MedSoc Newsletter

Issue 1 – September 2014

Welcome to the first issue of the NUIG MedSoc newsletter for this

academic year!

We have lots inside this publication, including an intro to our new

MedSoc Committee, articles on volunteering, mentoring, applying

for an Erasmus semester, and an introduction to some of NUIG’s

other medically-based societies.

Of course, there’s also an update on what MedSoc have gotten up

to over the past few months, our plans for the coming year, and in

particular, a little more about MedSoc events we have planned for

the next few weeks.

A special welcome to the new pre- and first-meds who are joining us

this year – make sure you’ve signed up to MedSoc to hear about all

of our educational and social events throughout the year – starting

with some great First Year Parties, and a Welcome night in

September! There’s more info inside on how to sign up to become a

member of the society……

Throughout this year, the MedSoc newsletter will be published 2-3

times per semester, and each issue will have a theme of sorts. This

first issue is particularly aimed at introducing our new Committee,

and on welcoming all of our new members to NUIG. I hope you

enjoy!

Caoimhe

WELCOME!!!! Contents;Page Number Content

2 Welcome and Contents

3 What is MedSoc about?

4 Committee Profiles

12 An Erasmus Experience in Bochum, Germany.

13 Diary of an Erasmus Student

14 Working with the Order of Malta

16 Volunteering at NUIG – ALIVE!

18 Dear DrOMantic – MedSoc Agony Aunt

19 PreMed Award Ceremony 2013/2014

20 Barretstown

22 NUIGs Other Medically-Oriented Societies – An Introduction

28 Jack Flanagan Medal

29 MedFest 2014

30 So… What are MedSoc Planning?

31 More about MedSoc events

32 EVEN more…..

33 Getting in Contact

What is MedSoc?

MedSoc is the Medicine Society here in NUIG.

It has the following aims;

1. To represent students of the School Medicine.

2. To advocate for the interests of students of Medicine and of

doctors.

3. To promote good health among all students of NUI, Galway and

the wider community.

4. To facilitate and encourage philanthropic activities by students of

NUI, Galway, to benefit the wider community.

5. To ensure representation of NUI, Galway at intervarsity

competitions between students of Medicine.

6. To support students of the School of Medicine academically and

to encourage high educational standards.

7. To encourage and organise social interaction between its

members.

All students and members of staff of the University are eligible to become

members of the Society.

In short….. MedSoc is here to represent you guys, to provide something along the lines of entertainment and craic during the year, and to make educational topics more interesting here in NUIG! Find out what we have planned for the year on page 30

Committee ProfilesSince the new MedSoc Committee took over leading of the society on July 1st, here’s a short introduction to some of the committee members for 2014/2015……..

Lisa Flynn – Auditor Semester 1

Lisa Flynn is MedSoc’s auditor for Semester 1,

and will be taking over as Vice-Auditor during

Semester 2, when Kate McCarthy will head

the society. She’s in 4th Med, is currently on

her Obstetrics rotation, and come January will

be moving to the Academy in Castlebar.

When asked about her plans

for the coming year in relation to MedSoc,

this is what Lisa came up with; “Apart from

general global domination, I’d really like to

see the society continue to grow as it has

done in the last few years (big shoes to fill!).

Obviously I’d like to see Medsoc through the

best Medball of all time but apart from that

I’d love to see the society representing and

being accessible to all students, helping them

with any issues they have as much as we can.

And of course to organise as many unreal

events as we can to get everyone mixing with

each other!”

Her favourite joke…… “Who

are the nicest people in the

hospital….?”

…………….. “the ultra-SOUND

guys…..” Turn to the next page to find out more about

Lisa and our other Committee members!

Kate McCarthy is Co-Auditor of

MedSoc this year, and will take over as Auditor from

Lisa during semester two. She’s a fourth Med, and is

currently on placement in the Academy in Sligo.

None of us expected that she’d enjoy being away

from her native Cork as much as she had – she lists

“I’m from Cork” as her Number 1 ‘Interesting Fact’

about herself…

Kate has a lot of plans for MedSoc,

but her main aim is to keep the society’s

momentum going, as the society has grown so

much recently. She is also very much involved in the

planning of the Masquerade Ball, which will be held

in Sligo during semester one. Apparently, she has

something big planned for February, but says she

can’t give too much away - it’s all very hush-hush at

the minute………

Other than MedSoc, Kate is also

involved in VSA and DanSoc, and briefly

moonlighted at the NUIG Hockey Club in her first

year of college. She’s a Gaelgeoir, but was once told

she had “a Kate Middleton look to her” – she’s never

gotten over this event. Fitting nicely into the theme

of royalty and British-ness, Kate’s stethoscope is a

classy black shade, and at 5 years old, she wanted to

be a West-End star. This has changed a bit since

Junior Infants, but career-wise, she says she can’t

rule anything out just yet! However, she is really

looking forward to her GP placement this semester.

Finally, Kate has also worked at a

fudge and ice-cream shop while on a J1 in America

– so we’re all looking forward to any refreshments

she might provide at future MedSoc Committee

Meetings……….

Kate McCarthy – Auditor Semester 2

Lisa says she tends to get obsessed with whichever specialty she is currently

rotating through, but has been really interested in Paediatrics for quite some time

now. Perhaps in preparation for her future career plans, she sports a bright pink

stethoscope. And this preparation isn’t something new – when she was younger,

Lisa regularly wandered around the house wearing a stethoscope and tiara –

Doctor-Princess is a thing, right?!

Interesting points about our Co-Auditor include a falling-over-at-

the-altar-oops-that-was-really-embarassing-incident during her First

Communion. She still hasn’t gotten over the fact that there wasn’t a bouncy

castle at her 21st, and was told during a sight-singing section of a music exam

that “It’s ok, we can’t all be singers..” Finally, she’s pretty sure that she embarked

on a medical career thanks to her little sister – apparently the younger Flynn

spent a LOT of time in the ED with “biscuit crumbs in her ear, beads and Barbie

shoes up her nose, swallowed coins… the list goes on!”

Don’t be afraid to say hi to Lisa if you see her around, and as with

all members of the Committee, give her a shout if you have any ideas for

MedSoc!

Lisa Flynn – Auditor Semester 1 (contd.)

Carl Byrne is MedSoc’s new Education Officer

and a member of the 2014-2015 Committee.

He’s currently in 4th Med, and will be heading

to the Academy in Castlebar on placement

during the second semester.

He has numerous plans for

MedSoc and the Medical School this year –

particularly in relation to his role as Education

Officer. He is in the midst of putting together

a series of talks on interesting and abstract

topics, as well as a talk on summer research

and USMLEs. A specialties night is also on the

cards, where doctors and surgeons from

different fields will shed some light on their

area of expertise and answer questions from

students.

When he was younger, Carl

wanted to be a pilot – his career aspirations

have changed a bit since, and he maintains he

hasn’t settled on anything in particular yet.

Currently, he’s interested in Cardiology,

General Surgery and Emergency Medicine,

but expects this will no doubt change as

soon as he begins his next batch of rotations.

