The Capsule

Contents
What is WAMSS? - 3
Introductions - 4
Welcome to Perth - 6
Welcome to UWA - 10
Welcome to the MD - 18
More WAMSS/AMSA - 21
Interhealth and AMSA Global Health - 29
Other Clubs - 36
Handy Hints - 39
From the Editors
H
ey hey! Welcome to the 2016 Edition of The Capsule, the official first year guidebook of the Western
Australian Medical Students’ Society (WAMSS)! First and foremost you should give yourself a pat on
the back for making it this far! As you all eagerly await (dread?) the journey ahead of you, you are all
probably already asking the big questions. Well... those of you with a less abysmal sense of organisation
than myself (not hard) are. And no, we don’t mean asking what should we do when someone presents
with ST segment elevation on their ECG, we mean asking the REALLY important questions. What colour
stethoscope should I get? Is my outfit appropriate for the hospital? What the hell is WAMSS? Will I end up
becoming a crazy cat lady after medical school?
Hold up there, that’s what this book is for! Inside this book contains over 40 pages of answers to all those
big questions you have. For those who are new to UWA/WA, we’ve included some information to help you
get around, but if there’s anything we might have missed feel free to shoot us an email (below) or just ask
any of the lovely locals, they are always happy to help! We have tried to include all the basic information
about the course and about being a medical student in general, but also keep it shorter than your
average pre-reading for LEAPS!
Anyhow, we wish you the best of luck on your medical school journey, we know you will meet an incredible
bunch of people and have some of the best times of your life in the next 4 years! Be adventurous, push
yourself and go out of your comfort zone. But most importantly, have fun and savour every moment
because time flies and it’ll be over before you know it!
Sophia Connor, Bojana Surla & Brian Wong
Publications Officers 2016
Have any suggestions or questions?
Get in touch with us!
CLICK ON THE ICON
(you know you want to)
2
The Lowdown on Wamss
of the orientation period in the Foundations
course, so put your name down! There will be
1 male and 1 female representative elected.
WAMSS has a large number of subcommittees
which are open for application early in the
year, these will be outlined further on in this
book and all the details will be there if you are
interested!
Also, in September/October, WAMSS elects its
committee for 2017. If you feel like you would
like to take a bigger part in the WAMSS story,
we highly encourage you to put your name
down. The official committee job descriptions
are listed HERE.
Who?
The Western Australian Medical Students’
Society (WAMSS) [pronounced “woms”] is the
representative body for UWA medical students.
We’ve been around since 1946, and we are
even older than the Faculty of Medicine itself!
They’re also the people who helped us deliver
The Capsule to you!
Where?
If you have any questions or just want to follow
us on social media, click below! There’s more on
WAMSS later in this booklet so keep reading!
Also, check out the WAMSS student portal
HERE, which contains even more invaluable
information!
What?
WAMSS is the voice of the UWA medical student
body, it conducts regular meetings with the
Faculty of Medicine and all staff members in each
discipline. WAMSS has student representatives in
each year group who can listen to your ideas and
concerns. Whether it is chasing up that pathology
lecturer who didn’t show up (it happpens!) or
concerns about any matter related to student
welfare, your WAMSS year representatives are the
people you should talk to, and they can direct
you to the relevant people in WAMSS. WAMSS
is also responsible for organising a variety of
social, academic, and sporting events and these
include the annual Orientation camp to the
highly anticipated Gala Dinner.
How?
There are a vast amount of opportunities to get
involved with WAMSS, and we think that there
is something to suit everyone! The elections for
the First Year Representative happen at the end
3
Welcome to Country
O
TAMISHA
ur names are Tamisha King and
Heather Kessaris and we are the
WAMSS Indigenous Representatives
for 2016 and we would like to congratulate
and welcome you to the University of
Western Australia. Firstly, we respectfully
acknowledge the Wadjuk people from the
Nyoongar nation, who are the traditional
owners of the land on which we have the
privilege of studying.
Tamisha is a Karajarri woman from the
Kimberley and Heather is an Alawa and
Mara woman from the Northern Territory,
and we are both second year MD students.
Our role is to represent the Indigenous
medical students on the WAMSS committee,
and provide a point of contact for WAMSS
regarding Indigenous matters within the
course.
We are both honoured and excited to
be fulfilling this role and hope to promote
Indigenous health and provide a voice for
all Indigenous medical students. We look
forward to working with WAMSS and our
fellow medical students to encourage a
positive environment for all.
Warm wishes for the year ahead,
Tamisha and Heather
Indigenous Representatives
2016
Heather
Aloha! Address from president
H
ello and welcome to WAMSS! I can’t tell you
how excited I am to be welcoming a new and
enthusiastic bunch of First Years into the journey
that is Medicine at UWA. Sadly I have nearly come
to the end of my own student journey (though after 8
years it probably is time to start getting on with things)
but looking back I can say it’s been a wonderful
process, in no small part due to my involvement with
WAMSS.
For those who don’t know - and I was certainly one
of those people in my first year or so - WAMSS is
big. Really big. There are over 60 people on our
committee that volunteer their time and energy to
provide award-winning services for all UWA medical
students. Behind the scenes we also represent you
at a state and national level through our work
with the Australian Medical Students’ Association
(AMSA), and we advocate on your behalf to the
UWA Faculty, the State Government, the Australian
Medical Association and countless other groups.
Push yourself... You’ll
find there’s more to med
than just your lectures
OK Dan. Get to the good stuff.
Some highlights for you to keep an eye out for (in your
facebook group and the weekly WAMSS bulletin):
Social - A range of events to keep you entertained
and help de-stress after a hard week of medicine,
where you can let your hair down with your new
mates in September where all medical students come
together for a fantastic gala dinner (this year at a
really exciting venue...)
70th Anniversary - This year WAMSS turns 70
and we are celebrating in style, with a fantastic
cocktail evening on Saturday March 19th. A great
opportunity to learn about the history of WAMSS, as
well as to meet current and ex-students who have
been involved in the Society over the decades
Australian Medical Students’ Association - AMSA
National Convention, Global Health Conference
and National Leadership Development Seminar three flagship national events throughout the year
where you can be inspired, learn, party and make
lasting friendships with med students from around the
country
WAMSS Mental Health - Runs events throughout the
year and can direct you to any services to assist you
in a time of need or crisis.
Students in Health and Medical Research Conference
(SHMRC) - A top-quality evening showcasing the
exciting research achievements of students, as well as
providing valuable research networks for new players.
That’s enough for now I think. Remember your first port of
call for info is always your year reps - they can channel
you to the right information or person to speak to and
if you’re struggling, personally or financially, they are
professional, confidential and will assist to advocate
for you in any way you need.
This handbook, and the WAMSS website (www.wamss.
org.au) should answer any other questions you have for
now but if not, definitely be in touch! I’m always happy
to answer questions and would genuinely love to meet
as many of you as possible during your first year.
