Bedpans and Dipsticks A FRESHER’S GUIDE
Welcome to Notts Hello and welcome to Nottingham Medical School! You’ve made it! Welcome to the best five years of your life. After juggling A-levels, personal statements, interviews and all the other horrors that UCAS could throw at you, you are now, officially and well-deservedly, a first-year medical student (congrats!), and I can wholeheartedly assure you that you’re in for an incredible time. My name is Holly Richardson and I’ll be your MedSoc President for this academic year. Nottingham MedSoc is our own mini Students’ Union made for each and every medical student. We’re here to support you in any way that we can – whether that’s tea and biscuits in the library, revision sessions led by our brightest and best, or sometimes when all you really want is a neon-splattered, VK-soaked night of happy blurry memories – MedSoc’s got it covered. I’d also like to give an extra welcome to our new international and mature students! We’re lucky to have a diverse range of people in Nottingham and activities to accommodate everyone. Looking back at my two years in Nottingham, I can honestly tell you that I wish I could live it all again. We were all incredibly nervous in your position, but you really will have a great bunch of like-minded people around you from day one, and you’ll find your feet more quickly than you can imagine. My one piece of advice would be to get as involved as you can: construct that 10-foot tall fancy-dress outfit, jump out of a plane for charity, go to that party with the people you barely know (yet), take a course in sign language, sign up for a sport you’ve never heard of (with over 50 MedSoc sub-societies plus those offered by the university you’ll be spoilt for choice), and make sure that when you’re fifth year and greyhaired, you can say that you didn’t waste a minute. So take a flick through this booklet, get excited, and enjoy your summer! Feel free to message us on our @Nottsmedsoc Facebook page if you have any questions, and keep an eye out for your MedSoc committee in September – we’re all looking forward to meeting you so come and say hello!
Holly
Holly Richardson MedSoc President 2017/18
MedSoc Committee
Nottingham MedSoc is an all-inclusive student run union that every medical student here in Nottingham is automatically part of. It is designed to support medical students of all years in making the most of their time at university. Whether it be providing extra support and tutoring for students who are struggling academically, or putting on the best socials the university has to offer (NOTE: Medics’ Cocktail Party is COMING!!), MedSoc is here to support YOU!
Welcome Week 25th- 29th September 2017 Your first week – Welcome Week – is amazing, and so is being a Medic, so Medic Welcome Week should be incredible! There’s loads going on for everyone to get involved in, like the Welcome Festival on University Park where you can sign up for sports and societies or join a volunteering group, and of course the legendary nights out! Welcome Week is the warm up to what should be an amazing first year at the Medical School for you with Cocktail Party, Medics’ Mixer and many other fantastic events. Welcome Mentors Keep your eyes out for our QMC Welcome Mentors, they’ll be easy to spot in B Floor Café and on A Floor outside LT1 in their colourful t-shirts. Come and introduce yourself to them, have a chat, and ask them any questions you have during Welcome Week. It’s their job to get to know you and look out for you – they want to make sure you have the best possible first week! You will meet your lead Welcome Mentor and the rest of your QMC Welcome Mentors when you arrive at Medical School, so be sure to keep an eye for them in your first week for top tips, advice and a warm welcome!
Walking Bus There will also be some friendly second years waiting to walk you to the QMC from your halls on the first Monday so look out for them – you’ll find out more about this before term starts!
Medics Fresher’s Fair Don’t forget that we will be having our own Welcome Fair during the second week of term in the A Floor foyer for all the Medic sports and societies.
