location. Save the date! Finally, the ‘ER Party’. The name says it all! And not because the night is so wild we all end up in the nearest hospital. We get to wear scrubs! They’re super comfy to dance in. Trust me, I’m (almost) a doctor. It’ll be the only time you get to drink in such attire so make sure you make the most of it people. Friday 16th September. But if scrubs aren’t your thing, alternate Emergency Room attire is welcome. If it is, make sure you chat with our senior students about the University’s secret to getting your hands on some. You’ll scrub up well. I promise!

Apart from the events put on by your spectacular Social Seahorse, there are also a number of other things to do around Newcastle. For those of you from the area let us refresh your memory, and for those of you that aren’t please read on. Contrary to popular belief there’s a lot more to Newcastle than an awesome Medical School and a sometimes good (but mostly bad) Newcastle Knights Rugby League team. • Wednesday night is student night! Bar on the Hill is on campus ad your major location for pre-entertainment. There are cheap drinks and free buses into town, there The Argyle is your destination for free entry, cheap drinks and awesome tunes. • If you’re looking to head out on the weekend, there are a number of bars and clubs around Newcastle. These range from boutique venues such as Bar Petite, The Commons, Terrace Bar and the Lucky Hotel; to larger bars and clubs such as Finnegan’s Hotel, Customs House and King Street Hotel. • If you’re feeling fancy and have the mature taste buds to go with it, the Hunter Valley is in close proximity to Newcastle and is renowned for its wine.

to get to without a car, but worth the trip as it boasts incredible surf, access to Mereweather Ocean Baths and the Surfhouse which has great food! • Speaking of, Newcastle boasts a great, undiscovered food scene. A number of restaurants and cafes are located along the water in Honeysuckle, on Darby Street in Cook Hill and Beaumont Street in Hamilton. Notable venues also stray from these locations, some of which include the Edwards, Estabar, Doughheads and Bank Corner Care. In conclusion guys and girls, 2016 is going to be a challenging year, so why not blow off some proverbial steam by partying with us on these fantastic events. Please don’t be a sight for sore eyes and forever chose to sit at home or the library studying conjunctivitis or glaucoma… Studying medicine is hard, we get it, but dancing and looking fab in theme is not. See you soon med heads! Love from your humble social seahorse

• Newcastle has some worldclass beaches. Nobbys Beach is very accessible from the city centre and the stretch of beach leading out to the lighthouse is a great opportunity for anyone on Instagram. Bar Beach is south of Nobbys, and a little trickier

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Sports Welcome one, welcome all to the world of UNMS Sports! We are Jess and Jonny, your sports convenors for 2016 (aka. the J squad, aka. the dream team, aka. the most attractive med students around). As your 2016 sports convenors, our goal is to help enrich your university experience with various sporting events and opportunities throughout the year. (pix below for evidence of our enthusiasm & love for sports) Both of us were involved in all kinds of sport last year including social sport, the infamous Med v Law Rugby Match, and many more. Why Get Involved? Moving to university, or any new environment, can be tough. On top of that, it’s no secret that Medicine is a challenging course, so it’s important to have a balance between work and play. By getting involved in activities like sports, outside the classroom, you have the chance to get rid of stress whilst forming friendships that can last a lifetime. ( ~ cringe ~ … but still kinda tru).

Keep Up to Date! Jonny and I will be running a Facebook group called ‘UNMS Sports’. Posts on this group will regard information on how to sign up for social sports, the when/where/how’s of big sporting events (like Med V Law), as well as other important announcements. Please join the group so we can keep you in the loop! What’s on Offer? Social Sport Social sport is a great way to get your weekly dose (or two) of exercise in with your mates. Even if you didn’t play sport competitively in school, we have social teams so don’t be afraid to sign up! Matches are held on campus, usually at The Forum, and match times vary from week to week depending on the draw. Below is a table listing all the competitions available, what day the games are held, and possible match times. Med V Law Rugby The annual Medicine vs Law rugby match is a tradition that has run between the faculties for many years. This is a great opportunity for everyone from the most experienced to those who’ve never touched a

