DiveRCSIty – September 2018 (Vol. 4 Issue No. 1)

#DIVERCSI TY RCSI Student run Newspaper and Publications

Your Student Guide To Dublin’s Fair City!

pg 10-11

|September| |Publication Year 2018, Vol. 4, Issue No. 1|

The Graduates of 2018 welcome the incoming class of 2018

Printed at

Keyboard Warriors

by Suzanne M. Murphy

A Publication by

pg 4-6 pg 18

// Meet the team.

Editors’ Notes

DIRECTOR AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

DIRECTOR AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

QASIM ALI BARI »

« ALIYA ESMAIL

FEATURES AND DEPUTY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

ENTERTAINMENT

STUDENT LIFE

EVENTS

This could be you!

CULTURE AND LEISURE

EDUCATION

CLUBS & SOCIETIES

NEWS AND RCSI EVENTS

Get in touch with us: divercsity@rcsi.ie STAFF ASSOCIATES CORRIENA BRIEN & TANYA CHAPPLE - CONTENT REVIEW, STAFF CO-ORDINATORS PROF CLIVE LEE- WRITER: ANATOMY

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Editors’ Notes

D

ear Student

I am delighted to welcome you to DIVERCSITY. RCSI’s core values of Respect, Collaboration, Scholarship and Innovation create a dynamic learning environment that continuously seeks to build an inclusive community for all our students and staff.

We are extraordinarily fortunate to have such a remarkable and diverse mix of students from over 60 countries. Our Alumni number over 17,000 in 97 countries. Throughout the academic year we celebrate our diversity showcasing culture, traditions, food, music and dance from our students’ home countries with International Night, International Food Night and Cultural Diversity Month. We also have International Citizenship Award Programme which encourages students to reflect on and develop the skills, values and attitudes that they will need to work effectively in a culturally diverse healthcare environment.

I hope you enjoy reading DIVERCSITY. You might eventually decide to write for it – please consider how you could add to the content and celebrate the great melting pot of cultures that is RCSI! Best wishes to DIVERCSITY and the Editorial team for the 2018/19 Academic Year.

Happy Reading!

// At a glance...

Editors’ Notes.

Professor Hannah McGee Dean, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, RCSI

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ear Reader,

Welcome to RCSI, and welcome to your newspaper! I stress ‘your’ as our aim for this paper is that it lives up to its title, offering something for everyone between its pages.

And when I say everyone I mean the entire RCSI community - staff, students and alumni alike. To that end, we encourage you to treat this paper as your own and to get involved!

We welcome articles on just about any topic, as well as poetry, prose, photography and indeed art in all its forms.

In this issue of DIVERCSITY, graduates from the schools of medicine, pharmacy and physiotherapy share their experiences, providing valuable insights for both freshers and returning students. We look back on the achievements of this year’s student body with the winners from College Ball. Also featured in this issue are articles on how to get involved in research as an undergraduate, and the devastating potential of social media. Finally, for newcomers to these shores, and anyone looking to get by on a budget, we also have a student guide to surviving Dublin.

Thank you for picking up this copy of DIVERCSITY! Let us know what you think of it you’ll find us over on Facebook. We’ll be waiting.

- QASIM ALI BARI Director and Editor-in-Chief

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Features

// The Graduating class of 2018 welcomes the incoming Freshers of 2018. //Dear Freshers of 2018, I

n my five years as a student in RCSI; I moved from apartment to apartment four times, I had three summers of repeats, I was class rep twice, and I graduated just the once, thankfully. I'm told that this qualifies me to give advice to incoming freshers to RCSI. *Leaves it to the last minute and frantically googles “Cliché College Advice.”* Ahem.. ‘Manage your money’, ‘Go to class’, ‘Get Involved’, ‘Call your Mom’… This doesn’t prepare you for the world and the bubble that is RCSI. So, here’s what I wish I had read when I started in 123 SSG: The hardest part is getting to where you are right now. You slogged it out for the Leaving Cert (repeated even?) or sweated it out through interviews and finally, you've been accepted to RCSI. The toughest part of the journey is over, you can relax your foot on the gas, but don't take it fully off. Keep going steady and you'll make it out the other end. Don't drop out because the path ahead looks rough when you've realised that exams are in a weeks time, and you don't know the top from the bottom of a Fibula. Learn from your mistakes. Pass the repeats if you find your self back during summer, and don't let it happen again. Enjoy your precious summers, internship is just around the corner.