The MedSoc Discount Card
As part of Nottingham Med School, you have the opportunity to purchase the one and only MedSoc card and what does that mean? CHEAP STUFF!!!!!! (just for being a medic). From queue jumps, to dinner in the finest restaurants, to the trendiest haircuts available, the MedSoc card is your equivalent of a golden ticket. Not only do you get discounts in a variety of places around Nottingham, you will also get discounted entry to MedSoc events. The card is just a single cost of £45, and will last you all your five years of Uni. That’s just £9 a year and totally worth it! If you needed any more persuading, every penny that you pay for cards will go straight back into MedSoc, allowing us to give you better socials, sports, and societies. So how do you take advantage of this fabulous offer? Log on to http://www.su.nottingham.ac.uk/healthcare/medsoc/shop/card to purchase it online (this needs to be done when you have registered with the university and have been assigned a university email address) Some of the great offers available include:
OCEAN QUEUE JUMP (Fridays until full capacity) – a life saver! MFA Bowling – 2 games for £7, student drinks deals Savoy Cinema – 10% off student ticket Pom Pom Queue Jump before 11pm 10% Jo’s Pancakes Monday - Friday 10% off The Garden shisha and dessert lounge
FitSpace Gym – No joining fee (save £29) and free FitSpace Padlock (save £5) Art of Flowers – 10% off flowers or 10% extra in a bouquet (see MedSoc website for details), 20 free cupcakes when you order a birthday cake Pudding Pantry – 10% off food when eating out and 10% off drinks Warsaw Diner – 20% discount Tues – Thurs Cookie Lounge – extra shot with deal of the day & 10% off milkshakes during the day
Curtis & York Unisex Salon – 20% discount Smythson’s Deli – Free cake & hot drink token & 10% discount (except meal deal) So many more! (check out the MedSoc website for the full list)
Medics’ Karni Welcome to Medics Karni! Karnival is the largest student-run charity organisation in the UK, hosting events mainly for first years and raising money for a huge number of charities. We host several events throughout your first term, making it actionpacked, stress free, and most of all, as memorable as possible. From black tie balls to bar crawls, bucketcollections, skydives, and the craziest bus rides, and even trekking Machu Pichu, there’s something for everyone to get involved with. In 2017 we’ll be supporting the Jim Pullin Foundation. Whilst at other universities Saturdays may be spent catching up on sleep or recovering from the night before, here at Nottingham they mean only one thing… Once a month we’ll head off on a journey to the big cities of the UK, wearing all manner of fancy dress. After a day of collecting money for the Jim Pullin foundation, you will be well rewarded for your hard work – and what’s a better reward than a bus journey home, complete with challenges, prizes, and a few other surprises! These bus journeys are definitely not to be missed! On our return to Nottingham, the party carries on late into the night at one of our favourite venues. Last year Karnival raised an incredible £2.4 million for charity, and we hope to do just as well, if not better this year!
Medics are always over-achievers in all aspects of life, including sport. Unfortunately, due to our ‘fun’ packed timetable, our elite sportsmen and women always struggle to find time to play for the university teams meaning our MedSoc teams are always of a very high standard. MedSoc sports teams participate in the national (NAMS) league and university (IMS) league and training fits in with our jam-packed lifestyles. As well as playing in the leagues, a varsity series has been set up with the Leicester medics, which this year is being hosted at home here in Nottingham…so be sure to get involved in medics’ varsity in some way! Whether you’re a competitor, spectator or just up for an amazing social afterwards, varsity is set to be amazing this year! The sports that MedSoc offer include: Badminton, Basketball, Cheerleading, Cricket, Cross Country, Cycling, Football (men’s & women’s), Futsal, Hockey, Netball, Rowing, Rugby, Squash, Table Tennis, Tennis and Volleyball. If we don’t have already have your sport, feel free to come and speak to us and we’ll see what we can do! Although we can get quite serious on the pitch, we all know how to have a great time off it. We have many team socials throughout the year and are aiming to have even bigger, better socials this year. The highlight of every year is alumni; a day of student verses doctor matches, followed by a huge social in the evening, usually combining many of our teams. This is not a night to be missed! NETBALL Nottingham University Medics’ Netball Club (NUMNC) is a very friendly and social club. We train on Monday evenings and welcome players of all abilities with a consistently high intake of first years. NUMNC enter teams into the NAMS league (against other medical schools) and the IMS league (against other teams at UoN) - matches for both leagues are played at the weekend. We have had great success in both of these tournaments recently, coming a narrow 2nd in IMS and reaching NAMS finals. We also have plenty of socials which are not to be missed! So feel free to come along and try it out - we can’t wait to meet you! You can find our stand at the MedSoc Fresher’s Fayre.
FOOTBALL NUMFC is the biggest medics' sports club at Nottingham, with 3 men's teams and a ladies' team formed from students and doctors. We have been highly successful in local and national competitions in recent years and we are always looking for new players. Off the field we have a lively social calendar, highlights being our weekend away in Europe and our alumni day. Whether you have played to a high standard or never kicked a ball before, all are welcome to get involved. Keep an eye out for information about training in week one.