rugby ball to get involved. You’ll have the chance to meet med students from all years, which can be hard at other times. We are current holders of the trophy and hope to continue our streak! So listen out for when training begins. Interfaculty Sports Day Interfaculty sports day is a one-day-long round robin competition between Medicine, Law, Physio and BusCom. It’s a great opportunity to meet students in other faculties and have a fun day of sport! The sports include Netball, Soccer, Touch Football, etc. (these will be announced closer to the actual date) so keep your eyes peeled on our Facebook page for the specifics. Unfortunately last year we lost the cup to physio (by a very small margin), sso Jonny and I want to see you all there regardless of whether you’re actually playing or cheering our teams on from the sidelines!

Photo Creds go to Andrew Taylor (Med Student by day, fashion photographer by late Sunday afternoons)

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MedRevue

MedRevue 2015 was a labour of love. From its humble beginnings in Jesmond KFC through to its two-night run almost a whole year later, what began as a handful of dewy-eyed second-years became a dedicated team of 70 students who would go on to perform for an audience of over 600 people. Hours of planning, months of rehearsals, and many a sacrificed PBL were but a few of the ingredients that brought our beloved Medicine, Inc. to life. There were a few goals we set for ourselves at the beginning of the creative process. Execution. Emotion. Strong female characters. Pizzazz. A full rendition of R. Kelly’s Trapped

in the Closet (although we never quite got around to that one – sorry Josh). But more than anything else, our team wanted to push the boundaries. We had huge shoes to fill, but we wanted to build on the incredible things we’d seen in past revues. Bigger plots. Brighter lights. To boldly go where no MedRevue has gone before.

show, but I think this motto says more about MedRevue than anything else. In the end, MedRev 2015 was a success because we cared. Sure, our entire team was ridiculously talented, but more than that, they were passionate. Without the enthusiasm and dedication of our incredible cast and crew, Medicine, Inc. could never have happened.

In my unbiased opinion, I think we nailed it.

My advice to YOU, humble reader, is simple: just do it! Seriously, MedRevue is the greatest experience you will ever have in med school. It’s a chance to meet new people, showcase your talents, and help make something great. Plus, I hear the afterparty is wild.

The success of MedRevue really speaks for itself, but I’m going to take a moment to brag about it anyway. Almost 650 people came to see our show, with all profits going straight to Fair Go For Kids. Our cast was talent-grouped, gender-balanced, and made up of students from every year in the B Med – from totally unknown first-years through to MedReveterans returning for their fifth consecutive show. Plus, we made MedRevue history by including a faculty guest star (who absolutely nailed her role).

MedRevue was one of the best experiences of my life, and I can’t recommend it enough. After all, the door to Medicine, Inc. may be closed, but it’s always open for you to get involved in the next show. Sophie Collins Writer – MedRevue 2015

Of course, no true work of art is accomplished without setbacks. Things broke, or went missing, or took longer than expected. Someone almost fractured their hand. And it wouldn’t be a Medicine Revue without a fair amount of last-minute cramming. But despite the trials and tribulations, just like last year, it all came together. Medicine, Inc.’s motto is, “We cure because we care.” It may be corny to quote your own

For more information about MedRevue email: medrevue@unms.org.au

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Studying medicine will open many doors, including ours Not everyone is eligible to be a client of BOQ Specialist. But you are. Now that you’ve commenced your studies, you can join the numerous doctors who have chosen to trust us with their finances throughout their careers. We’ve worked with the medical profession for over twenty years and because we’ve taken the time to know more about you, we can do more for you. Visit boqspecialist.com.au/students to find out more.

