Royal Medical Benevolent Fund

Have you ever heard of the RMBF? Do you know what they do? Well in the spirit of Mental Health Awareness Fortnight, please read on: 

The RMBF is a charity founded by our very own Professor Parveen Kumar, that prevents or relieves poverty arising from obstacles in life such as ill health, disability and bereavement that affects doctors and medical students. Some of the ways in which they help is to give regular monthly grants, money advice, Area Visitors or PhoneFriends services. The RMBF recognises that the medical community is often strained and stressed and aims to support anyone that is struggling. 

The Freedom of Information Act has recently revealed that more than 1,000 medical students have withdrawn from their course over the last 5 years in the UK and two thirds of medical students have faced financial or mental health pressures. 

Many of us often struggle with bereavements and many of us battle mental health problems yet feel like we are lacking support from the medical community around us.

If you feel like the RMBF can help you in any way then please feel free to email info@rmbf.org for more information or help@rmbf.org for any help you are seeking. The charity respects privacy and utmost confidentiality. Also, you can go to www.rmbf.org for more information and guides for doctors and students seeking help and advice. 

There is a good leaflet on the website called “The Vital Signs for medical students” and there will be copies at the BLSA reception for anyone that would like one. This guide sets out key pressures that many of us face: how to recognize them and deal with them. It also talks about the culture in the medical community that stigmatizes mental health and aims to build stress resistant doctors rather than building a wellness-supporting environment. If any of this resonates with you, please have a look.

Here is the link for the guide: https://rmbf.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/the-vital-signs-for-medical-students.pdf

You can also read about the #medstudentsmatter campaign that highlights the need for more support for us as medical students to help us complete our training. Please also share this post with any other societies/clubs!

However, if you feel like you don’t need the RMBF currently, then that’s okay too! The RMBF want as many people to be aware of them so that in the future, if any need arises, we all know that this is somewhere we can turn to. The RMBF also helps doctors who are going through divorces, struggling to get back to work and even refugee doctors.

We face a lot of stress. It is okay not to “fake it till you make it” and recognize the signs and symptoms that all is not well. Doctors and medical students are not infallible. Your community is here for you! 

The Student/Staff Conference 2019 presents: Excellence in Education – what does it look like?

Wednesday 1st May 2019

1.30-5.00pm

Milton Lecture Theatre

Garrod Building, Whitechapel 

The conference this year will focus on excellence in education, a topic that is important to all students and staff involved in learning and teaching at Barts and the London medical school.

We shall hear about innovative educational projects and research from students, faculty and clinical colleagues. We shall also hear personal perspectives from the Dean for Education and the Vice Principal for Education about what they think excellence in Education really looks like, and what we should be thinking about for the future.

The conference will be an opportunity to examine fresh perspectives on education, share thoughts and discuss the future of our medical school and its curriculum in a lively and informal atmosphere.

Alongside tea and cakes in the Old Library there will be a poster walk illustrating education projects and research and the afternoon will end in a discussion with the conference panel.

So join us by booking your place as tickets will be equally available to students and staff on a first come, first served basis, so book your ticket on Eventbrite today!

REGISTER NOW!

EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNT ON AWARD WINNING UNOFFICIAL GUIDE TO MEDICINE OSCE TEXTBOOKS AND MORE

We are proud to announce a special partnership between Barts and the UGTM that will bring you up 45% off their award winning textbooks on OSCEs, radiology and more, including The Unofficial Guide to Passing OSCEs, covering all you need to know to pass OSCEs, now a staple for OSCE revision across the country.

 All you have to do is check out our books and order here (https://unofficialguidetomedicine.com/product/queen-mary-university-london-book-purchase/) before 14th April 2019, with progressive discounts the more books you buy (you can club together with friends) and you can start learning with all you need to pass your exams today!

Order now and have them delivered to your door step!

