Choosing to intercalate is a fantastic opportunity to add an impressive string to your bow for your future career. Of course, it comes with a cost attached. The good news is there are a range of awards available to support you, including School Scholarships in the form of fee waivers when intercalating here at Liverpool.
Jorja Clarke and John Johnson were both awarded School Scholarships to put towards their MRes Clinical Science degrees this year. Jorja is developing skills and knowledge in Women’s Health in her research into the relationship between Menopause and Fibromyalgia at Liverpool Womens Hospital, while John is looking ahead to a career in paediatrics with his study on the use of vapes in secondary school children at Alder Hey.
Making the decision to intercalate
Jorja: For my RS3 assignment I completed a systematic review on IUD insertion and the effectiveness of different pain relief options, I chose this topic myself based on an interest in Women’s Health. Undertaking the systematic review was a huge learning curve that allowed me to experience what a research masters would be like, as well as highlighting how under researched Women’s Health still is today.
I attended the intercalation lectures, and this was where I first learnt about the Clinical Sciences MRes and the opportunity to choose a ‘speciality’ within the course which included the option of Women’s Health.
John: My motivation to do this particular course came as a realisation that I would like to become a paediatrician in the future, after my paediatrics placement in third year. I felt like out of all of the placements I had, this was the speciality I could see myself doing the most in the future and also the one I felt my contribution was most recognised, with it being mentioned at the handover for the evening team on the on call.
I really enjoyed the day I spent in community paediatrics, dealing with ADHD and ASD consultations and I think this is what I want to do in the future.
I knew that there were paediatric research projects available, so I met with various supervisors regarding their projects and decided based on which one I felt I'd enjoy the most. There were 3 projects I had varying levels of interest in, but I knew that the communications I received from the supervisors would help me decide, as well as their vision for the project. I didn't accept my offer for the MRes until I was clear in the direction I wanted to take, because I wasn't opposed to continuing on with medicine.
The financial question mark
Jorja: When I originally considered intercalating, I thought about moving away from Liverpool for the year to experience living in a new and different city. However, when looking at intercalated Master’s degrees in places like London, Manchester and Edinburgh, I realised this wasn’t an option to me due to course costs often being over £15,000. When looking into the finance side of intercalating, there were a lot of unexpected barriers that meant I would be unable to do a Masters in a new city. Staying in Liverpool has multiple benefits, not only a course I was interested in but also the opportunity to obtain the Graduate Loyalty scholarship which deducted £1500 from my fees and apply for other scholarships. I applied for 2 scholarships and was fortunately awarded the School of Medicine Scholarship!
Being awarded this scholarship has meant that I have not had to pay course fees for my master's degree and have instead been able to save up the money I would’ve spent to fund my last 2 years of Med School.
When undertaking an intercalated degree, you lose the opportunity to apply for student finance in 4th Year of Med School and instead apply for the NHS bursary. This bursary for many does not cover the cost of living and for some may not even cover rent. Therefore, the majority of the funding I have received for my master's has been saved to cover the next 2 years of reduced finance.
Without the School of Medicine Scholarship I would not have been able to intercalate and I would have made the difficult decision to decline my place on the course.
With this funding I can go into 4th and 5th year of Med School financially stable and with a master's degree!
John: I initially had no intention to intercalate due to the additional financial burden it presents with another year of study. However, randomly one evening I decided to email Professor Wallace, the course director, explaining how I wasn’t intending to intercalate for financial reasons and just before I ruled it out, were there any alternative funding options. She replied very quickly and informed me of the School of Medicine scholarships but the deadline for applications was in 6 hours! I needed a reference from either my RS3 supervisor or Academic Advisor and fortunately my AA replied to me that evening, meaning I could complete the application in time.
I was very fortunate to then receive the scholarship, which paid for the entire course fee and opened the possibility to do the course. I’d encourage anyone in a similar position to me to explore the options available to them regarding funding, so they can make a decision based on their interests and career prospects rather than ruling it out purely due to finances.
John Johnson
Passion-fuelled research
Jorja: My project is based at the Liverpool Women’s Hospital working with Dr Paula Briggs, an esteemed consultant specialised in menopause. We are conducting an observational cohort study, case report and systematic review looking into the relationship between Menopause and Fibromyalgia.
So far, I have completed a protocol and an ethics application for the study, started my systematic review and amazingly I have already been able to submit a case report for the Post Reproductive Health journal which will be published in their March edition. I am most looking forward to starting my observational study in which I will have the opportunity to speak to menopausal women about their experienced symptoms.
Taking a break away from Medicine has proved to me that I miss speaking to patients and hearing their experiences of medical conditions and healthcare, so starting the study will provide that opportunity again!
John: My research project is based in Alder Hey with Professor Hawcutt and we are looking at the use of vapes in secondary school children, with a greater focus on the levels of dependence in this group which hasn't been the focus in the UK so far. My research is part of a wider Alder Hey ambassador scheme, which I've had a lot of input into, which I find really rewarding.
MBChB vs MRes
Jorja: The main difference between the MBChB programme and the MRes is the amount of independence, flexibility and responsibility you have. As I am not doing lab work for my project, I can complete a lot of my work on campus or at home at any time so I have more time for extracurriculars and part time work.
During my intercalation I have been able to get more involved in societies, including my role as Teaching Rep of SNOGS and I have been able to help start and take on the role of Secretary for the new Sexual Health Society – SHAGS.
John: On the MRes, after the initial couple of months it can feel like you have a lot of time on your hands. For me, this is what I want because it allows me to give more focus on other parts of my life which I was putting to the side while on medicine. It's self-directed learning and you don't have a timetable for 5 days on placement like on medicine, so you have to fill your time with other things.
For me, I've been able to get back into the gym and be a lot more active than I've been in previous years and I'm hoping this is something I can continue once I return to medicine.
With exception of the first two weeks, the university requires us to be in every Wednesday for 2 hours. The start of the course was very different to what I expected. There is a 2-week lab skills module at the start which everyone does, regardless of whether you choose a lab based or desk-based project. From the knowledge gained in the sessions, you're then expected to write a lab report, which was new for many of us. The resources provided did make the process a lot easier than it would've been without. The project side of things has also been much more challenging than I expected, as someone who has never done research before. Between projects there are large differences in what's expected of you and I'm currently quite busy, but I am enjoying it.
Biggest piece of advice
Jorja: Intercalation is a huge and amazing opportunity no matter the course you choose! You will have the chance to meet new people, make professional connections that may be useful in your career as well as learning new skills we don’t have the opportunity to learn during the MBChB. If funding and finances are the only thing stopping you from intercalating then I 100% recommend seeking out and applying for scholarships and bursaries!
John: For anyone looking into my MRes course, your experience will be largely determined by your passion for the research area but also your supervisor and the relationship you can develop with them. Having a supervisor which can meet you weekly, which I have currently, makes a huge difference to your ability to do the tasks required of you. Also, it isn't just a year of doing your research, there are other assignments that are unrelated to this such as the lab report, narrative review and referee reports. Knowing all of this, can help you decide your suitability to the course before joining.
Discover more
- Looking to intercalate at Liverpool? There are so many options available to you! Check out our Intercalation web area for all the details.
- If Jorja and John have inspired you with their research projects, take a look into the Clinical Sciences MRes.
- Working on your finances for your intercalated year? Look through the variety of Intercalated Awards and Scholarships, as well as our School Scholarships.