Naomi Fulton
Year: Second (At time of interview: January 2017)
Hometown: York
Education: BSc in Biological Science (Hons Infectious Diseases) and an MScR in Infectious Diseases, both from the University of Edinburgh.
Why did you choose Warwick?
I liked the idea of Warwick for many reasons, but I particularly liked the idea of being part of a large cohort. Being in a medical school with people from all different backgrounds and of all ages really appealed to me. I also liked the fact that there are many societies and sports teams to get involved in.
How are you finding the MB ChB so far?
So far, the MB ChB course has been challenging, but very enjoyable. First year was mainly about learning the scientific basis behind things to try and build up knowledge before entering the clinical environment, with a little bit of introduction to clinical life thrown in. Now we're in Phase 2 we're learning in hospitals and general practices full time, which definitely has its challenges, but it's really interesting to put into practice all of the stuff we learnt in Phase 1. It's a difficult transition from lecture based learning to learning in a clinical environment, but it's definitely much more hands on and much more exciting.
The course at Warwick is great for getting clinical experience very early on - within our first couple of months we were out seeing patients in the community, and attending weekly ward rounds by the second term. Even though it's quite lecture heavy in the first year, they still manage to get you out seeing patients!
Have you been involved in any activities outside of the course?
I've been involved in quite a few societies since coming to Warwick - it's a great way to meet people and to keep the work-life balance going. I'm currently on the MedSoc committee, and I run the medics' netball club. I've also been to quite a few events put on by the Surgical Society and Psychiatry Society. There's always something going on for you to get involved in! I've also been involved in teaching for the lower years, such as the Peer Support scheme and putting on a weekly seminar on any difficult topics that tend to come up.
Do you have any idea at this stage what you'd like to specialise in in the future?
I'm not sure what I want to do after my MB ChB - it's still quite early on in the course and I'm yet to experience a lot of the specialities that are out there. I'd always thought I wanted to be a GP, but who knows where I'll end up in a few years' time!
What advice would you give to people considering applying?
For anyone considering applying to Warwick I would say try and get lots of medical experience so you know what you're letting yourself in for! Don't get too bogged down with interview preparation and reading text books and things, just be open and honest in your interviews and try and nail the UKCAT! Good luck!