HOCKEY NUMHC offers a chance to play mixed hockey with medics of all years. We welcome everyone- from complete beginners to competitive level players. We are a very friendly club and with weekly Wednesday training sessions, regular 11- and 7-a-side matches, varsity, alumni ball and regular socials, our timetable is full of things to get involved with! The highlight of our year is a tour for a tournament against other med schools! Come and find us on our stand at the MedSoc Welcome Fair and sign up to our first training session!
TABLE TENNIS
Medics Table Tennis is a new friendly club, which welcomes students and doctors of all abilities. There are sessions every weekend, where tables, bats and balls will all be provided! These sessions consist of free play for social players and matches with coaching for the more serious players. Whether you want to try a new sport or brush up your skills, you can be sure to have fun by coming along!
BASKETBALL Medics basketball is a very friendly club that welcomes players of all abilities. Whether you have played regularly in the past or if you are just starting now, come along to our training sessions on Wednesday evenings. Training is adjusted to everyone’s abilities and it involves training drills and casual matches amongst ourselves. It is a great opportunity to meet medics from other years and even some of our awesome alumni that always come back! And if you are a more serious player, we have the IMS league on Sundays during term time and the NAMS league twice a year where we play against other med schools. Lookout for our stall at Fresher’s Fair.
RUGBY Nott's Medics RUFC is a welcoming club that runs two teams. We play games on Wednesday's in IMS and Saturdays in a local league, while also competing in the NAMS competition. Training is on Tuesday's and Thursday's, with weekly socials every Wednesday. All abilities are accommodated for, from first-timers to players who have been playing for years. Look out for us at Fresher’s Fair or send us a message on Facebook. Facebook - Notts Medics Rugby Twitter - @NottsMedicsRUFC Instagram - @nottsmedicsrufc CHEERLEADING Medics cheerleading is a fun, sociable and relaxed society that meets for a couple of hours a week, our main session being Tuesdays at 7pm. We learn routines of dancing and lifts throughout the year, do several performances and enjoy regular socials, including performing annually at the medic rugby alumni match (with a great joint rugby and cheer social afterwards!). No previous experience is required and we love getting new members. It’s a great opportunity to meet medics from all years, and we guarantee that if you come along to one of our sessions you will have a great time and meet some lovely people!
TENNIS Medics Tennis is a very friendly and fun society. We love to have players of all abilities joining us weekly down at the Park Tennis Club in Nottingham. With a variety of sessions including match play, cardio and coaching, we’ve got something for everyone. Whether you’ve played the sport for years or you want to try something new at uni, make sure you come along to our fresher’s event. We train on Sundays from 1-3pm and with termly tournaments and smashing socials, we can't wait for you freshers to join us!
BADMINTON Looking to play badminton? Medic's Badminton meets once a week for a social and friendly few hours at Jubilee campus. Our Saturday sessions are relaxed, but we have competitive matches throughout the year against other medical schools. All abilities are welcome, whether you're a beginner or a pro, just looking to play casually or competitively, there's something for everyone.
CRICKET Medics cricket is an opportunity for anyone who enjoyed cricket at school to carry on their love for the game. Accommodating all abilities, we host preseason nets as well as competitive fixtures against other medical schools over the summer season - we're hoping to organise some earlier fixtures for pre-clinical years. Above all else medic’s cricket is a chance to have some fun & exercise and make some friends. See you at Fresher’s Fayre!
Medic Parents: Everyone who comes to Notts Medical School is assigned a medic parent from the year above in the first week you arrive, as a sort of guardian angel to make sure you get as much as you can out of first year. You probably all have lots of questions ranging from ‘Where’s the best night out?’ to ‘How much work should I be doing?’ and ‘How am I going to figure this timetable out?’ and who better to answer them than your very own mum or dad from the year above who was in your shoes just a year ago! So be sure to pick the brains of your medic mum or dad on any help or advice you want, or even just an insight into what 1st year is actually like! They are really useful for notes and exam tips having done it so recently, you might also be able to meet your grandparents and great grandparents from the years above. Use and abuse your parents as much as possible, they are there to help!
Welfare Website All this information is available on the MedSoc Welfare Website, along with a HUGE array of further resources to make your life at medical school a whole lot easier. It is found on ‘Moodle’, which you will learn all about on your first day. Go to ‘Student Welfare, Information and Support (Medicine UK)’, then ‘Launch WELFARE CENTRAL’, then ‘Launch Welfare Central’. It is full of personal stories and information about problems that students frequently encounter at university. It is brilliant - make use of it!
