Books I recommend on starting medical school

To buy or not to buy is the question! It's always the same on starting a new chapter in your education, but never more so than on starting medical school - the content you cover and the level of learning you complete is massive and as such its often met with people questioning whether to invest in text books or not.

Thats where I am hoping to help - in this blog I am going to provide a quick run through of the books that I recommend for all medical students to invest in...


1. 'Oxford Concise Medical Dictionary'

OMG this has been my saving grace and the best book I have every been gifted (thank you MDU)!! Most students will get this given to them on signing up to the MDU during Freshers week, and all I can say is 'THANK GOODNESS'. This book has literally all the definitions you needs as a first year medical student in the most concise way - I use this religiously during my PBL cases and honestly could not live without!!

10/10


2. 'Gray's Anatomy for Students'

More on the pricier side, but worth it for all your anatomy needs. On starting medical school, for me the anatomy was the most difficult aspect, but with this at my side I was able to get to grips with even the most difficult of concepts. The only issue I have with this, is that sometimes it can be too wordy and hence I do sometimes turn to online sources to quickly understand something or be able to clearly and easily locate a muscle. 

8/10


3. 'Oxford Handbook of Clinical Medicine'

I haven't used this too much as of yet, but I know that it will come very much in handy over the coming years as a medical student and beyond. This little book is filled to the brim with every aspect of clinical medicine you could ever need, plus handy dose frequency charts, early warning scores and biochemical values which will prove handy in clinical years when taking bloods and analysing results. While this book has not yet been too used in my PBL cases and year 1 learning, I am increasingly turning to it as a source of information on certain conditions and I know this will only increase as I enter my clinical years. 

9/10


4. 'The Top 100 Drugs'

This is the newest book which I have invested in following recommendation from a friend and OMG this is the best thing since sliced bread. Although it is not an extensive list of all drug classes, it includes details on all the ones we learn about in first year, and has a very easy interface to find key details on each class and subclass of key drugs given to patients routinely. 

10/10


While this blog is relatively short and may not prove useful to many people, I am hoping that at least one person will get something from this which makes their first year at medical school that bit easier.

There are many more books out there which help hugely with medical studies, and I am not sponsored by any of the ones mentioned above. I have simply provided a small list of those I cannot live without as a means to provide some help to those beginning their adventure of a lifetime.

Stay safe and stay inside,
H. xx

Things I wish I had known before applying to medical school

Another requested blog has asked me to dig deep and think about things that I wish I had known before I started out the long process of applying to medical school. But for me, with all the research I had done over many years, I didn't end up having anything that I didn't already know was to arise in the process.

The thing with applying to medical school, is that you know what you are getting yourself in for and so hence, if medicine really is what you want, there should be no shock and nothing you wish you had known before hand. Like they say, 'preparation is key'.

That being said, I know that not everyone starts out knowing that they want to study medicine and so in these cases, there will be things that you wish you had known before applying!!

For instance, understanding that the process is a long and hard one, with little room for error and a need to have the determination to succeed are factors that I often hear people discussing when their application goes amiss or they are worried about not getting in. With the right preparation and appreciation for the process, you should know that the path will be hard, and thus have the skills and knowledge to overcome any obstacles that may be thrown your way.

Additionally, there are those completely out of the loop of medicine that don't realise the journey to becoming a Doctor doesn't end when you graduate, but instead continues for the rest of your life with teaching and exams for all the years to follow - medicine is every changing and never stands still.

There are the applicants that don't take notice of how difficult the admissions tests actually are, and that although it may not seem like it, there are definitely ways to revise for such to ensure you get the outcome you desire.

I am sure that the list of things people wish they had known before applying to medical school could go on, but as an applicant that was well aware of the road to such there is little I can offer from this blog. I always knew medicine was the life for me, so I was always that one step ahead on making sure I knew what was required of me.

I expected and thrived in the long days revising for my UKCAT, the hundreds of hours I put into volunteering and work experience, and the hard work I needed to keep up to achieve the grades. I knew the sacrifices I had to make and was more than prepared to make them. That is the difference between applicants that have things they wished they had known before applying and those that don't. Make sure you pick which side you want to be on carefully!

H xx

Study tips

As requested on my Instagram channel, this weeks blog is going to focus on study tips I have come to find which will hopefully come to help you all on your journey through academia (at whatever stage that may be).

Finding study tips and tricks that work for each individual is a tricky process. Studying is a unique process and varies based on peoples personality, learning style, course, motivation and time. Hence, the tips I am going to share are going to be more generic and something that everyone will be able to make use of and adapt to suit them and their needs.

Top tip No. 1:

• Start early - this one always gets people. The key to success is to start studying early on in the academic year. All courses have a lot of content that is required for you to know and hence leaving revision until the end of the academic year will only leave you stressed and overwhelmed as you try and cram a years worth of knowledge into a few weeks/days. Starting early gives you a chance to make sure you truly understand what you have learned and also leaves you will enough time to ask for help if needed. 

