EDITION 18 · JANUARY 2015 EDITION 18 · JANUARY

RENews fromMED Cardiff University’s YInside… School of Medicine Newyddion o’r Ysgol Feddygaeth, Defining a standard of Prifysgol Caerdydd care for prostate cancer Live Venepuncture

Community Clinical Learning

DIAGNOSE THE PAST, RESEARCH THE PRESENT, REPAIR THE FUTURE Welcome Welcome to the eighteenth edition of ReMEDy.

As the saying goes “doesn’t time fly”! the reward of helping to create great One year into my role as Dean of doctors who understand patients and Medicine and I am extremely proud of the world in which we all live, make the milestones the School has achieved these efforts worthwhile. over the last 12 months. We now have This edition’s ‘Making an Impact’ story a fully validated MB BCh programme Finally, my congratulations to highlights the work of Professor Malcolm which is truly innovative and puts Professor Anita Thapar, who recently Mason in defining a standard of care patients at the heart of student learning. won the Ruane Prize for outstanding for locally advanced prostate cancer. Early student feedback fully endorses achievement in the field of child This work has changed medical practice the new programme and welcomes and adolescent psychiatry. I am guidelines in Europe and North America, the opportunity to engage with patients delighted Anita’s passion for child and which will result in the prevention of 43 early on. For many students, this adolescent psychiatry research has per cent of deaths in men with locally approach has helped to consolidate been rewarded in this way and that her advanced prostate cancer. learning and instils a more humanised efforts alongside those of her research approach to diseases. The work of the Senior Management team have received the international team in the Institute of Medical recognition they deserve. Community clinical learning is explained Education is explained in the “Meet in more detail in our main feature I hope you enjoy reading this first edition the Team’ feature. We also hear ‘Learning by the bedside” which gives us of the New Year and I wish everyone a of the volunteering efforts of one of a sense of the enormity of the logistics happy and productive 2015. our intercalated medical students involved in getting our students out who in her spare time, helps to run an Professor John Bligh learning in the community. However, orphanage in Kenya. Dean, School of Medicine C21 Update In September I took on the role of including the establishment and Much remains to be done to achieve Dean of Medical Education. Being consolidation of placement hubs across our goal of being one of the top ten relatively new to the area I understood South Wales where students will learn in medical schools in the UK. None that it would be a challenging role but the community environment, essential of this will be possible without our one that I hoped would be rewarding for their understanding of delivering 21st Institute academic and administrative and provide the opportunity to lead century healthcare. staff, our clinical teachers in the the dedicated team in the Institute NHS and the organisations and Locally we continue to develop of Medical Education responsible for people who plan and deliver hospital interdisciplinary teaching with delivering the C21 programme. and GP placements across the whole other Schools in the University. The of Wales. This has been a very busy period, we established links with the School are rolling out year two of the new of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical I finish by mentioning our students. curriculum as well as running years Sciences will be developed (both in Last week I had the pleasure of one and five for the second time clinical skills and in the community) participating in the inaugural “Cardiff having developed these based on and we recently ran highly successful Med Day” a student led fundraising feedback and experience from the joint placements with the School of event (featured on page 9). This was past few years. Years three and four Optometry and Vision Sciences. followed by the inaugural “MEDIC continue to develop in preparation of varsity” a sporting challenge between Our National Student Survey (NSS) the roll out over the next two years. Cardiff University School of Medicine data continues to show that overall and Bristol University Medical School. Over the past few months we have satisfaction is improving year-on-year. Both events were incredibly well visited all the local education providers Similarly positive news emanates from supported demonstrating the pride (Health Boards and many GP practices) the recent GMC visit where the team our students have in Cardiff and and have been overwhelmed by the were satisfied with our progress and their responsibility, teamwork and dedication, organisation and enthusiasm noted “students, foundation doctors dedication. to deliver an outstanding undergraduate and teaching staff that we met were teaching experience. As the course universally enthusiastic about develops we look forward to further the staged implementation of the Professor Nicholas Topley outreach activity in our communities C21 curriculum”. Dean of Medical Education

2 REMEDY · EDITION 18 · JANUARY 2015 Making an Impact: Defining a Standard of Care for Locally Advanced Prostate Cancer

The research showed that the risk of death for men suffering from locally advanced or high-risk prostate cancer could be cut significantly by adding radiation therapy to standard hormone treatments.