My parting advice? Push yourself. Push yourself to meet
someone new in your cohort every day. Push yourself
to a WAMSS event that you thought looked interesting
on Facebook. Push yourself to join that subcommittee
and learn a bit more about an area of medicine you
hadn’t considered. You’ll find there’s more to med than
just your lectures - I promise your journey will be all the
richer for it.
Good Luck!
Daniel Dorevitch
WAMSS President 2016
5
Our Little Perth...
Welcome to sunny, laid-back Perth! A great
place to learn medicine with an ample amount
of distraction if required. Whether you prefer to
spend your entire day shopping, eating, drinking,
trekking through bushland or sprawled on a
beach, Perth has got you covered. We have
made up a quick guide to help you make the
most of it.
Transport
Options for travel around this sprawling city
include bus, train, taxi, driving, cycling or your
legs.
Train & Bus
Transperth provides both of these services in
Perth. Though citizens never tire of complaining
about Transperth, it’s generally very reliable,
cost effective and services arrive often.
You can plan your journey HERE using or simply
clicking the bus icon on Google maps.
As a UWA student, you are eligible for a Tertiary
concession SmartRider (cheaper fares!!!!) which
can be bought from newsagents around Perth
(including the one next to Co-Op at UWA).
Log on to StudentConnect (HERE) and click the
SmartRider heading on the left. All your details
will be automatically forwarded to Transperth.
All you have to do with the SmartRider is to tag
on when you get on the bus and off when you
get off the bus. If you forget to tag off then you
are charged the maximum fare for that trip ($$$).
Taxis
Swan Taxi is the most popular Taxi service, and
can be contacted through 13 13 30.
Uber is a cheaper option and matches you with a
private, criminal record-free driver. Most people
use it with the smartphone app and you can
connect your PayPal or debit card so that you
never have to bring cash with you. UberX uses
people from the community, and while is cheaper,
it may also be less safe. Use with caution.
Cycling
Perth has decent cycle paths, particularly
around the Swan River. It is worth seeing
if you are able to cycle to UWA from your
accommodation and there are bike racks all
throughout the campus.
Shopping Areas
Most Perth stores are open 9 to 5 Monday
to Saturday, with reduced hours on Sunday
and public holidays. Late night shopping for
everywhere but the CBD is Thursday night
(9pm) and in the CBD is Friday (9pm).
Claremont Quarter
A more upmarket shopping area with free
undercover parking for 0-3 hours, with $5 per
hour for every hour thereafter.
CBD
Contains the largest amount of retail stores,
where King treet is known for high end brands
such as Chanel. Northbridge is particularly
known for food, drink, vintage clothes and
has an extensive choice of bars and pubs for
some late night partying.
Watertown Brand (Harbour Town)
Paid undercover parking where 0-3 hours will
cost you $5. This is Perth’s only outlet shopping
centre, though the prices aren’t amazing. It is
a short walk or free CAT bus from the CBD.
Fremantle, Subiaco & Leederville
Find a good range of indie stores at these
places, as well as some interesting places to
dine. In Leederville, Greens & Co is extremely
popular as it serves coffee and cakes from
6am to midnight every day.
Garden City, Karrinyup, Joondalup &
Innaloo Shopping Complexes
These are all large though their stores are
somewhat similar, so don’t go out of your
way to visit each individual complex.
6
Touristical Fun
aqwa
Looking to explore this new town? Or perhaps become
acquainted with your own home? Here our some of our
suggestions for tourist-y fun, so just click on the center of
the image for more information!
8
u dub of a
Welcome to the oldest and (arguably) most
beautiful university that Western Australia has to
offer! We have tried to include everything you
need to know about being a student here, but
feel free to nag resident UWAians if you are lost
or confused.
year and if you park here, you risk a fine. Ticket
parking also applies for the entire year. Note
that the vacation period is for regular courses,
so your first few weeks are still considered
vacation, and thus you won’t need a permit
until the 26th of Feb.
Parking
Best Campus Parking
If you’ve arrived at uni before 7:30 am, you
have kicked ass at life and can pretty much
park anywhere.
Students can park at the YELLOW student parking
areas around the campus as long as they have
a student parking permit. A student parking
permit costs $82.50 a semester or $165.00 for
a full year. However, eligibility depends on what
suburb you live in, and many are not covered.
Note that simply having a parking permit does
not guarantee you a parking space. The number
of parking permits given out greatly exceeds
the number of parking spaces available (see
parking map HERE).
Free Parking?!
There is limited ‘free’ parking around the campus,
consisting mostly of street parking that can stretch
from 1-3 hours depending on location. The ‘Pit’ is
another common parking place, located at the
bottom of UWA (near the Business School) along
the river. However, this is neither uni parking nor is
considered ‘legal’ so you may be fined.
The free parking period on campus only applies
for most YELLOW student permit areas during
vacation periods (NOT Education or Med/Dent).
RED staff permit areas are reserved throught the
Bus Routes to UWA
From
If you arrive at uni between 7:30 and 8:00,
the Medical/Dental (P37) is probably full.
You can still find parking at the engineering
carpark (P43) and the parking in front of the
ref (P4) but it is starting to fill up. Everywhere
else should still be easy to find parking in.
If you arrive at uni after 8:00, you’re pretty
confined to Business (P9), Zoology (P8), Gym
(P1), Broadway/ Fairway (P21 - can only enter
via Broadway), Education (P31).
If you arrive after 8:30, good luck. You can try
the Pit (park there at your own risk).
A car this size is preferable on campus.
Route Number
Time to UWA
Approx. Frequency
950, 23, 102, 107
10 minutes
Every 1-5 mintues during
peak times (5-15 minutes
otherwise)
102, 107
20 minutes
Every 15-30 minutes
24, 103
25 minutes
Every 20 minutes
97
20 minutes
Every 15 minutes
Claremont Train Station
24, 23, 107
10 minutes
Every 10 minutes
Fremantle Train Station
998, 103
30 minutes
Every 15 minutes
999
30 minutes
Every 15 minutes
Perth
Esplanade Bus Port
Wellington St Bus Port
East Perth
St Georges Terrace
Subiaco Train Station
Stirling Train Station
6
11
Campus Information
Non-Med Campus Info
We’ve included some information here on the rest
of UWA. Don’t worry, you don’t have to associate
with ‘the others’ if you don’t want to!
Dates
Be warned, you’ve picked the course with the
longest semester times at UWA. This means we
often operate outside of normal semester dates.
Refer to the table on the right for a comparison,
it may come in handy (note, dates may change
so use as a guide!).
Clubs
The majority of UWA students join the clubs/
societies they’re interested in at the Guild O-Day
Festival. Most clubs/societies will have their own
stall and you just have to approach them and
ask to join. Sometimes there is a small membership
fee ($2-$5) so bring cash!
A lot of the clubs will have Facebook pages/
their own website. If they don’t, feel free to send
an email.
Find a complete list HERE.
Security
UWA has 24/7 security that can help you if you
ever feel unsafe on campus. Feel free to call
even if you just want to be escorted to your car/
college after hours! They will even escort you to
your accommodation if you live near UWA. They
can also book a taxi for you, free of charge.
