Having traversed 18 months of exams and assessments, you now have the utter joy of joining us younglings as we embark on the clinical phase of the course. You may be aware that as you move out of Derby and join us for clinicals, MedSoc take over from UNAD as the association who are here to look after you. This booklet is designed to fill you in on what we do as MedSoc and how we intend to make your transition to the clinical phases of the course as easy as possible. If you have any questions further to this booklet, come along to the AGM we are planning for early March, or alternatively drop us an email at nottsmedsoc@gmail.com Be sure to check out our website- www.nottsmedsoc.com I look forward to hearing from you! James Lainchbury MedSoc President 2012/2013
Nottingham MedSoc is a student run union, designed to support medical students of all years in making the most of their time at university. Whether it be providing tutoring or extra support for students who are struggling academically, or putting on the best socials the university has to offer (Celebrity Cocktail Party is COMING), MedSoc is here to support you. NOTE: MedSoc is an all inclusive organisation - every single medical student is automatically part of MedSoc when they become a medical student at the University of Nottingham.
If you want to save money then look no further! This exclusive card will get you discounts at a wide variety of shops, restaurants and other services all over Nottingham. From hair, to a taxi, dinner and cinema ticket, it’s all there. You will also get discounted entry to all MedSoc events— what more could you want? To top it off, the money we take from these cards goes straight back into MedSoc; straight back into making your student experience even more incredible by enriching it through sports, societies and social events. The card will last your entire time at medical school and we are even offering you a special half way discount because we believe that it is something you won’t want to miss—all this for £25 (that’s only £10 a year!). If you want to take advantage of this special offer, purchase a card via our website:
www.nottsmedsoc.com/shop/card If you are unable to purchase a card in this way, please feel free to email (nottsmedsoc@gmail.com), and we can make alternative arrangements for you.
A sample of this year’s discounts: 10% off at Savoy Cinema 2-4-1 cocktails at Hockley Vodka Revolution (plus a society card available from a MedSoc rep) 50% off food and a variety of drinks deals at Coco Lounge 10% off and ½ price takeaway drinks before 12 at Smythsons Deli 15% off food at Savera Indian Restaurant 20% off at Loch Fyne 20% off fixed fare journeys with Nottingham Cars 20% off at Curtis and York Hair Salon
A full list of this year’s discounts can also be found at the link above.
Once a branch of MedSoc welfare, MedSoc teaching focuses on helping you with all things academic, from passing your exams to perfecting your clinical skills. This is done through regular revision sessions providing up to date, innovative teaching for a wide variety of modules. All teaching is delivered by students from different specialty teaching societies such as Scrubs and Juniors. As peer teaching is an essential part of our future roles as doctors, MedSoc teaching provides the opportunity to gain valuable teaching experience (CV booster anyone?) by volunteering as either a peer-mentor or by delivering revision sessions to pre-clinical years. If you would like to be involved, please email medsocteaching@gmail.com for more information. We are also in the process of compiling revision guides and notes for each stage of the course, all of which are available free from ‘year hubs’ on the MedSoc website.
A large range of medic societies for activities, interests and volunteering mean that here are plenty of ways to get involved with the community, pursue your interests, learn about new things and meet like-minded people. HEARTSTART Heartstart is a student-run branch of the British Heart Foundation that runs sessions for children in schools, Scouts and Brownies to teach them lifesaving skills. These are great fun, so get involved!
HoMED We run a weekly soup kitchen in Nottingham city centre and hold other events aimed at increasing awareness of the issues surrounding homeless people.
SCRUBS Nottingham SCRUBS student surgical society gears all of its events to the Nottingham medical course, from anatomy teaching in 1st and 2nd year, to clinical phase introduction and revision evenings for 3rd years, lectures for 4th years and mock finals OSCE sessions for 5th years.
Teddy Bear Hospital TBH runs clinics at primary schools to reduce hospital related anxiety in kids and to teach them about issues such as healthy eating and exercise using teddy bears.
Wilderness Medicine Society This society trains students with the skills they need to cope with medical emergencies and survival situations in remote and difficult conditions, through courses, weekend trips and lectures.
Others include: Christians in healthcare, Echolalia: The Official Medical School Magazine, Friends of MSF, Kenyan Orphanage Project, Marrow, Medics Art Society (NUMAS), Medics Jazz, MedSoc Teaching, Musical Medics, NIMS - Nottingham International Medics Society, Open Art Surgery (art workshops on paediatrics wards), PODIUM (public speaking), Project Malawi, Save a Baby's Life, Sexpression, WAMS (widening access to medicine).
