Surgo
type: channel
description: Surgo is Glasgow Medical School's newspaper, established in 1935. We are affiliated with Medchir and are an integral part of the history of one of the oldest Medical school societies. We aim to be a place that interesting stories, student experiences and medical school events can be shared; connecting students across the medical school. Our team: Anna Bradford (Editor in Chief), Lucy Goodwin (Assistant Editor), Daanyaal Ashraf (Arts Director), Dominique Forson (Financial Director), Chloe Danno (Production Director), Eva Cairney (Secretary)
publisher: University of Glasgow
language: en
publication name: Surgo
issn: 3049-5830
items: THE GLASGOW UNIVERSITY DES GILMORE ROAD RACE
items: Tail Lights
items: Vaping: an emerging multi-systemic public health crisis
items: SURGO VISION
items: AEROSPACE MEDICINE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW
items: SAVING LIVES THROUGH STEM CELL DONATION: AN INTERVIEW WITH HANNAH HALL
items: MEDICINE BEYOND THE HOSPITAL - BROADENING HORIZONS IN MEDICINE
items: MS SOCIETY WALK
items: AN INTERVIEW WITH PROFESSOR PAUL GLEN​
items: AN INTERVIEW WITH DR GENEVIEVE STAPLETON
items: ETHICS UNDER FIRE
items: SURGO MEETS REUBEN CURRAN
items: A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
items: Distal Clavicle Fractures
items: Lessons From Labour Ward: My Trinidad Elective
items: The Wolfson Says Goodbye to a Glasgow Great
items: The Professor Stuart McDonald Anatomy Drawing Award
items: My Summer as an Anatomy Intern
items: Landscapes, Languages and Lessons: Reflections From The Summer of 2025
items: Enhancing Equity in Medical Education
items: Medical Uncertainty Guided By The Arts
items: Why Language Matters in Medicine
items: Glasgow Straight Talk Uganda Trip
items: Surgo Meets Dr Oliver Blatchford
items: What's On This Semester?
items: Meet the New President of MedChir
items: Meet the Editor-In-Chief
items: Surgo Freshers' Edition

THE GLASGOW UNIVERSITY DES GILMORE ROAD RACE
type: item
description: The Glasgow University 5 Mile Road Race returns for its 62nd year on Saturday 7th March 2026, carrying special significance as it is renamed the Glasgow University Des Gilmore 5 Mile Road Race in memory of Des Gilmore, who sadly passed away in July 2025. First held in 1963, the race is a cornerstone of the University’s athletics calendar. Starting at the Garscube Sports Complex, the two-lap course winds through quiet roads on the outskirts of Glasgow, offering a mix of flat stretches and scenic rolling hills. The race begins at 12 pm and has long been known for its friendly atmosphere and competitive spirit. Des Gilmore was an integral part of Glasgow University Hares & Hounds, joining the club in 1972 and serving as President from 1988 until his passing. A familiar and reassuring presence, Des volunteered tirelessly, supporting training sessions and acting as official timekeeper at the 5 Mile Road Race for many years. Beyond athletics, Des was a respected academic, educator, and mentor, remembered for his warmth, humour, and unwavering commitment to student welfare. Renaming the race in his honour is a fitting tribute to a man who gave so much to the University and its running community. By taking part, competitors help celebrate Des’s remarkable legacy and the event he supported year after year. Online entry is open until 6th March, with entry priced at £12 (£10 student rate).
subject: Articles
  topic: section
creator: Chloe Danno
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Surgo
date: 2026-03-30
publication date: 2026-03-30
doi: 10.36399/Surgo.3.789

Tail Lights
type: item
description: Happy belated New Year 2026 and Chinese New Year of the Horse! I hope you are all comfortably settled into the hum of the academic year and enjoying the brightening days as we look forward to the arrival of Spring. I shall attempt to “TikTok”-esque this post. #1:“Study the Science of Art. Study the Art of Science. Develop your senses – especially learn how to see. Realise that everything connects to everything else. ” A popular modern interpretation, Leonardo da Vinci A self-help entrepreneur’s post came onto my timeline. I was struck that while the post’s primary aim was to generate income (he is a multi-million dollars “solopreneur”) – a lot of what he wrote (10 min read) is very applicable to the study and practice of Medicine! Maybe for some people – even a philosophical take on life. Effective learning to be a doctor requires more than just attending 1 lecture or reading the companion chapter in Kumar and Clark once. Let me know your thoughts! https://www.x.com/thedankoe/status/2010042119121957316?s=46&t=tG6xqr1eDEm7HBu-BLOiA) #2: “To study the phenomenon of disease without books Is to sail an uncharted sea, while to study books without patients Is not to go to sea at all. ” “Medicine is learned by the bedside and not in the classroom. ” Sir William Osler, “Father of Modern Medicine” Effective learning for a doctor is also about experience - time in service. What we call “authentic, experiential learning”. (Which is different to the competency-based model). At this early stage in your career – a work around is speaking to experienced doctors, learn from their experiences. Failing that– read about it. I was struck this month by Dr David Triska’s the harrowing blogs of his experiences as a GP and companion to a relative in hospital (“The Long Silent Scream into the NHS”). Check it out and let me know what you think? https://davetriska.substack.com #3: “A diagnosis can be a burden as well as a benefit. ” Trisha Greenhalgh, GP “The earlier we diagnose, the more we …
subject: Articles
  topic: section
creator: Cindy Chew
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Surgo
date: 2026-03-30
publication date: 2026-03-30
doi: 10.36399/Surgo.3.788