Top tip No. 2:

• Plan your time - this is possibly one of the biggest things to affect how well you succeed. You can have all the prettiest notes in the world, colour coded and wrote neatly up, but if you haven't planned your time in advance to make sure you cover every topic before the exam then all the beauty of revision is wasted. Make a timetable, and stick to it!! It also helps if you plan as though your exams are a week or two earlier than they actually are so that you have some extra time incase you need it to go over some topics in a little more detail. 

Top tip No. 3:

• Stay individual - in the midst of exam stress it is easy to start comparing yourself to others around you and tailor you studying to follow the way of your peers. But this can have detrimental effects. Everyone works differently, and what works for your friend may not work for you. Stay focussed on your own studying and follow the plan that suits you best. Think of yourself in this situation - it's ok to be a little selfish. 

Top tip No. 4:

• Test yourself - being tested and testing yourself is one of the most successful ways to ensure you know the content and that is remains known. Make mock exams, use flashcards, practice writing essays under timed conditions and work with groups to ask each other questions. However you do it, just do it! You'll be glad you did. 

Top tip No. 5:

• Think about your wellbeing - it is so easy to forget to look after yourself during times of intense study, but it's not looking after yourself that can be of most detriment. Make sure you take regular breaks, feed your soul with activities you love, get outside, talk about something other than work, watch an episode (or two) on Netflix. Make the time for number 1 and make it regular. 

While it's easy to look at the list above and believe that they are silly and not actually 'study tips', it is even easier to fall into a negative cycle of studying and getting no-where which will leave you asking 'why'. Taking the time to think about factors other than actually revising is key to study success and making sure you come out with the top grades that your hard work deserves. 

I hope these tips will become part and parcel of your routines during this academic year, and bring you as much success and they did me!!

Best of luck with your studying.

H xx

What am I nervous/excited for upon starting medical school?

As requested by some of my lovely Instagram followers, I have decided that it is about the right time to sit back and really think about the things that have me nervous for medical school and those that make me unable to contain my excitement.

I thought a list-style might be best for this type of blog, so here goes....

Things that I am nervous for-

• Making friends - it may sound silly considering I have already done a degree so have become used to the 'Hello my name is Holly, nice to meet you' way of making friends, but no matter how many times you put me in the same situation I will always find meeting new people very nerve wrecking!! I'm very shy at heart!
• Keeping up with the content - I know I have the determination and skills, but medical school is a degree like no other and one that no one is ever fully prepared for. My worst nightmare would be falling behind. All I can do to prevent that is work my socks off like I always do!!
• Travelling - I have never used a train on my own for more than 2 stops (HECK WHAT I know) and the thought of traveling from my home town to Oxford Road everyday frightens me. I would be lying if I said it didn't. But, as a mature 21-year-old with the world at her feet, I am going to pull my big girl pants up and get on with it! How hard can it be 😅

Things I cannot wait for-

• Making friends - I am nervous, I won't deny that, but I am more excited to meet new people and learn about them and their interests over the course of my degree and beyond. Friends are always great to have around and I am sure that they are going to be key to making the most of medical school. Luckily, I have already made a few (you know who you are 😘) so I am less worried about starting out.
• Anatomy labs - HECK TO THE YES. This has me the most excited - being able to learn from those who lovingly and amazingly donated their bodies to medical science is something I will never get over - I will never have enough words to thank them, and only hope that I make enough of a difference in my future field of medicine to make their choice worthwhile.
• Clinical placements - this is what medicine is all about. Being able to put everything we have learnt in lectures and practicals into great use in real cases and with real patients. Making a real difference to people lives! It makes all the hard work worth it!!
• Learning more about Manchester as a city - something you can never be thankful enough for is the chance to explore new places, and I certainly look forward to doing just that. 
• Heck of a lot more, but not enough time in the world to share them all.... 

It is clear that starting a new degree, and for me one which I have spent my whole life prepping for, is going to make you feel nervous from time to time BUT the excitement overrules this every minute of the day. I cannot wait to get on my path to becoming a Doctor and really learning about myself! It is going to be a lot of hard work, but I am ready for the challenge and can't wait to show Manchester Medical School what I have to offer!!

Here's to the next chapter. 

H xx

Personal Statement clinic

It's easy to think you know where to start or how to write your personal statement, but it isn't until you come to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) that you realise the struggle that lies ahead. Your personal statement is the biggest and most unique piece of writing you are likely to have done (at this point in your life) - unless you are a graduate and had the stressful pleasure of writing your dissertation - so it is important that you don't rush, prepare like you would for an exam and think carefully about your best attributes that are going to make you stand out.

For a veteran like myself, writing personal statements has become second nature and I believe I have truly mastered the writing skills needed to make the admissions board wake up and smell the coffee - a new perspective on medicine, a breath of fresh air in their endless reading and something that makes them remember 'why medicine'. I don't say this to be cocky or up-my-own-***, I say this because from both personal statements I wrote and uploaded onto UCAS I received offers - something I think can be said is partly down to the way I express myself and my merits.

I didn't start this blog to tell you all of my triumphs and not help with those following in the medicine footsteps, but instead, I decided that it was my privilege to be able to give advice to similar students in the midst of applying to their future. Hence, I have decided that todays blog will focus on key tips I have to master writing your own personal statement. I hope you all find something worthwhile and keep your eyes out for my offers on social media to read over and give feedback on personal statements ahead of the UCAS deadline.