Other than MedSoc, Carl is highly involved in the Archery club in NUIG, having been Club

Captain in the past. He regularly represents the University in National and International

competitions, and coaches for the club in addition to this. He’s been involved since pre-

med, and is the most modest sportsman in existence.

An Englishman through and through, he believes he’s currently 42,185th in

line for the British throne. MedSoc have their very own Prince Harry this year! And in

keeping with his princely wild side, Carl once broke a girls skull (upon provocation - she

had tickled him unawares!)

In TY, Carl auditioned for his school musical – there were 31 auditionees for

30 singing parts. Guess who came 31st..?

And finally, Carl’s favourite joke; “.…This will be the best night of your life…………”

Carl Byrne –Education Officer

Sinéad Dilworth - Treasurer

Sinead Dilworth is the Treasurer on our Committee

this year – she’s in charge of spending, and

balancing the books. Like the majority of the

committee, she’s in 4th Med, and as yet isn’t really

sure in which direction her career may take her.

She has been planning a MedSoc

surf trip for the first semester, and hopes to

organise a few more nights out throughout the

year. She also counts one of her main aims as

“Hopefully I won’t bankrupt the society”……

Like most first years, Sinead tried out

lots of various clubs and societies, but didn’t really

stick at any. Last year she went back to play soccer,

and says she will definitely keep it up now–

apparently when she was younger, Sinead was a

proper tomboy and wanted to be a soccer player.

Sinead’s favourite joke…. “What did Jay-Z call his girlfriend

before they got married…????”

“Féyonce!”

Sinead is from Cork, and like most people from Cork, is a little obsessed. In her

own words, “Cork, Cork, and more Cork!!!” Other than Cork, Sinead holds J1s in

high regard, and thinks everyone should try and do one while in college. She

claims her dream man is either Steven Gerrard or Chuck Bass, and she doesn’t

like Boojum!!

If anyone has any suggestions or good ideas for MedSoc, you can talk to Sinead,

or any member of the Committee

Sam Fanous is Secretary of the Committee in 2014/2015, and is

a 4th Med on Clinical Placement in UHG at the moment. When

asked about his plans for the year regarding MedSoc, he replied

“Well really this is my first time to be a part of an official

committee, so I’m really pumped to be a part of the events and

planning this year. It’s going to be a learning experience for me,

but I plan to chip in on anything I can get involved in”.

Sam moved to Canada from Egypt as a five-year-

old, and says he was very confused as to how there was so

much snow everywhere – completely wiped any thoughts of a

future career from his mind. That said, he was a huge Batman

fan at the time, so maybe the world will get to see the first

Egyptian Batman in the future?! In addition to the snow, Sam

remembers having the time of his life on the plane journey to

Canada- until the stewardess told him to stop running up and

down the aisle

Sam’s career aspirations at the moment include

Family medicine and Geriatrics – he’s had the chance to dabble

in both areas in the past, and he says both seem to fit his

personality and future plans.

Our Secretary’s first job was in a retirement home in Edmonton, as a

server. Throughout high school, he worked mainly as a pharmacy

technician, and also as he started University in Canada. He originally

considered applying for Pharmacy, but is glad that Medicine seems like

a much better fit.

Sam’s hobbies include volleyball and building custom

computers – he claims he was a “wee bit of a computer nerd back in the

day”. And finally, Sam’s favourite joke is anything written by Louis C.K –

but he also says he quite enjoys and jokes courtesy of Carl Byrne… “his

jokes are always quite the knee slapper!”

Sam Fanous - Secretary

Kevin McMahon – Sports Officer

Kevin McMahon is the MedSoc Sports

Officer this year. He is currently a Third

Med, and has major plans for some new

MedSoc sporting events this year – a 5-

side and a badminton tournament

among them. He is also working to

make sure that NUIG MedSoc is

represented by an All-Star team at the

annual Intervarsity Competitions.

In addition to MedSoc,

Kevin is involved with the GAA club in

the university, and plays for the college’s

Fitzgibbon hurling team. He reports that

his stethoscope is a dashing shade of

black, with a stylish “hint of fuschia”, and

that as yet, he really hasn’t a clue where

his medical-related career may take him.

As a 5 year old though, he had

aspirations of becoming a vet or

paramedic.

Currently, Kevin works at

the Gresham Hotel in Dublin. He has a

history of successfully chancing his arm;

as a younger student, his team won an

award at the Young Scientist

competition for a project that was, in his

own words, “borderline factual/an

interpretation of our imagination”. In

addition to this, his TY company

operated through purchasing iPod

covers from the 2euro store and selling

them at a 400% profit – don’t buy any

MedBall tickets from Kevin!

Kevin’s favourite joke ; A horse

walks into a bar. Several

people get up and leave as

they spot the potential danger

in the situation. And finally, he

lists the fact that he is

neighbours with Bertie Ahern

as one of the most interesting

things about himself…..

Pishoy Gouda – Immediate Past Auditor

Pishoy Gouda is one of MedSoc’s

Immediate past Auditors. Along with

Simon Neary, he was head of the society

during the academic year 2012-2013, and

is currently in Final Year. He sees his role

in the society as providing support and

assistance to the committee as necessary.

Career-wise, Pishoy has a

strong interest in cardiology,

electrophysiology and medical education.

He sports a burgundy stethoscope, and is

currently on placement in the Mayo

Academy, Castlebar.

With regard to involvement

in other societies and clubs, he is

Chairperson of the Association of Medical

Students in Ireland, and a Student Editor

of the International Journal of Medical

Students. He has also taken part in the

Dublin City Marathon – his personal best

is 4hours 10 mins. Pishoy is also (in his

own words) “an enthusiastic volleyball

player”.

As a child, Pishoy had planned to become a fighter pilot – he is now a glider

pilot, and can’t wait to be able to afford getting back into the sport. Another

point of interest is his skill with accents…. Ask him to attempt an Egyptian

accent and you’ll be pleasantly surprised with what could very well be

mistaken for an Indian one!

This is Pishoy’s last year in NUIG’s medical school, and he says

he is not ready for college to be over in the slightest……

Simon Neary – Immediate Past Auditor

Simon Neary is one of MedSoc’s Immediate Past-

Auditors – he was Co-Auditor with Pishoy in the

academic year 2013-2014.

He says he’s looking forward to

another fantastic MedBall, the Masquerade Ball in

Markree Castle, and the Swing Ball in Hotel

Meyrick. Along with the rest of the Committee,

Simon is also hoping NUIG have the chance to

retain the coveted Spike Milligan trophy this year

(more info about that later in the year!)

Career-wise, Simon is considering

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, or Medical

Education. When he was younger he wanted

exactly the same things….. if you count being an

extra on Barney, or an astronaut as similar to a

medical career?

Simon has a black stethoscope,

has travelled to Montpellier on an Erasmus

Semester, and this summer completed a general

surgery elective in Butare, Rwanda, with VSA

(read more about VSA on Page 27 ).

He has a diploma in Irish from

NUIG, and has worked as a cinnire, ardchinnire,

feighle and múinteoir with Coláiste na bhFiann

and Cumann na bhFiann.