Vaping: an emerging multi-systemic public health crisis
type: item
description: Walking down a high street anywhere across Scotland, it would be difficult not to notice the bright and attractive vape shops that have quickly sprouted up into business. Developing as an all-round alternative to traditional cigarette smoking, e-cigarettes (or vapes) has been popularised globally since the 2010s, as a cost-effective and innovative substitute. Results from the Office for National Statistics has now estimated that people who use e-cigarettes have outnumbered smokers in the UK; a result driven by using vaping as a smoking cessation tool, alongside lucrative flavours and advertising strategies.(1) While this might not seem concerning, data from the World Health Organization estimates these results to be replicated globally, with around 100 million people worldwide using e-cigarettes.(2) Unsurprisingly, poor initial efforts to tackle the addictive element of vapes, accompanied by its increased reliance as a smoking alternative has expanded the role of vaping beyond its harm reduction benefits. Historically, there was always a consensus among the scientific community that e-cigarettes posed a lower risk than traditional smoking, however, this perspective has now been challenged.(3-5) Vaping has been researched to pose a multi-systemic risk to human health affecting the respiratory, cardiovascular and nervous system. Several studies have demonstrated that the use of e-cigarettes is linked to an increases in airway irritation, epithelial injury, and arterial stiffness.(5) Interestingly, a recurring finding across research in this field is that the mechanisms through which e-cigarettes impact human health differs significantly from those associated with traditional cigarette smoking. Evaluating the risk of e-cigarette use in conditions which require a longer latency period, such as cancer, has shown substantial evidence vaping could be linked to an elevation in biomarkers involved in cancer development.(6) Other studies have also demonstrated that the rapid …
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: vaping
  topic: keywords
subject: public health
  topic: keywords
subject: scotland
  topic: keywords
creator: Denver Correia
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Surgo
date: 2026-03-30
publication date: 2026-03-30
doi: 10.36399/Surgo.3.776

SURGO VISION
type: item
description: Chloe Danno (Year 4) During my elective at Mount Hope Women’s Hospital in Trinidad, I observed a hysterectomy in which a large 25cm 3 kg uterine fibroid was removed. The case was striking not only for the size of the fibroid but also for what it revealed about disparities in global healthcare access. The patient had endured significant pelvic pain for far longer than would typically be expected in Western healthcare systems due to limited surgical capacity and long waiting lists. Witnessing this procedure was a powerful reminder of how resource availability can shape patient journeys and outcomes. I am pleased to report that the patient made a full recovery following surgery, with complete resolution of her pelvic pain symptoms and proved a powerful personal learning experience. Denver Correia (Year 3) For my first clinical placement block, I rotated across the respiratory wards of the Glasgow Royal Infirmary. This was an insightful and incredibly valuable learning opportunity – everyone from the staff to the patients were both supportive and encouraging, allowing myself ample opportunities to develop and solidify my clinical and communication skills. A top placement tip I got told on my first day was – ‘Everyone else is also learning when you are on placement, so be proactive, make yourself part of the team, speak up if you have an opinion or question and you’ll enjoy every bit of this opportunity’. These words had an important impact throughout the five weeks and helped me learn much more than I initially thought I would while on the wards. I would highly recommend this! Shaha Alajeel (Year 3) "Wherever the art of medicine is loved, there is also a love of humanity”. This scrub top represents what drew me to medicine in the first place: a balance between science and humanity. In a field often driven by precision, it is easy to forget that care is also an art, shaped by compassion and connection. Behind every set of scrubs is more than a student or clinician; there…
subject: Articles
  topic: section
creator: Chloe Danno
creator: Denver Correia
creator: Shaha Alajeel
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Surgo
date: 2026-03-30
publication date: 2026-03-30
doi: 10.36399/Surgo.3.785

AEROSPACE MEDICINE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW
type: item
description: What is Aerospace Medicine? Aerospace medicine, also known as aviation and space medicine, is the medical specialty concerned with the study of factors affecting the human body in flight. It was recognised as a specialty by the General Medical Council (GMC) in 20161,2. Additionally, aerospace medicine encompasses areas such as medically certifying pilots, aeromedical retrieval, and the design of life support systems for air and spacecraft1,2. It is an exceptionally broad field, with considerable overlaps with anaesthetics, critical care, emergency medicine, and primary care2. Furthermore, aerospace medicine has links to almost every specialty due to the multisystem effects of flight. The Contemporary Importance of Aerospace Medicine For the first time since the Apollo programme, astronauts are preparing to leave low Earth orbit. The United States’ National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA) is currently aiming to launch its Artemis II mission in April of this year, with astronauts being set to return to lunar orbit. This, alongside Artemis III, which plans to land a crew on the Moon in the next few years, will place human spaceflight firmly back in the public spotlight3. In January, an astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) returned to Earth early for medical reasons, marking the first medical evacuation from the ISS4. This event underscored the importance of aerospace medicine, and that the field is essential to sustaining a human presence in space. Aerospace medicine sadly remains absent from the curricula of most British medical schools, despite being a GMC-recognised specialty and one of growing importance. The Society The Glasgow University Space Medicine Society was founded by Dr Christina Mackaill in 2016. Dr Mackaill has since contributed extensively to the field, including publishing work on methods for CPR in hypogravity and microgravity5,6. .She is currently collaborating on a paper with Dr J.D. Polk, Chief Medical Officer at NAS…
subject: Articles
  topic: section
creator: Andrew Baird
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Surgo
date: 2026-03-30
publication date: 2026-03-30
doi: 10.36399/Surgo.3.784

SAVING LIVES THROUGH STEM CELL DONATION: AN INTERVIEW WITH HANNAH HALL
type: item
description: Anthony Nolan is at the forefront of stem cell donor recruitment across the UK. We spoke with Hannah Hall, a University Coordinator, about how students are getting involved, the ongoing donor shortage, and the powerful impact of stem cell donation. Anthony Nolan is widely known for its stem cell donor registry, but its work extends well beyond this. Could you give a brief overview of the organisation’s core mission, and could you tell us a little bit about your role as University Coordinator? Anthony Nolan’s core mission is to save and improve the lives of people with blood cancer and blood disorders through stem cell transplantation and cellular therapies. But, while many people recognise us for running one of the world’s leading stem cell donor registries, our work also includes funding ground-breaking research, providing specialist post-transplant nursing support, influencing policy, and offering vital patient and family services. As the University Coordinator, my role focuses on recruiting students to the stem cell register through our student network, ‘Marrow’. We currently have around 40 Marrow groups at universities across the UK. My team supports our student volunteers to run events on campus to recruit potential stem cell donors. My job is very varied, with lots of opportunities to travel to support at events, and I love working with our passionate and inspiring volunteers. What makes it especially rewarding, is that our impact feels very tangible, with 1 in 100 of the people we recruit at universities will go on to donate their stem cells to a patient in need! Research shows that younger donors provide better outcomes for patients, so it's really vital we do this work to reach young people! Despite growing public awareness, stem cell donor shortages persist as a significant challenge. From your viewpoint, what continues to limit donor recruitment? Most of the people we talk to have never heard of the Anthony Nolan stem cell register, so a lot of my work is…
subject: Articles
  topic: section
creator: Shaha Alajeel
creator: Hannah Hall
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Surgo
date: 2026-03-30
publication date: 2026-03-30
doi: 10.36399/Surgo.3.783

