News Stories
Posted on October 15th 2018
RAF Doctor Leads Session on Medical Ethics
Dr Jennifer Holland delivered a seminar on medical ethics to 58 students from years 10 and 11 recently as part of our Inspiring Sixth Form Programme.
The aim of the programme is to enable Year 11 students to apply successfully to top sixth forms in the area by providing them with experiences and knowledge to which they wouldn't usually be exposed.
Drawing on her experiences as a junior doctor in the Royal Air Force, Dr Holland (pictured above) began by speaking about an interesting medical case which she came across on her ward rounds last week. The case presented a range of problems and led to the discovery of an undiagnosed heart valve problem. Students were able to use what they had learned in GCSE science to support their understanding of the diagnosis.
Medical ethics
Dr Jennifer Holland then moved on to discussing the ethics involved in medicine. She presented two different cases which prompted a discussion about what is right and who makes decisions on behalf of patients who do not have the capacity to make decisions for themselves. Students were able to use an App on their mobile phones to vote on the scenarios and then justify their reasoning.
At the end of the session students asked insightful questions about the age of medical consent, dilemmas with pregnancy and refusing treatment, and religious views on blood transfusions and organ donation.
Interview experience
Dr Holland also took 21 students through the steps of a formal interview. She asked questions such as: "Tell me what interests you", "What are your weaknesses?", and "What makes you stand out from other sixth form applicants?".
After a ten minute interview students received honest feedback and were able to reflect upon this. Students then had the opportunity to ask Dr Holland about her experiences as a student, her journey through medical school and the RAF.
What students said...
"I'm really interested in a career in medicine and the RAF and Jennifer was able to answer lots of my questions." Harry
"I found the ethical debate really interesting. It's opened my mind about what doctors do on a daily basis." Chloe
"I gained a lot of knowledge about the ethics in medicine and heart transplants which I was interested in." Nathaniel
"I found the interview process helpful. I was told I come across well but I must sell myself more and speak about my achievements with pride." Filip
