"Seize every opportunity you can to share your perspective." That's the advice Grace Chaplin has for fellow students following her presentation at the National Pulmonary Hypertension Research Forum earlier this month.
Grace is currently in her fifth year with at the School of Medicine, and spent a year completing an intercalated MSc at University College London where she researched Eisenmenger’s Syndrome in paediatric patients. And this research project is exactly what she was invited to present on at the forum, which is the most prestigious conference for experts in this field.
This was my first time presenting at an event like this and I was excited to be a part of it and to share our findings about what is such a rare and devastating disease in children.
In putting together her talk, it was important for Grace to consider her audience and provide a bit of an overview for those unfamiliar with it, for example doctors usually working with adults, and to stress that the research was based on a hypothesis. "That's what made it so interesting. It's not something you will find a lot of literature about. It was all our own speculation."
Not only was it Grace's first time presenting on such a stage but she was also given the extra challenge of being last on the bill. But she turned that to her advantage, "It was useful to have seen the other presentations and to fit them into mine." And the compliments came flooding in.
I think people were impressed to see that a final year student was presenting these findings. I had comments like, if that is anything to go on you have nothing to worry about with your finals.
Her main takeaway? "Of course, when I was first asked to present it was a bit daunting. But I always try to take every opportunity."
I think as student doctors we have to remember we have a right to be there and we actually have a unique perspective to bring to the table.
And with that we end our chat and Grace heads back to the ward, she's started a new placement this week, and I have the distinct feeling she is well on her way to her goal of becoming a cardiothoracic surgeon.
What is intercalation?
Choosing to intercalate is a great way to enhance your undergraduate medical studies and delve deeper into a specialism that interests you. Intercalation offers you the chance to earn an additional degree by studying a year-long course during your time on the MBChB Programme. Learn more about intercalation.