MEDICINE BEYOND THE HOSPITAL - BROADENING HORIZONS IN MEDICINE
type: item
description: When medical students picture their future careers, the hospital ward or clinic is often the first place that comes to mind. Yet, modern medicine stretches further beyond these familiar environments. From aviation to remote expeditions, disaster zones, and hyperbaric chambers, clinicians are increasingly practising in fields that challenge conventional definitions of clinical care. Exploring these emerging areas underlines the range of opportunities within medicine and encourages a wider perspective on where medical training can lead. One such area that exemplifies this breadth is aerospace medicine, which focuses on the health and performance of individuals working in aviation and spaceflight environments. Practitioners in this field evaluate pilots' fitness to fly, assess the physiological effects of acceleration and altitude, and contribute to operational safety within both commercial and wider flight aviation. As interest in commercial spaceflight and long-duration missions continues to grow, aerospace medicine is garnering increasing recognition as an emerging speciality. Wilderness and expedition medicine represents another emerging speciality, in which clinicians deliver care in remote or extreme environments where access to conventional healthcare may be restricted. Clinicians in this field support humanitarian missions, research expeditions, and high-altitude or polar exploration. The speciality demands adaptability and strong clinical judgement, often in resource-limited settings. Such experiences underscore the critical role of resilience, preparation, and interdisciplinary collaboration in providing beyond traditional clinical settings. Closely connected to these fields is humanitarian and disaster medicine, which revolves around delivering care in areas impacted by humanitarian crises, including conflict, force displacement, and natural disasters. Clinicians working in this speciality may operate in low-resource, unstable environments, where adaptabilit…
subject: Articles
  topic: section
creator: Shaha Alajeel
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Surgo
date: 2026-03-30
publication date: 2026-03-30
doi: 10.36399/Surgo.3.782

MS SOCIETY WALK
type: item
description: The MS Society Walk in Glasgow began with an early morning briefing, where participants gathered at the Nelson Monument in Glasgow Green, designated as the main meeting and start point for the event. Volunteers were given an overview of the day's structure, allocated their specific roles, and briefed on ensuring attendees’ safety and accessibility. The event brought together over 300 participants who completed 1km, 5km, 10km and 20km routes, all starting and finishing within Glasgow Green. One of the most meaningful and impactful aspects of the day was meeting organisers, volunteers, and participants, many of whom were personally affected by multiple sclerosis (MS), whether through living with the condition themselves or supporting close family members and loved ones. MS is a chronic autoimmune disorder characterised by inflammatory demyelination within the central nervous system, leading to variable neurological symptoms including sensory, motor, cognitive, and visual impairment1+2.Engaging directly with people affected by the condition emphasised the variability of disease progression and the day-to-day functional obstacles and limitations that are often underrepresented and overlooked in clinical teaching. One volunteer shared their aspiration to build a career in speech and language therapy, with a focus on neuro-rehabilitation, specifically supporting individuals with MS in managing dysarthria and dysphagia, as well as broader communication challenges.2,3 This reinforced the value and necessity of multidisciplinary care in long-term management of neurological conditions, where healthcare workers, like physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, neurologists, and specialist nurses, all work collectively to enhance overall wellbeing rather than only focusing on pharmacological treatment.4 Through these conversations, I learned how clearly defined professional roles within the MDT translate into coordinated patient-centred care, ther…
subject: Articles
  topic: section
creator: Shaha Alajeel
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Surgo
date: 2026-03-30
publication date: 2026-03-30
doi: 10.36399/Surgo.3.781

AN INTERVIEW WITH PROFESSOR PAUL GLEN​
type: item
description: Professor Paul Glen is an upper gastrointestinal surgeon who works at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, with interests in oesophageal cancer, cancer palliation, Barrett’s oesophagus and ERCP. He also holds the position of Honorary ClinicalAssociate Professor at Glasgow Medical School and is Year 4 lead. We caught up withProfessor Glen earlier this month with to learn a bit more about his work and how he ended up such a well-known face at MedChir.​ ​ 1) What got you into medicine, was it always along-term ambition or did it come later atSchool/was there a lifetime event that motivated you? ​ I went to school in Strathaven and there weren’t loads of people that studied medicine or law from there, but I was good at science and was advised that medicine would be a good thing to go for. No one in my family wasa doctor so the only things I knew about it was what I had seen on television dramas or in books. It seemed like a good thing to go for soI applied for medicine. I didn’t get accepted to Glasgow at first, I think because one of my Highers was Music, but my school Chemistry teacher Mr Steele wrote a letter on my behalf and I was offered a place in Glasgow. This was my preferred choice and I thought it would have been a bit warmer than Aberdeen who had accepted me, Music higher and all.​ ​ 2) At medical school I see you were once a president of MedChir, have you any highlights from your time on committee? ​ When I was at medical school, I wasn’t the hardest worker or getting the highest marks in exams but I did really like the social aspect of the school and the job. I went to the MedChir day in freshers week and was amazed that all the clinical year students would speak to the new people and made quite a few friends across the years that year. MedChir was great for getting to know people in your own year and in the years above and below. In third year I knew pretty much all of my year, and a good number of people in the two years above and two years below. Thi…
subject: Articles
  topic: section
creator: Innes Crawford
creator: Paul Glen
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Surgo
date: 2026-03-30
publication date: 2026-03-30
doi: 10.36399/Surgo.3.773

AN INTERVIEW WITH DR GENEVIEVE STAPLETON
type: item
description: Dr Genevieve Stapleton is a senior lecturer at the University of Glasgow and is Year One Director for the MBChB course. With a career that spans across the world, we were interested to hear what drove her to move to these places. Transitioning from a career in academia to lecturing when she joined the medical school in 2010, we caught up with the well-known face to find out how she got there? 1) From your biography, I see your studies and employment have spanned all across the globe, would you mind telling us about the different places you have worked and what drew you there? You’re right! I’ve been so fortunate to have worked in some amazing places across the world. Magnificent Melbourne, Superb San Francisco, Sensational Seattle, Exquisite Edinburgh, then I saved the best – Glamorous Glasgow – to last! I’d like to say that it was all very carefully planned, but actually if an opportunity presented itself, I went for it! Some degrees, and medicine is one of them, can be your passport to the world. So if you are able to, use it! Go see the world! Taking opportunities to learn from and understand different cultures is a great privilege. Glasgow will always be here for you when you decide to come back. 2) Before joining the medical school in 2010, I see you had a career in academia. Could you briefly outline the types of research you contributed to and any implications this has on clinical practice/your progression to director of MBChB1? My research interests have mostly concerned intracellular signalling and how just one little addition of a phosphate group on one particular molecule can change the entire fate or response of the cell! Crazy! The cell is utterly fascinating. But I didn’t start there. My first research job was as a technician in Melbourne working on Schistosomiasis. In contrast, when in Seattle I was working on meiotic maturation of oocytes in starfish (this was great because twice a year we had to go to the beautiful Pacific Northwest and collect the …
subject: Articles
  topic: section
creator: Innes Crawford
creator: Genevieve Stapleton
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Surgo
date: 2026-03-30
publication date: 2026-03-30
doi: 10.36399/Surgo.3.772