If for some reason you can’t call security, there
are Help Points all over campus. These light up at
night. You can press the button and talk directly
to security staff.
Contact number: 6488 3020 (allow half an hour
for a response)
Contact number in emergencies: 6488 2222
Event
Open Day
Semester 1
Begins
O-Day Festival
Good Friday
(Uni Holiday)
Easter Monday
(Uni Holiday)
Semester 1
Non-Teaching
Study Break
Semester 1 PreExam
Study Break
Semester 1
Exams
Mid-Semester
Break
Semester 2
Begins
Semester 2
Non-Teaching
Study Break
Semester 2
Pre-Exam Study
Break
Semester 2
Exams
End of Year
Break
MD First
Year
Other
Courses
14 August
1 Feb
29 Feb
26 Feb
25 Mar
28 Mar
18 - 22 Apr
13 - 17
June
6 - 10 June
20 - 24
June
11 - 25 June
25 June 10 July
27 June - 31
July
11 July
1 August
26 - 30 Sept
28 Nov - 2
Dec
7 - 11 Nov
5 - 9 Dec
12 - 26 Nov
10 Dec
27 Nov
Post-Graduate Rooms
As post-grads, we have access to these
(located in Reid library and Barry J Marshall
Library respectively). You must present your
student card to a library staff member (usually
found on the ground floor) and tell them you
would like access to the post-graduate rooms.
They will take your student number and return
your card to you straight away.
It may take a few days for you to be
granted access.
12
UWA GUILD
Who?
The Guild of Undergraduates was established
in Section 28 of the University of Western
Australia Act (1911). After 1913, the Guild was
(and still is) led by students and is the student
representative body of UWA. The 2016 Guild
President is Maddie Mulholland.
What?
The Guild’s most important function is to
represent students to the University and the
wider community. Student representatives sit on
almost all university committees, from the Faculty
Society Reps who sit on Faculty Boards to the
students who sit on the University’s Senate. The
Guild has a strong relationship with the University
and this maintains the great student experience
UWA is renowned for.
Where?
The Guild Village at UWA is the hub of the guild,
and is also where you will find all the student
support services such as Westpac Bank, UniPrint,
STA Travel and more! If you would like to get in
touch with the Guild or find out more about their
work, click below!
13
UWA Libraries
This is the former Science Library where
you wil find the majority of medical
students (since it is so close to our
classes). It is newly renovated with
many large study rooms and a postgraduate room on the third floor.
Talking is allowed on the Ground Floor
collaboration area and in the Science
Cafe which has microwaves.
Opening Hours
Monday to Thursday
8am - 10pm
The Law library is close to the Social
Science Lecture Theatre and also the
Guild, but it can be a little intimidating
if you are not a law student.
Opening Hours
Monday to Thursday
8am - 10pm
Friday
8am - 5pm (10pm in exam
periods)
Saturday & Sunday
9am - 5pm
Friday
8am - 5pm (10pm in exam
periods)
Saturday & Sunday
9am - 5pm
Reid is the main library on campus,
housing many different hidey holes
for long hours of study. It has a
collaboration area for talking on
the bottom floor, small study rooms
and a spacious postgraduate room
with natural lighting. The Reid Cafe is
downstairs with microwaves available
(there is a special Halal one too).
Opening Hours
Monday to Thursday
7am - 2am
This library is located at the Queen
Elizabeth II Medical Center, near the FJ
Clark lecture therate. It is the only one
available at Charlies Hospital, however
it can be difficult to find parking here.
There is a collaboration room on the
ground floor, limited study rooms but
ample quiet study space.
Opening Hours
Monday to Thursday
8am - 10pm
The Music library, though seldom used
by med students is a hidden gem. Small,
with few bookable rooms, it makes up
for its’ size by being nestled in the
forest next to the Somerville Auditorium,
and surrounded by the serenades of
talented music students. Well worth a
visit if you happen to be in the area...
Opening Hours
Monday to Thursday
8am - 8:30pm
Friday
7am - 2am (24/7 in exam
periods)
Saturday & Sunday
8am - 2am
Friday
8am - 5pm (10pm in exam
periods)
Saturday & Sunday
9am - 5pm
Friday
8am - 5pm
Sunday (not Sat!)
1pm - 5pm
11
What? more Information?!
Fitness
Counselling
Student counselling is available at Student
Services on the UWA main campus. They are
very good people to talk to if you need
UWA Fitness and Rec Center
The UWA gym membership is available to all
students for $675 annually, or $30 per fortnight.
The gym offers the use of equipment, numerous
classes, personal training as well as court hire.
Find more info HERE.
1. Acute or ongoing support and counsel. The
counsellor’s office at student services are
professional counsellors and are trained to
assist students studying stressful degrees.
Medicine is a very stressful course, so it is
extremely important to take some time out for
exercise (especially if it’s FREE exercise!).
Free Yoga & Pilates
The UWA Student Guild Welfare Department
holds weekly (free!) yoga and pilates sessions
on Oak Lawn, though you need to bring your
own matt/towel.
Yoga is 4-5pm on Wednesdays, and Pilates is
4-5pm on Thursdays.
Free Jogging Group & Breakfast
The UWA Student Guild Welfare and Women’s
Department holds a weekly (free!) jogging group
where any fittness level is welcome.
Meet at 7:30am on Oak Lawn every Monday,
followed by a free breakfast at the Ref Courtyard
at 8:30am.
University Contacts
2. Assistance justifying your application for a
deferred exam and/or special consideration.
Appointments can be made by phone or
by visiting the Counselling services building.
Alternatively, two counsellors have been
specifically assigned to helping students
in the Faculty of Medicine. One counsellor
attends the QEII Faculty office each week and
provide sessions that may be more convenient
to clinical year students.
Tel: 6488 2423
Student Support Coordinator
The Student Support Coordinator, Ms Sue
Pougnault, provides mentoring and support
for rural, interstate and international
undergraduate and graduate entry students.
Tel: 6488 4851
University Medical Centre
If you need to see a GP, you can make an
appointment to see one at the UWA medical
centre. The GPs at UWA offer bulk billing and
appointments can usually be made within a
couple of days (although international students
may need to pay a small fee depending on their
health insurer).
UniAccess
If you have a disability (temporary e.g. injury
or permanent) or medical/mental health
condition that may affect your ability to
partake in your studies, the UniAccess service
can assist you.
Tel: 6488 2118
UWA Housing & Financial Aid Services
A free and confidential service for students
enrolled at UWA. Help students who are
looking for finance to meet education-related
expenses or for emergencies and
unforeseen circumstances.
Bookings HERE or via the Appointuit App
(available on both Android and Apple)
The AMA(WA) has compiled a list of youthfriendly doctors; they are doctors who have had
special youth-friendly medical training and they
will often bulk bill.
15
OMG STOP PLS
Doctors’ Health Advisory Service
This totally confidential 24-hour service is
available to all Doctors and Medical Students.