Locally advanced prostate cancer (where a tumour has extended outside the prostate gland to surrounding tissues) affects 4000 men per year in the UK. Prior to the underpinning research, there was no consensus on the standard of care, with hormone therapy often being given alone. Professor Malcolm Mason, Cancer Research Wales Professor of Clinical Oncology at the School of Medicine, has led the UK arm of the research trial into prostate cancer since 1998, when he was appointed as the UK Chief Investigator, leading the study in this country for the Medical Research Council. Prostate cancer kills around 10,000 men in the UK every year. Professor Malcolm Mason receiving the William Farr medal in recognition of his contribution Researchers presented new evidence to prostate cancer research. showing that survival rates significantly improve if radiation is added to Matt Sydes, Senior Scientist in the with a combination of radiotherapy and standard hormone treatments when Medical Research Council Clinical Trials hormone therapy halved the risks of treating men whose cancer has spread Unit added: dying of prostate cancer. beyond the prostate. Professor Mason said: “The study has triggered a change The trial has changed medical in clinical practice, whose reach is “This trial exemplifies the guidelines and practice in Europe and international, covering at least the importance of international North America. For example, the UK’s NICE guidelines now advise that 100% UK, Europe, and North America with randomised controlled trials recommendations extending to Asia.” of patients suitable for radiotherapy Based on the evidence we have, it in high quality evidence-based must be offered it. Two papers, would result in the prevention of 43 per medicine. Good data underpins describing the final analysis of this study and the quality of life analysis, cent of deaths from prostate cancer in good decision-making. By men with locally advanced cancer. are currently in press in the Journal of gathering robust statistics, Clinical Oncology. “Such men make up around 40 percent we were able to show how we of all new cases of prostate cancer in Professor Malcom Mason was awarded the UK, and therefore the results have could target and treat high the William Farr Medal in 2013 by the the potential, worldwide, to prevent risk patients.” Worshipful Society of Apothecaries and thousands of deaths from prostate jointly won the 2014 Cardiff University cancer every year. The success of this Medical Breakthrough Award for this The International randomised clinical study is a real testament to international underpinning international research. trial, led by Cardiff researchers showed collaboration.” that treating locally advanced disease

REMEDY · EDITION 18 · JANUARY 2015 3 Meet the Medical Education Senior Management Team After a period of consultation working closely with the phase leads taught course provision. Cardiff and configuration the C21 and year directors to ensure delivery University is the largest provider of of the course. face-to-face and distance-learning curriculum was launched postgraduate taught courses across a Professor Helen Sweetland is the Vice wide range of disciplines. in 2013. This new medical Dean for Medical Education. Helen, a curriculum is aimed at consultant surgeon, brings a wealth of Dr Debbie Cohen is the Director of producing the best doctors experience of all aspects of medical Student Support. Debbie, a GP by to serve the healthcare education and has responsibility for training, is responsible for all aspects Quality and Governance that includes of student support policies and ensures needs of Wales and the wider our relationship with the postgraduate robust support for students’ wellbeing community nationally and Deanery and our interactions with the and education. Debbie also runs the internationally. General Medical Council (GMC). academic mentoring programme. Professor Kamila Hawthorne is the Professor Paul Kinnersley is the The underpinning principles of the Associate Dean of Medical Education Director of Clinical Skills and C21 programme are earlier clinical and the Director of Community Based Simulation. Paul, a GP by training, exposure and a greater integration Learning. Kamila, a GP by training, has is responsible for the delivery of the of basic and clinical sciences responsibility for the community-based clinical skills strategy across all years throughout all years of the course. delivery of the curriculum, in particular of the curriculum and works closely Central to the teaching philosophy our extensive and developing outreach with other Schools in the University is the use of case-based learning community activities that are an and with NHS colleagues to deliver delivered to small groups of students outstanding feature of C21. clinical skills and simulation teaching. throughout a “spiral” curriculum. Similarly, in “harmonisation” (Year 5 Professor Aled Phillips is the Mrs Lindsey Jones is the Institute of of the course), students are prepared Director of Admissions. Aled, a Medical Education Manager. Lindsey for clinical practice with the aim of consultant nephrologist and Director brings a wealth of management seamless integration from medical of the Institute of Nephrology, has experience to the role and has overall student to Foundation doctor. Much responsibility for our admissions responsibility for the administrative of the final year is spent in clinical policy and our communication management of the Institute of placements of increasing intensity strategy, aimed at increasing schools’ Medical Education. engagement and widening access to and responsibility, with (junior and Together we are working hard towards Medical Education. senior) student assistantships as our aim to deliver world class Medical well as consolidating underpinning Professor Aidan Byrne is the Director Education over the coming years and science principles related to the of Graduate Studies. Aidan, a the best possible student experience in practice of medicine. Consultant Anaesthetist, has overall Cardiff University School of Medicine. The delivery of medical education responsibility for all our postgraduate requires the involvement and co-ordination of a large number of professionals: academics, administrators and colleagues in the NHS and General Practice as well as close interaction with other Schools in the University. The aim of all of this is to deliver a world-class medical education experience and to support our students. It is therefore a pleasure to introduce the Medical Education Senior Management Team responsible for all these activities: Dr Steve Riley is the Director of C21. Steve, a Cardiff graduate and consultant nephrologist, has overall responsibility for curriculum design,