ETHICS UNDER FIRE
type: item
description: As medical students we are taught medical ethics from the very beginning of our training, chiselled into us through interview prep and situational judgement tests. We then apply them throughout our training as doctors, sometimes in a high-pressure environment.Now imagine the same duress whilst in the back of a mobile surgical unit, with the whirring of drones overhead threatening to expose you to enemy fire, miles from the nearest hospital. In both settings doctors abide by the same professional code: to care, to do no harm and to put the patient first. But military medicine creates an environment where these values are placed under immense strain. Is this relevant to us? The BMA seems to think so: three recent BMJ cover pages emphasise the strengthening link between global conflict and health. Admittedly, conflict ethics is only one part of that, but if you are that medic, it is essential to get it right. On top of being guided by the GMC’s GoodMedical Practice, British military doctors(Medical Officer or MOs) are also bound by the Laws Of Armed Conflict (LOAC): namely the Geneva conventions. These laws protect medics but also limit what they can do. All medical personnel are protected by beingcategorised as non-combatants; they cannot be targeted by enemy forces. Even when captured, doctors have a protected status and must be allowed to continue impartial care. But with these protections come ethical constraints. For example, MOs are in the military, but are they allowed firearms? Surely this is an obvious clash with, ‘Do No Harm’.Would use of such weapons undo everything the Hippocratic oath we swear by stands for?The current consensus is that a doctor may use a small personal weapon to defend themselves and their patients. No other use of force is permitted and any breach of this forfeits their protected status (and is a war crime). This isthe first ethical tension: when and how to use firearms while upholding the principles ofmedical ethics. ​ Furthermore, the …
subject: Articles
  topic: section
creator: Aidan Wright
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Surgo
date: 2026-03-30
publication date: 2026-03-30
doi: 10.36399/Surgo.3.771

SURGO MEETS REUBEN CURRAN
type: item
description: Congratulations Reuben on the many successes of your band :Panic :Over! It’s been a whirlwind - winning Battle of the Bands competition, having your music soundtracking events on ITV and the BBC, playing to sold out shows across the UK, touring Ireland and being selected to represent Northen Ireland at the Osaka Expo 2025 in Japan.​ ​ Thank you! Yeah – it’s been a bit mad, but great fun.​ ​ So, tell us how did it all begin?​​ The four of us met at my sixteenth birthday party and thought “We should start a band”. Just as we were setting up our jamming sessions – COVID-19 struck. I remember us trying to practice together during those early days – online at first then outside with social distancing – it’s not what you would say is ideal or the usual “rock band” origin story. Also – my guitar skills were very limited at the beginning!​ ​ I’m sure you are just being modest! Were you musical at an early age?​ ​ I feel like I've probably been singing before I can even remember; sometimes I joke that it began when I came out of the womb! When I was about seven years old my mum asked me whether I wanted to play football or rugby, but in response, I told her that I just wanted to learn to play the piano! I never looked back and still play it frequently to this day, having also spent some time playing the oboe during my school years. I had a few guitar lessons at the age of 11 but didn’t pick it back up properly until the band started going. Tell us what’s happened since 2020?​ After a bit of practice, we started busking and playing in bars- mainly playing covers. Soon we started writing our own songs – which was fun – and releasing our own music on Spotify.​ Our first “ticketed” show was in 2022 – that was amazing! I remember everything about that night. 2023 – we entered the“Battle of the Bands” competition. THAT was just incredible.When we got into the finals it was a mad run to change my flights and family holiday plans etc just to make it physically to the finals. We only…
subject: Articles
  topic: section
creator: Professor Cindy Chew
creator: Reuben Curran
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Surgo
date: 2026-03-30
publication date: 2026-03-30
doi: 10.36399/Surgo.3.770

A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
type: item
description: A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR And in a flash, it’s 2026 already – where did the time go? 2025 was a great year for many at Glasgow Medical School; the new Wolfson Library, a brand-new curriculum and record-breaking influx of students joining first year and direct entrants from Brunei, Maylasia and the equally exotic North-East coast of Fife. SNIMS saw fifteen-hundred medical students swap low-grade-fever for Saturday Night Fever with this year's theme; dancing through time. Costumes were at an all-time high; flocks of Freddie Mercurys and John Travoltas graced the dancefloors of LiveHouse and Aura nightclub, cutting shapes till dawn. Sporting performance was unparalleled with Glasgow remarkably winning every single match across all sports despite Dundee erroneously claiming to be victorious. Third-year students also celebrated reaching halfway through the MBChB degree up in the Highlands at their halfway ball. A noughties themed night, Cairngorm hikes, a three-course meal dressed to the nines left everyone wanting more and Avie-more. Hope everyone enjoys the next term and all the best to those with upcoming exams! Innes Crawford Surgo Editor-in-Chief 2025-2026
subject: Articles
  topic: section
creator: Innes Crawford
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Surgo
date: 2026-03-30
publication date: 2026-03-30
doi: 10.36399/Surgo.3.769

Distal Clavicle Fractures
type: item
description: Investigating the clinical outcomes of distal clavicle fractures managed in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
creator: Heather Pinder
creator: David Munn
creator: David W Shields
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Surgo
date: 2025-10-09
publication date: 2025-10-09
doi: 10.36399/Surgo.1.660

