Its been quite an emotionally and physically draining month, but glad things are gradually on the mend.
On a whole its been a month with more downs than there are ups, and i'm just glad theres only 4 SHIFTS LEFT!! ^____^ Roll on the summer BBQs, random day trips, and lazy days in the park and travelling fun!
The rest of the month in short:
- worked a crazy 5 shift week
- after emptying endless catheters from the word go, i finally observed urinary catheter insertion and removal (it's not as bad as i thought it would be, i'm not sure why but i always imagined it to be really difficult ~.~)
- got sent over to work in acute surgical admissions for the day - it was probably one of the busiest days of my short HCA career! I don't mind helping patients onto bedpans and all, but this patient felt the need to constantly remind me her son was an injury lawyer ..even if its just a glass of water she was after!!
- returned my occupational health and completed my CRB form for uni, now just a long wait for that ucas track to change to unconditional firm.
Monday, 22 June 2009
Sunday, 17 May 2009
No accomodation
I received an accomodation email from Barts friday afternoon, had a good read on whats on offer, submitted my online application.... and 2 minutes after that i received an automated email which basically declined my application as i lived too close to the uni ... (within london..but by no means close!).
I will still keep my fingers crossed as i hope to hear off the accom waiting list early october, but most probably i will have to settle with living at home and making the dreaded long travel on a daily basis (i could always just read on the tube, prepare for the lecture, or er.. take a nap). Alternatively i could rent near the uni nearer the time, though it does seem a waste of money to rent near the uni when i live within london, but then again im not too keen on the 2.5hour journey each day! I'll think about it over the summer.
--- 17 shifts left!
I will still keep my fingers crossed as i hope to hear off the accom waiting list early october, but most probably i will have to settle with living at home and making the dreaded long travel on a daily basis (i could always just read on the tube, prepare for the lecture, or er.. take a nap). Alternatively i could rent near the uni nearer the time, though it does seem a waste of money to rent near the uni when i live within london, but then again im not too keen on the 2.5hour journey each day! I'll think about it over the summer.
--- 17 shifts left!
Friday, 8 May 2009
Barts - Firmed
- Firmed on ucas: Bart's A100 here i come!
When i first told my friends they were all a bit shocked i hadn't gone with the gep - but i think its a decision i won't regret. (i gathered they work out costing about the same, so i might as well take my time and make the most out of it, afterall i only get to do medical school once ^^)
Now just 21 more shifts as a HCA, 4 days of annual leave, and a summer break to go!
When i first told my friends they were all a bit shocked i hadn't gone with the gep - but i think its a decision i won't regret. (i gathered they work out costing about the same, so i might as well take my time and make the most out of it, afterall i only get to do medical school once ^^)
Now just 21 more shifts as a HCA, 4 days of annual leave, and a summer break to go!
Thursday, 7 May 2009
How important is having a go at dissection?
Received an email from warwick today to remind me of the offer, and i suppose it was a poke to tell me to hurry up and make a decision, i hadn't really realised how long its been, as its already been almost month, and i still havn't made a decision.
Hope someone with experience could let me know how important having the experience of dissection or even pro-section is at medical school?? - i suppose this is the last bit of the decision process for me.
I'm even starting to find myself annoying, at how long its taking me to make my mind up!
Hope someone with experience could let me know how important having the experience of dissection or even pro-section is at medical school?? - i suppose this is the last bit of the decision process for me.
I'm even starting to find myself annoying, at how long its taking me to make my mind up!
Thursday, 30 April 2009
End of UCAS 2009
All the waiting for kcl has resulted in a big rejection, and whats worse is im still having to wait for ucas to send me an email with an afternoon notification to rub it in even more (damn my own random ucas checking routine)!
The final results:
The final results:
I was slightly sad as going back to kcl would have felt like home, and could have been the cherry on top of the ucas application sundae, but on the other hand i'm ready for a new change - and to be honest, im already over it, and super glad i'll finally be going somewhere this september on my 3rd ucas application (!!) - although i'm slightly scared and super excited mixed into one!
now back to mulling over the decision of qmul 5 year and warwick gep >.<
I've also handed in my resignation letter to the ward sister, and had quite a funny moment at work the other day when out the blue a FY1 came over to me to ask "can paracetamol be given to a patient up the bum?" - her exact words. I honestly didn't have a clue.