It can be contacted by the person themselves,
or by a concerned
family member, friend,
colleague or staff member. Callers do not need
to identify themselves. It consists of a group
of experienced male and female GPs, and is
independent, reporting back to no other medical
organisation. Problems dealt with include stress,
depression,suicidal thoughts, substance abuse,
grief or concerns about illness. Advice can also
be sought about handling a colleague who is
impaired.
The Doctors’ main function is to go through the
options with callers when they are faced with
a dilemma, or to advise the caller on the most
appropriate referral services.
Tel: 9321 3098
UWA Chaplain & Spiritual Services
The University is committed to supporting
students and staff with diverse cultural, religious
and non-religious backgrounds and promotes
interfaith conversation and collaboration
wherever possible.
UWA Student Guild Women’s Department
Women are systematically disadvantaged in
the broader community and at University. On
average, it will take women three times longer
than men to pay off their HECS DEBT. 67% of
women have had unwanted sexual advances
during their time at University while 76% of
women feel unsafe on campus at night.
Think this needs to be changed and
challenged? Get involved with your Women’s
collective.
Laura Mwiragua
Women’s Officer
Queer Department
The Queer Department (QD) provides support,
advice and fun for students of diverse sexuality
and gender at UWA. QD provides support by
organising regular social events such as movie
nights, discussion groups and Pride Week,
and also represents these students at Guild
Council to the University and wider community.
The QD is part of the Cross-Campus Queer
Network which also advocates and hosts
events that bring together students from
multiple campuses.
All students are welcome, queer or straight, but
not narrow minded! If you’re keen to meet some
cool people and just want to chill out, pop up
to the QD headquarters on the second floor
of the guild hall.
Fraser Windsor & Reece Gherardi
Queer Officers
Drinkeries In & Around Campus
The only on campus drinkery where ID is
required. Find the menu here.
(Note, hours are in-semester only)
M-Th: 11am-6pm, F: 11am-7pm
Commonly used by students as it is
located within the Broadway Fair
shopping complex. Find the menu here.
M-Sat: 11am-12am, Sun: 11am-10pm
A more upmarket pub located at 156
Hampden Rd. Find the menu here.
M-Sat: 11:30am-Late, Sun: 11:30am-4pm
Eateries on & off campus
Hampden Road, which becomes Broadway, has many
eateries for you to sample. We have colour coded them
depending on whether they serve cafe food (yellow), more
substantial meals (orange) or are speciality venues (pink).
Broadway Fair Shopping Centre is that big red dot, filled
with many different food types.
Cafes
We recommend you try Santi’s or Boubar for breakfast
type meals, the food is usually quite good although the
menus do not vary often. Coffee is best had from Felix &
Co or the Tenth State, especially since both places are
between Charlies and UWA campus (you will spend much
time walking between the two).
Substantial Food
Chilliz serves extremely cheap Chinese food though service
can be a little slow around lunchtime. Burgermeister is also
an interesting pick for sausages and burgers, but both
Jesters and Wok & Roll are what you’d normally expect
from such places.
Broadway Fair Shopping Center
Contains the following eateries:
• Varsity Bar
• IGA
• Tommy Sugo
• Ararat Turkish Takeaway
• Malaysian Gourmet
• Nagano Sushi Bento
• BubbleTea
• Chapter 88 (Italian food)
Chilliz
There is also Australia Post, a newsagency, pharmacy, hair
studio, butcher and bottleshop here.
On Campus
There are a few places in which one can find sustenance
right on our own doorstep. We often have food trucks
situated on Oak Lawn as well (11am-2pm), and a
microwave, kettle and fridge are available in the Med
Common Room (near Curnow).
Campus eateries:
• Hackett, Reid, Guild, Science & Nedlands Cafe
• The Refractory
• RocketFuel
• Subway
• Boost Juice
17
Welcome to MD!
So onto the serious business! You’ve survived the crash course on Perth and UWA, you’re almost
there! Now onto the reason you guys are all here...
Course Structure
YOU ARE HERE
Foundations
This is your first foray into medical school, it covers the fundamental
1399 DAYS, LOTS OF
science knowledge that you will need for the following years. Generally,
EXAMS AND EVEN MORE
the knowledge here is set at a final year undergraduate level. There is
SLEEPLESS NIGHTS LATER
plenty of lab work and some case studies done in this unit. There is a large
volume of lectures so we recommend you stay on top of the lectures! Most people who have a
science background will be familiar with some parts of the content taught this semester, so if you
are one of those people, go and help someone who might not have the same background as
you! This unit is predominantly pathology/microbiology/biochemistry weighted. There is also some
introduction to history taking, and you will get the chance to go on three one-day placements
to hospitals/clinics (clinical clothing is required here).
Systems 1/2
These two units build on the knowledge covered in Foundations, but the unit is structured into the
main body systems. Each block lasts from 3-6 weeks and will teach all the anatomy/physiology/
infectious diseases/pathology/pharmacology of that particular system. There are more case
studies undertaken in these units and there is more emphasis on not just what the diseases are
and the causes, but also treatments and preventions. Clinical skills teaching begins in Systems 1,
and you will undertake your first clinical exam! These are 24 minutes long, and involve a 10 minute
history taking session and a 10 minute physical examination session with two 2 minute reading
times. There is also a focus on medical research with some research skills/critical analysis taught
in this units.
18
Scholarly Activity
This is introduced in Semester 2 of first year but does not formally commence until Semester 2 of
second year. This is an activity that carries through until fourth year and there are three streams:
Research - undertake some sort of research and submit a thesis. The topic can be chosen from
a list or you can come up with your own research project.
Service Learning - sort of a mix between working and research. Usually you will volunteer for an
advocacy organisation and you might get the chance to do some research for that organisation.
Coursework - complete a set of units in either Public Health or Health Professions Education.
Integrated/Rural Medical Practice 1/2/3
These are your medical rotations, you will spend most of your time at hospitals/clinics and be
working alongside other doctors. Examination is by an Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE)
which is a clinical exam consisting of multiple stations. Students can apply to join the Rural
Clinical School at the beginning of second year, and if successful in their application, can spend
all of third year in a rural setting. Preferences can be submitted for where you want to go and
selection is very competitive!
Preparation for Internship
Preparation for internship is a 4 week term in final year where students will be attached to an
intern to prepare them for commencing their internship the following year. Students will shadow the
intern and learn/perform duties that will be expected of them during their own internship.
Relevant Contacts
Helena Iredell
6488 1274
Roland Kaiser
6488 8045
Student Affairs
6488 8500
Medical and Dental Library
9346 7570
Year Representatives
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Meet the WAMSS Executive!
Daniel Dorevitch [Dodo]
President
MBBS 6th Year
Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I did two years of Economics/Arts before changing
my mind and getting into medicine...
What do you do in WAMSS? President - So basically nothing.
What are some of the most important issues facing medical students today? I’ve just
picked a few:
-Trying to maintain a study/life balance outside of university.
-Protecting your mental health when we as a group have one of the highest rates of
depression in the country.