Tail Lights
type: item
description: Welcome everyone to the new Academic Year 2025/6. I hope you have enjoyed the fabulous weather this summer. Big welcome to all the first-year students who are joining the best medical school in the world! (COI : I graduated from UofG). Everyone else – I hope you had a restful summer and are ready for another exciting educational year ahead. I am very excited to work with Surgo’s new Editor-in-Chief Innes Crawford. Innes is bursting with new ideas for Surgo and is technically savvy to boot! I cannot wait to see all the great things he will deliver this year. We all know the Glasgow Coma Scale (GSC), which has revolutionised how doctors around the world manage Head Injury. Dr Oliver Blatchford of the Glasgow-Blatchford Score (risk of requiring intervention from an upper GI bleed) gives us an insight to his life as a medical student, as part of MedChir and shares valuable advice for medical students today. I am sad to report the recent passing of another inspirational figure - Professor Sir Kenneth Calman. Sir Ken fostered and kept close links with MedChir and Glasgow. When he and Lady Anne came to support our 'Uncertainty work' with Medical students last year – he was sharp as a tack, generous with his time/advice and incredibly supportive. Our condolences to his family. You can read more about Sir Ken's life here: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2025/aug/07/sir-kenneth-calman-obituary Medicine is grounded in Politics and Policy (see above interview with Sir Ken). You will all be aware of the upcoming Scottish Elections in 2026, while England has just published their 10 Year Plan for Health Services, built on their proposals from 2023. These culminated in reports this summer of 20,000 doctors missing out on training posts: and a decade-high number of doctors leaving the UK. https://www.itv.com/news/granada/2025-05-07/bma-we-could-potentially-see-thousands-of-unemployed-doctors Being good doctors to our patients is fundamentally what we all aspire to – competitiv…
subject: Articles
  topic: section
creator: Professor Cindy Chew
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Surgo
date: 2025-09-29
publication date: 2025-09-29
doi: 10.36399/Surgo.3.656

Lessons From Labour Ward: My Trinidad Elective
type: item
description: When I chose my junior elective, I wanted more than just a change of scenery, I wanted to broaden my perspective. That search took me to Mount Hope Women’s Hospital in Trinidad, where I spent four weeks in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology department. The contrast with the UK was immediate. While the dedication of the staff was unquestionable, the hospital faced significant challenges: outdated equipment, stretched resources, and a public system that left many patients waiting longer than they could afford. For some, the only alternative was private healthcare, an option that came with both faster treatment and a higher price tag. Doctors in the public system often found themselves recommending that option if the patients could afford it, to avoid long delays. It was hard not to draw parallels with the NHS, where long waits are becoming increasingly familiar. Yet what struck me most in Trinidad was not the shortage of resources, but the resilience and ingenuity of the healthcare professionals, for example using hospital gloves as tourniquets for blood draws. These people went above and beyond to deliver timely care, despite the obstacles. Outside the hospital walls, I had the chance to experience Trinidad. Mornings began with doubles, a delicious local street food staple, while Sundays often ended at Maracas Beach, covered in a generous coating of factor 50. The warmth of the community was just as striking as the island’s scenery. On one occasion, a former patient recognised me at the beach, and came over to thank me, sharing an update on her recovery, a simple but powerful reminder of why we go into medicine. My time in Trinidad was more than just an elective; it was a lesson in adaptability and compassion. I leave with a deeper understanding of global healthcare challenges, a newfound love for Caribbean street food, and the enduring belief that kindness and connection are the true heart of medicine, no matter where you are. Finally, my sincere thanks to the wonderful…
subject: Articles
  topic: section
creator: Chloe Danno
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Surgo
date: 2025-09-29
publication date: 2025-09-29
doi: 10.36399/Surgo.3.655

The Wolfson Says Goodbye to a Glasgow Great
type: item
description: In July, students and staff at the University of Glasgow were deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Dr Des Gilmore, an honorary lecturer at the University of Glasgow. A reproductive physiologist by trade, Dr Gilmore was a passionate academic and educator, contributing to medical and veterinary research across the globe and training countless generations of future scientists and doctors. Just as remarkable as this was his commitment to student welfare; taking a genuine interest into the livelihoods of his students and offering support using his vast experience. Arriving in Glasgow in 1972, following a PhD in his native Canterbury, Christchurch and post-doctoral fellowships in London and Massachusetts, he quickly immersed himself in the Glaswegian culture. A keen sportsman, he he joined the University Hares and Hounds Running club where he became Secretary and latterly President; a position he held proudly for thirty-seven years. Des was also a well-known Stevenson gym attendee and GUSA ball frequenter who always had time for a chat. Despite retiring in 2006, his commitments to the University never stopped there, choosing to facilitate medicine problem-based-learning sessions and running student selected components such as bouldering. His ability to engage students during these sessions with anecdotes and exhibits was unparalleled. Des was a man of many stories and a genuine good guy who will be sorely missed. He knew the challenges that surrounded studying in a demanding academic environment and dealt with this in the best way he knew how - good craic. Reference: 1.University of Glasgow - MyGlasgow - MyGlasgow News - Archives - 2014 - July - Queen’s Baton - 21 July [Internet]. Gla.ac.uk. 2025 [cited 2025 Sep 14]. :https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/news/archives/2014/july/headline_348177_en.html ‌
subject: Articles
  topic: section
creator: Innes Crawford
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Surgo
date: 2025-09-29
publication date: 2025-09-29
doi: 10.36399/Surgo.3.654

The Professor Stuart McDonald Anatomy Drawing Award
type: item
description: Professor Stuart McDonald was professor of Forensic and Clinical Anatomy at the University of Glasgow for over forty years and taught anatomy to numerous medical, dental and science students during his lifetime. To commemorate his invaluable memory, the Head and Neck anatomy drawing award was created. The intricacy and organic art of the human body is admirable to many, if not all students who study anatomy, and this award is a touching reminder of the indispensable relationship between art and science. The award is open each year for all year two Medical Students, year three Dentistry Students and year three BSc Honours Anatomy Students with the winner being awarded a prize of £200 and a certificate of achievement. The judges’ criteria included originality, creativity and anatomical accuracy – which were used when deciding upon a winner. The winner of this year's award was current Year three Medical Student Elliot McColgan for his original and intricately labelled pencil drawing of the muscles of facial expression. I would also like to congratulate the two joint runners up Zainab Mahmod and Ameerah Gardee as well as highly commended Linda McVey, Ruby McGill and Zaren Nacario. Each student's entry displayed an impressive level of creativity and talent. I managed to speak to Elliot, who explained that he drew his admission during the lighter final week of the Head Neck and Neuro block, and this allowed him to dedicate more time to his art. As this was the last week of teaching before the Easter break, Elliot commented that the process of creating his drawing was a helpful way to consolidate his understanding of the position and unique function of each muscle associated with facial expression. Drawn in coloured pencil, Elliot said he chose this as his preferred medium as it was the most efficient way to add the layers of detail needed to accurately depict the muscles of facial expression. There is so much content to learn and memorise when studying human anatomy, so i…
subject: Articles
  topic: section
creator: Nina Kacmarska
creator: Elliot McColgan
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Surgo
date: 2025-09-29
publication date: 2025-09-29
doi: 10.36399/Surgo.3.653