4 REMEDY · EDITION 18 · JANUARY 2015 10 ways Wales Gene Park is impacting genetics and genomics

What is Wales Gene Park? Continually evolving since 2002, Wales Gene Park brings together and supports Wales’s considerable expertise in genetics and genomics, helps knowledge transfer from researchers to the NHS and commercial sectors, and has active programmes in professional education and public involvement.

Enabling Genetic Gene Park enables doctoral research 8. Advocating for the patient training for clinicians. These Fellows Discovery Working in partnership with Genetic have overseen the conduct of clinical Alliance UK, Wales Gene Park engages 1. High-throughput DNA/RNA trials including some of the first trials with charities, support groups and world-wide of molecularly targeted sequencing other voluntary bodies and helps to therapy for inherited disorders. bring their priorities to researchers, The genomic facility provides state-of- policy-makers and those who develop the-art high-throughput next generation Education and deliver services and health and DNA and RNA sequencing to scientists social care policy in Wales. throughout Wales. It is a working 5. Schools & Colleges collaboration between the Wales Gene In partnership with Techniquest, Wales External Collaboration Park, Cardiff University and the NHS. Its Gene Park delivers outreach to school technology is vital for genetic research and college students. Flagship projects 9. Commercialisation and for diagnostic applications in Wales. include the Sixth Form Conference and of genetic research Our bioinformatics staff are supported Schools’ Genetics Roadshow which Members of Wales Gene Park were by dedicated High Performance are held on alternating years. These awarded the Medical Breakthrough Computing and provide analysis of events allow researchers to engage prize at the 2014 Cardiff University a wide range of genomic datasets, and enthuse many thousands of young Innovation and Impact Awards for generated both in-house and through people with their work. work which resulted in the licensing external collaboration. 6. Health Professionals of intellectual property rights for the 2. Gene Editing Wales Gene Park has organised MUTYH gene, linked to hereditary Starting in early 2015, Wales Gene Park and hosted over 60 biomedical bowel cancer. will develop a facility for genome editing conferences and symposia involving Our researchers are also involved in using CRISPR genome engineering, an many international experts in genetics, the analysis of genes on a contract exciting new technology not currently genomics and health. These events research basis and have licensed available in Wales. Investment in attract significant UK and international genetic databases generating CRISPR will deliver faster, cheaper and audiences to Wales, allowing significant income. more flexible cell and animal models to expertise to be shared and providing researchers. opportunities for Welsh researchers to 10. Working with the NHS disseminate their work worldwide. Wales Gene Park researchers and NHS 3. Transgenics colleagues in the All Wales Molecular Bridging the gap between genetic Engagement Genetics Service are working to develop discovery research and trials of targeted 7. Public engagement diagnostic gene panel tests using high- treatments in patients, Wales Gene throughput sequencing technologies Park staff provide expertise and support Wales Gene Park delivers free public and bioinformatics pipelines. These are to enable the production of transgenic talks and discussion sessions to providing a more comprehensive and models of cancer, neurogenetic community groups throughout Wales. accurate picture of the genetic changes disorders, genetic imprinting and These are often held as part of larger underlying a patient’s condition, in a embryonic development. These events such as National Science & shorter time and at lower cost than models are subsequently employed in Engineering Week and the Cardiff and current methods. translational pre-clinical trials. Wrexham Science Festivals. Previous topics have included The Angelina Jolie www.walesgenepark.cardiff.ac.uk 4. Clinical trials Effect (in inherited breast cancer), Stem Twitter: @WalesGenePark Through the Professor Sir Peter Harper Cell Research, Over the Counter Genetic Clinical Research Fellowships, Wales Testing and the National DNA Database.

REMEDY · EDITION 18 · JANUARY 2015 5 Learning by the bedside

The C21 curriculum, the School of Medicine’s successful MB BCh programme, has begun its second year on a high note with positive feedback from students and tutors across the community. Central to C21 is a style of learning and teaching that enables students to relate the basic sciences to their experience with real patients.