Lorcán Ó Maoileannaigh - OCM

Lorcán Ó Maoileannaigh is one of our OCMs on

the MedSoc Committee this year (Ordinary

Committee Members).

He was a pre-med last year, and

this year will be in 1st Med. He hopes to

improve representation of younger meds within

the society, and to turn the “MedSoc Shave or

Dye” into an annual event.

Lorcán organised the First

MedSoc Shave or Dye last semester, and it was

a huge success. He’s a really motivated and

enthusiastic member of the society, and

definitely will contribute a huge amount to the

societies activities this year.

He says its still too early in his

studies to have a proper idea of a career path,

but as a child, he wanted to follow in his

parents’ footsteps and become a vet. In his

spare time, he plays football and hurling with

his local clubs as well as with the university, and

speaks the cúpla focail.

Lorcán is planning on heading

to the US A next year on a J1 “purely in the

hope of meeting Zach Braff and Donald Faison”.

Possibly his greatest achievement so far though

involves a sports injury, unconsciousness, an

ambulance journey, and a selfie with the

paramedics…….

Lorcán, along with his classmate Aisling Dunne, also organised the first “Premed

Awards Ceremony” last year, of which more details can be found on page 19

“Guím gach rath ar an

gcoiste leighis nua don

bhliain atá amach romhainn!

Beir bua!”

Joseph Conway - OCM

Joe Conway is one of MedSoc’s two Ordinary Committee members for 2014/2015. He’s a Fourth Med, is currently on a Paediatrics rotation, and will be moving to the Academy in Castlebar in January.

Joe describes his role for the year as “Helping MedSoc in organising all of it’s events”.

Career-wise, Joe is interested in Emergency Medicine, and is Auditor of the NUIG society “Voluntary Services Abroad (VSA)”. He sports an orange stethoscope, so you can see him coming from miles away!

At 5 years old, Joe apparently wanted nothing more than to “be taller!” And to keep on the theme of humour, Joe’s favourite joke; “What did the fish say when it swam into the wall?”……… “DAM”.

Interesting points about Joe include that he;

• “likes food, especially when it’s free”• He hails from Dungarvan in Waterford• He’s worked as a Beach Lifeguard and

a Sailing Instructor• And finally, he dreams of winning the

Lotto…….

Aoife Cunningham – AMSI Representative

Aoife Cunningham is the AMSI representative on the

MedSoc Committee for 2014-2015. AMSI is the

Association of Medical Students of Ireland. Aoife is

also in 4th Med this year.

She hopes to continue Pishoy’s work in

keeping the lines of communication open with the

other medical schools in Ireland, and bring any ideas

or improvements to NUIG from the other medical

societies.

With regard to her career , Aoife is

trying to stay open-minded until she gets more

experience, but is very excited about paediatrics.

When she was 5, “anything to do with the limelight”

appealed to Aoife as a possible future career. She’s

now a great fiddler who loves trad music and going to

fleadhs !

Aoife claims one of her main talents is

the ability to make great tea, and she’s very proud of

her mal-shi, called “Buster”.

Her favourite joke; “the midget fortune

teller who killed his customers is a small medium at

large (Ba doom tshhhh)

Caoimhe O’ Sullivan – Newsletter Editor

Caoimhe is the chief newsletter editor and a member of the MedSoc Committee for 2014/2015. She’s currently in 4th Med, and has a lot of plans for the newsletter this year. Among these, she hopes to publish more frequent issues of the newsletter than previously, to include more of MedSocs’ activities and events in each issue, and to increase student involvement in the publication...

At the moment, she’s very interested in Emergency Medicine and Anaesthetics, but like a lot of others, this tends to change with every new rotation….. Either way, whichever specialty she eventually chooses will be a far call from her plans as a five year old – Caoimhe originally wanted to be a tightrope walker, or failing that, a dancer in Las Vegas.

Other than MedSoc, Caoimhe has been a member of the NUIG orchestra, and teaches contemporary dance with DanSoc each week during the semester. She’s also a Student Connect Mentor this year, and volunteers with the Youth Mental Health Service JIGSAW.

Our newsletter editor is the proud owner of a green stethoscope, she speaks the cúpla focail thanks to a Dioplóma sa Ghaeilge from NUIG, and also has fluent German. In fact, she hopes to work in Germany for a time after she graduates. And last but not least, her favourite food is cereal –in her own words, “there’s no time of day that you can’t enjoy munching on some Shreddies!”

If you’re interested in writing for the MedSoc newsletter, contact Caoimhe via email; c.osullivan20@nuigalway.ie, or get in touch via the MedSoc Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/NUIGMedSoc.

David O’ Reilly – Entertainment Officer

David O’ Reilly is the MedSoc

Entertainment Officer this year,

and is a 4th Med like most of the

Committee. He’s hoping to

introduce a few new MedSoc

events, including a mystery tour,

and he’s heading up the plans for

MedBall this year – watch this

space!

Career-wise, David

is interested in Anaesthetics .

When he was younger though, he

had aspirations of becoming a

chocolate taster…

He is also heavily

involved in HorseRacingSoc, hails

from Wexford, and spent a year in

Dublin before moving to Galway.

Last semester, he spent 3 months

in Germany on Erasmus, which he

says he highly recommends.

David’s favourite

joke; If toast always lands butter

side up, and cats always land on

their feet, what happens when you

strap toast to a cat and drop

it..????!

Matty Sheridan, Outreach Officer

Matty Sheridan is MedSoc’s Outreach

Officer, and is a 3rd Med interested in

becoming a paediatrician.

He had the following to say when asked

about his role and plans for the society

this year; “Hopefully, I’ll be able to provide

volunteering opportunities for medical

students and to take suggestions for any

projects from students that they would

like help in getting other people behind –

don’t be shy! Also a secret event which

will hopefully take shape at the end of the

year. And of course to help organise the

best Med Ball to date!” All these plans

sound very exciting!

Other than MedSoc, Matty is really involved in the Slainte Society (see page

25), and was PRO on their committee last year. He’s really looking forward to

all of the VSA nights out over the next few months, as well as to both the

Masquerade and Medical Balls – don’t miss any of these great events!

However, his favourite annual event is of course the Teddy Bear Hospital run

by Slainte Soc.

As a child, Matty claims his only aspirations involved being

faster and taller than other children around him – and his claim to fame is that

Amy Huberman was his babysitter…..

He’s worked as a sailing instructor, lives for triathlons, and has

tasted whale. Matty is also regularly seen volunteering in Barretstown – you

can read his account of that on page 20.

Finally, our Outreach Officer’s favourite joke is…. “Why did the traffic light go

red? Well, because it was seen changing in public!”

Margaret Brennan, Public Relations Officer

Margaret Brennan is MedSocs Public Relations Officer for the

academic year 2014/2015. Along with most of our Committee,

she’s currently on placement in UHG and is in 4th Med. Her plans

for the year so far include helping to organise a really great

MedBall, and working to make each MedSoc event bigger and

better than ever.

With regard to her clinical rotations, Margaret says she’s

interested in a lot of areas, but as yet, doesn’t know which one

appeals to her most – her stethoscope is a lovely shade of

Hunter Green.