Get involved in a study group – This isn't an individual race. I wouldn't have gotten to the finish line with the baton that is my degree; if it wasn’t for countless people in the years above, in my class and in other courses.

Ask for help when you need it. Meet with a group regularly and help each other across every hurdle, MCQ, and OSCE. I didn’t get into this habit until 4th year and my god did it help!

BALANCE – Get into good habits early. Exercise. Eat well. Drink coffee or beer but not too much of either. Make good choices. Look after your head and watch out for your friends. There are mornings of pure happiness and nights of darkness, remember one when you experience the other. Sit down, be humble. Use Headspace, go for a run, ask a friend to listen, call Niteline – help is always available.

Join a club and a society. One of each. It's a great way to meet people from the older years (essential when looking for advice), looks great on a CV (essential for looking for a job), and for making new friends in general (essential for surviving college, which can be a lonely experience sometimes).

You'll find interests that you never thought you had, you could end up climbing to the top of Mount Errigal in Donegal on a random Sunday, and playing for the college GAA team at the Sigerson weekend the next.

Go to 1). Fresher’s Fest, 2). Chocolate Ball, 3). Ballad 4). College Ball. These are the essentials not to be missed. They are the highlight of any socialite’s RCSI calendar year and the FOMO associated with missing these is not to be underestimated.

JC & IC Meds, go to Pharmacy Ball Afters (there's always afters tickets).

It' not just for the Pharmers and it’s a much different scene than College Ball. Pharmacists are a unique crowd and honestly some of the best friends you can have (Week one of Internship has confirmed this to be true).

« DR PAUL FOX

Junior Cycle: The ABC’s: Anatomy. Biochem. Clinical Skills.

Get Monkhouse - It’s a book by an old anatomy prof of RCSI - It's an RCSI Fresher's bible for anatomy. Buy it second hand if you can, the same books are always in circulation. Don’t stress card signings. Show up and smile – if you do nothing else, dress well. Mind yourself, but also GO OUT (of your way to help others). Having a card signing in 3 days, weeks, or months is no excuse not to get out there and have fun. Make the most of the 1st 3 years in med, achieving 51% in FUN1 won't prevent you from achieving a First Class Honors degree!

Intermediate Cycle: Welcome to Beaumont! The coffee is crap, the food is unhealthy and/or unappetizing and it is clear that the workload is about to step up. It’s better to know something about everything, than everything about something. Don’t get bogged down with the gritty details of something you don’t understand.

Make a note of it and move on. Touch on all topics and keep moving. Don’t fret, what you lose in IC1 & IC2 you’ll be granted in IC3 – God’s gift to medical students. You’ll start rotations in Medicine and Surgery. You’ll get a chance to scrub in at theatre, travel around the country to the exotic locations of Waterford, Galway or Mullingar. On SSC you’ll have a chance to pick up a research project of your choice in Ireland or abroad, in a topic you’re interested in.

Senior Cycle: Nearly there. In SC1, the fears of managing a woman in labour will soon be pushed aside as midwives instruct you to hold towels, grab tissues and generally avoid getting in the way during labour week. On Psych you'll witness anxiety, depression and hypomania, from patients and your peers. You’ll be shipped off to the likes of Letterkenny, Drumkeeran or Fethard-on-sea for the real Irish experience or as RCSI dubbs it: ‘Rural GP placement’. Paeds is the sudden realisation that kids are either a bundle of joy that you can't wait to work with or a tantrum waiting to explode that should be avoided at the workplace. Again, get a study group, cover all the basics and find time for yourself, this one’s a toughie.