In the first two years, students get to Medical student feedback is recognised see patients in their own community as a valuable tool, enabling the School settings, linked to their University- to plan ahead and fine tune plans in based learning one day per week. order to provide positive experiences Community settings don’t just refer to for as many medical students as GP practices but include for example, possible. Inevitably, with 300 students pharmacies; physiotherapy clinics, having almost individual timetables and midwifery surgeries; opticians and “Going out to visit the patients travelling to a wide range of placements health visitor home visits. The new in their homes and learning all over South Wales, not all have curriculum is designed to ensure that to take histories off them. I identical experiences and, as the students see the clinical relevance found it very useful to hear course progresses through its second of their learning, ensuring better how their illness affected year, student feedback influences the integration of knowledge, deeper them, and this often tied in type of placements and teaching on understanding and better retention offer. The School encourages students of key information. nicely with the case-based to share their experiences in small learning during the week.” group learning, thus enhancing and ‘Understanding people and the world deepening this understanding of care in which we all live’ is one of the stated “I met some very good in the community. aims of the teaching and learning. To underpin this, the School of Medicine patients who helped has recruited over 40 committed and facilitate my learning. With enthusiastic GP tutors, and a variety of the [respiratory] case in community and social health teams. particular, the examinations The School has also arranged hundreds that I was allowed to carry of different placements with the NHS out really helped consolidate and third sector organisations across South Wales to help deliver key learning my learning.” outcomes. The logistics have been formidable, resulting in endless possible “I have really enjoyed the timetable combinations to ensure that patient contact and it has the right student is in the right place allowed me to put the science with the right teacher at the right time. into context.” No wonder that some medical schools rely so heavily on lectures! “The placement helped us to How students make use of their remember that what we learn learning is also clearly important to is relevant and how important those who design clinical placements and evaluation feedback to date has it is to remember that we are been very positive: 99% of students dealing with human beings... thought the placements helped their not just a pile of symptoms.” learning and between 88% and 97% of Kathryn Brammeier and Dianne Carlos, 2nd students found the clinical placements year students making a patient home visit. outside of general practice useful. When asked what they found most enjoyable, students said:

6 REMEDY · EDITION 18 · JANUARY 2015 Year 2 medical student, Lucy Jawad, describes her experience of community clinical learning: “If you speak to the average medical One of the most valuable skills that so relevant, as I can see how this student here in the UK, they will tell these early preclinical placements information is used in clinical practice. you how their preclinical years of study have given me and the rest of the It also makes the science much easier were dominated by withering away in year, is the opportunity to develop to remember - which I can assure you a lecture theatre 9 to 5, desperately and improve our communication skills proves very useful for the exams! trying to maintain some concentration at such an early stage in the course and degree of consciousness while (meaning we now have 5 years to However that’s not to say that the looking at the 257th slide of that master this skill compared to the nature of these placements haven’t day. Most medical students also previous 3!) Over the last year we created some problems. Sometimes find that during years 1 and 2, have all been given formal teaching we report to our allocated placement they have forgotten that they are and most importantly the practice and we’re turned away, or we aren’t studying medicine. As for two years to take patient histories from real expected which can be frustrating. they are isolated from patients and patients at various general practices However, trying to organise such niche overwhelmed by their basic science and hospitals. As a result of this I placements on the same day and teaching. Meaning that when they now feel very much at ease talking to same time for over 300 students can reach year 3, they are often left patients and collating histories from only be described as one stressful questioning the relevance of their all the different medical specialities. challenge. In reality, there are bound preclinical years. Meaning that when we get to year 3 be hiccups! and spend the majority of our time Nevertheless I am confident when I Sir William Osler famously said that on placements, we will settle into the say that the C21 course has definitely ‘Medicine is learned by the bedside style of learning much more smoothly. and not in the classroom’, and this changed things for the better in terms concept has definitely been expressed What makes our preclinical of clinical and community learning, in the new C21 curriculum here at placements so useful is the fact that and I’m sure I speak on behalf of Cardiff. As a result of this, my fellow they always tie in with whatever case every pre-clinical student here at year two students and I now find we are studying. So for example Cardiff, by saying we’re very grateful ourselves on placements once a week when I was doing the musculoskeletal for the placement opportunities we during our case based learning. The case about a young boy who injured have already been given.” placements we have in years 1 and his knee whilst skateboarding. My 2 are spread across four clinical hubs placement involved me spending For the C21 team, the emphasis on in South Wales. Allowing students to some time with physiotherapists at development and improvement for gain an appreciation of how medical Llandough hospital, watching them Community Clinical learning will continue practice might vary depending on the assess very similar injuries to the to be an integral feature of C21, a area you are in, and a feel for what ones I had been studying that week. cutting-edge undergraduate medical Wales has to offer outside of Cardiff. Because of this, I find that all of the programme which aims to create great science we’ve been learning becomes doctors who understand patients and the world in which we all live.