My Summer as an Anatomy Intern
type: item
description: This Summer, I had the privilege of working under Siobhan Cantley and Professor Scott Border as a multimedia intern at the Anatomy Department of the University of Glasgow. Having seen the position advertised by the Student Opportunities Hub, I was intrigued by the prospect of self-directed content creation, utilising existing technology and practices to develop new teaching modalities for students at the college of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences. The Thompson building is home to the Clinical Anatomy Skills Centre of the Royal College of Surgeons of Glasgow, where trainees develop their surgical skills on cadavers under supervision. Separate from the MBChB and Anatomy BSc curricula, the team are keen to integrate training footage from these courses into undergraduate teaching, to give them a perspective of how an understanding of anatomy is utilised in clinical practice. For example, I used footage from an abdominal laparoscopic procedure to visualise the boundaries of the abdominal cavity. Learning how to make mini lectures while complying with the human tissue act was a huge challenge but one so important given the gratitude and respect owed to our body donors. Three-dimensional visualisation of anatomy is another modality I spent time trying to develop. Through attending training at the University of Edinburgh, I learned how to use the department’s Artec Spider 3D scanner; a highly impressive device that creates high precision 3D models of real-world objects. Prosection teaching is not without it’s challenges which include long-term sample preservation and accessibility in large cohorts, therefore I discovered the benefit of having digital 3D models of prosections to complement existing in-person teaching. A highly accessible modality that predates the Artec scanner is the MRI scan and as such I gained access to one of my own from a research study I took part in last year. Being able to demonstrate my own neuroanatomy in the mini lecture was quite the privi…
subject: Articles
  topic: section
creator: Innes Crawford
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Surgo
date: 2025-09-29
publication date: 2025-09-29
doi: 10.36399/Surgo.3.652

Landscapes, Languages and Lessons: Reflections From The Summer of 2025
type: item
description: While setting out the agenda for a new year, making the most of the summer holidays has always been one of my key priorities. The definition of seasons in Glasgow is often imprecise; however, the summer of 2025 has presented a notable departure from previous years. A combination of intermittent rainfall and periods of sustained sunshine had given Glasgow the weather reminiscent of a continental European summer; and at the time of publication, the MET Office even projected 2025 to be the warmest year on record. Family tradition reminded me that summer has always been a time for experimenting, trying new things, pursuing side quests and most importantly, reflecting on past adventures to make the next one better. This year, I wanted a combination of experiences which could both provide opportunities for rest and renewal, while also positively contributing towards my professional development. I knew I had to act quickly if I wanted to make the best of it, and the summer of 2025 seemed to arrive sooner than expected. The morning after my final MBChB2 exam, I set off to join the Glasgow University Catholic Society’s week-long pilgrimage across Poland. Starting off in Krakow and then to Czestochowa, we visited countless churches while also weaving through museums, markets and sampling some authentic Polish cuisine. Poland offered numerous highlights, but celebrating my friend Daniel Hirshorn’s birthday at the terrace of the Sanctuary of St. John Paul II, and biking through the quiet streets of Czestochowa at midnight were certainly a few of the best memories. Apart from being one of the first pilgrimages I could participate in, visiting Poland proved to be not only a source of spiritual renewal but also a meaningful cultural experience — one that set the tone for the rest of my summer. An aspect I could reflect on was the benefit pilgrimages could offer both for the health of mind and body. For my next adventure, I turned East, making a spontaneous three-day stopover in Ab…
subject: Articles
  topic: section
creator: Denver Correia
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Surgo
date: 2025-09-29
publication date: 2025-09-29
doi: 10.36399/Surgo.3.651

Enhancing Equity in Medical Education
type: item
description: Widening access to medical education is a key priority for medical schools. Historically, there has been a stereotype of who becomes a medical student, which is no longer aligned with society today. Only four percent of doctors come from a working-class background¹ — a striking statistic which is often overlooked at a national level. It is crucial that doctors represent the population, to strengthen the doctor-patient relationship and ultimately improve health outcomes. The challenge of pursuing a medical career often starts in schools. Many from non-selective state schools face barriers when applying to medical school. There is often a lack of awareness of the application deadlines and selection process, which can lead to initial difficulties in applying. It is encouraging to see widening participation initiatives, such as the Reach programme, being implemented to overcome these barriers. However, the need for support doesn’t stop after admission. Medical students from widening participation backgrounds continue to face challenges throughout their time at medical school and beyond. Recognising these challenges is vital to understanding students’ experiences. Medical students from widening participation backgrounds are more likely to face mental health challenges². Imposter syndrome can make it difficult to establish a sense of belonging. Many may not be able to relate to their peers, which can perpetuate feelings of loneliness and isolation. A recent study has shown that a medical student’s background is associated with their specialty choice³, highlighting the lasting impact of background on career pathways. Understanding these ongoing challenges has driven national research initiatives. The National Medical Schools Widening Participation Forum conference in Glasgow provided a valuable opportunity to learn about the ongoing research in this area and connect with likeminded individuals committed to enhancing equity in medical education. Glasgow University Widening …
subject: Articles
  topic: section
creator: Sophie Hay
creator: Amelia Cully
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Surgo
date: 2025-09-29
publication date: 2025-09-29
doi: 10.36399/Surgo.3.650