At home, she has quite a zoo, as her Dad apparently can never

say no to a new puppy or kitten – as a result, there are a lot of

furry creatures running around; Eight dogs (Jake, Alfie, King,

Coco, Bertie, Charlie, Siuain and Zack. Seven horses (Larry, Blue,

Andy, Ralph, Hegritty, Eric and Maggie). And finally, somewhere

around the number of ten cats – she can’t remember those

names though!

Margaret’s favourite joke is “What

do you call an elephant that

doesn’t matter? An irrelephant!”

As with all Committee members,

talk to Margaret if you have any

questions or suggestions for the

society

So on the fourth of January just past myself and two others set off for Bochum, a city nestled in the heart of the so-called ‘Ruhrgebiet’, an industrial area in north west Germany. Not having spoken the language since our good old LC days, communication was initially a little rocky. But it wasn’t long before we were confident enough to just yap away in German (broken though it may have been).

Living in a big student accommodation offered a great opportunity to meet people from all over the world, with different cultures and backgrounds and each with different reasons for being in Germany. Many evenings were spent chilling together in the big communal kitchen and Friday evenings inevitably brought some sort of celebration to the party room on the ground floor of the accommodation.

Saturdays were generally spent taking a day trip to a neighbouring city – Dusseldorf, Bonn, Essen, Cologne, Dortmund, Munster. And Saturday night brought either another Erasmus party or a visit to one of the many clubs, some of which opened until 2pm the following day. So Sundays were invariably a chill day, taking a walk in the forest in which the accommodation was built (who builds student accommodation in the middle of a forest?!) or down to the Kemnader See, a beautiful lake nearby.

Mondays saw us back in the hospital for the week. There were many hospitals in Bochum and we got to spend time in a few, each one large, spacious, modern and impressive. It was great to see how a different healthcare system works and how some of the roles in the hospital are different than from at home. All the staff I interacted with were extremely friendly and once we explained that we were visiting from Ireland, they were happy to speak German slowly to us or to repeat themselves if asked.

I found the German hospital environment very relaxed. The doctors wore more casual clothes which I think added to the chilled out atmosphere. One of the bonuses of being a student in a German hospital is that they give you free dinner in the staff café every day. So that pretty much took grocery shopping off the to-do list for a while!

An Erasmus Experience in Bochum, Germany

Our experience was very much ours to mould

and I found most of the doctors very willing

to accommodate us if we had a particular

interest in seeing anything in particular. They

also wanted us to make the most of our

Erasmus experience and encouraged us to go

travelling and have as much fun as possible

(as if we needed much encouragement!)

I learned a lot from my Erasmus experience and had the most

amazing time. I would definitely recommend anyone to apply and if

anyone going to Bochum would like more information about it, feel

free to get in touch.

Laura

Diary of an Erasmus Student

Orla Cullivan is a 3rd Med who is heading to Uppsala, Sweden, on

Erasmus during semester 2 this year. She’s keeping a diary for

MedSoc about her experience, an excerpt of which will be

published in each issue of the newsletter. Keep reading to find

out how Orla applied for a place on the Erasmus programme, and

her preparations so far……

I was resolute that Uppsala in Sweden was where I wanted to be.

Why? Well, let me see:

1. Firstly it’s the only programme that is executed through

English.

2. The Swedes, in addition to being an exceptionally beautiful

race, are efficient, organised and intelligent, so I had no doubt

that I’d receive a good education there.

3. Thirdly, I had heard wonderful things about the country, and I

wanted to experience this place in person.

4. Lastly, ah sure why not? You only live once after all!

However, I was also conscious of the fact that to study abroad is a

‘once-in-a-lifetime’ phenomenon, and any offer of such would be

splendid regardless of the country.

From the very beginnings of my time in university, it had always been my intention to

participate in an Erasmus programme-no matter what course, year, or country. But to be

honest, I actually hadn’t given it much thought past that. What spurred me to attention

was when my friend Sinead, who’s in the year above me, was offered the chance to study

abroad in Sweden. Suddenly my dream became a lot more tangible. So NUIG meds study

abroad in third year. There’s a form. And it’s based on grades from second year you say?

Tell me more...

There are 5 universities that you can choose from; Uppsala in

Sweden, Montpellier or Grenoble in France, Bochum in

Germany, and Lausanne in Switzerland. The programme in

Uppsala is through English, Bochum through German, and the

remaining 3 through French. Each university takes a different

number of students, and this number may change from year

to year; A maximum of 2 can study in Uppsala, 4 in Bochum, 7

in Montpellier, 2 in Grenoble, and 4 in Lausanne. Are the odds

ever in your favour?

The process commenced in early February, when the class

received an application form in an e-mail from the Med

Faculty. Before you ask, we didn’t receive any orations or

information about Erasmus prior to this. So we were pretty

much shooting in the dark. A bit of head scratching ensued

on my part, since I’m appalling at paperwork in general.

The attached form consisted of 2 tables; one was a list of the participating

universities and links to their respective websites, while the other was blank and

requested university preferences in order of 1-3, language proficiency (equal to the

grade attained in the language at Leaving Cert level), desired disciplines for study,

and the preferred length of time to spend abroad. Okay, so I guess that doesn’t

sound too terrible in retrospect. What flummoxed me was the discipline question. I

barely knew what I was studying this semester, let alone a year from now! As I do in

times of crisis, I asked for divine help. In other words, I rang my friend Sinead, who’s

in the year ahead of me. She kindly forwarded me her application from last year.

Under the heading in question, she had simply put ‘Medicine’. Needless to say I felt

a bit stupid, but that’s nothing new.

Continued on the next

page….

Regarding the options of time, you could either spend from January-March or

January-April abroad. I figured the longer the better, so I opted to stay away until

April. I’ll be seeing plenty more of NUIG in the future sure! As far as I recall, those

studying in Switzerland can only begin in February, and thus have to stay there until

the very end of the semester. So filling out the form wasn’t too taxing after all!

Indeed, the paperwork is the least of your worries. You also need to have fairly

decent grades from the modules in semester 2 of second year if you want to get

your first preference. And maybe modules from semester 1, just to be sure. Better

safe than sorry! It also depends on the competition for places and your choices-if

lots of people want the same programme as you, it follows that you have you have

to work a bit harder. Language also plays a role: since German isn’t as popular as

French, the number of students applying for Bochum are lower than for the other

spots. Lucky for some, but not for all.

The deadline for returning the form (via e-mail just in case you’re wondering) was

the middle of March, so there was plenty of time for debating and deliberating and

changing your mind and then changing it back again. Once that was done, all that

was left was to sit and wait. And study too, I suppose.

Since I had studied French in school, there was no way I could consider Bochum in

Germany as an option. I reckon climbing Mount Everest would be easier, but maybe

that’s an overstatement. I elected Lausanne second and Montpellier third, simply

because I liked the sound of them. Sorry Grenoble, but Montpellier has a beach.

And more sunshine. Then again, Grenoble has ski slopes. It was much of a

muchness really. I did a bit of snooping on the Uppsala and Lausanne university

websites, but I didn’t feel like I gleaned much from them. Maybe I just didn’t snoop

enough though, so don’t read too much into that. I really just glanced at the

Lausanne website to figure out if it was in the French or German part of Switzerland.