Top tips-

1. Never rush perfection - the personal statement is the eye to you for the admissions team to gain insight into what you are like as an individual and the reasons you should have a place to study. Don't be too quick to start writing, instead think about what you want to say and how you want to say it.

2. Be cautious of the word/line limit - this may seem an 'easy' thing to remember, but it soon turns into a challenge to keep to the limit once you get in the flow of writing. You must remember to say what you want to say without waffling - be consise and to the point.

3. Be picky with your work experience/volunteering - not everything you have done has a place in your personal statement. Some experiences need room for discussion at interview and others will show nothing extra to what you have already done. Make sure you know what you learned and don't repeat this by listing everything you have ever done. 

4. It is not a LIST - the number one thing NOT to do is list off everything you have ever done as a means to get into medical school. All applicants have done hundreds of hours, but that isn't what counts. What is the most important thing is that you are able to explain exactly what you learned from the experience and how this translates to medicine. 

5. Big yourself up - no explanation needed. 

6. Don't be cliche - it's easy to say and even easier to do. Remember exactly why you are wanting to study medicine and don't be fooled into thinking there is a right answer. Every pre-med student wants to make a difference to peoples lives - it's a key trait to wanting to be a doctor. But it isn't the only reason - think deep and think true as to why you really want to enter the field of medicine. 

Hopefully, with a few of the tips I have come to discover and hold true, you will be well on your way to securing the place you deserve at the medical school of your choice.

If there is anything more you would want to know from a been-there-done-that candidate, then feel free to contact me on social medical or via email -

@dreamsofamedic - Twitter and Instagram
holly.egan@hotmail.co.uk

All the best for this writing season.

New name, same me

Well, it has been a very eventful day - I am now no longer known as Biomed And The Blog, but instead Dreams Of A Medic!!

I made the decision this week, having finally become used to the idea that I will be A MEDICAL STUDENT as of September. I still want to help those going through the same or similar routes as me but wanted my business to represent me fully. I am no longer a Biomed stsudent and instead, a Biomed graduate studying medicine. The dream part of my new name came from my very dear boyfriend and fits me so very well - while I have reached my dream of becoming a medical student, there are still many more dreams I have for myself as I move through the path of becoming a Doctor!

I hope you will all continue to follow my journey - like I said, different name but the same old me!

All the best,
H x

UCAT (UKCAT)

Medical school admissions tests. 

It's that time of year again. 

The time most people applying to medical school dread. 

While the journey to medical school is no easy slog, it is safe to say that the part which is the least favoured is the aptitude tests which are required by nearly all schools as a way to ensure they are selecting the best candidates for the future of medicine. 

Within the UK, the two main tests are very different from each other and hence require skills which cannot be easily transferred. This is the reason most people decide to only sit one. 

Medicine is about many things, but one important aspect is being able to prioritise - something which I decided to take on board when first applying. I cannot speak on behalf of all applicants, but for me making sure I could 'smash' one test rather than do 'OK' at both was critical. The amount of applicants applying each year for a small number of places in mind-blowing. It's key that you do well in everything to give yourself the best chance at success - the aptitude tests included. For me, sitting only the UKCAT allowed me to focus intensely on one thing for the whole of the summer with no confusion relating to mixing up revision techniques for another test. It worked for me. But it may not work for you - find your mindset and go with it. 

For some, booking on and paying the fee for the test is all they do. Many a person are adamant that there is no way to revise for such aptitude tests - they say you either have the skills or you don't. Simple. HECK NO - skills, like anything can be learnt and mastered. I sat the UKCAT every year for 4 years and I very much doubt that my scores going up each time was a coincidence. Instead, I give credit to the tons on days I gave up having fun in the sun so that I could revise. Yes, there were times when all I wanted to do was sleep or go out with friends, but keeping my mind focused on my goals allowed me to push through and work hard for the place at medical school I knew I deserved. 

Getting a place at medical school is not easy. Why should it be? You one day will be the individual standing between someone’s life and their death. You will need to make decisions that cause you to question yourself and your beliefs. And there is no easy way to say it - it will be hard. So, of course, the steps we must take to get there are going to be hard. But the steps we must take to get there are not impossible. With a little work each day, it is easy to have your goals in sight. And with determination, resilience and passion that you must have to be considering a career in medicine, it is very much achievable. 

While I didn't get a perfect score on my final UKCAT, I can confidently say that I was 10 points away from being within the 9th decile of the country and so something I did worked. For that reason, I decided I wanted to share some of my tips to hopefully help as many of you out there as possible. 

1. A little revision everyday really does go a long way. 

2. Focus on the section(s) which you find the most difficult under the time constraints. 

3. Always practice under timed conditions. 

4. Complete as many full practice tests as possible.

5. If it is feasible, look into booking on to revision courses for your chosen test. 

While everything I have said on this post is personal preference, it might be worth trying. I am not the perfect applicant - no one is - but the tips I have to offer helped me achieve my dream so hopefully can help you achieve yours. 

All the best for this aptitude test season. 

H. x