To apply for my funding, I competed in an essay competition: 'The Use of Soya as a Herbal Medicine'. From this, I was awarded a £4000 bursary from the South Cleveland Heart Foundation, and the university was given £1000 to help fund my research. The only caveat was that my research project had to be laboratory based and focused on the cardiovascular system. As I had no particular research ideas at the time, this really suited me.
The Intercalated Year
My year began in October, the same time as the normal DurhamUniversity term. I was timetabled for lectures in Neuroscience, Metabolic biochemistry/Molecular Genetics and Biology of Disease. For the first time in my university career, I was only timetabled for lectures in the morning. This gave me ample time to pursue extra-curricular activities and to enjoy a 'normal' student life. I was able to join the Red Cross, sing in several choirs and work part-time as a waitress.
This all changed after Christmas, however, when I began my laboratory research. My research was based on hypertension caused by the deregulation of cardiovascular homeostasis. Regions of the brain associated with the regulation of cardiovascular homeostasis are well established. Of these regions, the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus is of paramount importance. Leptin has a long-established role in body weight regulation, but recent scientific research has implicated it in the control of cardiovascular homeostasis, particularly with reference to arterial pressure. I therefore spent four weeks slicing rat brains and using immunohistochemistry to locate leptin in the brain. I failed to locate leptin in the rat brain, but the skills I learnt during this research period were incredibly useful, reminding me of why I enjoyed science and how to behave in a lab. I also enjoyed the research element: finding current research to suggest a hypothesis and the working to prove this hypothesis.
After the laboratory work was over, the dissertation needed to be written. This was fairly straight forward, in so much as the method and results were done during the period of laboratory work. The 15,000 word total was easily met, but also the longest text I had written. The editorial process took some time, and I would advise anybody writing a dissertation to begin early- it always takes longer than you think.
The dissertation was handed in before the Easter Holidays, leaving me free to revise for my written exams. For each of the three modules, there was a three-hour written paper where we were expected to write three essays. This was a totally different way of passing an exam. The multiple choice questions of medical school exams are easier to answer because if you cannot answer the question, you only lose one mark, whereas in an essay question you can lose a third of the marks.
My intercalation was a lovely year. It encouraged me to gain practical laboratory skills that will be useful, even if I do not choose to do lab work on my future job. It also reminded me of why I enjoyed medicine, and I entered my third medical year more confident and self-assured. I can recommend intercalating for anyone who is not sure about his or her future in medicine.
How to organise an intercalation
It is worth deciding if there is a subject you have an interest in exploring outside of the normal medical curriculum. Basic sciences (anatomy, physiology, pharmacology etc.) are popular, as are clinical education and ethics. Most medical schools offer limited options; the universities that run a six-year course offer more options, but give priority to their own students [1,2]. Most universities have an internal and external application process; it is worth filling the forms in early, as the process is competitive.
Funding is offered by institutions in a competitive way, although there may be stipulations such as the type of research you must do. Money4MedStudents offers a list of national funding sources although you will be entitled to your normal student loan and tuition fee loan [3].
Benefits
Intercalating allows you to develop the ability to be a self-directed learner. Your research is yours; you are responsible for how well it is written and how accurate and responsible it is. It allows you to assess whether a laboratory or research based job would suit you in the future,
If you are interested in a career in academic medicine, then previous research will help you explore this career option and to develop these skills.
Intercalating allows you to organise your own time. This affords you the time to join societies and hold positions of responsibility outside medicine. The balance between medicine and your personal life is much easier to manage.
It is useful for points on the foundation application and on your CV: I would advise against this being the sole motivation for your intercalation for the disadvantages listed below.
Disadvantages
Intercalating moves you a year behind your peers. In the grand scheme of things, this does not really matter in the long run as you will be sent to hospitals that are spread out and therefore will make new friends. You will see your original year group graduate before you do, which can be a little unnerving.
Financially, it is a big commitment, particularly if universities increase their tuition fees. Loans are available, but these are less likely to offer good interest rates, and will add to your graduate debt.
You need to be prepared to work hard. If you enter the third year of a three-year science degree, you will need to be at the level of the other students; there will be lots of catching up to do. You have to learn a different approach to exams and to written work. If you are not prepared to do this, then intercalating is not for you.
The decision to intercalate is a highly personal one. You need to decide if you are going to be happy studying a subject for a year with the associated increased debt and stress. I found that it persuaded me that medicine really was the career for me; it came at a good time in my professional and personal development, and was one of the best decisions I have ever made.
Laura Nohavicka, fourth year student (Newcastle)
Received May 2010
References
1. UniversityCollegeLondon. [online] http://www.ucl.ac.uk/medicalschool/bsc-ibsc/#ibsc [accessed 28 May 2010]
2. Student BMJ. [online] http://archive.student.bmj.com/issue...careers/20.php [accessed 28 May 2010]
3. Money4medstudents [online] http://www.money4medstudents.org/content.asp?id=154 [accessed 28 May 2010]