Image above: Second year medical students, Catrin Powell and Angus White on placement with optician Annette Dobbs in Barry.

REMEDY · EDITION 18 · JANUARY 2015 7 10 Ways MEDIC is Making an Impact The School of Medicine has a successful track record of contributing to society through its Research, Learning and Teaching, and Innovation and Engagement activity. Efforts by many staff and students highlight a rich variety of ways in which the School is engaging and benefitting society. Here are just ten recent examples:

1. Funding boost 2. Recognition for the development of a tool for research into designed to help patients and providers management of compare alternative treatment options. COPD Elinor Farrell last year won the highly prestigious award for Best Scientific Chronic obstructive pulmonary Paper at the British Association of Dermatologists in Glasgow in 2014. Elinor disease (COPD) affects over started work on this project whilst in her final year as a Cardiff medical student 900,000 people in the UK including under the supervision of Dr Richard Motley, Consultant Dermatologist, UHW. those with chronic bronchitis and The project looked at improving the information patients with psoriasis receive emphysema. The condition is about different treatments. This led to the development of a one-page tool characterised by chronically poor (Option Grid) to encourage informed decision-making for use in consultations airflow and whilst there is no cure, when patients choose between different systemic therapies for plaque it can managed by a range of psoriasis. The Option Grid has now been approved by NICE and is free to medications. download and use (www.optiongrid.org). Researchers at the Universities of Cardiff, Oxford, King’s College London and South Wales have been 4. Targeting awarded £1.35M to develop better ways of treating COPD attacks or cardiovascular disease flares (sometimes called acute Professor Tony Lai and his research exacerbations AECOPD). team have discovered how a tiny structural flaw in a heart protein can PACE is a 3 year randomised lead to irregular heartbeat. By obtaining controlled trial that aims to evaluate a molecular picture of the protein’s whether using a CRP point of care defect, scientists from the School of test (POCT) results in better targeting Whitchurch High School Team Winners, Medicine and the Slovak Academy of antibiotic treatment than usual from left to right: Jacob Jones, Tom Pycroft, Ieuan Edwards, Jasper Williams. (Other team of Science should help pinpoint a care informed by NICE and GOLD members from rounds 1 & 2 were Tom Wiley therapeutic target for future efforts. guidelines. The primary outcomes and Morgan Haigh). are the overall consumption of 3. Inspiring “The ryanodine receptor protein antibiotics for COPD and patient- (RyR) is a large calcium channel that rated clinical recovery from their the scientists is fundamental to heart function and AECOPD, with the aim being to of tomorrow where arrhythmogenic mutations are reduce overall antibiotic use without The Life Sciences Challenge is found. Just like in a car, an imperfect compromising patient recovery. an initiative run by the School of engine valve will keep going, but it Medicine, which aims to inspire may be only a matter of time before it school age children (14- 15 suddenly stops – and that’s the same year olds) to pursue a career for people who carry this defect,” in a STEM related field. The said Professor Lai. In people, it Challenge gives participants usually requires extreme physical the opportunity to meet young exertion or emotional trauma to trigger scientists working locally in their a cardiac crisis, which could lead to community. The scientists are sudden death. early stage career researchers who aim to share with pupils their passion for science and to stimulate their ability to learn and recall scientific concepts through a quiz. Teams from Whitchurch High and Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw were the 2014 winners.

