Intercalation

[Eponine_hugo]

Neuroscience with psychology sounds good - not too gruelling then with the cell signaling.

[yeliab_cram]

Hello again,

i would seriously and strongly discourage you from intercalating after year 2. as has been mentioned, you go into the 3rd year of a normal degree and enter at a distinct diadvantage. Sure at medical school you spend some time in a lab pipetting and have some basic science lectures and write some essays, but the difference in intensity between the kinds of experiences we get in years 1&2 and a BSc is like GCSEs versus uni gap.

You dont have that many lectures, but those that you do have require considerable ammounts of reading. not just a chapter of a massive textbook (the neuro textbooks are MASSIVE) but also 5+ recent journal articles. Each lecture you go to has the potential to be an essay question in the exam. the depth of understanding you require for each topic is outstanding and like nothing done in medicine.

similarly, the quality of written work expected is far above what is acceptable in years 1&2 of med school. articles are expected to be of publishable quality, not just an essay with a few references.

it is a big gap to bridge, and you have very little time to do it in, as many of the exams are after christmas, meaning you have essentially 2.5 months of uni time before sitting "finals." and that is all before the dissertation nightmares start.

The only saving grace i had was my clinical experience to fall back on. i could make links in essays etc to clinical scenarios and use my experiences to help me through. i know for sure, i would not have done as well after second year, because i just didnt have the exeperience.

If you really want to do it then, fine. but bear in mind, it is not necessarily necessary (afwul english there sorry) to have done research to become a consultant physician these days if you yourself dont want to be an academic.

if u are convinced its the right thing to do, then dont let me put you off. but be fully aware what you are taing on. when we did it, we definately didnt realise quite how traumatic it was.

seriously, give me a two day long OSCE any day.

[yeliab_cram]

Neuroscience with psychology sounds good - not too gruelling then with the cell signaling.

i'm afraid that is not how it works in Leeds.

the name of your degree programme is really only a name, you get a list of module choices from the BMS pool and some school specific. ie i ended up doing 2 neuro modules in an anatomy degree. The only thing that makes them all different is the broad topic of the dissertation: which would be neuosciency: and would involve molecules.

think about this: if you dont like the idea of learning all about GABA, sonic hedgehog and his brothers indian and desert hedgehog and even more stupidly named signalling molecules sprouty 1 and sprouty 2 and having to know all the therories about what they do, and how this was proved on the fruitfly and what tecniques were used, then seriously done bother, as it is the type of thing you will be spending your year doing.

[Eponine_hugo]

Lmao sproutys 1 and 2! Sorry. I really appreciate ur input and take on board what u say, but I have to confess I'm worried about entering a career in medicine with just an MB ChB when a lot of people will have intercalated with a BSc. It's tough to get into specialties like neuro and anaesthetics, esp if ur a girl cos it's very old boys school still. Do you have any advice on what I could do to make me a more competative candidate if an intercalation isn't advisable?
Thanks so much
xxx

[yeliab_cram]

its not that intercalating isnt advisable. it is only worth it if you do it for the right reasons. a BSc alone isnt worth very much anymore. once upon a time you needed one because everyone else had one. but now they count for relatively little.

However, publications, presentatons and audits always look good. and a BSc is a chance to try to get one. seriously, i would advise you discuss it with doctors on the wards before making your decision. another reason its good to do it after 3rd year. IF you do it before clinicals you bring nothing extra to the table. take your time, have the experience, and make an educated decision after chatting to consultants.

also, since when is anaesthetics or neurology an old-boys club. thats surgery all the way my dear.

[yeliab_cram]

Actually...

Nothing is an old boys club any more. that is a myth. ST has abolished what was left of the social networking side of medicine - and that wasn't an old boys club anyway. as one surgeon said to me last year. "Marc, i'd love you to come and work for me, i'd give you a job today. but they dont let me do that kind of thing any more. Some retards turn up, hang about for 4 months, then **** off."

[Eponine_hugo]

I will hold off until after yr 3 then cos I want a decent mark. Plus I might try talking to some anaesthetists etc. Can u go into competative specialties without an iBSc? That would be great cos it would save money (I'm really broke already) but by the same token I don't want to not do something that is really valuable just cos I will struggle financially; I know if I get really desperate my mum and dad will help as best they can.
xx

[yeliab_cram]

you can't make your decision based on what people like me say. you have to get into the clinical environment and find out what the situation is on the ground. Anaesthetics is very competative at the moment. you need to find out what extra things help and which dont.

deciding to intercalate (or not) is a tough decision. There is no need to rush into it. There is funding available. PArticularly if you do well academically in the medical degree before intercalating.

[Eponine_hugo]

Also wrt to the percentile system - do my marks from last yr at Brad count or do I get a clean slate next yr? Cos obviously the percentile will be a big thing in competative specialties.

[clc26]

eponine-hugo, did you go to a private school?