 30% OFF UGT Passing OSCEs + UGT Radiology.
Normally £69.98, but £48.98 plus free P&P

30% OFF UGT Passing OSCEs + UGT Passing OSCEs: Candidate Briefings, Patient
Briefings and Mark Schemes
Normally £52.98, but £37.09 plus free P&P 

30% OFF UGT Paediatrics + UGT O&G

Normally £69.98, but £48.98 plus free P&P

30% OFF UGT OSCEs + UGT Prescribing

Normally £62.98, but £44.09 plus free P&P

 35% OFF UGT Passing OSCEs + UGT Passing OSCEs: Candidate Briefings, Patient
Briefings and Mark Schemes+ UGT Radiology.
Normally £87.97, but £57.18 plus free P&P.

British Society of Gastroenterology come to Whitechapel

The Wingate Institute (Gastroenterology unit at the Blizard Institute, QMUL) will be hosting a course for doctors, dieticians and nurses from all over the world from 17th April - 18th April 2019. 

We require medical students (ideally in their clinical years) to act as patients (only for history taking - no removal of clothes or anything of that sort) for one hour from 2 - 3 PM on Thursday 18th April. The event will be held in the Clark Kennedy LT, Whitechapel. 

All volunteers will be offered free food / drink etc and can attend the the conference for free on both days (normally £200). This a great opportunity to practise communications skills before the OSCE examinations (doctors will be asked to explain difficult concepts to patients). This is also a fantastic opportunity to meet an international panel of experts in gastroenterology. For more details on the course (incl. course programme) please see www.qmul.ac.uk/blizard/about/events/items/the-london-neurogastroenterology-course.html

Please e-mail m.f.butt@smd14.qmul.ac.uk if you would like to be a volunteer. Very best wishes. 

Darts now Available for Use in BLSA Games Room

If you would like to use the Dart Board in the Games Room, darts are now available to collect from BLSA Reception.

SMD Housing Fayre

Housing Services are hosting a drop-in session at the Garrod Building on Wednesday 20th March. This will take place in the Old Library from 17:00 until 18:30, students will be able to get lots of private housing advice and will all be given a copy of our updated housing guide. 

BLSA Mental Health Awareness Fortnight Call for Submissions

It’s BLSA’s Mental Health Awareness Fortnight 1st-12th April. We plan to raise awareness of Mental Health problems and tackle the stigma of Mental illness among us. 1 in 4 people experience a mental health problem every year in the UK with the figure among Healthcare professionals and Medical/Dental Students thought to be higher. BLSA Welfare are calling for stories from Students/alumni/staff about how they have coped with their Mental Health difficulties. These stories will be published anonymously on the BLSA Website. We hope that by sharing these stories, the conversation around Mental health problems will start, helping to diminish the stigma. If you would like to submit your story, please email it to welfare@bartslondon.com with your course of study. Your Welfare Representative will acknowledge receipt of the email and delete the original message maintaining confidentiality, assuming that there is no worry that you are of immediate harm to yourself and/or others. We look forward to hearing from you

Recruitment for Project

Contact g.sundaram@smd15.qmul.ac.uk if interested.

Medical Students needed to take part in my project looking at how failure in medical education affects students. This study is being done to give students the chance to communicate their stories of struggles from their viewpoint. I believe it is important to help normalise and to reduce the stigma around failure at medical school.

The students who want to take part will be invited to an informal interview which will last for 30 - 45 mins. The interview will be conducted by myself. Please be aware this study is focusing on failure in medical education and not patient care. Prior to the interview, participants will be asked to produce a timeline mapping out failures in education they have experienced. All personal information from the interview transcript and timeline will be removed and all recording destroyed.  

If you feel you that you have a story of failure in medical education that you would like to share, please participate in this study. Interview will most likely happen between 25-29th March. The deadline for responses is the  27th March. 

If this topic has affected you in any way please contact support that is available.

Student Support Office: smd-student-support@qmul.ac.uk

Room 2.46, Garrod Building

QM Advice and Counselling Service: +44 (0)20 7882 8717

https://www.welfare.qmul.ac.uk/about-us/opening-times-and-contact-us/#contactus