Transactional banking and overdrafts / Savings and deposits / Credit cards / Car finance / Home loans Products and services are provided by BOQ Specialist - a division of Bank of Queensland Limited ABN 32 009 656 740 AFSL and Australian credit licence No. 244616. Terms and conditions, fees and charges and lending and eligibility criteria apply

Indigenous Hi! We are Josh and Rowan, the 2016 Indigenous representatives for the University of Newcastle Medical Society. Both of us are proud Aboriginal medical students, Josh comes from the Dharug people located around Sydney and the Blue Mountains, Rowan is a Wiradjuri man from Central rural NSW. Josh: The need for greater awareness of Indigenous health came from my own experience with friends and family members and their own experiences with mental health problems. I took a roadtrip with my family out to Uluru in 2015 and it opened my eyes to just how huge this country is. I have lived in small towns in NSW when I was younger but the vast distance that I traveled out to Broken Hill and Cobby Pedy blew me away and made me realise how a trip to a specialist when you lived 4 hours away wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t feasible for some. Rowan: Though the field of medicine was not what I had decided upon until the end of highschool, it was then that I realized how much it meant to me, my community and my family. My coming to realize the need for improved Indigenous health especially in rural settings is similar to Joshâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s experience in that when I was younger I travelled to remote areas such as Coober Pedy and Alice Springs and was able to see for myself the

need for more awareness to the needs of these areas in regards to healthcare. The other reason I am passionate about the field of medicine is also due to a personal experience of illness, as my mother had successfully been treated of her Leukemia when I was younger. The fact that she was able to survive the treatment and remain in my life to this day has formed a great appreciation and amazement for the professionals in medicine. As the Indigenous representatives for the Medical Society, we aim to help blend Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture into the medical society. Following on from the work of Lucas Booth the Indigenous Representative last year our aims are to bring Indigenous and Non-Indigenous medical students together through clinical teaching nights and other activities. Working together with Wollotuka in 2016, we aim to continue the clinical skills nights that were a great success. We plan on raising awareness of Indigenous Health with events during NAIDOC week and running a Close the Gap day event. We hope to introduce students to some of the great Indigenous movies with our movie nights that are coming soon. - Josh & Rowan

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Medball Poster

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Medball The Med Ball is the premier event in the UNMS social calendar. How do we know that????? YOU told us!

Dress Code The Med Ball is a formal affair and we know you all can look dapper so dress to impress!

This year the Med Ball is going to be bigger and better than ever! We’re not just saying that. Unfortunately, last year people missed out on tickets but this year we have secured the brand new pavilion at the Newcastle Jockey Club, meaning we can enjoy the ball with more people than ever!!! So girls get those fascinators out of the cupboard and boys wipe the dust off your bowties, be ready for a night at the races.

Clinical Years We want to give a big shout out to those of you in clinical years. We know it can be a long way to travel if you are in Armidale, Gosford or some other non-Newcastle placement but the med ball is a great excuse to catch up with everyone for different clinical schools. As the ball is on a Saturday we hope you can travel down. You even have the Sunday to recover.

What you need to know!

That’s about all from us! Your trusty Med Ball Peeps Jas and Caity

Tickets We are so excited to be able to fit in more people this year but don’t be slack buying tickets. Heaps of people missed out on the best night of the year because they were too slow to pick up tickets. Trust us you don’t want that to be you.

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Newcastle Beaches Congratulations, you have narrowly escaped being shipped to desolate wasteland that is Armidale, so welcome to Newcastle. Despite being the second most populated city in NSW,

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most city slickers still regard Newcastle as being Sydneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s poor, white trash cousin, but surprisingly, Newcastle has a lot to offer, particularly its amazing beaches. However, Newcastleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beaches can

differ quite a bit from each other, so picking the right beach is a good first start. Remember to Seas the Day and check out all of these beaches

"Seas the Day" Nobbyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Beach: one of the biggest beaches, the surf and swell is definitely not for the fain hearted and can get crazy near the harbour.

Dixon Park Beach: a personal favourite, quieter and less crowded than Merewether or Bar, with just as good conditions.

Newcastle Beach: with the infamous Boogie Hole next door, the beach is a popular tourist spot, and trying to park makes you question life.

Merewether Beach: good beach for a surf or swim, excellent food kiosks along the edges. Merewether Bathes next door are great for a swim.

Bar Beach: one of the most popular Newcastle beaches, tough to get a park or a spot on the sand in summer. Beware of the weed and rocks.

Burwood Beach: just around from Dudley, largely unplotted territory, just walk across the pipe from Newcastle Bathes.