In case you haven’t been paying attention, it’s in the French part.

Orla will have another update in the next issue……

Working with the Order of MaltaBy David Gorey

David Gorey is a 4th Med, and works with the Order of Malta in his spare time…..

The Order of Malta Ambulance Corps is a voluntary organisation, which provides first aid, community care, youth development and numerous other things. It is the charitable wing of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta - more commonly known as the Order of Malta.

The organisation dates back to the Middle Ages where the Knights of Malta provided medical aid to pilgrims during the Crusades. The ambulance corps was started here in Ireland in Galway 76 years ago by Professor Conor O’Malley in the old Central Hospital, the now University Hospital Galway. Currently there are approximately 4,000 volunteers in the Ambulance corps in 80 units country wide.

I first joined the organisation four years ago in Clonmel, County Tipperary. I had no experience in emergency care, knew very little about the organisation and really was only going because my friend wanted to join. As things turned out my friend ended up getting sick and I went to the first meeting alone.

Since then I have undergone numerous training courses, currently just received the National Qualification in Emergency Medical Technology: Emergency Medical Technician. This means I am now a medical practitioner licensed to administer numerous medications and perform procedures in the pre-hospital setting. This is one step below a Paramedic.

It was a year long course I undertook through the Order which also involved two four day weekends in the Wicklow mountains. I took part in intensive hands on training and lectures and two training weekends closer to home. There were also numerous online tutorials, quizzes and assignments to keep us busy. Before this I held the qualification of Emergency First Responder.

However, the best training that all members of the organisation receive are the countless hours spent doing duties. The experiences at these events are invaluable and have stood with me while on clinical placement as a medical student.

We cover duties from equestrian events to motorcrosssades, from Electric Picnic and Oxygen to the Eucharistic Congress and Novenas. At these duties you do not know what is coming next or what is going to walk through the door. Quite often there is nobody ringing ahead telling you what’s “coming in”. You usually don’t have the support of specialist doctors, anaesthetists, emergency doctors or even a paramedic by your side. Nor are you able to send off a blood test or get an x-ray.

Often its just you, another volunteer and a first aid kit with basic equipment which with the right training is better then most of the expensive machinery. All you have to rely on are your basic skills of history taking and examination. You might not have any medication on hand straight away and you have to treat the patient with what you got.

Some days its all go and more days you have nothing to do at all. To these volunteers the thought of working on a ward is daunting, to them a field or the side of a road is their hospital.

The other major component of the Order of Malta for me is the Cadet Unit. This is a unit for volunteers between 10 and 16 years of age.

The officer in charge and I set up this unit in Clonmel two years ago. We don’t just teach them first aid but also different life skills. We try and take them off on trips and every year we compete in National first aid competitions where they meet other Cadets from around the country.

To work with them I had to under go a Youth Leadership course and soon I intend to do an Advanced Youth leadership course and a first aid instructor’s course. The cadet unit has taught me a lot from; organisation to accounting to training. Also it’s a great way to maintain your own skills. You have to be prepared to be asked absolutely anything.

Working with the organisation has undoubtedly been stressful at times and I have questioned my sanity but overall it has been a great experience. I have met so many new people, learnt so much that I wouldn’t have had elsewhere, have had amazing experiences and all in all have had a brilliant time. And if that isn’t good enough you also get to ride around in a flashing ambulance…….!

For more information about the Order of Malta, log on to http://www.orderofmaltaireland.org, or chat to David

The ALIVE Student Volunteering Programme was established in 2003

by NUI Galway to harness, acknowledge and support the contribution

that students make by volunteering. We are dedicated to helping NUI

Galway students volunteer in the area of their choice that suits their

individual needs, interests and time commitments. We are here to offer

you information, advice, guidance and support throughout your

volunteering experience. ALIVE works within NUI Galway and also

with over 300 non-governmental external organisations - this allows

for both varied and interesting volunteering opportunities.

As exciting new volunteer opportunities come into the ALIVE Office we

advertise them on our ALIVE website www.nuigalway.ie/alive.

You can sign up for the ALIVE weekly volunteer newsletter at

alive@nuigalway.ie, which will keep you up-to-date with all things

volunteering.

Or, you can follow us on Facebook at

https://www.facebook.com/alive.nuigalway.

Volunteering at NUI Galway –

ALIVE!

Volunteering is freely giving a commitment of your time and energy,

for the benefit of your local or NUI Galway community, society,

environment and/or individuals outside ones immediate family.

There are always new and exciting opportunities available; some of the

more common opportunities involve the following for volunteers:

Talking to people in need • After school support for children •

Working with young people • Hosting events • Raising funds • Writing

letters • Playing music • Giving first aid • Spend time with older

people • Campaigning on justice issues • Listening to people who

need a friendly ear • Keeping accounts • Office work • Working with

animals • Planting trees and much more!

So, what are the benefits?Volunteering can make you stand out from the crowd!

Coming to University for the first time or returning after the summer can be a

bit stressful, with new routines, new people and a lot of study! Fortunately at

NUI Galway there are a great variety of extra-curricular activities to get

involved with - how about doing something different like volunteering?!

Build on your skills & talents

Make a difference

Meet new people

Have funNetwork

Gain valuable

experience

Give back to society

We also reward your efforts with the NUI Galway Presidential award for

volunteering, the ALIVE Certificate. To qualify you need to be an active volunteer

for at least one semester. All kinds of volunteering are recognised by the Certificate.

You may have volunteered in Galway, in your hometown or internationally. You may

have volunteered on campus through involvement with clubs, class reps, student

radio or newspaper, societies, or mentoring a first year student or off campus with a

school, charity or hospital. All volunteering is recognised!

To apply students must complete the application form which is a series of questions

about your volunteering. You can find this on www.yourspace.nuigalway.ie. Log in,

complete the application form and click submit. You can save your application,

return and edit it and manage your volunteering portfolio. The next Award

Ceremony will take place on 31st March 2015.

Volunteer Fair

Don’t forget our Volunteer Fair will take place on 24th

September 2014, from 1pm until 5pm in the Bailey Allen

Hall, Áras na MacLéinn, come along and meet the community

partners who will be happy to answer any of your questions.

Be ALIVE! Start Volunteering!

NUIG Family Science Day

MovemberSoup for LifeTeddy Bear Hospital

Dear DrO’Mantic…

DrO’Mantic is MedSoc’s resident

agony aunt. The following are

some problems with which he has

been contacted since the last

publication of the newsletter……. If

you or a medical student you

know has a problem, please

contact the doctor at this email

address;

dromantic121@gmail.com

Dear Ever-Hopeful 2nd

Med……..

You need a social life.

Or to leave the country.

Either way, you will probably

increase the number of tall,

dark, handsome and hairy men

you meet.

Yours with much sympathy,Dr O’ Mantic

The Premed Awards Ceremony was organized by myself

and Aisling Dunne, as an event that would wrap up the

unique year that was Pre-med. A final get together for

the whole class before people went their separate ways

for the summer.