Nightline: Nightline is student-run confidential listening services who offer telephone, email and instant messenger support. Keep an eye out for the Nightline Bear out and about – particularly in Ocean on a Friday night! www.nottinghamnightline.co.uk www.studentminds.org.uk
Student Supporters: These lovely people are available for you at any time to talk about anything, from family or friendship problems and financial trouble, to stress, depression and mental health issues. They’ve all been trained so they know where you can go for help, can answer course related queries, and they’re willing to listen to anything you want to get off your chest. Anything you tell them will be confidential. The names and contact details of all student supporters can be found on the welfare website or around QMC. Alternatively, you can always drop me an email and I’ll put you in touch!
Personal Tutors: All students are assigned a personal tutor when they start first year. These are the people you go to for any worries you might be having, or just for a nice chat. You will have regular meetings with your tutor throughout the year and some tutors are so lovely they might even take you out for a meal! Tutors can be anyone in the Med School from lecturers to clinicians, but whoever they are, they’re always there to lend a listening ear or a shoulder to cry on.
Senior Tutors: Senior tutors are responsible for the overall academic and pastoral care of students in the first two years of medical school. There are six in total, each as lovely and approachable as the next! To book an appointment with a senior tutor, pop in to the Medical Course Office on B floor.
A message for international rep:
Your health is important too! You’ll learn all about signs, symptom, diagnosis and treatment of disease in patients (which is great!) but don’t forget that your health is important too. Register with the GP as soon as possible and remember to take time to eat well and sleep enough! The University Counselling Service is free for all students and offers professional, confidential support for any problems you might experience.
international
students
from
our
As an international student, sometimes adjusting to life in a different country may be difficult and daunting - But don't worry! I'm here to make the transition a little easier! If you guys ever have any concerns or queries, feel free to send me a message on Facebook, email or even catch me around the medical school. Remember, no question is ever too small!
Leah Fagan - International Officer
A message from your welfare officer: I really hope you all have an amazing Fresher’s Week and a great first year. Have lots of fun, learn lots, and always remember to ask for help whenever you need it! I am seriously here for anything; please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you would like a chat/advice/a pointer on who to talk to. Lots of Welfare love, Em x
Emily Armon – Welfare Officer
o
Got an issue with the course that you want to raise?
o
Know of something that requires change or improvement?
o
Want provision of better facilities and other services?
Student voice is an elected committee of medical students from all year groups. We are part of the Student Union’s Education network and our reps sit on over a dozen of different faculty committees. We ensure that your feedback is being listened to and acted upon. We bring issues to the attention of the medical school, ranging from suggestions on improving the facilities through to feedback about the course itself.
Elections for new course reps take place in the first few weeks of term so keep an eye out for these and come say hello during welcome week! For more information about student voice or if there is anything you wish to change email: MZ-iscchair@nottingham.ac.uk
Find us on Facebook: Nottingham Medics Student Voice
Leaving home to start University can seem like an exciting but crazily daunting concept. That's why MedSoc 2017 have created for you a survival guide to ensure you are clued up on all the Medic inside info before you even step foot in the QMC: 1. 2. 3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Don’t buy a load of books (the library has loads and you can always buy later if you think you will need it) If you’re getting a stethoscope most people go for the Littmann Classic II Get a MedSoc card for Ocean queue jump (be the ultimate envy of your non-medic friends and never have to stress about getting tickets for Nottingham’s biggest Friday night!) You will always find medics in “medics bar” of Ocean nightclub (through the door on the left of the main room); come say hi! Go on a medic’s rag raid (you’ll find out about these when you come to Nottingham) – they’re a great way to meet other medics from different halls Don’t forget your fancy dress for Medics Cocktail Party (Don’t worry, not much is expected of 1st years but keep an eye out for the spectacular props and costumes of the 4th and 5th years!) You can also get a load of discounts with your NHS card (this will be administered by the Med School) – most importantly 50% off Domino’s!! As Medics, your course starts on the Monday of first week so DON’T FORGET to attend your introductory lectures!!!
Find out more at http://www.nottsmedsoc.com Also like us on Facebook (Nottingham MedSoc) and follow us on Twitter & our new Instagram account to be kept up to date with everything NottsMedSoc related! Any questions email us at nottsmedsoc@gmail.com or tweet us at @nottsmedsoc. Also, don’t forget to join your Facebook group: OFFICIAL NOTTINGHAM MEDICS - FRESHERS 2017-2018 We can’t wait to meet you all, let’s get excited!!!