Redhead Beach: huge family beach off the beaten track. Good surf and good swimming conditions. Patrolled. Excellent potato scallops. - Marcus Cherry

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Global Health Conference What is GHC? Bhavi: A five-day conference drawing medical students over 800 medical students from all across Australia to Newcastle for five days of plenaries, workshops, parties and lots of fun! It’s the first time this event is being held in Newcastle and our team has an amazing program lined up! What is your role with GHC? Jack: I’m Bhavi’s b!tch. I mean deputy convenor. It’s a fantastic role and mainly involves me doing what I used to get paid a lot of money to do, except now I do it for free. Bhavi: Trying to ensure Jack does his job for free, saying yes to Ming, saying no to Ming (we aren’t getting a GHC blimp), convincing my team to be my friends… How are preparations going? J: Excellent. We don’t want to give away too much too soon but you can expect an outstanding academic and social plethora that is hopefully going to entertain, amaze and inspire you. Was there much interest for the subcommittees? J: The response for academic, logistics and the sponsorship subcommittee was incredible. It’s both good and bad. It means we’ll have an awesome subcommittees, but it also means we’ll likely have to turn

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away some fantastic applicants. We still have social and In The Green Subcommittees still open so if you’ve missed out, there’s still a chance to re-apply! B: Really great which shows how excited everyone is for GHC. If you didn’t get a place, we’re still looking for a number of other people to apply for other subcommittee positions so there are still a lot of opportunities left! Are any other subcommittee applications opening up soon, and what’s involved? J: Subcommittees for Social and In the Green, are closing soon! Jump onto our website www.newghc.com.au to find out more. Each portfolio has a slightly different scope of work but they are all fantastic opportunities to get involved. What can we expect from the team? J: The team is aiming to create the best GHC to date. It’s not going to be easy act following Perth but only time will tell if we can pull it off. How are you coping with the GHC workload alongside your university work? What university work? B: Taking a year off…I mean a BMedSci… How did you find GHC in Perth this year? B:

Amazing,

extraordinary

and just that little bit magical. Imagine if convention and ted talks had a love child and watched it grow into a show-stopping, inspiring and breath-taking conference. What do you hope to improve on from the past GHCs? B: It’s going to be in Newcastle! How does GHC compare to convention? B: If you took convention and squished it through a smaller Global Health orientated hole… you get GHC. There is definitely a different feel to GHC but you can still expect awe inspiring academics and an action packed social schedule.

B: Tender Love and Care Why should we go to GHC? How can we get involved? J: When you see the academic and social line up your question will change to “Why shouldn’t we go to GHC”? This is the only time during your degree that Newcastle will host a major AMSA event like GHC, if you haven’t been to one please speak to someone who has, or apply for a subcommittee to find out what you’re missing out on. Jack Mackenzie and Bhavi Ravindran

What’s your spirit animal? J: Irukandji B: Owl What’s your favourite flavour of ice cream? J: Cookies and cream. But like mainly the cookie part. B: Salted Caramel

GHC will run from the 26th to 30th of August in Newcastle. More information can be found on our website: www. newghc.com.au

What is the secret to your luscious facial hair? J: “Be good to you mother and your beard will grow strong and true” – Australian Proverb

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GHC Poster

Charity Medical school. Five years. But your dream of helping people (that’s what you said in the interview, right?) doesn’t have to be a five-year work-in-progress! You can start to live out your generous and altruistic lifestyle right here with UNMS Charities. We are proud to be supporting, once again, Fair Go For Kids, an initiative of the Leap Frog Ability. Working in the local Hunter/Newcastle region, Fair Go For Kids in instrumental in improving the quality of life of children who are disadvantaged or living with a disability. They are able to provide funding for treatment, equipment and support to both these children in need and also their families. By continuing to support this worthy cause, they are able to provide care that might otherwise leave them waiting for years to receive. 2016 brings us many opportunities to demonstrate our compassionate and giving spirits and contribute: whether it be baking up a storm, sweating out miles for sponsors, being a mean trivia player or expertly cooking sausage sandwiches, you should certainly dive in and get involved with charity this year.

GET INVOLVED!