After the pentathlon of SC1, the final sprint of RCSI comes in the form of SC2. TOSCE's, TOSBA's and case presentations. Sub-I will give you a peak of insight into the life of an Intern. Your SCA at home or abroad is a final chance to add something unique to your CV and let you see the world.

Myself and 3 friends spent a summer travelling through Africa after a month elective in Zambia. Do something you're interested in; a speciality or travel. RCSI offers so many amazing opportunities, grab them!

I struggled in my first semester in RCSI. It wasn't my first option on the CAO. I spent more time with friends from home than with my classmates and I found JC1 study difficult by myself. In semester two I had friends from Malaysia, Norway and Swords. Students in the year above me from Syria and Carlow were more than happy to help with the more challenging topics. What makes RCSI such a unique and special place to study is the diversity of students. The best advice I can give an incoming fresher is to make the most of it, because it'll fly by too quickly.

Finally call your Mam, she worries.

Best of luck, you got this.

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Features

//Dear first year pharmacy students,

« ÉILIDH ROGERS

I

t’s the third week in October. The excitement of Fresher’s week has simmered down, and suddenly the prospect of being here for the next five years doesn’t look so hot. ‘Why did I pick Pharmacy?’ or, for many, ‘I didn’t think I’d be going to RCSI what am I doing here?’ Or, if you were like me, ‘how on earth did I voluntarily end up doing a course that was so far away from what I had always planned?’

Lads-I’m telling you, stick with it. Give it a good semester, if not two. And I don’t mean begrudgingly. Keep an open mind every morning you go in. You haven’t really given it your best shot unless you do.

The thing about pharmacy- spoken from someone who had a bit of an existential crisis mid-October on realising that maybe not doing Chemistry pre-pharmacy-picking hadn’t been such a good idea- is that it is all mindset and how you approach it day-byday. If you aren’t someway positive about it at least most of the time, it becomes this huge chore. It’s not going to be easy. It may even seem unfair at times. But at the end of it, the world is your oyster from day one of graduating. There are jobs that haven’t even been created yet that will be just waiting for you. Pharmacists are trained to think logically and on their feet, along with communication skills and problem solving with an in-depth knowledge on how things work in the body. The kind of stuff that no matter where you want to go in life, you can use.

And hey, this place isn’t so bad either. Look at it this way-how many times in life do you have the opportunity to completely start off, clean slate, absolutely new? And look at the brand-new fancy facilities your college has, look at its location in Dublin. And it’s small, which is a really great thing. Lecturers get to know their student, making it easier for you to reach out and ask for help, something I would highly encourage you to do.

This isn’t a college where you are going to be gobbled up by the masses. This is a place where everyone is free to just simply be themselves and shine just that little bit more than maybe you did wherever it is you are coming from. The people you meet here are similar minded to you in that (let’s be honest) we’re all just that little bit nerdy. And so it becomes a kind of community of nerds all working together and grinding through.

It’s a pretty special place really. Not forgetting the oodles of conferences and events that happen here, with contacts just waiting to be made, the cool events that the SU organise every year, the clubs and societies you wouldn’t find anywhere else and all the cultures you might not have ever come across before. Throw yourself into it all. Dive, belly flop, or even just take the ladder gingerly one step at a time, that’ll do too.

The last piece of advice I would give – do not doubt yourself. You got this far didn’t you? Do not look around at your class and think you aren’t good enough to be amongst them, because you are. You are all going to make different types of pharmacists, doing different things with the qualifications you will get, and that is absolutely fine. Keep your chin up and have confidence in your ability. College is a new and exciting chapter in your life. Don’t close it because you don’t like the first page.

And for Pete’s sake, just fill in your lab books the day of your lab and save yourself the stress of doing it five minutes before the deadline on a Friday evening. Ain’t nobody got time for that.

