Last term, Year 12 students were delighted to welcome a group of medical students from Imperial College London for an after-school workshop tailored to support students on their journey towards medicine and dentistry. 

The session allowed students with a genuine interest in pursuing careers in healthcare the rare chance to hear directly from people who have successfully navigated the application process and are now training to become doctors. 

The workshop was structured as a carousel activity, with students able to rotate between five stations, each focusing on a different aspect of the application process: why study medicine, work experience and the importance of reflective practice, as well as approaching questions on medical ethics and empathy. We discussed the differences between empathy and sympathy, fundamental to working with patients, as well as the role of body language in interviews and patient interactions.

One thing students found particularly interesting was defining the differences between sympathy and empathy. As healthcare professions include working directly with patients and families, it is always important to maintain empathy to deliver the best care. Some argue that empathy is more important as it is about understanding the perspectives of others, which inform their experiences and the decisions medics make. Whilst others argued that sympathy is required to acknowledge a patient’s suffering on a human level, even when a clinical, empathetic approach is needed to act effectively. 

At each station, Imperial students shared their first-hand advice, guiding us through realistic ethical scenarios and discussing how to think through them with reference to medical ethics and NHS values, central to the healthcare system in the UK. We were encouraged to consider the importance of how we communicate ourselves, and our thoughts, when faced with such questions in interviews.

The atmosphere throughout the evening session was full of thoughtful discussions and curiosity, and students demonstrated key IB Learner Profile traits: being ‘Inquirers’ and ‘Open-minded’. The chance to hear from students who were in our positions not long ago made the path to medicine and dentistry, which is challenging and competitive, feel far more achievable.

Koussay, who is passionate about studying dentistry, says: “This workshop taught me how to write a personal statement that stands out, as applying for dentistry is very competitive. I also found out about the four pillars of medicine outlined by the British Medical Association (BMA).” 

Overall, this experience reflected positively on Year 12 students at WA and meant that they are ultimately more prepared to face the university application process for Medicine and Dentistry. We are incredibly grateful to the Imperial Medical students for giving up their time to support us in this way, as well as to Mr Mohamed, who has worked tirelessly to make this possible.

Rola Al-Hassani, Year 12