UNMS Charity 2016 Events:

We’re looking for applicants to join the Charity Sub-Committee this year. You will get to work with us, Charlie and Mitch, the Charity Conveners for 2016 and a bunch of passionate people working together to bring charities to the centre of attention for 2016. If you want to help disadvantaged local kids (the answer is yes) and are keen to meet people in other year levels and get involved within Med Soc, this is a great place to start! Send us an email at charity@unms.org.au with your name and a paragraph about why you want to get involved!

Trivia Night Do you know what the word is for cat in Japanese? How well do you know Mean Girls? Care to find out? Want to show the world how much useless information you have in your head? Round up a table of friends and test yourselves with a few drinks and some food on the night!

Or if you’re not sure that you want to completely commit, but you’re still keen and think one special event might be your thing, you can lend a hand at events! If cooking is your thing or you’re fleet of foot, just jump in for a little.

Newcastle Hill2Harbour Run Join us as we run/walk/crawl/ roll down through Newcastle in hot pursuit of fundraising for Fair Go For Kids! Training sessions will be available!

We’re also working on giving as many volunteering opportunities as possible to the time-rich, capital-poor university students we are and so keep a keen eye out!

Movie Night Come and see a blockbuster at Event Cinemas with your friends and scoff yourself with popcorn for a good cause! Is there anything better than guilt free choc tops and the silver screen?

Bunnings BBQ’s Be drawn in by the wafts of the sausages and onions and grab a feed at Bunnings. We’ll be looking for anyone who fancies themselves with a pair of tongs or a large stomach! - Mitch and Charlie.

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Wake Up! “For he who has health has hope, and he who has hope has everything” - Owen Arthur Welcome to Medical school world changers!! Congratulations on gaining entry to the finest medical school in the country! Wake Up! is your global health group and we are here to empower and inspire you to take action, give hope and make a change in the world for the better. I’m sure every single one of you is interested in at least one, if not all of these topics:

In 2016, Wake Up! has a jampacked calendar with events that cover all these topics to make your year is filled with purpose and inspiration. Medical school can get really tough and dry at times. For me Wake Up! gave me that monthly dose of inspiration and knowledge I needed to keep my eyes focused on our bigger aim as aspiring doctors – to help those in need. So do NOT miss out!

ucation Health Ed

Poverty

Refuge e Healt h Climate Change

Medic al Serv ice Ac cess HIV & AIDS

qualit Gender E

R+J

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Jot the following dates into your calendars, get involved and Wake Up! for Global Health. March 3rd: Birthing Kit Night at Royal Newcastle Centre JHH April 21st: Red Party to raise awareness for HIV/AIDS May 2nd - 6th: Health Education Week May 4th: Jazz in the Pub July 25th - 29th: Refugee health Week August 18th: ‘Patan Academy of Health Sciences Nepal’ Talent Night - Jaiti Khosla

Breaathhe Bringing Rural Experience And Awareness To Hunter Health Education Who are we? BREAATHHE is YOUR rural health club! Across Australia there are 28 rural health clubs as part of the National Rural Health Students Network (NRHSN) and with more than 1100 students from a range of health disciplines we are one of the biggest clubs!!! Now you’re thinking, so what? What can BREAATHHE do for me? BREAATHHE is committed to hosting great events that promote rural health, and give you the opportunity to learn about and experience rural and remote health for yourself. We also aim to: give you the chance to learn and practice clinical skills, visit rural and remote areas, provide opportunities to party and so much more!! How, you may ask? And the answer is sign up with BREAATHHE, like our facebook page and visit our website at: http://www.nrhsn.org.au/ breaathhe/about-us/ for more information about upcoming events and parties!!

Upcoming Events: Farmer wants a Health Professional! As a welcome to rural health, we want you to put on your dancing boots, slap on your flannel shirts and get grooving to country style music! Clinical Skills Night This is your opportunity to learn how to suture, venepuncture, put on some casts, learn how vital other health professionals are to you as a Doctor, and much much more! RAW Camp Attend a camp organised by several rural health clubs from several universities and learn about treating burns, living in rural areas and so much more! This is a great opportunity to meet the love of your life because they weren’t cool enough to come to UoN! Rural Health Week A week dedicated to learning and promoting rural health mixed in with great parties, a ball and great food! Believe me: “The food is better at BREAATHHE events!!” - Theju Muddasani, Secretary

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MedSoc Committee

Jess Redmond President

Stephanie Hopkins Vice President (Internal) + AMA Representative

Zoë Lambert Vice President (External)

1. When I was on exchange my nickname was ‘Jizz’. 2. I have on occassion binged watched greys anatomy for 20 hours. 3. I once threw up on the garden of the National Library of Australia.