DIVE INTO

YOUR AT

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UNIVERSITY

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editor.divercsity@rcsi.ie or divercsity@rcsi.ie

FEATURES

//Dear first year physio students, F

irstly, welcome to the new class of physiotherapy students both the undergraduates entering foundation year and the graduate students who are going into first physiotherapy.

The first thing I’d say about us physio’s is that we are a tight knit little group, as the smallest school here in RCSI we genuinely are like a little family. Unlike a med class of 250-300 students, where you’d get away with flying under the radar that won’t be an option for you here in physio I’m afraid. The relationships you build with the lecturers are fantastic and I personally like the smaller class sizes. I always say its nice for your lecturers to know your name rather than just your student number.

For the undergrads entering foundation year, which you’ll grow to refer to as FY, your year will involve a lot of general and medicinal science and lab work. For the first physios you have a broad range of modules including anatomy, physiology and even a little psychology in the form of HBPS. Which brings me onto my next point, anatomy…. Anatomy is one of my favourite subjects so I was incredibly excited to get into the anatomy lab and get going, but for anyone feeling a little queasy at the thought of your first encounter with a cadaver don’t stress the feeling will soon pass and towards the end of semester one you

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« SARAH BISSETT (SECOND PHYSIOTHERAPY)

wont even notice the smell of the formaldehyde (life tip, do not go into an anatomy lab hungover…. Formaldehyde + hangover = bad combination). Do spend a good bit of time on your anatomy though. We were told at the start of this year “a good physio knows their anatomy inside out” and it is so true, anatomy is a crucial part of this degree and getting a good grip on it from the start will really benefit your other modules like MSK. As for the placements, I can’t really comment too much as your first clinical placement is at the end of first physio and it’s a shorter one at just two weeks unlike the ones in second and final physio which are 5 weeks. I really enjoyed my placement and thought it was great to see all the learning and theory put into practice.

Finally, the social side of things. RCSI is a very academic college and its very easy to get a little lost in first year and forget about your hobbies, friends from home and social life due to the pressure of feeling like you have to live in the library. Make sure you try and strike a good healthy “work life balance”. It’s important to keep up a hobby/interest and go on the odd night out here and there to maintain your sanity, but its also important to stay ontop of things from the start of each semester so that you can take those nights off and enjoy all the coffee breaks we love taking during the day.

I wish everyone the best of luck, and welcome to RCSI.

DIVERCSITY.COM

NIALL AND LAURA’S DECLASSIFED FRESHERS SURVIVAL GUIDE Welcome to RCSI! Just a few points to note while you’re still bright eyed and bushy-tailed!

« NIALL O’HUALLACHAIN

1) Don’t worry! Everyone out there is in the same boat as you. Don’t be scared to open that mouth and get yapping. It might sound like a no brainer but introduce yourself. Whether it’s while you’re awkwardly queuing at the registration desk or fastened to a seat at your first lecture, be friendly and up for a chat. If you do that you can’t go wrong.

2) Go to as many events as you can. God knows there are people in the older years who regret not having done more during their Freshers Week!

During this week you will meet people who will end up becoming some of your best friends. We guarantee you will talk and laugh about the first chats you had at your first pub crawl till the cows come home, (which will presumably be earlier than you will any day this week).

« LAURA O’CONNOR

3) Be adventurous in your mingling! Don’t think you can only affiliate with your year or your course alone. RCSI prides itself on diversity. So mix and mingle with absolutely everyone. RCSI has people from all over the globe, so you are presented with a golden and unique opportunity to get to know people from different cultures all over the world. As someone said to us on our first Freshers Week; “If you do RCSI right you’ll never have to pay for a hotel anywhere in the world.”

4) Most importantly… ENJOY YOURSELF!

FACEBOOK PUBLICATIONS PAGE: facebook.com/DIVERCSITY

FACEBOOK GROUP SOCIETY PAGE facebook.com/groups/ divercsitysignup/

MOODLE PAGE:

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Clubs & Societies

//Winners from College Ball 2018

« AOIFE HUETHORST

College Ball is the event of the year. Last year saw the students of RCSI come together for this fantastic event on the 3rd of March 2018, to celebrate the years in college with friends.