-Securing internships after graduating when the state and federal funding of these
positions is not expanding to meet the growing student numbers.
-Decreasing quality of clinical placements as the mismatch between hospital-based teaching staff and student
numbers grows...
But don’t worry guys. Med is still good I promise - also WAMSS is involved in assisting and advocating on your
behalf for all of these things!
Any advice for the first years? Go up to random people early on in the year and introduce yourself - I promise
you it won’t be awkward - the more people you know in your cohort the more fun you’ll have during med, and the
better network of friends and colleagues you’ll have after you graduate!
Biggest fear? Snakes. I. Do. Not. Like. Snakes.
Emily Alfonsi [Fonz]
Vice President Internal
MBBS 6th Year
Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I wear a children’s size 2 in footwear.
What do you do in WAMSS? As Vice President Internal, I am the chair of the WAMSS
Committee and the chair of the Education portfolio. In conjunction with the other education
portfolio members, I advocate for the best quality medical education for all UWA medical
students. We work with the UWA FMDHS to ensure standardised assessment, adequate
assessment feedback, give student feedback on current teaching and learning, and give
input into the planning and implementation of the UWA medical program by sitting on
various Faculty Education committees.
What was your favourite memory of medical school? Delivering my first baby (her name
was Annie) on my birthday in 2015.
What specialty would you like to pursue? Paediatrics, or Obstetrics/Gynaecology.
If you could have one super power what would it be? Being able to conjure ice cream out of
thin air directly into my mouth.
21
Julian Chung [Chungy]
Vice President External
MBBS 6th Year
What do you do in WAMSS? As Vice President External, I’m responsible for coordinating
WAMSS’ sponsorship and ensuring WAMSS maintains a professional, marketable image. This
usually comes down to copious emails, coffee shop meetings and approving posters and
Facebook events. Come and say hi if you’d like to know which amazing businesses are
responsible for funding UWA’s best fac-soc (we get the award every year) and I’m always
interested in ideas for new potential sponsors!
What are some of the most important issues facing medical students today? Recognising
and learning to practice the art of medicine. In such a condensed course, remembering the
things you need to pass exams takes priority, however, the experience of medicine continues
to evolve for medical students and I hope that there’s still enough time dedicated to the little
things that will eventually differentiate each one of us as doctors.
What is your favourite memory of medical school? 8 Player Age of Empires in pharmacology
lectures.
Dream holiday destination? Townsville.
If you could have one super power what would it be? Flying, obviously.
Alex Shivarev [Shiv]
Treasurer
MD 3rd Year
Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I’ve had Macca’s in every country I’ve been to.
What do you do in WAMSS? I’m the Treasurer which means I look after all the moolah business
($$$$) of WAMSS including planning the finances for the year, reimbursements, budgeting,
paying invoices, ATO related business and such. I’m also the liaison for a few roles and try
and do my bit to help out here and there. It’s definitely all the committee members that really
brings WAMSS to life!
What was your favourite memory of medical school? Finding out I passed.
Any advice for first years? Don’t stress - there is an overwhelming amount of work but you
will get through it all and you will do great! Don’t sacrifice what you enjoy and love doing
for medicine; you might really enjoy med but it shouldn’t consume your life.
Biggest fear? Diabetes.
22
Rhiannon Hicks [Rhi]
Secretary
MD 3rd Year
Tell us a fun fact about yourself: My favourite food is corn thins with cream cheese
and sultanas.
What do you do in WAMSS? As Secretary I do a lot of the ‘behind the scenes’ work,
I am in charge of organisation and communication between med students, WAMSS
and the outside world. Let me know if you have anything you want others to hear
about, put in the weekly bulletin or placed on the website. If you have any questions
about WAMSS, general enquiries or just don’t quite know exactly who you are meant
to be contacting then I’m the best person to ask.
Any advice for the first years? 1. Get a haircut now, you won’t have time once you
start! 2. Create memories - don’t let studying med become an excuse for not doing
things. It’s time consuming but don’t give up the rest of your life for it, you will burn out.
Dream holiday destination? Anywhere and everywhere!
Biggest fear? Dementia - I imagine it is constantly like having that feeling when you walk into a room and
can’t remember why you’re there. That or being mauled alive by a bear (I recently watched The Revenant).
23
More Things to Do!
Sport
Red Party
About
For the more athletically gifted out there,
don’t fret! WAMSS has got you covered with a
tantalising selection of sports events that will
pit you against the very finest of sportsmen/
sportswomen. From interyear sports competitions
to the hotly contested annual UWA vs Notre
Dame football match, there is something for
everyone!
About
Red Party is a charity organisation led by
medical students at the University of Western
Australia that raises money and awareness
for HIV/AIDS. Our vision is to raise the general
awareness of HIV/AIDS in the student population
in Perth and to fundraise for a region highly
affected by the disease. The concept of the
Red Party is simple: a great party with a ‘red’
theme, recognising the international colour of
AIDS. It’s going to be massive this year, so keep
your eyes peeled!
Also, come down on the 19th of March to
support the Sports Representatives as they
tackle the Port to Pub swim from Leighton Beach
to Rottnest Island!
Contact
Contact
Lookout
About
Lookout! Lookout is WAMSS’ charity arm,
organising events throughout the the year
to raise money and awareness for a chosen Allied Health Party
charity. This year WAMSS, and you, will be
supporting One Disease, an Australian nonAbout
profit organisation which has a targeted focus,
Allied Health is the largest student party in
aiming to eliminate preventable diseases in
Australia, and brings together students from
Indigenous communities.
various health professions and their social
networks. Allied Health is the only event that
We also work alongside other organisations to
unites WA’s four top Universities,helping to forge
provide opportunities for you to get involved
bonds between the next generation of health
in volunteering in the local community and
professionals.The event attracts a massive
experiencing another perspective of healthcare
number of students yearly from various Allied
in Western Australia.
Health faculties such as medicine, nursing,
dentistry, health sciences, physiotherapy,
Look out for our events in the WAMSS Weekly
occupational therapy, pharmacy and more…
Bulletin!
Contact
Contact
24
AMSA
Global, Rural & Indigenous Health: AMSA
advocates strongly on global, rural and
The Australian Medical Students’ Association Indigenous issues, and maintains strong
(AMSA) is the peak representative body for relationships with affiliate organisations with
Australian medical students. The key mandate of similar aims.
the Association is to connect, inform and represent
every one of Australia’s 17,000 medical students.
How?
So in a way, AMSA is sort of the bigger brother
All of AMSA’s events are on their website, and
to WAMSS!
they are usually extremely popular, with the
highlights being the National Convention and
Global Health Conference.
What?
The activities of AMSA are all based around
our key objectives of connecting, informing and If you are thinking of joining AMSA in a
committee or subcommittee role, check out
representing Australian medical students:
vacant positions HERE. Also, WAMSS elects two
Advocacy: AMSA provides a voice for medical AMSA representatives every year, so if you
students, ensuring their concerns are heard by would like to get involved with AMSA, but still
all levels of government and other relevant stay in the scope of WAMSS then that’s perfect
for you!
stakeholders in the medical education arena.