Medical Uncertainty Guided By The Arts
type: item
description: The high level of assuredness expected of doctors in making life-altering decisions for their patients is juxtaposed with the inherent uncertainty in medicine. Medics must learn to navigate this uncertainty when faced with the everyday trials of balancing resource limitations, diagnostic uncertainty, ethical and social complexity, and multi-morbidity. When confronting uncertainty in medicine, even at the rudimentary stage of a medical student, there is implicit understanding that we are opening ourselves up to the increased risk of making errors that could have lasting impact on our patients. With this in mind, I was intrigued, and somewhat sceptical, when presented with the opportunity to undertake an elective in medical humanities, exploring how clinical uncertainty can be managed through the arts and wider humanities. Throughout the four-week elective, there was exposure to an array of disciplines including theatre, music, photography, ethics, and politics. Among the many experts sharing knowledge of their respective fields was Professor Strazzacappa, who facilitated a week-long workshop of Medical Education Empowered by Theatre (MEET), which serves as a compulsory component of the medical curriculum at the University of Campinas in São Paulo, Brazil1. The concept of MEET is founded on Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed and Freire’s Critical Pedagogy1.These ideologies have been amalgamated to foster a learning environment of mutual respect that allows medical students to reflect upon, action change and resolve complex social scenes, often rooted in uncertainty, within the safe space of theatre1. Planning such scenes and improvising the performance in front of an audience, with no previous drama background, was both challenging and oftentimes uncomfortable. Feeling exposed, and subject to the analysis of others while performing incited vulnerability, not dissimilar to that experienced by patients who are also submitted to watchful observation in unfamiliar environmen…
subject: Articles
  topic: section
creator: Sophie Tierney
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Surgo
date: 2025-09-29
publication date: 2025-09-29
doi: 10.36399/Surgo.3.649

Why Language Matters in Medicine
type: item
description: Language barriers are widely recognised as a major determinant of health equity. Such barriers in healthcare hinder effective communication between patients and clinicians, compromising patient safety through increased rates of adverse outcomes, diagnostic errors, and medication inaccuracies. They also diminish patient and healthcare professional satisfaction, reduce overall quality of care, and indirectly lead to prolonged consultation times along with increased healthcare costs.1 French is the fifth most spoken language globally, with 321 million speakers across Europe, Africa, North America, and Asia. It serves as an official language in 29 countries.2 For medical students, proficiency in French constitutes both a cultural asset and a practical means of lowering language barriers among diverse patient populations. The Anglo-French Medical Society (AFMS) organised an annual Medical French Weekend Residential Course in Lille. This program provided students with the opportunity to approach language as a clinical tool rather thana purely academic pursuit. The AFMS was established to foster collaboration and partnership between British and French healthcare professionals. Its annual Lille course is one of its leading student initiatives, intended to equip attendees with the history-taking skills, clinical vocabulary, and the opportunity to apply those skills in French. The programme merged specialty-based teaching, stimulated scenarios, and practical workshops. The sessions comprised of multiple disciplines, including emergency medicine, psychiatry, respiratory medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, and cardiology along with a focus on humanitarian practice with tutors sharing their experiences of practising in Francophone healthcare systems. Above all, the course welcomed students of all levels, from beginners with a basic knowledge of the French language to near-fluent speakers focused on refining their clinical terminology. This inclusion embodies the ethos of organ…
subject: Articles
  topic: section
creator: Shaha Alajeel
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Surgo
date: 2025-09-29
publication date: 2025-09-29
doi: 10.36399/Surgo.3.648

Glasgow Straight Talk Uganda Trip
type: item
description: This summer, the Glasgow Straight Talk Society sent a group of eight second year medical students for a five-week outreach project in the Eastern Districts of Uganda. There, we educated young people about sexual and reproductive health and rights. We started fundraising in September of 2024, organising events such as bake sales, pub quizzes and mock exams. Later on, we were also granted the University of Glasgow’s Chancellor’s Fund, to help us with our project. Then on the 13th of June 2025, we set off! After orientation in Kampala, we set off to the first district, Bugiri. To teach, we started off by performing a skit to the whole school, often outside, under trees, to the children and young adults, who were often in their thousands. After our skit, we broke into classes and started our face-to-face sessions. In these classes, we went over general topics in more depth and then gave the students opportunities to ask their own questions. This was by either putting their hand up or writing it down on paper we gave them. We also did condom demonstrations and used visual aids (like female reproductive tract diagrams) to convey our message, as we were very aware of the language barrier. After completing our second district, Iganga, we estimated we spoke to 12,386 students, although this is probably a lot more! We collected all the written questions we received, which gave us insight on what topics were most asked about. Menstruation made up the overwhelming majority of questions asked (23%), some were basic questions about physiology and their personal menstrual cycle variation, whilst many were on period poverty. We know that period poverty was the most pressing problem young women faced. Many missed school for the entirety of their period or simply dropped out after their period began. Overall, the trip was incredibly rewarding. The Straight Talk Foundation do incredible work for young people in Uganda, equipping them with the knowledge to lead healthier and more empow…
subject: Articles
  topic: section
creator: Himani Kumar
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Surgo
date: 2025-09-29
publication date: 2025-09-29
doi: 10.36399/Surgo.3.647

Surgo Meets Dr Oliver Blatchford
type: item
description: This issue, we speak to Dr Oliver Blatchford of the Glasgow-Blatchford Score (GBS). Published in the Lancet (2000), the Glasgow-Blatchford score has had a significant impact on the management of patients with upper GI bleeding by improving risk stratification, guiding patient care, and optimising resource allocation. 1) Dr Blatchford, since it is graduation season when we meet, please tell us a little of your career after you qualified MBChB and why you chose the specialty you did. I had great fun during my career from a variety of different roles, responding to different challenges. From Obstetrics to General Practice to Public Health to Health Protection Scotland – from dealing with CJD to Legionella to TB and COVID. There’s always something new to be done, and it’s always FUN! I like interacting with people and coming up with the best patient-centred care together with the people being treated. Obstetrics allowed that and it’s about new life and caring for healthy people. Then I was diagnosed with melanoma by Professor Rona Mackie – that changes one’s perspective! So I moved into GP in Possilpark – where I thoroughly enjoyed figuring out every day “What can I do to help my patients?”. Gradually it felt that my work became more about money than people, so I left my partnership without a back up job to turn to. I was very lucky to end up in a Research fellow post with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons in Glasgow. That six months’ post extended to two years – leading to the GBS and an MD (after having already got my PhD investigating the cause of variation in emergency admissions and a Masters in Public Health). I am currently studying with the Open University for a degree in Mathematics…but that’s another story! 2) Can you share some of your career highlights? I am not going to bore you with what I did – the important message is: IT WAS FUN! Despite having never looked down an endoscope, the GBS is of course one of my career highlights. It has made a dif…
subject: Articles
  topic: section
creator: Professor Cindy Chew
creator: Dr Oliver Blatchford
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Surgo
date: 2025-09-29
publication date: 2025-09-29
doi: 10.36399/Surgo.3.646