There were 22 awards in total, which were

suggested in the last month of college by the students.

Once the awards were settled on, people sent in their nominations. The awards ranged from ‘Most Likely to Win 8 Gold Medals’ to ‘The Best Drinker’, and from

‘Quote of the Year’ to ‘Best Tea Maker’.

So that we could have everyone take part

on the night, we had different people presenting the

awards. Our very own Erica Carthy, founder of ‘Ericakes’

also baked us an end of year cake!

PreMed Awards Ceremony 2013/2014

By Lorcán Ó Maoileannaigh

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lo0oIQFNdA

A parody of the

scrubs

introduction

was also filmed,

with different

people from the

year taking part

in it. Again this

was filmed to

promote the

event so that

we all had

something big

to look forward

to after the

exam.

This video was

even tweeted

by John C.

McGinley (Dr.

Cox from

Scrubs). It can

be found on the

NUIG MedSoc

Youtube

channel – see

link below…….

This summer I was incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to work in

a very special place. Nestled away in the heart of Kildare, Barretstown is a place like

no other. It is a camp that exists for one purpose and that is to rebuild the lives of

children and families affected by childhood cancers and other serious illnesses. This

year we celebrated our 20th anniversary and since the founding of the camp by the

Hollywood legend Paul Newman, Barretstown has welcomed over 27,000 children

from all across Europe through its castle gates.

Through its unique Therapeutic Recreation programme, Barretstown

gives these very special children the platform to regain their confidence,

independence and self-esteem while having more fun than many of them (and

indeed ourselves!) may have ever thought possible.

At the gates to this camp, children can leave behind their labels and limitations that

have prevented them from enjoying life at a time when it's most precious - a time

when they should be thinking about fun and games, not worrying about blood

counts, needles or their next visit to the hospital. Here, challenges are met with

success, smiles and laughter in everything from rock climbing to high ropes, horse

riding, archery, fishing, scavenger hunts, canoeing, drama, talent shows, fun science

experiments, film making, music, arts and crafts, orienteering, discos, spins in limos

and racing cars, dressing up as well as hundreds of songs and games of all shapes,

sizes and levels of silliness to name but a few!

Throughout the Autumn and Spring we also run weekend-long camps

for the whole family. Sadly, when a family is devastated with the news

of a diagnosis of childhood cancer, each member of the family suffers

in their own unique way. Siblings, particularly those who are very

young, are often left feeling forgotten or isolated, parents are

exhausted and stretched as they struggle to cope with looking after

their sick child while keeping their family together as best they can

outside of the hospital - but the challenges are immense.

All of these lives are affected in some way by the illness

of one son, daughter, brother or sister. That is why we afford the whole

family opportunities to experience the magic of Barretstown through

programmes specially tailored for them. It is a wonderful opportunity

for all of the family to come together, escape some of the harshness of

their daily routines and especially to meet other children and families

experiencing the same realities.

Barretstown!!!

Matty Sheridan, 3rd med

I know the whole operation sounds bizarre and even impractical at first - How do the children get their medical treatment? How do they play with some of the others when they can't even speak the same languages? How do they participate in all of these activities if they're sick? What makes it all so much fun? To be honest, it all just has to be seen to be fully believed and understood!One of the most common questions I and many of my very good friends who volunteer or work at camp get after describing the experience is something along the lines of "is that not very depressing though? Seeing all of those sick children in one place?" Absolutely not! Nothing could be further from the reality as this is literally the happiest place on earth. The most tears are shed on the final day of each camp as after just eight days new friends must say goodbye to each other and return home.

It gets even better - all of these programmes are provided for these families completely free of charge! That includes everything from flights, to visas and insurance for all campers travelling from abroad - be they Spanish, Swedish, Cypriot, Polish, Hungarian or German to name but a few of the nationalities which we welcome to camp every year!The ethos of camp fits perfectly into the biopsychosocial model of multidisciplinary care. Oncologists, radiologists and GPs are all vital elements of the medical care of a paediatric patient. However it must be remembered that these 'patients' deserve and indeed need to be afforded the opportunities to be who they really are and that is children. This is where Barretstown comes in - it helps to heal the emotional scars (proven through research carried out by Yale university!).

It is without a doubt the best thing I have ever tried or gotten involved in, being a part of the magic at this camp is a life changing experience which I couldn't recommend highly enough to anybody!

If you have any interest in working with children go to www.barretstown.org to find out more about volunteering for a weekend between March and May or for a week over the summer, I promise you won't regret it!

Barretstown is a truly magical place - Where the impossible becomes the possible, where very special life long friendships are forged and where language barriers are smashed through the universal language of fun.Paul Newman was once asked in an interview what kind of a difference he has seen his now global network of camps make in the lives of others to which he responded "To have some kid come up, who's been in the hospital for six months out of the year and say 'this place - to come back here is what I live for". For myself I think it has been the countless times I have seen children, teenagers and and adults of all ages who have been to hell and back discover something new about themselves, come out of their shells, make dear friends and grow in confidence and happiness over such a short space of time.I have spent the majority of my summer in some form of costume, pretending to be anything from a pirate to a wizard to a superhero, being given manicures and make-overs by young girls, eating meals blindfolded and with no hands, singing, dancing, collecting campers from the airport for their first time ever being away from their parents - let alone in a different country, being laughed at for my butchering of the Russian and Greek languages and most of all laughing to the point of tears and my sides hurting. For me the most incredible things to take away from the experience were that it is astonishing just how much you can learn about life from people less than half your age and that where there is a will there is a way - especially when it comes to children who are determined to achieve new things and to have fun despite everything they have been through.

The following articles introduce some of NUIGs othermedically-based societies – societies are a huge part of university life, and a great way to make friends, gain

experience, and have fun

As with all societies, you can join on SocsDay in first and second semester; you can sign up online on

http://www.YourSpace.nuigalway.ie; or you can get in contact with the society directly.

The 'NUIG Psychiatry Society' is a brand new society this year and we

hope to hit the ground running. Our society aims to spark interest in this

fascinating field of medicine and also to promote positive mental health

throughout our NUIG campus.

We plan to host interesting debates, movie nights with films centred

around mental illness, to invite guest speakers to discuss the newest

advances in research and treatment. We also plan to support students

who are interested in psychiatry research projects and summer electives.

Psychiatry is one of the most fascinating and rewarding areas of

medicine. Mental well-being is an essential component of health not

only for the patients we will treat but for ourselves. We hope to promote

and create awareness about this interesting specialty.

If you want to find out more or get involved drop us an email at

a.rossiter1@nuigalway.ie, looking forward to seeing you soon!

PsychSoc

Matthew Smyth, Final med

Friends of MSF are groups established and run by students to promote and

support the work of Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders)

among third level students across Ireland. Friends of MSF groups provide a

platform for university students to get involved in MSF whilst studying.

Médecins Sans Frontières is a humanitarian organisation

dedicated to providing emergency medical aid to people affected by armed

conflict, epidemics and natural or man-made disasters. MSF has teams

providing life-saving treatment in over 60 countries around the world. As an

organisation, it was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999.