Who?
Students: AMSA provides a wide range of
Where?
benefits to prospective, current and graduating
To get in touch with AMSA, click any of the
medical students. The Association also actively
icons below!
engages with medical students through local
AMSA Subcommittees.
Events: AMSA holds many national events each
year, connecting Australian medical students
and providing educational and leadership
opportunities. Some key events include the National
Convention, Global Health Conference, National
Leadership Development Seminar, National Rural
Leadership Development Workshop, Training New
Trainers and Think Global Workshop.
While most of the above options require travel,
don’t stress if the budget is tight! We are hosting
some local events, such as the Leadership
Development Workshop on May 1st, as well as a
series of three Think Tanks that will precede the
National Councils throughout the year, a great
way to contribute to national policy building!
Alternatively, if you would like to get in touch
with the AMSA reps from WAMSS, here are their
contacts!
Merredith Cully (AMSA Representative)
Tihana Milic (AMSA Junior Representative)
27
InterHealth
Who?
Interhealth is the global health arm of WAMSS,
and its aim is to educate, inspire, and empower
students towards practical solutions to the
inequalities in health which plague the world we
live in. Interhealth was born in 2005 after the
Developing World Conference in Sydney, and has
gone from strength to strength in the last 11 years.
What?
Interhealth runs a series of projects, all of which are
detailed in the following pages! From environmental
awareness to maternal health, Interhealth offers a
breadth of ways to engage with global health
issues. Interhealth itself also runs some events,
and these include the highly anticipated Global
Health Short Course. This year, the GHSC will run
over 3 days packed with inspiring guest speakers,
exciting games and engaging seminars which will
be sure to ignite your passion for global health!
How?
Getting involved in events is easy, with most of
them free and only requiring an online signup
via Facebook. For those who want to get
more involved in the projects Interhealth offers,
subcommittee applications open in the first few
weeks of semester and committee applications
open in October.
Also, Interhealth also elects two AMSA Global
Health Representatives every year!
The list of committee positions can be found HERE
Where?
If you want to get in touch with Interhealth, click
below!
29
Interhealth Projects
Code Green
About
The Code Green campaign began through a
partnership between Australian Medical Student
Association (AMSA) Think Tank and Doctors for the
Environment Australia (DEA). Code Green aims to
provide a platform from which medical students and
doctors can educate, engage and inspire colleagues
and the wider community to act now to prevent
the worst health consequences of climate change.
In acting through Code Green, Australian medical
students and doctors join an international community
of health leaders taking action on climate change.
There are four key components of the campaign:
Education, Health Systems, National Advocacy and
International Advocacy.
Contact
Crossing Borders For Health
About
Crossing Borders for Health (CB4H) is an international
network of students passionate about removing
barriers to the wellbeing of refugees and asylum
seekers. CB4H has three major arms of action;
advocacy, education, and direct assistance. Some
of the CB4H activities include fundraising, education
and awareness evenings, continuing participation
in the soccer program at the Perth Immigration
and Detention Centre and running health-related
workshops with our partner organisation, the Fremantle
Multicultural Centre.
Contact
30
Global Health Short Course
About
Global Health Short Course is the place to learn
about global health topics in a clear, interactive and
empowering manner. We gladly invite all persons who
are curious, or already passionate about the field.
During our seminars we will showcase the depth and
breadth that exists within global health. It is important
to know that these issues are solvable. This year, the
course will be run over 3 days in June.
Get Involved!
Simply attend the course! Or if that’s not enough
to satisfy your global health appetite, join a
subcommittee! Keep an eye out for applications
opening soon.
Contact
Institute for Indian Mother & Child
About
IIMC is a non profit, non government organisation
based in West Bengal, India. Being a developmental
project, rather than a charity, IIMC aims to provide
people with skills and services so that they escape
the cycle of poverty. The project works in the huge
districts south of Kolkata, stretching from the south
end of the city out to the Bay of Bengal.
Volunteer
Every year, IIMC takes on volunteers for a period
of 4-5 weeks over December, January, or February.
Volunteers will get the chance to work in rural outreach
clinics doing procedures such as vaccinations and
wound dressing. Your Interhealth representatives will
let you know when applications open so keep your
eyes peeled!
Contact
31
Local and International Needs
Contribution Scheme
About
The LINCS initiative aims to improve the standard of
healthcare in poorly resourced hospitals in majority
world nations and low resource settings. This is
achieved by raising funds and procuring donations
of medical supplies/equipment that are unused,
reusable or are in surplus, from donors in Australia
that will benefit disadvantaged communities. The
medical supplies are then either transported rurally
or overseas to developing countries/communities by
students who are heading there on their electives
or exchanges.
Contact
Teddy Bear Hospital
About
Teddy Bear Hospital is an exciting project that has
been running since 2008. It promises to continue
involving UWA medical students, and those interested
in studying medicine, in the community and aims to
extend to rural centres and to more disadvantaged
children.
The program holds three main aims:
•To help alleviate young children’s (3-7 years)
anxiety toward doctors.
•To promote healthy lifestyle messages.
•To enhance medical students’ communication and
understanding of young children.
These are achieved through role-play, whereby a
visit to the doctor is simulated; a child brings their
sick teddy to the volunteer who plays the role of the
teddy doctor.
Contact
32
ZONTA
About
The aim of ZONTA Birthing Kits is to reduce maternal
and infant mortality, injury and infection. To do this, we
fundraise to purchase supplies for and assemble basic
birthing kits, which include soap and gloves, and send
them to areas of need in developing countries. We also
aim to educate students about the state of maternal
and infant health globally.
Contact
Avant Student Membership and Indemnity Insurance
Free Avant Travel Insurance*
When you join the Medical Defence Organisation
more doctors choose.
Your free Avant Student Membership Package also includes:
Free Student Indemnity Insurance Policy
Student risk education tools and resources via Avant Risk IQ
Exclusive Student Placement Program
Access to medico-legal advice 24/7 in emergencies
Tailored Student e-bulletins and online resources
Alexandra Brown
Avant member
mutual group
Your Advantage
Join Avant today
1800 128 268
avant.org.au
IMPORTANT: Professional indemnity insurance products are issued by Avant Insurance Limited, ABN 82 003 707 471, AFSL 238 765. The information provided here is general advice only.
You should consider the appropriateness of the advice having regard to your own objectives, financial situation and needs before deciding to purchase or continuing to hold a policy with
us. For full details including the terms, conditions, and exclusions that apply, please read and consider the policy wording and PDS, which is available at avant.org.au or by contacting us on
1800 128 268. *Avant Travel Insurance Cover is available under a Group Policy between Accident & Health International Underwriting Pty Limited ABN 26 053 335 952 and Avant Mutual
Group Limited ABN 58 123 154 898. The issuers are CGU Insurance Limited ABN 27 004 478 371 and AIA Australia Limited ABN 79 004 837 861. Travel insurance is subject to registration with
Avant prior to each trip. An excess of $250 dollars will apply to each and every claim under all sections of the policy. For full details including the restrictions, terms, conditions and exclusions
that apply, please read and consider the PDS, and Avant’s Terms and Conditions of Travel Insurance Cover available at avant.org.au or by contacting us on 1800 128 268.
