May 20, 2019

The End of CCE 2

This week marked the end of CCE 2, I cannot believe how quickly the months are going by.

The most enjoyable aspect of this block for me is definitely my GP placement, so it was sad to say goodbye to the fantastic team at the surgery we have been assigned to this week. My clinical partner and I have grown really fond of the picturesque village of Upton-on-Severn in Worcestershire where we have been attached for the last 7 weeks.

During our lunch break last week we even managed to hire a small boat and have a little adventure on the river which was great fun and the perfect antidote to a busy morning surgery! Fun aside, over the course of this placement, I have really felt as though I have been the closest to actually being a doctor than I have at any point so far on the course. We’ve had the chance every week to lead the consultations and diagnose patients, all under support and supervision, but largely the onus is on us to lead the consultation. This is a huge responsibility, but I believe that definitely the best way to learn is experientially, by “doing”. The support from the amazing GPs at the surgery gave me the opportunity to lead consultations with confidence and really build on the skills I have been taught so far, as well as put them into practice for real. It was no longer a case of ‘watch and learn’ but rather ‘do and learn’ and I really feel my time spent at this placement has been so valuable to my growth as a budding clinician.

As this week is the last week of the block, I spent some time finding my consultants to try and get my sign offs for the end of this block. It has been bittersweet discussing my progress this block, reflecting on the various things I’ve done but also the fact that it is now over and we will be moving on soon. One highlight has been attending kidney clinics and the dialysis ward with our renal consultant. I wasn’t the biggest fan of kidneys at all after first year due to the complicated physiology, and I suppose in part the fact that I am from an arts background so all of the physiology was completely new to me. However, actually seeing these patients in clinic and on the dialysis ward this block has been really enlightening. Clinical nephrology (the study of kidneys) is actually a very involved speciality where you really get to know the patients as you see them long term and are also involved in preparation and assessment for kidney transplant and evaluation for dialysis treatment. I certainly don’t have the same fear of kidneys now, and in fact I actually quite like them!

We now have a week off (during which I’m going to County Mayo in Ireland for what I think is a well-earned break!), before starting back for our third Core Clinical Education block. This is our only week off from January-September, so I feel as though I really need some time off. Everyone always says that Graduate Medicine is intense, but you don’t realise how true this is until you get here. Despite this, I wouldn’t want to do anything else.

I cannot believe that this is our last block of this year before our exams, and I feel as though it has gone so quickly. However, I would say that it also feels like its been a long journey in terms of the amount we have learned and the progress we have made, into budding clinicians and doctors. After all, this is why we signed up to the course – to be doctors! For my next block, I am attached to Orthopaedic surgery and Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Stories of many babies and tibias to come!


Jordan


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Our Med Life blogs are all written by current WMS MB ChB students. Although these students are paid to blog, we don’t tell our bloggers what to say. All these posts are their thoughts, opinions and insights. We hope these posts help you discover a little more about what life as a med student at Warwick is really like.

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