100 plus pupils attend medical evening

LAST night over one hundred prospective medical students visited Altnagelvin Area Hospital in Londonderry to attend a Royal College of Surgeons information event.

The Western Health and Social Care Trust (WHSCT) hosted the interactive student evening for over 100 students from schools across Londonderry, Donegal and Tyrone.

Students attended from all over the Western Trust area and further afield including: Londonderry, Limavady, Strabane, Coleraine, Magherafelt, Letterkenny, Moville, Raphoe, Stranorlar and Buncrana.

At the event students were able to participate in practice stations and interact with Senior Doctors and Consultants from the Western Trust who work in areas such as: Anaesthetics; Cardiology; Gastroenterology; Obstetrics; Paediatrics; Laparoscopic Surgery; Orthopaedics; Respiratory Medicine; Radiology; Opthamology; Suture Stations; Orthodontics; Oral Surgery and General Practice.

Mr Martyn Coomer, Head of the Royal College of Surgeon's Research Department gave a small talk on choosing a Medical School and preparing an application while Dr Inez Cooke, Queen's University Belfast spoke on preparing personal statements and interview skills.

Mr Peter Doherty and Miss Kelly Reilly, current students, reflected on what it was like being a medical student.