8 REMEDY · EDITION 18 · JANUARY 2015 5. Top accolade financially supporting this partnership and will enable senior consultant for child psychiatry anaesthetists from the UK to teach on pioneer three intensive anaesthesia courses in three locations in Namibia this year. Professor Anita Thapar has won the 2014 Ruane Prize being Professor Judith Hall commented recognised as an “outstanding that: “In Namibia, for over two million scientist carrying out research people, they have 19 medical officers on the causes, pathophysiology, for the whole country (untrained treatment, or prevention of severe anaesthetists) and two trained part- child mental illness.” time anaesthetists… In Cardiff, we have 160 anaesthetists for a population of Anita’s work in the MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics & Genomics is around 300,000. It’s absolutely scary concerned with uncovering risk genes, environmental causes and identifying and puts it into perspective.” how over time they lead to child psychiatric disorders. Her overarching aims are to inform therapeutic targets for future efforts in developing better 9. MedDay Success methods of treatment and prevention. Fourth year medical student Helen Cardiff University Vice-Chancellor Professor Colin Riordan said: “Professor Iliff organised the first Cardiff MedDay Thapar’s research will help to improve outcomes for children with raising over £3,250 for local medical neurodevelopmental disorders in ways that would previously be impossible.” causes. This involved hundreds of Medical and Dental students swarming Cardiff with their collection 6. MRC Research 7. A Winning Partnership buckets on 21st November 2014. There were lots of cream pies, and the Excellence Collaboration as a means of increasing Dean of Medicine donned a dragon Cardiff University School of Medicine research excellence has been high on costume in aid of the event. has strategically targeted and Cardiff University’s agenda. An exciting new Cooperation Agreement with the All of the money raised on MedDay supported bids to the MRC. University of Leuven, Belgium, was 2014 will go towards equipment in the At a recent annual MRC Partnership signed in September 2014 with the Noah’s Ark children’s hospital and CLAPA meeting, key data on our performance aims of boosting research income, (Cleft Lip and Palate Association). was highlighted, revealing successes creating new research collaborations in key areas. and the opportunity for students and 10. New hope for staff to study and teach abroad. halting cell death 1. Our school success rate This will build on existing academic caused by disease stands at 40%. This is exceptional collaborations and, over the next five since the national average is years, will create more opportunities Scientists have discovered mechanisms around 23%. for students and the wider academic that control a new form of premature cell community to experience studying and death in living tissue – called ferroptosis teaching abroad. – and a mechanism to reverse it. 2. Cardiff University is currently Professor Valerie O’Donnell, the 9th in the UK for new MRC This aligns perfectly with the School of Medicine’s current focus on maximising study’s co-author from the School of awards. This is excellent news Medicine said: “Ferroptosis may play and compares very well with 12th European funding opportunities. Schemes such as Horizon 2020 are a role in a number of diseases. In in 2012 and 10th in 2013. a prestigious funding platform for addition to ischemic tissue damage, dynamic and enthusiastic researchers seen for example in kidney failure, stroke or cardiovascular disease, 3. Success rates in Neurosciences looking to innovate with European partners and it is anticipated that this the Liproxstatin-1 inhibited pathway and Mental Health Board and holds potential as a therapeutic target Infection and Immunity Board Cooperation Agreement will encourage and support staff in this endeavour. for diabetes and neurodegenerative were 28% and 66% respectively, diseases. both well above the average. 8. Saving lives in Namibia So far its efficacy has been proven in mouse models and human cells, The University’s Phoenix Project, one of This highlights that we are not but we are hoping that these exciting the five flagship engagement projects, submitting more grants, but better results will stimulate further enquiry led by Professor Judith Hall from the quality ones. This showcases the in this area, helping to unravel School of Medicine, is working with the research excellence that exists within mechanisms involved in this important University of Namibia and the Namibian the School and should encourage new form of cell death. The aim health service to provide expertise to further prestigious MRC awards. would now be to try this approach in help train more anaesthetists. The human trials.” Tropical Health and Education Trust is

REMEDY · EDITION 18 · JANUARY 2015 9 Berenice Cunningham- Walker MEDIC People I am a first year studying medicine and have come straight from school. In my spare time I love to take part in the Performing Arts, specifically music. I have sung in a variety of choirs and performed in Les Mis and Cabaret most ReMEDy talks to Simran Sharma, alumnus, recently with school. At Cardiff I have joined Decibelles, an acapella group, Berenice Cunningham-Walker, undergraduate and I am a big fan of the Jazz Society! student; Grace McCutchan, postgraduate student and Caitlin Golaup, member of staff, to ask the questions we love to know the answers to!