What's On This Semester?
type: item
description: The Medico-Chirurgical Society (MedChir) host a range of social and educational events throughout the year on a Thursday night which are attended by students across all year groups. Kicking off the year is the Welcome Event; a relaxed evening the Glasgow University Union where you can meet classmates and get to know what the society is all about. A fortnight later, dust off those dancing shoes and show off those impeccable dance moves at their annual ceilidh. Want to meet new friends for life? The Medic Families event is a firm favourite, with hundreds of first years gaining Medic siblings and parents, who coach you through the first of medical school an beyond. Scottish and Northern Ireland Medical Students sports (SNIMS) is a fun two-night trip away to Dundee to play sports and explore the sights that Tayside has to offer! Finally, the MedChir ball at the end of November, is the perfect way to dress up let off some steam before the Christmas exam fun.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
creator: Innes Crawford
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Surgo
date: 2025-09-29
publication date: 2025-09-29
doi: 10.36399/Surgo.3.645

Meet the New President of MedChir
type: item
description: Freshers – Welcome to Glasgow, welcome to Medical School and a warm welcome to MedChir! “Getting into medical school is the hardest part, after that it’s so chill” is unfortunately the biggest lie in history! It’s a challenging degree but it’ll empower you and give you the greatest appreciation for this career & your impact on others. It’ll be the best and worst moments of your life so far, where you’ll meet your best friends, your future partners, and the greater medical community that you’ll be a part of for the rest of your life. There’s a famous reputation about medical students, that we work hard and party the hardest – that’s where MedChir comes in, to support every cram and every pint. Founded in 1802, we’re one of the oldest societies in Scotland – hosting esteemed educational events alongside equally esteemed – hopefully – social events on Thursdays, famously with free pints! (For my fellow beer haters, free pints of cider too don’t worry!). MedChir will fill your social calendar with our famous traditions and events where general Uni life can’t. We’re starting the year strong with our Freshers' event – where we’ll host our elections for First Year Reps – which myself & Innes both were! Free pints, new friends, good times, and afters at HIVE! Later, we have the Freshers' Ceilidh! If you’re not Scottish, I assure you come and experience the culture, it’s a good time! Medic Families, one of the biggest and busiest nights in the Union, is a must-do. We’ll sort you with parents and grandparents after you fill a wee form, and you’ll get some gentle-parenting - or not. You’ll get your bibs n' binkies and meet people in the years above who can become great mentors and friends! Semester one concludes with our fast selling-out Annual MedChir Ball, as well as SNIMS (Scottish & Northern Irish Medical Students Sports Tournament), which is basically a B-Rate Goblet of Fire. Fifteen hundred medical students gather in a city – this year Dundee – for two night-outs and a s…
subject: Articles
  topic: section
creator: Rohaid Riaz
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Surgo
date: 2025-09-29
publication date: 2025-09-29
doi: 10.36399/Surgo.3.644

Meet the Editor-In-Chief
type: item
description: I am delighted to have been voted Surgo’s Editor-in-Chief for 2025/26 at MedChir’s Annual General Meeting! I am excited to continue the legacy that Danyaal has left us, continuing to inform, educate and entertain members of the medical school and beyond. Expect interesting stories, student experiences and events to feature in Surgo, with more reader engagement through interactive competitions and collaboration with clubs and societies. Look forward to big things over the coming year, not least our fresh new format, but new regular features and quizzes to keep you on top of all things Glasgow medicine. This edition, read about a pioneering public health academic, who transformed the management of upper GI bleeds, student electives, humanitarian missions overseas and exciting new societies which are having a positive impact on improved accessibility to medical school; to name a few! Alongside an excellent committee, I want to make Surgo the cornerstone of our shared medical school experience and a source of support to help people get through the throes that come with it! Innes Crawford Surgo Editor-in-Chief 2025-2026
subject: Articles
  topic: section
creator: Innes Crawford
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Surgo
date: 2025-09-29
publication date: 2025-09-29
doi: 10.36399/Surgo.3.643

Surgo Freshers' Edition
type: item
description: This edition, read about a pioneering public health academic, who transformed the management of upper GI bleeds, student electives, humanitarian missions overseas and exciting new societies which are having a positive impact on improved accessibility to medical school; to name a few!
subject: Issues
  topic: section
creator: Innes Crawford
creator: Rohaid Riaz
creator: Professor Cindy Chew
creator: Dr Oliver Blatchford
creator: Himani Kumar
creator: Shaha Alajeel
creator: Sophie Hay
creator: Amelia Culley
creator: Sophie Tierney
creator: Denver Correia
creator: Nina Kacmarska
creator: Elliot McColgan
creator: Chloe Danno
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Surgo
date: 2025-09-29
publication date: 2025-09-29
doi: 10.36399/Surgo.3.641

Tail Lights
type: item
description: I hope everyone has enjoyed the wonderful Spring weather, this academic year and is now looking forward to the Summer holidays! (Not too long to go now till you too are done, MB4!) What a busy few months it has been for you. MedChir Revue in May was of course a highlight in the calendar. A fantastic array of talent was on display – from high culture opera to artistic sports people. Wonderful to see the (it-must-be-a-record-breaking-number-of) judges unanimously award the top prize to the terrific Otago Street Boys (final years William Heeley, Rueben Heaton and William Strachan). Bravo and totally well deserved! It is great to see some of your audits being submitted as Visual Abstracts. Keep them coming! Remember: submissions accepted for publication receive £20 and is legitimate CV fodder (citable DOI)! Students presenting their work at conferences is always impressive. Everyone was blown away by one of our 3rd year students competing against Radiology Residents at the Scottish Radiological Society Spring Meeting for the SRS Dr Sarah Jenkins QI Prize. It was a close run thing and she was just pipped to the post. You can read Shraddha’s visual abstract in this issue of Surgo and the other works here: https://www.radiology.co.uk/spring-2025-qi-presentations. Graduation is in a couple of weeks while 335 MB5’s are heading to Crieff for their Graduation Ball. Epsilon 2025 is a significant cohort for many reasons. As a 25-year old Epsilonian myself, I am extra proud of this group of graduands. Not only are they the first cohort to officially sit the GMC Medical Licencing Assessment, they also did this after starting their medical school journey during the COVID pandemic. What a fantastic achievement! Super well done everyone! YOU ARE THE OG! Remember you have resilience in spades – the world is your oyster: go make your mark! Dr Christine McAlpine is the subject of this issue’s interview. Be inspired by her incredible journey from being the first woman president of MedChi…
subject: Articles
  topic: section
creator: Cindy Chew
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Surgo
date: 2025-06-23
publication date: 2025-06-23
doi: 10.36399/Surgo.2.587