3239-02/15(0206)
Global Health @ AMSA
About
AMSA Global Health is the largest committee of
AMSA and is the peak representative body for
the global health interests of medical students
in Australia. It has two primary components; a
national Management Team and AMSA Global
Health Council.
for students to expand their global health
knowledge and skills. These include the engaging
AMSA Global Academy and AMSA Pre-Departure
Training online courses.
Advocacy and Representation
AMSA Global Health is a voice for students’ global
health interests nationally and internationally.
What’s in it for you?
AMSA
Global
Health
coordinates
the
AMSA Global Health exists to serve the interests development and review of global health policy
of Australia’s Global Health Groups. At present, and also organises delegations to international
this is done mainly through:
meetings, such as the general assemblies of the
International Federation of Medical Students
National Projects and Campaigns
Association.
There are projects for three main important
issues: Asylum Seeker and Refugee Health, Contact
Climate Change and Health, and Sexual If you’d like to find out more, click below!
Health and HIV/AIDS. In 2016, AMSA Global
Health will be developing a new initiative on
non-communicable diseases.
Or if you would like to contact Interhealth’s
Collaborations and Connections
AMSA Global Health reps, here you go:
AMSA Global Health facilitates connections
between different universities’ Global Health Claudia Sampson & Tammy McKeith
Groups through council meetings, projects pool
and alumni networks.
Education and Training
AMSA Global Health provides opportunites
34
NEW SURPRISES
NEW ANGLES
NEW GHC
NEWCASTLE2O16
begin your adventure
at newghc.com.au
Other Clubs
UWA Surgical Society
About
The University of Western Australia Surgical
Society (UWASS) is a student run not-for-profit
organisation open to all medical students
currently enrolled at the University of Western
Australia with an interest in surgery. It conducts
a variety of surgery-related events throughout
the year, including monthly lecture series, skill
workshops, clinical observation opportunities
and career development nights. Its aim is to
provide students with mentoring opportunities,
surgical research projects and elective options.
Membership - $5
Contact
WASSIST
About
The Western Australian Society for Students
Interested in Specialist Training (WASSIST) is a
not-for-profit organisation aimed at supporting
medical students interested in specialising as
Physicians, in fields such as Cardiology, Oncology,
Dermatology and Neurology. Its aim is to provide
extracurricular educational opportunities such
as workshops, networking events and interactive
online material as well as allow students to
interact closely with medical experts in their
fields of interest.
Membership - FREE
Contact
36
General Practice Students
Network
About
The General Practice Students Network (GPSN)
is run by students interested in general practice
as a specialty, for students with the same interest.
It offers programs focused on exposing medical
students to the inspiring diversity of a career in
general practice. Activities include fun clinical skill
sessions, social events, seminars and conferences,
peer support and networking opportunities.
Membership - FREE
Contact
SPiNRPHEX
About
SPiNRPHEX is a student run organisation for
anyone studying Medicine, Dentistry or Nursing
at any Western Australian University. Its aim is
to facilitate interest in rural practice through
providing numerous free educational events
throughout the academic year, offering several
scholarships to assist with rural placements as well
as providing a fun and relaxed environment for
networking with colleagues from other disciplines
and other universities.
Membership - FREE
Contact
37
Other Clubs
Dr YES
About
Dr YES (Youth Education Sessions) is a program
run by the Australian Medical Association (AMA)
where medical students go out to metropolitan
and rural high schools to have open and
engaging communications about the big issues
facing youth health; particularly alcohol and
drugs, mental health and sexual health. Its aim is
to help break down barriers preventing people
from accessing health care and to overcome
some of the common misconceptions about
doctors.
Membership - FREE
Contact
Western Australian
Students’ Orchestra
Medical
About
And for those who are musically inclined, there’s
the WAMSO! The orchestra performs in a variety
of charity concerts which culminate in the final
charity concert late in the year. There is also a
performing choir which specialises in acapella.
Weekly rehearsals held at UWA will keep your
musical talents sharp. No auditions are required,
all students from all levels are welcome!
Contact
38
Handy Hints!
If we have done a good job of writing this
booklet, you guys should all be pretty familiar
with UWA and Perth by now! Here’s a small (not
really that small) list of things we wish we knew
about when we started medicine, it would have
saved us a lot of headache, and we hope it
helps you too!
purchase a hard copy. With that said, for some
areas (e.g. Anatomy, Clinical Skills, Pathology), it
can be nice to have a hard copy of the book to
look at while studying/practicing. If the budget
is tight, purchasing a second hand copy is
recommended, even if it’s a previous edition. The
content is still for the most part, identical.
Coursework Advice
All the recommended textbooks are fantastic for
the course and hard copies can be found in the
Med/Dent Library (get in quick!). Our favourite
texbooks include:
Lecture Recordings
Lecture recordings can be found on the LCS
(Lecture Capture System) and are usually
available the following day after a lecture.
Contact your unit coordinator or Year
Representative if they fail to upload! Seminars
are usually not recorded but are assessed so
make sure to attend!
UWA have tried (not too hard fortunately) to
stop downloading of lectures, but we have
found the solution! Looking at the URL of your
lecture you should see something like this:
https://xx.uwa.edu.au/xxxxxxx?ec=true
Simply replace the ?ec=true with /media.m4v
and you can download your lecture! It should
look like this:
https://xx.uwa.edu.au/xxxxxxx/media.m4v
Past Notes
In medicine, everyone helps everyone. After every
exam, each cohort tries to write down as many
questions as they can remember so that future
years know what to expect from assessments. This,
along with other helpful notes, can be found on
a Dropbox that your Year Representative can
pass on to you. WAMSS also has an archive of
past Student Notes available HERE.
Password - wamsspassword
Textbooks
The general consensus regarding textbooks from
the older students is to hold off getting them
until semester starts. All the recommended texts
can be found online (read: torrent) so there
is really not much of a need to go out and
Robbins’ Basic Pathology (8th Ed.)
Moore’s Clinically Orientated Anatomy (7th
Ed.)
Talley & O’Connor’s Clinical Examination (7th
Ed.)
We also recommend pocket guidebooks,
especially as you move towards your clinical
years, as they have are a succinct way to top
up on your knowledge on ward rounds. However,
they are still helpful to have in your first year,
especially for Case Enhanced Learning (CEL)
classes. The most recommended ones are:
Oxford Handbook of Clincal Medicine (9th
Ed.)
Kumar and Clark’s Clinical Medicine (8th Ed.)
STETHOSCOPES
All capitals because it is the hottest topic for
every first year medical student. The (in)famous
“S word”. Stethoscopes aren’t required in first
semester teaching (sorry!) but are an essential in
second semester clinical skills teaching.
