Sharp Scratch

Does your digital footprint represent you personally, or are you perceived as a doctor while you doomscroll? Can you ever be sure that *all views are your own* ? Are you an avatar representing medicine or a private citizen? 
 
Zaynah Khan sits down with Dr Jonny Guckian, together with panellists Kayode and Korianne, to discuss whether medics have a duty of care on social media. They share storytimes of social media horror stories for medics, lessons learnt (sometimes the hard way), and how medics can ethically use social media without the fear of getting struck off!
 
Read the study that Jonny mentions: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2211883726000262
 
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The BMJ in a recent investigation found a “black hole” of medical student funding, with NHS trusts failing to account for over £400m meant for training future doctors. What does that mean for us as medical students?
 
In this episode, Zaynah Khan sits down with Dr Iain Beardsell, director of undergraduate medical education at UHS. Together, with panellists Éabha and Elgan, they discuss the implications of this investigation, and how it affects clinical placements and teaching for current medical students.
 
Read the full investigation here: https://www.bmj.com/content/393/bmj-2026-285592 
 
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If more of our clinical thinking is done by technology, what does it mean to be a doctor in the future? Will our jobs be replaced by AI? 
In this episode of Sharp Scratch, host Zaynah Khan is joined by panellists and medical students Nilay and Inez, alongside expert guest Professor Paul Taylor, to discuss one of the biggest question marks hanging over the future of medicine: the rapid rise of AI.
How will rapid implementation of AI impact the future role of a doctor?
Should we be using AI in medicine? If so, how can we do so ethically?
Are medical schools equipping us for future medical careers involving AI, tech, and robots?
 
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What happens when the career you spent your life chasing no longer feels like the right fit?
We are currently witnessing a massive cultural shift in medical schools and in training. More and more students and FYs are looking at "portfolio careers," eyeing the exit door, and searching for opportunities completely outside of clinical practice. But actually choosing to leave is difficult…
In this episode, Zaynah Khan and the Sharp Scratch panel dive into how a dysfunctional system can capitalize on young, high-achieving, validation-seeking students until they are completely exhausted.
But it's not just a conversation about quitting. For those who want to stay, we look at real, practical strategies to cope and sustain a lifelong career without losing yourself. Discussing - what makes staying in medicine feel worth it?
 
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Why is academic failure surrounded by shame and guilt? Find out what support is available for students, and why failing may make you a better doctor in the long term.
 
Zaynah and George reflect on failure in medical school - taboo, support, impact on identity-  in this new introduction. Followed by Nikki's episode 'The F Word' from 2021.
 
This week the panel are joined by Rakesh Patel, Clinical Associate Professor in Medical Education, to talk about failing - and why medical students are so embarrassed to fail.
 
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Does who you know determine the doctor you become? Do you need a mentor to be a good doctor? How do you form a successful mentoring relationship in medicine?
 
In this episode, Zaynah sits down with Professor Katherine Woolf, and panellists Judy and Sarah, to discuss the role that mentoring has to play in medicine. They discuss structured mentoring opportunities in medical education and training and to what extent they’re useful. How factors like race, class, and gender shape your relationship with your mentor, and whether that impacts your career trajectory. Together they share their experiences of being mentored and mentoring others, and how to create these networks.
 
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Is it the job of minority students to teach their peers, or even staff, about race in medicine? If not, then who is the right person to teach us? 
 
In this episode, Zaynah Khan sits down with expert guests and doctors Mehrunisha Suleman and Zeshan Qureshi, along with panellist and medical student Judy, to discuss how race is taught in medical education. 
 
They discuss the informal responsibility often placed on people from minority groups to act as a "spokesperson" for their community and the impacts this can have. Together they explore anti-racism as an academic subject and how medical research should be taught in medical school curriculums. 
 
Anti-Racist Medicine (Upcoming Textbook/E-Book - June 2026)
An Essential Guide to Advancing Equity in Medical Education, Research, Technology, Policy, and Practice
https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Anti_Racist_Medicine_E_Book/Y1YmEQAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0  
 
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Are you a "medic-ey medic," or do you feel like a bit of an outsider?
Medical school often comes with a heavy set of unspoken expectations. From how you spend your free time to what you’re "supposed" to be good at, the pressure to fit a specific mold can be exhausting. But what happens when you don't - or won't - conform?
In this episode, Zaynah Khan sits down with panelist George and expert guest Dr. Sabina Dosani, doctor/author/editor, to explore the bittersweet reality of being different in medicine. Together, they dive into:
The Myth of the "Ideal Medic": Why the stereotypes we chase might not actually exist.
Belonging Without Conformity: How to find your space in the profession while staying true to yourself.
Professional Identity: The idea that being a doctor isn't a role you inherit, but something you create through your own unique actions and adaptations.
Whether you’re a"traditional" student or someone who feels like they’re constantly resisting the status quo, this conversation is a reminder that there is no single way to be a doctor.
 
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Why Medicine?
We’re all familiar with the interview Q on our motivations for entering the field. But what happens when the expectations we had of a medical career melt away into the shocking reality? Is this really what you signed up for?
 
In this episode, Zaynah Khan sits down with Dr Seema Haider, GP and trainer, to discuss issues of moral distress and moral injury in medicine. They are joined by Steph and Andrew, both doctors too, and together they share clinical anecdotes and lessons, from things that chip away at you over time as a medical student or doctor. They also discuss ways to hold on to hope, and take care of yourself and each other, whilst working in a broken system.
Read Seema’s article on moral injury here:
https://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/views/guest-opinion/drexit-moral-injury-is-destroying-the-foundation-of-our-nhs/ 
 
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Medical school isn't all anatomical dissections and high-stakes exams - sometimes, it’s about satirical sketches, questionable choreography, and finding the "joy and whimsy" in the chaos of clinical training.
In this episode, host Zaynah Khan dives into the long-standing, slightly eccentric tradition of the Medics’ Comedy Revue. Joined by the BMJ’s own Steph and Helen M who share their own expertise and stories of getting involved in their medics’ revues and hear from medical societies who share their experiences too.
Save the Date!
Save the Date: The BMJ Revue 2026! Join us on Friday, 15 May 2026, for a night of comedy, talent, and medical whimsy - all for a great cause. Grab a friend and come along for the laughs! More details here: https://www.bmj.com/content/391/bmj.r2619 
Want to get involved? While the official deadline has passed, we’re still open to brilliant scripts and sketches. If you have an idea you’re dying to see on stage, email Zaynah at zaynah.khan@bmj.com by Sunday, 15 March 2026.
 
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