Interview at Hull York Medical School

You guessed it!
I heard back from HYMS about a week ago inviting me to interview.

I had just finished my dissertation labs that day and it was getting dark early. I'm based at the sixth floor and for some reason I decided to walk down the twelve flights of stairs as opposed to taking the lift that day. On my way down, I checked my e-mails and I remember stopping in my tracks. The subject of the message read "HYMS: Invitation to Interview" and I can't remember exactly how I was feeling. It was a mix of emotions, from being nervous to excited and not really believing my luck. I went into the toilets and just stood by the counter re-reading the e-mail, double checking I wasn't imagining it. But it was there, in black and white that I had been offered an interview.

It was scheduled to be on the 9th of December, but having looked at my calendar it turns out I have a university exam that day. I emailed them back and they've confirmed they're willing to reschedule my interview for another date and I'm just waiting on them again to get back to me.

The format of the interview is both an MMI and PBL scenario. The MMIs are split into two stations lasting ten minutes each, with three questions at each station I believe. The PBL scenario is a group discussion with 7 or 8 other candidates again for around 20mins. It's been about a week now and I still can't really believe it. But I need to start preparing and only then will it start to hit me that I might be getting an offer to study medicine.

Say what? Theatre?

Whenever I saw a medical student on campus, I'd always recognise them as they were the one that got in. They beat x amount of applications for that space at university, they're probably very confident and excellent communicators, had a string of A*s, and it sort of intimidated me to approach them because I wondered what they had that I didn't, which sounds incredibly naive and stupid now that I'm writing this. And so, I don't think I really gave myself a chance to learn a lot of valuable experiences from them when I could've. I should've acquainted myself with them, and I think this internship has changed my perspective on approaching medical students and just getting to know them!

During my internship, the medical students have been really lovely hard working people and I've appreciated how helpful and approaching they are, too. I didn't really have anyone to teach me how to do the work whilst on my internship except them. Unlike all the other interns who had training by managers and supervisors, I had to be a med student's problem, and whilst they had their own research to do I was asking umpteen questions and bugging them if I'd done it right or not. So they had a lot of patience and that was something I really appreciated. Over the next few days they really got to know me and I got to know them despite the piles of paperwork and I enjoy the friendship that I've struck up with them. I got to ask questions about their life in medical school, and life outside of it and how they like to relax. I showed them a few of my sketches and they were really impressed, which was really sweet. 

Oh and the other day, one of them wanted to ask the upper GI surgeons if she could witness one of their surgical procedures and pop into theatre, since she's doing a research paper on it.  And she casually suggested I come along and witness it for myself, too. SAY WHAT? I replied "Are you serious?" "Yeah, why not!"

I'll keep you updated if it goes ahead!
All in all a good week.

Lots of love.