1. I legally changed my name when ten. 2. I can ride a unicycle and play the violin at the same time. 3. I was the junior Australian golf champion at the age of nine.

1. I lived with the Masai Tribe & drank fresh (still warm) goat’s blood. 2. I stole over 100 condoms from NUSA for WakeUp’s Red Party. 3. I went skydiving while overseas and the first parachute failed to open.

Bryony Beal Secretary

Ravi Naran Treasurer

Basheer Alshiwanna AMSA Representative

Jack McDonogh Sponsorship Officer

Helena Qian Academic Convenor

1. I am 34 years old. 1. I love curry. 2. I am attracted to sheep. 2. Cadavers are my best friends. 3. I once stole a flag for a children’s 3. I support the Wallabies. hospital.

1. I’ve taken part in a sacrifice. 2. I have an Olympic torch. 3. I speak fluent Russian.

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1. Threw up twice at Luna Park… but I only made it to the toilets once… :( 2. I’ve pulled all nighters studying, reading, binging movies and DnMing. 3. I’ve been in trouble for doing maths in geography, drama and chemistry.

1. I grew up in Dubai. 2. I have a fraternal twin. 3. I don’t know how to ride a bicycle.

Amy Yip Academic Convenor

1. Once I ate 10 KFC Wicked Wings + Regular Chips in 20 minutes. 2. I’ve been backstage at a Taylor Swift concert. 3. I’ve thrown a couple of vodka soaked gummy snakes at a camp co-ordinator.

Two Truths, One Lie.

Charlie Jeong Charity Convenor

Mitchell Wong Charity Convenor

Jonny Kuo Sports Convenor

Theju Muddasani Education Officer

1. I once stayed up for 38 hrs straight. 1. I crashed my car into a bridge. 2. I was adopted twice. 2. I don’t care. 3. I swam back to shore after getting 3. I love it. dumped off a boat near the harbour bridge.

Jess Pang Sports Convenor

1. I successfully stole 10 drink tickets at Halfway Party. 2. I have phobia of vomiting. 3. I hate TV shows.

Piyumi de Silva Education Officer

1. I once swallowed a 50c coin (when I was 22...) 2. I am fluent in 2 languages. 3. I have a picture in my house of me and my housemate naked riding a unicorn.

1. My favourite passtime is talking to people. 2. I won the Australian Youth Cross Country Championships in 2010. 3. My hair was 96cm long before taking part in the the World’s Greatest Shave.

1. My favourite colour is turquoise. 2. I have the best twerk in all of med. 3. The faculty begged me to become education officer because I have the best marks in med.

Darshan Sitharthan Publications & Promotions Officer

Rajeev Roy Publications & Promotions Officer

Karthik Natarajan International Officer

1. I once stole a flag for a children’s hospital. 2. My parents love me. 3. I slept with more guys than girls last year.

1. I used to be a spy. 1. I was once handcuffed to another 2. I play the bagpipes. 3. I passed out while skydiving. person for 40 hours. 2. My first kiss was with a guy. 3. I used to be a runescape moderator.

Introductus

MedSoc Committee

Sienna McWhae Merchandise & Membership Officer

Calum De Silva Merchandise & Membership Officer

Emily Jo-Anne Social Convenor

1. I’ve broken my arm 3 different times 2. I’ve once met Jessica Mauboy at my cousins bar mitzvah back in 2009 3. My least favourite food is walnuts

1. My average walking pace is a third of the normal human being. 2. I prefer to dig big holes at the beach rather than get in the water. 3. I have a nose ring fetish

1. I once finished a packet of tim tams in 15 minutes. 2. 4 years later, I am still recognised as Tinkerbell from 2012 MedRevue. 3. I experimented with women for the most part of 2015.

