Shirin and Jumainah, Candidates for IHSE Senior Reps
The School of Medical and Dental Sciences Clinical (Medicine) Representative will gather feedback from and represent students who are studying in Year 3, 4, or 5 of the MBBS program as well as any other student studying within the Institute of Health Sciences Education. You’ll work as part of the Education Zone, co-chair the Senior SSLC (Student Staff Liaison Committee), and support the Vice President Barts and The London, and encouraging students in the faculty to participate and engage with the Students’ Union.
What's your favourite moment from being a student here?
Jumainah: I have enjoyed the opportunity to meet and collaborate with new people with vastly different experiences than my own. Studying medicine has been incredibly rewarding, as every new piece of knowledge I gain feels like a puzzle piece that connects with others to create a complete picture that I can fully comprehend. My recent favourite moment was my GP placement where I helped with minor surgeries and met lovely elderly people at a nearby cafe.
Shirin: I’m a naturally reflective person, I love growing and improving myself. My most cherished moment overall was on my shadowing placement (courtesy of Paediatric Society). I experienced my first patient death. Through tears I confronted a lot of holes in my coping mechanisms and was able to talk to staff and grow a lot from.
The ‘happiest’ memorable day for me was last year’s end of exams trip to Thorpe Park!
What's something you've done that you're proud of?
Shirin: So many to pick from! Seeing mentees grow and get offers for medicine… delivering a successful Q&A talk to year one students with Jumainah... I’d probably have to go with raising £1346 for UNICEF by selling my artwork as a summer project with friends. It was an unforgettable experience, and I was so fortunate to be able to use a hobby for a cause I’m passionate about!
Jumainah: I have been proud of achieving so many of my personal goals and becoming a stronger individual. Finding balance amid changes can be difficult for anyone and it's amazing to see how easy it is to adapt once you start! Working with Shirin as Junior IHSE representative has been such a great experience, and it is always a warm feeling to hear students’ gratitude towards our work.
What is a problem facing students and how do you propose to fix it?
As the current junior IHSE representatives, we have come across a wide range of areas for improvement pertaining to both phase 1 and phase 2 students. Overall, we are aiming to destigmatise/ raise further awareness about university services e.g., DDS and wellbeing services (including dispelling myths about being barred to become a doctor by the GMC) ahead of crucial exam periods, continuing our older-younger year advice projects and enhancing the student learning experience. One specific issue that we are aware of is missing out on teaching whilst on placements and we are proposing more satellite teaching sessions on placements to ensure students on placement blocks do not miss out. We would also like to look into placement allocations being prioritised based on proximity to residence amongst other factors. We are confident we can work with students, course representatives, and staff to achieve our goals.