Friday, 17 April 2009
News from Warwick selection centre
The "wanting and waiting" from last night worked!
I felt the selection centre (especially the written component) had gone quite badly, plus UCAS hadn't sent me a status update email; but following on from my daily ucas track checking ritual this afternoon there was a conditional offer from Warwick - YAY .....and NAY
YAY because i really quite liked the campus feel of the uni, i've never lived outside of london before, its another option, and plus theres the benefits of a 4 year GEP course to consider, but... NAY as its going to be really tough deciding between Barts 5 and Warwick 4 year courses..... and theres still the wait to hear from the kcl waiting list (though i know my chances of getting an offer from the list are extremely slim!).
Theres a lot to consider, with lots of factors to take into account; i obviously really like london, but a shorter and cheaper course could be better financially, but then again i'm not sure if i can get use to living out of a city... i know i'll be dwelling on this over the next few days!
I felt the selection centre (especially the written component) had gone quite badly, plus UCAS hadn't sent me a status update email; but following on from my daily ucas track checking ritual this afternoon there was a conditional offer from Warwick - YAY .....and NAY
YAY because i really quite liked the campus feel of the uni, i've never lived outside of london before, its another option, and plus theres the benefits of a 4 year GEP course to consider, but... NAY as its going to be really tough deciding between Barts 5 and Warwick 4 year courses..... and theres still the wait to hear from the kcl waiting list (though i know my chances of getting an offer from the list are extremely slim!).
Theres a lot to consider, with lots of factors to take into account; i obviously really like london, but a shorter and cheaper course could be better financially, but then again i'm not sure if i can get use to living out of a city... i know i'll be dwelling on this over the next few days!
Thursday, 16 April 2009
wanting and waiting
Wanting a change, perhaps some traveling, and waiting to hear back from the two remaining unis on ucas track!
Only returned recently from a short trip abroad and everyone seems to be getting ill around me, myself included. The trip was short and sweet, relaxing and now makes me want to make the transition from the hca-ing part of my gap year to the travelling part!! I was also sort of hoping i'd come back to london from my mini trip with results from the warwick interview, and from the kcl waiting list, as it's already mid-ish april; but nope, nothing at all. So the waiting continues!
The job is fine, there are some patients who make the job really enjoyable as they are great to talk to, and you see them trying really hard to get themselves mobilised and out of there, but it has started to get a little bit boring now (i believe its probably the high turnover ward im on, rather than the job). It is a really worthwhile gap year job, but i just dont get so excited or worried by the same things anymore (evidently, as i still have an angry appetite for lunch, even if its to be straight after clearing up soiled beds, or from measuring the volume of vomit using a cardboard bowl with indented markings), and i think i'd like a change.
The main issue i suppose is if i quit the job too early i lose out on posible earnings and may come back from my travels with nothing left but a handfull of pennies, being jobless and have nothing to do for a few months before uni starts ..but the longer i leave it, the more expensive it gets, especially with the summer air fares! - i ought to just get a move on with the planning.. perhaps its not even travelling im looking for, maybe a new ward, a new hospital.. ahhhhh i don't know!
Only returned recently from a short trip abroad and everyone seems to be getting ill around me, myself included. The trip was short and sweet, relaxing and now makes me want to make the transition from the hca-ing part of my gap year to the travelling part!! I was also sort of hoping i'd come back to london from my mini trip with results from the warwick interview, and from the kcl waiting list, as it's already mid-ish april; but nope, nothing at all. So the waiting continues!
The job is fine, there are some patients who make the job really enjoyable as they are great to talk to, and you see them trying really hard to get themselves mobilised and out of there, but it has started to get a little bit boring now (i believe its probably the high turnover ward im on, rather than the job). It is a really worthwhile gap year job, but i just dont get so excited or worried by the same things anymore (evidently, as i still have an angry appetite for lunch, even if its to be straight after clearing up soiled beds, or from measuring the volume of vomit using a cardboard bowl with indented markings), and i think i'd like a change.
The main issue i suppose is if i quit the job too early i lose out on posible earnings and may come back from my travels with nothing left but a handfull of pennies, being jobless and have nothing to do for a few months before uni starts ..but the longer i leave it, the more expensive it gets, especially with the summer air fares! - i ought to just get a move on with the planning.. perhaps its not even travelling im looking for, maybe a new ward, a new hospital.. ahhhhh i don't know!
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