As I write this, I am about to go to enjoy the glorious interweaving of multiple colours in the Borealis show at the docks. This and the Gold Athena Swan Award that the School was pleased to be part of recently, reminds me that our diversity is key to the strength medicine will need in the future, and also that the future of our School here in Liverpool, and its students, looks very bright.
This month, I enjoyed a wonderful event celebrating with our LMSS alumni and reflecting on what has happened over the 150 years since the founding of the LMSS, the first medical student society in the UK. Just think of the many advances since then that have changed medicine - from prosthetics to pacemakers, the discovery of antibiotics to the development of antibiotic resistance.
That also got me thinking about the event that five years ago, turned our modern world upside down. The COVID lockdown was challenging for all of us, but there was also much useful learning about ourselves, and about how we can teach and study best. Five years of perseverance and progress later, we have proof that nothing - not even a global pandemic - can shake the dedication of our students and staff to making the future doctors a potential next pandemic will need.
I also really enjoyed seeing the grit and perseverance of our LMS Rugby team in action at a recent home game. Lots of hard training is clearly behind the many good results this year (I must have been a jinx!), and our LMS FC have lifted the NAMS trophy for the second year running! Congratulations gentlemen - I look forward to seeing the silverware in our School cabinet!
Your medical careers will benefit from the skills many of you are honing- whether the teamwork of sport or the upcoming Shrek musical, organisational skills as shown in the student-led ‘Liverpool Future Surgeons Conference’, research presentations such as by Praveena or the opportunity to enhance skills in specific clinical areas, perhaps through ACE intercalation.
To complement these, it’s worth taking a little time now so as to make the most of the superb career opportunities ahead of you. Our Careers Adviser has some top tips to guide you in this, which of course includes making the most of the outstanding network of clinicians here at Liverpool, including our Specialty Leads who really are experts in their field and would love to hear from you.
Wishing all of you continued success in shaping those bright careers ahead and a special good wish also to those celebrating Eid as we close this month together.