What do you listen to first Who are your heroes and villains? thing in the morning? BC-W 100% my parents and great BC-W Usually I rush out of bed 15 teachers! As for villains my favourite is minutes before I need to leave, but if I Bellatrix Lestrange – I would love her hair. do have time for early morning music (I once went to a movie themed party as then I put on my favourite happy song: her and didn’t manage to buy hair dye so Send Me On My Way – Rusted Root! my friends painted my hair black… Let’s GM Either the radio or I watch Good just say when I woke up the next day I rewards or answers in our virtual lives Morning Britain. had a lot of washing to do.) and such beliefs are beginning to spill CG The nails of my dog clicking around GM My A-Level Psychology teacher over to our real lives. I think this will be the hard floor of my bedroom as she (Chris Millen) is my hero. She taught a big problem for future generations. subtly tries to wake me up so that I will psychology in such a way that CG Get rid of cruelty - that pretty much let her out into the garden. Who needs made every aspect of the subject takes care of everything else. sound exciting and interesting. She an alarm when you have an elderly SS Convince the people who talk quickly recognised my interest in the dog’s bladder in the room? negatively about the NHS that we are subject and encouraged me to study SS Usually my audio books (sad I know). extremely lucky to have it! Psychology at degree level. Without her I don’t have a lot of time to read but love encouragement, I wouldn’t be studying good books so tend to listen to the most What is your secret for a PhD today. I don’t have any villains! recent page-turners on my commute. ambition? (just between us) CG Heroes: People who help when As a child what did you want they don’t have to. Villains: People who BC-W To spend a year or so travelling to be when you grew up? don’t when they should. (You know around setting up basic clinics to give free who you are.) inoculations to people who don’t have the BC-W I must have had at least ten SS Heroes: humble people who go out option elsewhere. different job aspirations – ranging from of their way for others. Villains: people GM I have always wanted to set up a ski a lollypop lady, to a Red Arrows pilot, to who believe that the world owes them school for people with disabilities and their an A list celebrity. something. families/carers, where they can come to GM I always wanted to be a ski have a holiday and learn to ski. Looking instructor. At the age of 16 I qualified If you could change one after someone with a disability is more as a ski instructor and spent my college thing what would it be? than a full time job. I would like to create holidays teaching in Switzerland before a place where families can break the doing two full seasons in Switzerland and BC-W Eradicate world poverty. everyday routine through learning a new skill and spending quality time together. New Zealand. I quickly learnt that there GM I would change how we are is almost zero job stability, and if I hurt becoming a society expecting instant CG To have a secret ambition…truly, I myself then I wouldn’t have a backup, so gratification in many aspects of daily life, don’t have one. (Ah yes, the famous ‘I I pursued my interest in Psychology and for which I hold technology to blame. don’t have a dream’ speech.) will keep skiing as a hobby! Whilst I cannot dispute that technology SS To win a Nobel Prize! (I am neither CG An archaeologist. Did it one summer has enormous benefits, like with clever nor innovative enough!) when I was younger…fun but the lifestyle anything, it also has its negatives. For isn’t for me. Cider and old things - good. example, being able to answer almost Dirt, bugs and hard labour - bad. any question in seconds using the internet or expecting instant feedback SS A chef! I love food and the for a ‘post’ through social networking competitive environment. I started sites is creating an impatient and greedy learning to cook from the age of 5 world. Increasingly, we expect instant and I am still learning.

10 REMEDY · EDITION 18 · JANUARY 2015 Grace McCutchan Caitlin Golaup Simran Sharma I am a second year PhD student based I’m the C21 Communications Officer I am a junior doctor working in in the Institute of Primary Care and and work in the Institute of Medical Llandough hospital. I am currently Public Health. I studied Psychology as Education. My job is to encourage working in the breast surgery unit and an undergraduate at Cardiff University some to communicate more and have the pleasure of looking after where I fell in love with the city of others to communicate less. patients with breast cancer. Cardiff and developed an interest in health psychology. My PhD aims to develop an intervention to encourage people who live in deprived areas of Wales to visit their doctor promptly should they suspect they have a symptom of cancer. Whilst we know that people living in deprived areas present to their doctor late with symptoms of cancer, the mechanisms underlying delayed symptomatic presentation in these groups are not clear. Through qualitative interviews, I hope to explore the barriers to symptom presentation in deprived communities in Wales to consequently develop an intervention.

practice I could teach myself again, but Which one question would you if I could turn the clock back I would really like to know the answer to? push myself to practice more often.

BC-W Why has there not been a CG I’d have given some people more surprise episode of FRIENDS? time and others much, much less. GM Currently – my thesis question! SS I would definitely tell the 16 year old me to care less about what other people What does the School of CG “Aargh, what’s my password?” think and spend more time listening to Medicine need more of? SS What came first, the chicken or my mother’s cooking tips! BC-W Mornings off! the egg? What is your best holiday? CG Storage space. Lack thereof is the How do you relax? bane of my life at work. BC-W South Africa with my family when SS Good teachers! People who inspire BC-W Cooking, music, watching a I was a kid. I spent the weeks leading up and make you believe you can do better. film, going out with friends or having a to it worrying about getting eaten by all sleepover! the wild animals I had read about – but What advice would you offer I came back whole and with a huge love medical students today? GM I like watching films, baking and for the country! spending time with friends. GM There is a small village in Switzerland SS Keep a balance in your life and CG With the help of my good friend perched on the mountainside, under the never give up the things you love. Signor Prosecco. Jungfrau mountain range called Wengen. SS I cook! As I mentioned before food is During Winter there is ample skiing and Which book did you re-read extremely close to my heart and makes in Summer it’s very hot with plenty to most as a child? me forget about everything else. do if you like the outdoors. For me it is the perfect place for a holiday: relaxing BC-W I was a huge fan of Malorie If you could turn the clock back, but there is always something to do if Blackman – perhaps Noughts & Crosses. what would you do differently? you are feeling restless and all in a beautiful setting. GM I read Bear Grylls’ first book ‘Facing Up’. It’s about his expedition to the BC-W Practise music for longer each CG A road trip with my husband, summit of Everest only two years day and take up Saxophone and Cello interesting scenery, fattening food after breaking his back. I think it just as well. Take more photos of anything (there are no calories on holiday) and fascinated me how someone can push and everything! memorable accommodation. their body to that limit. GM I would make more of an effort to SS My best holiday was in Sri Lanka. CG Gerald Durrell, ‘My family and other keep up my languages. When I was I visited my boyfriend and his family. animals.’ teaching skiing, I was able to teach a It’s a beautiful, colourful and vibrant lesson in French or German, but now country. So any holiday that includes SS The Jungle Book. I would struggle to hold even a basic gorgeous food and glorious sun is right conversation. I’m sure with lots of up my street!

