Written by Elina Prakash, this year’s MedSoc President
Getting into medical school, let alone becoming MedSoc President, hasn’t been an easy journey. Something I’m in the constant midst of learning is, quite genuinely, to never give up on yourself or the people around you. Taking a year out, sitting a couple of exams, and spending a year not knowing where or what I would be doing have all contributed to keeping myself going even when things get tough.
Even my role in MedSoc wasn’t quite as easy as one would think. In the pits of hell studying for exams during first year, I decided to apply for the role of welfare rep as a way to branch out, make a change, and experience the excitement of trying something new. I didn’t get the role.
MedSoc was something of the past, and I laughed about the rejection with friends. The role of events rep came as a small announcement on my phone, and with some careful consideration, I thought, “Well, I’ve already lost one battle; what’s to lose?”
That Tuesday, I ran for it again, expressed my passions, and, to my absolute shock, they chose me for the role. Second year was a blast: increasing inclusivity, meeting new people, and being able to quite literally see new connections form from events we’d planned. My commitment and drive towards MedSoc only grew, and once again, with some careful consideration, I decided to run for President.
In a way, it was a message to my younger self, who didn’t have a place to go when results day came and had no plans, staring at her UCAS page and wondering what had gone wrong. For her, I wanted to show myself that I could do it and that life throws some awful puzzles at you, which, ultimately, you CAN solve and move past. It also taught me the value of who you surround yourself with and how that support means everything.
MedSoc itself is a wonderful society created and run by medical students. Together, we plan events ranging from balls to scrub crawls to mock OSCEs. The initiative of the society is to represent medical students in all they do. We oversee 39 academic and sports societies and work together to improve the programme of events students have on offer, as well as working with the Faculty to help make positive changes in the environment.
Supporting our two charities, MAP and Friends of PICU, allows for a positive impact on wider society and ensures that we are having a charitable influence too. Each year, we try to improve our society through the events we deliver and the content that is delivered. I have set a goal to ensure inclusiveness, community, and a step towards the unknown.
Whilst continuing with the introductory weeks, educational support, and expected events throughout the year, we are pushing to fill the gaps: support for non-traditional routes into medicine, moving abroad, and outreach speakers who can inform us, as medical students, about the world that exists within and beyond pure medicine. I’m really looking forward to serving this year as MedSoc President and am excited for what’s to come.