Careers societies host a range of events, including guest speakers, workshops and other opportunities to get involved with career specialties early on. BUGS (microbiology) Cardiothoracics Bumps & Bits (obstetrics and gynaecology) DermSoc (dermatology) Faces & Gazes GastroSoc (gastroenterology) GP Soc (general practice) Grey Matters (neurology/neurosurgery) MCareers Soc Medics Juniors (paediatrics) Mind Matters (psychiatry) Open School Nottingham (patient safety and quality improvement) Pins and Needles (anaesthetics) Nottingham medical school possesses the highest quality of sports teams in the UK. Fact. In addition to the sports clubs run by the Athletics Union, there are sports clubs exclusively for medics, which allow more flexibility than the university clubs might, as all members understand the demands of a medic timetable. Clubs tend to cater for both those who wish to play competitively, with medics entering leagues with other medical schools or playing against halls of residence teams, and for those who are more enthusiastic than skilled when it comes to sport. MedSoc sports clubs/teams: Badminton
Cycling
Rowing
Basketball Cheerleading
Football (Men’s and Women’s) Hockey
Rugby Squash
Cricket
Netball
Tennis
Can’t see your sport? With new clubs popping up every year, if your sport isn’t there, there is plenty of opportunity for you to set up your own club or team
Celebrity Cocktail Party Think big. Think colourful. Think completely outrageous… it’s the medic cocktail party! It’s the biggest medic event Think big. Think colourful. Think completely medictococktail party! It’s the on theoutrageous… calendar so it’s getthe ready party the night away. biggest medic event on the calendar so get ready to party the night away. Where else would Where else would you find all five years of medics dressed you find all five years of medics dressed as thunderbirds, pope popemobileand andthe theboys as Thunderbirds, thethe Pope in in hishis Pope-mobile boys of the Ocean burger van giving away free in the queue? paint, of burgers the Ocean burger vanCardboard, giving away freefeathers burgers - get on it … let’s start off your five years of medical school with one of the bestfeathers nights of- your in the queue? Cardboard, paint, get on life …. 4th October… remember it now!!! it. Making an entrance is everything and the array of costumes is always so incredible that this is the one party everyone arrives early to. Societies bar-crawl: 17/10/12
Cocktail party: 4/10/12
Just when you thought you’d had enough of fancy dress, think again! All 46 Medic societies, whether sport, culture or career related, will battle their way through Nottingham to end up with a rave in crisis. Each group gets a specific fancy dress then you challenge each other on a manic bar crawl round Nottingham. Drinking is not the main thing here, challenges in fancy dress and non-alcoholic tasks are also top on the list. So let’s again show Nottingham the medic way of Winter Ball doing it! The Winter Ball is the perfect end to the year. It is a chance to dress Halloween social: 29/10/12 up and socialise with medics from Ghosts,alldemons or vampires all be out to thrill you on this night. So fight back with years. So put downthey'll your books pumpkins, garlic and silver... if you dare. and dig out your ball gowns and dinner jackets for one of the sophisticated nights of SCAV:most 14/11/12 your year. One of the most memorable nights of the year, remaining a mystery until you arrive, this is a night not to be missed.
Meet your boss: tbc Freshers prepare to meet the older, more responsible and mature (cough cough) medics on Meet Your Boss! You get personalised tees and the fifth years will write on you introducing you to medic life, teaching you about the tricks of certain tasks and advising you if you need help… all of this followed by the oldies showing us how to still move in style in Ocean ( but trust us some of their dance moves are getting a bit dated). So get those marker pens and come grab your tees for a yet another night of medic wonders.
Healthcare Winter Ball tbc Ball The winter ball is the end new, to first term.and It isshiny a chance dress up and with of medHealthcare Ball perfect is a brand bright eventtofor MedSoc andsocialise will be one the ics from all years. So put your books out your or tuxfuture for thecolleagues most sophistibiggest events of down the year! It will and be dig a chance todresses meet your in a cated night of yourdifferent year. completely environment; with nurses, midwives, physios and dieticians all coming together to enjoy a night a little bit different from the normal socials. This will be unlike any IPL you have experienced before! It is happening in June and so will also be a great opportunity to celebrate the end of another year and meet the remaining undergrads you haven’t had a chance to talk to yet and catch up with the GEMs you haven't seen for a while!
Nottingham Medics Student Voice is an elected committee of medical students from all years, and has two main roles: 1) We are part of the SU Education Network, and our reps sit on over a dozen different faculty committees. We ensure that your feedback is being listened to, and acted upon. We bring issues to the attention of the faculty ranging from changes needed in facilities through to changes in the course itself. 2) We are also the voice of Nottingham Medical School at a national level, through our links with the BMA's Medical Students Committee. Makarious Awad (mzydma) is Nottingham's representative on this national committee (MSC rep). Sarah Hallett (mzycrsh1) is the BMA ISC Chair, and in charge of communications and events between the BMA and the medical school. So if you've got opinions on local and national issues, get in contact with your year rep. Be sure to join our Facebook group- www.facebook.com/NottinghamMedicsStudentVoice- to keep up to date with the latest issues and voice your opinions. CP1 rep contact details: Adam Aboalkaz (mzyaa3)
Paris Moore (mzypm2)
Chris Evans (mzycle)
Harpreet Sandhu (mzyhs)
From medic parenting schemes and peer teaching to sexual health campaigns, MedSoc welfare is there to safeguard the mental and physical well-being of all Nottingham medical students. Whilst many of us will look back on our time at medical school as some of the best years of our lives, the student experience isn’t always easy. No matter what the reason, your MedSoc welfare officer is always available to provide support when things start to get on top of you . We can provide a friendly face and sympathetic ear alongside non-judgmental, practical advice on what to or who to contact to best get yourself back on your feet. We’re pretty good at giving away freebies too (look out for the pens!). Want to know whether you need to provide your own bedding in Lincoln accommodation? Or still unsure what the clinical phases are actually going to involve? No problem. In addition to exam and sexual health packs, we produce a number of peer-written survival guides for various stages of the course with advice from previous years to help make each step closer to becoming a doctor a little less daunting. So whether you’re struggling with money, bereavement, exam stress, depression or are just feeling a bit lonely and fancy a chat; contact your MedSoc welfare officer, Chloe Williams (mzycw1), or by emailing nottsmedsoc@gmail.com with “welfare” in the subject box.
Don’t Panic compiled by Mei-Ling Henry, with additional contributions from James Lainchbury, Robert Cullum, Anna Wild, Hannah Theobald, Chris Evans and Chloe Williams.