Sharp Scratch

Doctors' dating dilemmas

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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”It’s giving...CAP”

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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How do we cope when a family member is unwell?

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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The OSCE Horror Show

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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Taking time out of medicine

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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If you can see it, you can be it

Have you had a great mentor while at medical school?
Mentors, both formal and informal, are an integral part of medical training, but what makes a good mentor? And how do we find one?
Whether through official mentorship schemes, medic families, or someone you bonded over a book with, mentors have the ability to shape our time at medical school. 
 
This week, Éabha is joined by Anna and George, with expert guest Menaka Paranathala. Menaka has just completed neurosurgery specialty training, and is currently a clinical editor with the BMJ, as well as undertaking research at the National Neurology and Neurosurgery Hospital Queens Square. She has previously completed a masters in medical education, and her project was on mentorship within neurosurgery. 
 
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Religion at Medical School

Medical students do not live in a bubble, we bring with us our own culture, traditions, and often our religion. In this episode we discuss how being a religious medic can influence how you navigate your practice and how thinking about spirituality can be helpful in developing your holistic understanding of patients.
This week, Éabha is joined by Judy and Elisabeth, and expert guest Charlie Bell, a forensic psychiatry trainee, a priest in the Church of England, and director of studies in Medicine at Girton College, Cambridge. 
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Re-release: The dating life of new doctors

Who’s off limits when it comes to dating, how renal physiology can ruin your chance of romance, and whether you should put that you’re a doctor on your tindr profile.
Dating as a newly qualified doctor brings some challenges that we don’t face as med students: unpredictable hours, exhaustion from night shifts, and professional boundaries with colleagues. Are some lines we should not cross? How hard is it to find romance while adjusting to life as a doctor?
Join medical students Laura and Declan and new doctor Divolka as we discuss how new doctors can join in the fun part of life that is dating. Featuring three doctors - Alyssa, Dipesh, and Amy - who share their awkward moments from their dating lives. Plus, Rob from Medical Protection gives advice on who’s off limits, and our Sharp Scratch regular Ryhan calls in to tell us how his medical elective is going.
Tell us what you think about the episode and your ideas for topics to cover later in the series by leaving a review or by using #SharpScratch on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
For more on the podcast, including how to follow Laura, Declan, Ryhan, Alyssa, Dipesh, and Rob on social media, visit www.bmj.com/sharpscratch.

Can we debrief?

Have you ever had a really bad day at placement? Perhaps something really awful has happened, or something has upset you, or another member of the team, or maybe you’ve made a mistake. This year, many episodes of sharp scratch have touched on the idea of debriefing after events like these, but in this episode, we talk a little more about debriefing. What is it? When is it useful? And who can we debrief with? 
 
This week, Éabha is joined by Nikki and Inez, and expert guest Jo Flowers, a senior resuscitation officer in the north of England. 
 
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Inbound medical students

Transitioning from school to university is challenging for everyone, but is perhaps even more so when that transition involves moving to a whole new country. International medical students are those of us in medical training who undertake their studies in a different country to the one they call home. Whether that’s a short hop across borders or moving to the other side of the world, studying in a new country comes with a unique of challenges.  
In this episode, the sharp scratch panel explore the journey of an international medical student. What is it like to get into, and get through medical school in a different country to the one you grew up in? How can you adjust to a new country and a new healthcare system? How does that impact students? Is there anything students studying closer to home can do to support their international friends and colleagues.
The panel is joined by expert guest Nitin Shroti, a consultant urologist and BMA council member. Nitin has written extensively and campaigned for better support of ethnic minorities in UK health institutions. With 30 years of experience in the NHS as an international medical graduate, he brings both personal and professional insights into the systemic issues faced by medics coming from overseas.
 
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