The 2015 First Year Representatives organised
a bulk purchase of stethoscopes which were
cheaper than buying it yourself, and also offered
an engraving and we will look to do this again
this year. The downside was that the colour choice
was somewhat limited but we think you should
wait until the bulk order is announced and see
the colour choice, and if you fancy a different
colour then feel free to purchase it online
yourself. Both the stethoscope models
offered in the bulk purchase are the
same models that we would recommend
39
you purchase, and they are:
3M Littmann Classic II
3M Littmann Cardiology III
Exams
While the in-semester exams only examine material
that was covered in the preceding block, the
final exam will examine all material, so do try
and occasionally brush up on your learning at
the start of the semester as the weeks roll on, it’ll
make studying for the final much easier.
The visual aided exam, as the name suggests,
will contain a visual aid of some sort in each
question. So when studying, you should target
material such as important diagrams, graphs,
flow charts as well as histology slides.
Referencing
UWA Medicine uses Vancouver Style referencing.
Make sure you use this style in your work, teachers
are very fussy! The UWA guide for Vancouver
Style referencing can be found HERE
Most MD students use EndNote to manage
references. If you’ve never heard of EndNote
before, give it a try! It will save you a lot of time.
UWA provides free EndNote downloads, just log
in with your UWA account to the site below. If
you are stuck, there is a guide to using EndNote
but you can also speak to any of the librarians
who will be happy to help.
UWA guide HERE
Download EndNote HERE
PebblePad
One of the first things you’ll be told about as an
MD student is PebblePad. Basically, PebblePad
is an online portfolio that all MD students are
required to complete over the course of their
degree. To make sure you are making adequate
progress, occasionally you will have to submit
assets for assessment. In first year, despite the
hype, you don’t have to worry about PebblePad
very much at all.
There is only one formative submission in May,
with only a handful of mandatory assets that
are very straightforward to complete. This comes
to a total of 25 points. For some perspective,
by the end of the degree you should have 300
points.
Try to start this as early as possible because
one component involves completing an online
Mental Health First Aid Certificate, which has
to be mailed to you! You don’t want to be
the person who submits their portfolio late. The
next submission you have to worry about is a
summative submission halfway through second
year. The minimum amount points required is
125. The website is below, login using your UWA
login and if you have any questions, feel free to
contact Zarrin Siddiqui, the coordinator of the
PebblePad program.
How Do I Study?!
There definitely is no black and white answer
to this, as everyone studies differently. Some
people take notes during the lecture, some just
annotate the slides and make notes at home, we’
think you should try different methods until you
find one that works! Lecture slides are usually
put up before a lecture so they can be printed
off before, for those who prefer to annotate
the slides. If the slides aren’t up by the time the
lecture starts, the lecturer is usually happy to
let someone copy the slides from the lecturer’s
computer and upload them to the MD Facebook
group.
When it comes to exam revision, we think that
a small group (<5 people) is the most efficient.
Other people can help cover the gaps in your
knowledge and you can teach them what they
might not know, and you can all quiz each
other at the end. Lots of people have degrees
in some of the material you will cover, so take
advantage of that! We recommend booking
study rooms when studying as a group, and the
booking system can be found HERE.
Make sure you book a few days in
advance as spots fill up.
40
The CREAM OF THE CROP!
Editor’s Choice
We asked our fellow second years what general
advice they had for you guys, and here are
some of our favourite answers! They are in
no particular order, and there are no real
categories to divide these into, but we hope
you will take something out of these:
[Semester 2] “Practice clinical skills every
week rather than leaving it to the last minute.”
You will feel a lot more confident for the exam
and there are always people who are willing
to stay behind after class and practice with
you. Try to practice on people you aren’t close
with/don’t know at all, it will simulate the clinical
exam conditions and you can meet new friends!
Clinical skills is a fun class, you get to learn some
cool skills which you will need on your rotations,
so it pays to stay in practice!
“Do the MicroModules as soon as you can”
MicroModules form part of your microbiology
teaching, and while they are available on your
Foundations page from day one, they are not
formally covered until Week 7, but it’s definitely [Semester 2] “Don’t leave your Critical
Appraisal Assignment to the last minute
worth having a look at them early!
because it takes a lot longer than you think
“Feel free to bring coffee/tea/food to it will”
Trust us, you do not want to be pulling an all
tutorials”
Everyone loves food, and if you are good cook, nighter finishing this one off!
you will be much loved by your fellow tutorial
“You will not be the smartest person in the
members!
class any more. This is absolutely ok. You
“Make friends with people in your year as will be average. Make peace with this
and you will have an awesome time.” You
well as people in other years!”
If you don’t come to classes, you’re not going to are surrounded by amazing resources - your
meet anyone. MD is a lot easier if you’re not doing classmates - use them! Someone in your cohort
it alone! By Semester 2, everyone would have has an undergrad degree specialising in the
already formed their friendship groups so try to thing you are struggling with. Some of them will
make an effort early on. Don’t worry, us second even have PhDs in that thing. Find that person,
years don’t bite (beware of the third years though!) ask them to help you and pay it forward by
helping someone else with something you are
good at.
“Try to maintain a life outside of medicine”
A close year group is one of the best parts of
this course so don’t miss out. In the first few weeks
it will seem like you are socialising more than
studying but the reverse occurs very quickly so
enjoy it while it lasts!
“If you need support, don’t be afraid to
reach out for help.” We saved this one for
last because it is by far the best piece of
advice here. Medicine is a stressful degree and
sometimes it just gets the better of us. There are
many
people who are there to listen, especially
“Prepare for anatomy labs by reading
Roland and Helena. If something is wrong,
through the notes beforehand”
You won’t get much out of anatomy labs if you’re PLEASE SPEAK TO SOMEONE. Also, check out
standing in front of a cadaver and looking at AMSA’s wellbeing guide HERE.
the notes for the first time. Try to make friends
with someone with an anatomy major and follow Roland Kaiser - 6488 8045
them around!
“Try not to fall behind on lectures because it
Helena Iredell - 6488 1188
becomes very hard to catch up”
It can get seriously difficult, take it from us!
41
THE WAMSS GUIDE TO
CLINICAL CLOTHING
Est. 2016
Spoiler: Don’t WEar a Labcoat. Ever.
LADIES
Tie Long Hair
Gents
Tie Long Hair (Or just
get a haircut)
Keep Jewellery and
Piercings to a Minimum
No Lanyards
No Lanyards/Ties
Arms Should be Exposed
and Bare From elbows
down
Collared Shirts Only
Tattoos Should be
Covered
Nails Tidy and Clean
with No Nail Polish
Roll Up Sleeves and
nothing below the
elbows
Tattoos Should be
Covered
Wear something that
allows you to move Conservative Skirt or
Pants
Chinos or Dress Pants
recommended
EnClosed Shoes such as
Ballet Flats/Oxfords/boots
EnClosed Shoes such as
Dress shoes/boat
shoes/boots
No HEELS!
Don’t Forget your
Student Doctor Badge!
Don’t Forget your
Student Doctor Badge!
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