Eight recent Old Elizabethans returned to the School to conduct mock university interviews for Year 13 pupils interested in becoming Medics.
All eight attended QE from 2005–12, except Shivan Kotecha (2004–2011), and are currently studying Medicine.
Head of Year 13 Liam Hargadon, who organised the sessions, said: “We are most grateful to these old boys for giving up their own time to return here and help current pupils who aspire to follow in their footsteps.”
The mock interviews involved the boys discussing their opinions on particular scenarios. These scenarios, together with the alumni concerned, are listed below:
- Viraj Bhanshaly (University College London [UCL]
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Scenario: Are you a doctor? (professional attributes)
Tell us two personal qualities you have which would make you a good doctor, and two personal shortcomings which you think you would like to overcome as you become a doctor. What do you think you will be the positive aspects and the negative aspects of being a doctor? How will you handle these?
- Ben Coumbe (was at Cambridge, now studying at UCL)
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Scenario: Deterrent fees (knowledge of the health care system)
A proposal has been made for appointment fees (perhaps £10), which everyone who initiates a visit to a GP would have to pay at the first contact as a way to control health care costs. Hopefully, this will deter people from visiting their doctor for unnecessary reasons. Consider the broad implications of this policy for health and health care costs. For example, do you think the approach will save health care costs? At what expense?
- Akash Gandhi (Cambridge)
Scenario: Alternative medicine (ethics)
Should alternative or complementary medicine be funded by the NHS, and why? Should the NHS be involved in non-essential surgery?
- Ruhaid Khurram (Queen Mary University of London)
Scenario: Work experience (ethics/integrity/communication)
In your work experience, what skills have you learnt that you can apply to medicine? Reflect on what you have seen of hospitals or a health care environment. What would you most like to organise differently, and why?
- Shivan Kotecha (UCL)
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Scenario: Self-harm treatment? (ethics)
How do you think doctors should treat injury or illness due to self-harm, smoking or excess alcohol consumption?
- Raees Lunat (UCL)
Scenario: Dying boy (ethics/integrity/professionalism)
A 12-year old boy is diagnosed with a terminal illness (e.g. malignancy). He asked the doctor about his prognosis. His parents requested the doctor not to tell him the bad news. What should the doctor do in this situation?
- Akash Pattni (UCL)
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Scenario: ‘Med’ School friend (empathy/communication)
A close friend in your first-year medical school class tells you that his mother was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. He feels overwhelmed by his studies and is considering dropping out of medical school to spend more time with his mother. How do you counsel your friend?
- Neelan Umaskanth (UCL)
Scenario: Risky treatment (communication/empathy)
Your mother rings you and asks you to come round and help with a major family decision. Her 70-year-old father has been diagnosed with a condition that will kill him some time in the next five years. He can have a procedure that will correct the disease and not leave him with any long-term problems, but the procedure has a 10% mortality rate. He wants to have the procedure, but your mother is not in favour of it. How would you help mediate this issue?