The current committee are determined to make this year the

best yet for the NUIG branch of Friends of MSF and will soon be throwing

themselves into the task of organising a medley of great events ranging from

film screenings, having guest speakers and holding fundraising events.

All Friends of MSF societies share several core objectives;

• Raising awareness about MSF’s work on campus

• Stimulating students to consider working for an organisation like MSF after

graduating

• Raising funds for MSF's work where the need for medical care is greatest.

There are loads of opportunities to get involved this year and we would be

thrilled to have you on board. This is the year you can be a part of an up-and-

coming society, try something different and develop those lauded teamwork

skills. Plus it makes an nice addition to a CV! Go on, give it a go!

Friends of MSF

KiriRenssen, Final Med

EMSSI is a national student-based society run under the supervision of

Emergency Medicine faculty across Ireland and is composed of health science

students from Trinity, UCD, UCC, UL, RCSI, and NUI Galway.

We are honoured to have Professor Ronan O'Sullivan

(Consultant in Paediatric Emergency Medicine, Crumlin Hospital and Director

of the Specialist Registrar Training Scheme) as our Inaugural Honourary

President.

Emergency Medicine is a relatively new specialty in Ireland, and our aim is to

help foster opportunities for networking, run emergency skills workshops, as

well as offer wilderness medicine trips in the field.

Like the specialty itself, being quite possibly the only true

generalist specialty, we hope to cater to the interests of not just medicine and

surgery, but to specialties like paediatrics, obstetrics & gynaecology,

psychiatry, with a focus on both the common and the traumatic.

Our focus is on teaching practical skills to students at all levels

and to host talks which students find both entertaining and relevant.

As a national student society, we invite students from all over Ireland and

abroad to attend our events. Regardless of your interest in doing Emergency

medicine as a career, we promise good craic for all.

The Emergency Medicine Student Society of Ireland (EMSSI)

By Seán Ó Diollúin

Follow us or get in touch at:

http://emssi.ie

https://www.facebook.com/EMSSINuiGalway

https://www.facebook.com/emergencymedicinestudentsocietyireland

emssi.nuig@gmail.com

Sláinte Society

Oisín

In order to be successful, the event relies heavily on volunteers from the

society in order for it to be a success and every year the volunteer

participation and interest is overwhelming. Volunteers are needed to act in a

variety of roles such as doctors, MRI operators, entertainers, jugglers, face

painters and stewards for activities such as monitoring the bouncy castles.

The Society also organizes many other events during the year.

A huge amount of energy goes into fundraising for the Teddy Bear Hospital

and for other charities throughout the year in addition to numerous other

events organized by the society. For example, last year, a hugely successful

club night was organized in cooperation with Electric in which over €10,000

was raised for charity, a new record amount for the society! Of the money

fundraised: €2,500 of this money was donated to the children’s medical

research branch of Crumlin Hospital while a further €2,500 was donated to

Temple Street Children’s Hospital.

Another charity event which takes place during the year is the

annual Movember bakesale which raised €300 last year!

The Sláinte society is always eager to take on new members and is constantly

looking for fresh perspectives and creative initiatives to develop and help the

society grow. This academic year 2014-15, the Teddy Bear Hospital at NUIG

will be celebrating its 10th anniversary. It is an exciting opportunity to get

involved in the fun and mayhem – not to be missed!

The Sláinte Society is NUIG’s health promotion society. Sláínte society was established as

an affiliate of the IFMSA (International Federation of Medical Students’ Societies) almost

a decade ago. Since then the society has grown from strength to strength; reaching a

and last year reached a membership of 563 students in 2013-14.

It aims to gathers University students from all the academic disciplines

together with the aim of promoting physical and mental health both on campus and in

the broader Galway community.

The Sláinte Society is responsible for organising the internationally

acclaimed Teddy Bear Hospital at NUIG which has garnered recognition as one of the

most anticipated and exciting events on the University calendar. The Teddy Bear Hospital

is an event which invites Junior and Senior infant students to visit NUIG from schools

around the environs of Galway with “sick” Teddy Bears in tow. The aim of the event is to

help children feel more comfortable around doctors and Hospitals. Last year over 1300

school children attended over the course of the 2 day event. The event takes place in the

Bailey Allen Hall which is transformed for the event and adorned with colorful

decorations and artwork for the day.

Voluntary Services

Abroad is a medical aid

charity run by the 4th

year medical students of

NUI, Galway. Founded in

1977 by Dr. Dom Colbert,

it sends groups of

student volunteers to the

developing world each

summer.

Voluntary Services Abroad Society (VSA)

VSA….. Bringing medical aid to the developing world

(and bringing fun and games to NUIG)

since 1977……….

Since its foundation, more than 400 NUIG medical students have

been sent overseas as healthcare volunteers, bringing with them

funds to develop and support healthcare delivery in the areas they

are working. These places have included areas of Zambia, Malawi,

Ethiopia, Tanzania, Peru, Ecuador, Belize, Vietnam and India.

Throughout the year, events and as many fundraising

activities as the calendar will allow, take place. Some events are now

iconic indications of what time of the year it is. For example, the

cryptically named Halloween Ball or the equally subtle VSA

Christmas Concert; more accurate than an iPhone for telling you the

time.

Every summer, after looking their exams in the eye,

groups of students set off to their chosen destinations where they

will spend 4-6 weeks. This time is spent volunteering their own skills,

improving the facilities of our partner clinics/hospitals and gaining

valuable, often inspiring experience working in challenging

environments.

Each volunteer pays

for their own travel

and accommodation

expenses, in addition

to reaching their

own personal

fundraising target.

This means every

euro, cent, and

whatever else we

find in our buckets,

goes directly to the

clinics, hospitals and

communities in

question.

By Joe Conway

MedSoc would like to wish the best of luck to final year medical students Simon Neary,

Aoife Kirk, Lauren Hughes and Matthew Smyth, who have been chose to represent

NUIG at the 2014 annual Jack Flanagan Competition.

The competition is a geriatrics-psychiatry case based competition, where teams of final

medical students from each Irish medical school compete for the coveted Jack

Flanagan Medal in geriatric medicine. The event takes place on October 15th in RCSI.

Jack Flanagan Medal in Geriatric Medicine 2014

The surgical society has entered its second year!

With an excellent committee behind us this year, we

are sure it’s going to be a hugely successful year.

Each event last year proved to be a huge success

with demand for places in our workshops exceeding

the available places every time. The students who

represented NUIG on national-level proved

extremely successful, with Domhnall O’Connor,

taking first place in the RCSI National Surgical Skills

Competition. We hope to be equally successful this

year, and keep the title in the west!

The surgical society at NUIG strives to expose the

preclinical years to the specialty at an early stage to

spark an interest in surgery while aiming to guide

the clinical years towards key techniques to allow

them hone in and master essential skills.

Events which will be happening over the coming

semester include:

Suturing

Workshops

Laparoscopic

Simulation Surgery

Workshops

Surgical Scrubbing

Workshops

Along with other events targeted towards each year

individually.

