Sharp Scratch

In this episode of Sharp Scratch, the panel gets together to discuss the gaps in the medical curriculum when it comes to teaching on sexual health. 
The panellists, made up of Will, Elisabeth and George chat with sexual health doctor Naomi Sutton. 
Together, they highlight how teaching at medical school often has a focus on sexually transmitted infections and contraception, and the importance of considering broader aspects of sexual health and wellbeing including sexual pleasure. The episode emphasises the importance of taking a holistic, non-judgemental approach in sexual history taking.The episode also addresses societal stigma in conversations around sex. Overall, the episode highlights the importance of advocating for a comprehensive and sex-positive approach to sexual healthcare. 
Naomi Sutton is a consultant sexual health doctor, who you may recognise from E4 The Sex Clinic.
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In this episode of Sharp Scratch, the panel, made up of George and Inez get together to talk about why people sometimes describe medicine as a cult.
The episode discusses the perceived parallels between the medicine and cults, and explores the strong sense of identity and community that often develops from our time at medical school and into our working life as doctors.
The panel is joined by Sam Jahara a UKCP Registered Psychotherapist, Clinical Supervisor and Tavistock certified Executive Coach with a private practice in Sussex.  Sam specialises in working with the psychological impact of high control groups and cults, offering psychotherapy, supervision, coaching and psychological consultancy to individuals, couples, groups and organisations. She was interviewed about her own experience of growing up in a cult on several podcasts such as ‘Indoctrination', 'Cult Vault', 'Talk Beliefs' and 'Cult Chat'. https://www.brightonandhovepsychotherapy.com
 
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In this episode of Sharp Scratch, the panel get together to chat with TikTok sensation and A&E doctor Maddy Lucy Dann.
The panel, made up of George and previous Editorial Scholar Nikki,  ask Maddy questions about why she became a doctor, her career in A&E, as well as her best advice for starting your foundation years.
The panel also touch on other topics, including what drew them to a career in medicine, the ways in which medical students can get the best out of their placements, as well as professionalism and social media use as a medic. 
 
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We talk about professionalism from day one of medical school, but what actually is professionalism? In this episode, we take a slightly more philosophical approach to this important question. 
George is joined by previous editorial scholar Laura, as well as expert guest Sabena Jameel. Together, they talk about what professionalism in medicine means, including the ambiguity and evolving nature of the definition, the burden of apparent perfection and the importance of character. We explore ways in which we can learn to nurture our professional identity in the right environments. 
Sabena is an inner city GP in Birmingham, she is also an Associate Clinical Professor in Medical Professionalism at Birmingham University Medical School. She has a PhD that looked at Practical Wisdom in Medicine.
 
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Fears around making mistakes seem to be common amongst medical students and resident doctors, so why are many of us afraid to talk about these fears? 
In this episode, the panel made up of Anna, Inez and George, get together with Dr Vicky Price, president-elect of the Society for Acute Medicine. Together, they discuss why we are afraid of making mistakes, what to do when we do make a mistake, and, how we can become more comfortable talking about mistakes in medicine. 
 
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When it comes to dating, does being a medical student or new doctor make it more complicated? When is the best time to tell your Hinge date that you're a doctor? Are break ups during medical school inevitable? And, are doctors more likely to cheat on their partners? 
In this episode, the panel, made up of Nikki, Sarah, Judy and George, get together to talk all about the dating lives of medical students and doctors, as well as discuss some common dating dilemmas. 
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Were you born to write "It's giving CAP", but forced to write "patchy lower lobe consolidation, suggestive of a community acquired pneumonia"?
In this episode, the panel learn about the history of popular gen-z slang, how social media, including TikTok trends influence the language we use, and how it may have made it's way into medicine. 
 
This week, George, Nikki, Stan and William are joined by Sharp Scratch guest, Lisa Casey. Lisa is the host of Lexis, a podcast about language and linguistics, aimed at everyone interested in learning more about language and language use. 
 
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Medical school is tough for students, with high workloads, exam pressure and uncertainty around placement rotations. So what is the impact on us when a family member or loved one becomes unwell? How do medics cope with this, and how do they find the balance between being both a medic and a loved one? 
In this episode, the Sharp Scratch panel explore what it is like when a family member or loved one is unwell, the pressures we face when supporting them, and how we can best support ourselves, through medical school and our future careers. 
The panel are joined by guest Hilary Williams, a consultant medical oncologist and Vice President for the Royal College of Physicians. 
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We are embracing spooky season here at Sharp Scratch!
In this weeks special Halloween episode, the panel get together to hear listeners  embarrassing OSCE stories, and why these exams can sometimes feel so scary to medical students. 
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Have you ever considered taking time out of medical school?
 
Whether it is during medical school, or once we have began working as a doctor, there are times when many of us are faced with needing to take a break. This could be for a number of reasons, including health reasons, financial reasons, exploring different areas of our career or maybe when starting a family.
 
In this episode, George is joined by panel Éabha and Nat, along with expert guest Kate Owen to discuss reasons for taking time out of medical school, burnout, and, why taking time out can be beneficial. 
 
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