REMEDY · EDITION 18 · JANUARY 2015 11

New heights to volunteering

Bethany Shelvey, an intercalated medical student gives a personal account of her extraordinary volunteering efforts and her role as one of the Directors of a charity called The St Jerome’s Centre.

she had worked in an orphanage which had to be closed down, and at the age of 17 along with another volunteer she had agreed to build a new home for Live the children. They had no idea how much work this would entail and over Venepuncture Bethany Shelvey the next two years I became involved in the project. From initially believing they Year 2 medical students recently would just be building a new home, the took part in a brand new clinical skills project developed somewhat and we session titled ‘Live Venepuncture’. now run a children’s home of our own. Whilst the Clinical Skills and Simulation Centre is more traditionally We became a registered charity, ‘The St known for teaching clinical procedures Jerome’s Centre’, in October 2013 and to medical students using life like we now care for 25 children aged 5-18 models, students in this session were © Odysseas Mourtzouchos Odysseas © years (including those from the previous offered the chance to take a blood home). In addition we also employ 7 sample from each other. This came full time staff from the local area. We about as a direct result of students provide the children with food, shelter asking for a chance to experience The St Jerome’s Centre committee, the Orkid studio and the chance of a good education; volunteers and the children in their new home. blood sampling from the patients’ and the staff with an income to support perspective. The students were of their families. All our money comes from course, very closely supervised by sponsorship, but there are always costs experienced clinical teachers. After which surpass this amount; hence the “As any prospective medical student the sessions, all students were asked ongoing need for fundraising. will understand volunteering is one to evaluate the session. It is clear that of the so-called ‘tick box’ criteria for This summer we worked with another they thought it a great experience medical school applications. My plans charity, ‘Orkid Studio’. Through this from the responses received…! to volunteer featured heavily on my partnership we were lucky enough to ‘Live Venepuncture was great… personal statement and I remember have a new home designed and built for such a valuable learning numerous questions about them in my us. It has the capacity to house around experience’ interviews too. Despite this pressure I 40 children and gives us the potential to had always wanted to take a gap year pursue agricultural projects. ‘Awesome!’ anyway. Volunteering in Kenya, much to The charity is continually growing, and my parent’s dismay, was how I chose to ‘This was really good! I was we are always trying to fundraise and spend this time. nervous about the live session, expand to give our children and staff the but the one to one tutoring really The trip was organised through a small best possible opportunities in life. Trying helped me and reassured me… non-profit organisation and whilst to balance the commitments of my Thanks’ there I stayed with a Kenyan family. I role as one of the directors alongside got involved with teaching in primary medicine can be challenging at times. ‘It was great to get the opportunity schools, working in a street kids’ However it has increased my time- to practise on one another. Staff rehabilitation centre and helping out management skills; and the further I were very supportive and it was a in children’s homes. During my time progress through medicine the more safe environment’. there I met a former volunteer who was thankful I am that I have other interests revisiting Kenya. Two years previously outside of the course!”

Editor: Sarah Hatch, School of Medicine, Heath Park, Cardiff, CF14 4XN The Editor wishes to thank all contributors to this edition of ReMEDy. The Editor reserves the right to edit contributions received. Whilst care is taken to ensure the accuracy of information, this cannot be guaranteed. Views expressed in ‘ReMEDy’ do not necessarily reflect those of the School. Feedback and items of interest relating to the School are welcome and should be sent to [email protected]

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12 REMEDY · EDITION 18 · JANUARY 2015