Surgical Society

Ger Browne, 4th Med

A variety of events will be kicking off shortly. For more details on these, keep an

eye on our Facebook page ‘NUIG Surgical Society’ and any questions, feel free to

send us an email at surgicalsoc.nuig@gmail.com

MedFest is a medically themed film festival run by UK psychiatry trainees,

and with primary funding by the Royal College of Psychiatry. It began in

the UK in 2011.

MedFest has 2 aims - these are;

1. Firstly, to increase interest in psychiatry – amongst medical students,

medical professionals and the public.

2. And secondly, to inspire people through the medium of film.

MedFest 2014 was held in February of this year. During the festival, 32

events took place in medical schools across the UK and Ireland, as well as

overseas. Art and Music Festivals and a Gala Event at the Royal College of

Psychiatrists were also included on the itinerary. The 2014 festival also saw

international events in Australia and Latvia.

The events themselves cost nothing to attend, and although audiences

tend to be predominantly comprised of medical students (they are held in

medical schools after all!), the evenings are open to medical professionals,

film fans, and members of the public who have an interest in attending.

Therefore in reality, the events are accessible to everyone!

For the first time, MedFest took place here in NUIG during February of this

year. It had previously been a successful event in University College Dublin

in 2013 – the original introduction of MedFest into Ireland. MedFest had

been introduced this side of the English Channel by the Trainee Committee

of the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland, in collaboration with their Trainee

colleagues from the Royal College of Psychiatrists in the UK.

The theme for 2014 was “From Cradle To Grave”. In keeping with the

theme, an array of interesting short films were shown - these explored

different periods in life, using psychiatry as a backdrop for discussion.

The first session of the night looked at childhood, and hoped to raise

awareness of the profound and long lasting effects of bullying in childhood

as well as the eradication of the last 1% of polio from the planet. ‘To This

Day’ was an animation of a poem by Shane Koyczan about the effects of

bullying. Next, we saw two short clips which compared polio in remarkably

different ways: a public education film from 1946 entitled ‘His Fighting

Chance’, narrated by Eleanor Roosevelt, and a production from the Gates

Foundation urging us to help eradicate the last 1% of polio from the

planet.

In part two, the films addressed medicine in adulthood. The short sci-fi

drama, ‘Dr Easy’ imagines an emergency psychiatric assessment in the

future, carried out by “Robot Doctors”. This was juxtaposed with the

second film-clip ‘Bedlam’, a documentary featuring the reality of a man

coming to terms with a recent diagnosis of schizophrenia.

Finally medicine and the elderly was examined. ‘Irene’ is a tender

documentary made by the granddaughter of a 92 year old Scottish lady

suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. This was in stark contrast to the last film

of the evening, the flashy and dramatic documentary entitled “Flatline”,

which featured two visionary surgeons as they recount their invention of a

prosthetic heart implant.

Each film was strikingly different from the last, and varying styles of

cinematography and story-telling were employed to portray their messages.

This in turn ensured the discussions around each short film shown were

really very interesting, with some unusual points of view put forward by

members of the panel.

We had 4 guest speakers on our discussion panel. These speakers included;

Professor Colm McDonald, Professor of Psychiatry here in NUIG, Professor

Loftus, Professor of Paediatrics, Dr Ann Jeffers, retired psychiatrist, and a

film producer, Ms. Viviene Dick. After the floor was opened to questions

and comments by audience members, the evening moved into the café next

door, where refreshments were served.

We hope to host another MedFest event in spring of this academic year, so

keep an eye on your MedSoc emails and our Facebook page for more info!

MedFest 2014

Caoimhe O’ Sullivan, 4th Med

So…… What Are MedSoc Planning for the Next Few Months….?

• 10th September - Societies Day!

• 11th September - First year class party

• 12th September - TedMed 2014.

• 18th September - Welcome night

• USMLE talk – Information on sitting the USMLEs.

• Weekend Away - New event for 2014/2015!!!

• 18th of October - Masquerade ball in aid of VSA.

• 5-A-Side Soccer Tournament

• Quad Tag rugby tournament

• Student-led Grand Rounds – talks led by students for all members of the medical

community – monthly events!

• MedSoc Screenings - recommended films for psychiatry students (4th meds)

Also During Semester 1……

• Badminton tournament. There will be trophies for winners and runners up.

Alcohol-free reception after the finals.

• “How to Succeed in Exams” – Talk given by Dr Flaherty, a really interesting and

informative evening for all years.

• Research talk – a discussion about what research entails, how to apply for funding

etc. New event for 2014. Presentations will be given by faculty and former student

researchers on the possibility of completing a summer research project with the

School of Medicine. The evening will be of particular interest to 2nd and 3rd Meds.

• Joseph Browne Memorial GAA matches

• Medball

Events to take place in Semester 2;

• Shave or Dye event in aid of the Irish Cancer Society

• MedFest – screening short films for the school of Psychiatry

• And much, much more!!!!

Some More About MedSoc’s Upcoming Events….

11th September - First year class party ;

Starting off in the Skeff, and moving to Karma. A great way to get

to know your class and get the year off to a good start!

12th September - TedMed 2014;

Screening of the internationally renowned Ted Med talks, live from

Washington . They’ll be shown in the CSI small lecture theatre, from

9am to 2pm, and based on last year’s experience, it should be a really

great event. Look out for more info in MedSoc emails and on our

Facebook page, and To keep up to date with the event info you can

follow us on twitter @TEDMEDLiveNUIG!

18th September - Welcome night;

This involves a small bit of advice on your upcoming academic year by

the year above. Individualised presentations are given to each medical

year, and include topics like subjects, books, rotations and

examinations . followed by wine and cheese in the csi! The after-party

will be held in The Skeff, moving on to Karma afterwards, where

everyone will get free in. Again, a great way to start the year!

Tag Rugby Tournament;

An Inter-Year tournament taking place in the Quadrangle. The winners

of each group go straight into the semi finals. Teams: 8players per

team (Minimum 3 girls per team playing at any one time). Prize

money: Cash prizes for winners and runners up. A reception will be

also be held after the final Sign-up will be soon, so keep an eye out,

or chat to your class reps!

18th of October - Masquerade Ball;

In aid of VSA. Held in Markree Castle, Sligo. Really great event,

especially well-attended by older years and interns…. Look out for

tickets on sale soon!

October - USMLE talk;

Information on sitting the USMLEs (exams required to practice

medicine in the United States). Of particular interest for international

students, and 2nd-final meds.

October - Weekend Away;

A Surf Trip to Lahinch – New event for 2014/2015!!! Transport,

Accomodation and Surfing lessons all included. Keep an eye out on

MedSoc emails and Facebook for more information…..

EVEN More About MedSoc’s Upcoming Events….

How to get in touch with the lovely MedSoc Committee………?

• Email; medsoc@socs.nuigalway.ie

• Facebook; https://www.facebook.com/NUIGMedSoc

• Website; http://nuigmedsoc.com/

• Or come up and chat to any of the Committee Members at any stage, see us at SocsDay, or come to any MedSoc event

P.S If you’re interested in writing an article for the MedSoc newsletter, or have any interesting ideas for it, either get in contact with MedSoc as above, or email c.osullivan20@nuigalway.ie