Joshua Tobin Indigenous Officer

Rowan Gersbach AMSA Representative

Maddie Temple Jr AMSA Rep

1. I am allergic to marshmallows. 2. I used to own peacocks. 3. I have had my nipple pierced.

Daniel Boer IT Officer

1. I vomit if I eat peas. 2. I have been involved in 5 car accidents. 3. I don’t wear antiperspirant.

Introductus

1. Josh stole all my voting power in our first UNMS meeting. 2. I was the winner of my Highschool yu-gi-oh competition. 3. I’m afraid of large open body’s of water.

1. Almost fainted first day in hospital. 2. Waxed a mates legs at M15...he loved it I swear. 3. I once stole a flag for a children’s hospital.

Ming Yong O’Camp Convenor

Nas Abdul O’Camp Convenor

1. I don’t actually need glasses, the 1. I grew up in America. lenses are clear. 2. My middle name is taco. 2. M.I.N.G is actually my initials. 3. I sometimes mascara my beard to 3. They’re not actually my notes... make it more luscious.

Two Truths, One Lie.

Peter Enks MedRevue Convenor

1. I have an old school pink motorola phone. 2. I’m more in debt from illegal parking tickets than uni fees. 3. I’ve been abducted by aliens.

Bal Dhital NSWMSC Representative

1. My name isn’t not Bal. 2. The song ‘Why you always lying’ was written about me. 3. I was born with three thumbs.

Elena Luo 3rd Year Rep

1. I’m known to be very good at knitting baby socks. 2. I’ve been paid to dance K-pop at the Opera House. 3. I have a 2 year old pet cactus named Gandalf.

Caity Gorell and Jasmine DeGiovanni MedBall Convenors

1. Caity goes to the dog beach just to watch other peoples puppies. 2. Jazz cried after the medsci exam when she realised dougheads was closed. 3. We both hate croissants.

Cathy Mao 2nd Year Rep

Melina Sim 2nd Year Rep

Andrea Fernando 3rd Year Rep

Ben Challis 3rd Year Rep

1. I am distantly related to Chairman 1. I once stayed overnight at a zoo. Mao. 2. I love rollercoasters. 2. I have never read or watched Harry 3. I’m never bitten by mosquitos. Potter. 3. I can rap Gold Digger.

1. I once drove into a parked bus. 1. I don’t enjoy smiling. 2. I have done for cheerleading at 2. I use lip gloss to make them *shine*. basketball/footy games. 3. I once stole a flag for a children’s 3. I eat bulk quantities (2kg) of hospital. watermelon a week.

Introductus

MedSoc Committee

Hannah Sycamore 4th Year Rep

Ned Merewether 4th Year Rep

Josh Diamoy 4th Year Rep

1. I believe that jandals are the correct term for thongs. 2. I once fell down the stairs of a 700 person lecture mid-class. 3. I was once mistaken for Lorde.

1. The suburb of Merewether in Newcastle was named after my family. 2. I’ve never heard in full ‘Friday’ by Rebecca Black or ‘Baby’ by Justin Beiber 3. I have been ambushed by a squad of SAS soldiers.

1. I have never eaten gelato. 2. Carly Rae Jepsen’s Emotion was objectively the best album of 2015. 3. My glasses have prescription lenses.

Emma Curé 5th Year Rep

Elias Sachawars 5th Yep Rep

Toby Hunt Immediate Past President

1. I decompensate when stuck behind people who walk slowly 2.I don’t let my allergy to cats stop me from forcing my love onto them... (FYI, not the Mitchell Pearce kind) 3. I love bacon

Want to contribute to the next edition of the Ductus? Have a love fo r writing? Want your works to be read?

Introductus

1. I don’t know what this is for. 1. The carpets don’t match the drapes. 2. Someone bothered me to write this. 2. Some call me, “The Deflower”. 3. I once stole a flag from a children’s 3. I hit on my cardio clinician. hospital.

Want to meet N

yan Du?

his number? Maybe get ...or even go on a date with him?

he to join t ? n e e k Simply Promos team Pubs & Send an ema il our way, a

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