For many final year students it is one of the last events before embarking on their new lives and adventures as RCSI Graduates. Held in the prestigious Convention Centre Dublin, a great time was had by everyone in attendance and it is definitely a must-attend event, whether you’re a Fresher or a Final Year.

Fresher of the Year: Ciara Patton - Physiotherapy (Centre)

Pictured: RCSI Student Union 2017-2018 During the night, many awards are given to the students in RCSI to give recognition to their efforts in societies and clubs, for events organized as a club or society, to individual awards..

Here are the winners of 2018:

Starting your college life as a fresher, moving to a completely new place, with loads of new people, isn’t easy. Fresher’s Fortnight, and all the big events throughout the year can be difficult to handle, but Fresher of the Year, Ciara Patton, attending all the events RCSI had to throw at her, getting involved with different societies (even winning honorary pharmer at Pharmacy Societys Pharmacy Ball) and clubs in college, it was a very deserved win.

Societies Person of the Year: Katie Dunleavy Involved in many societies, from Biological Society to Paediatrics Society, Katie Dunleavy has certainly made her mark in RCSI. Always available to lend a helping hand or lead an idea, she is well deserving of this award.

She’s grateful to all the committee members that made events like the Teddy Bear Hospital and ‘Homelessness: Healthcare Inequality at Home’ come to life. This July she started her residency in Internal Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in NYC.

Event of the Year: Teddy Bear Hospital Every year, the Teddy Bear Hospital continues to grow and be more successful.

Giving back to the community, and helping to inspire future healthcare professionals, this event is definitely one to get involved with this coming year.

Best Educational Society: Surgical Society

Best New Society: AMSI (Association of Medical Students in Ireland)

This Society helps the students of RSCI to gain extremely valuable skills and advice on surgery. Holding many educational events throughout the year, and continuously growing each year, with the addition of the new surgical floors in No.26 this society is set to continue to get better each year.

This society has had many great events throughout the year, and is set to continue building and growing next year. The society touches on social and public health issues as well as bringing students from different walks of life together.

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Societies Best New Sports Club: Kickboxing A club that had huge interest this year after starting up, this club is set to continue to grow in numbers. The club runs both kickboxing and boxercise classes during the year, which take place in the Sports hall and Damer hall, with all equipment provided. Classes are very diverse, with an even mix of male and female students, most of whom are beginners. Both classes are a great way of learning new techniques, getting fit and most importantly having fun! For updates, you can follow them on Instagram (@rcsikickboxing) or like them on Facebook (@rcsikickboxingclub)

Captain of the Year: Eva Gilmore Involved in nearly every club going in RCSI, Eva Gilmore has taken all winnings in her stride, with the All Ireland with RCSI Ladies Football this year. Eva is no stranger to winning, with her history of winning all ireland intermediate final with Claregalway and Feile. Eva is also involved in many other clubs in RCSI including Tag Rugby, so she is one to watch!

Society of the Year: Paediatrics Society Paediatrics Society held many successful events this year, one of which also winning Event of the Year: Teddy Bear Hospital. Both educational and fun, this is a society well worth joining on Clubs & Societies Sign Up Day. Sports Man of the Year: Nicholas Lam (Climbing Club) Climbing club is an inclusive club that encourages its members to push the limits and have a ton of fun. Nick is a monkey in gym and a goat on the mountains. He loves challenging himself and others everyday!

Professor Alan Johnston Award of Excellence in Sport: Martin Davey

Sports Woman of the Year: Niamh Clifford (Running Club)

No stranger around RCSI Campus, as Student Union President 2016/17, and graduating with fantastic results last year, Martin Davey also proved his sportsmanship and sporting talent over his years at RCSI, being the Rugby Captain for many wins for RCSI, including the Hospital Cup against Mater Hospital .

This student has contributed a lot of her time to train and partake in many races and marathon, including Dublin Marathon, and not to mention Boston Marathon in aid of Floating Doctors. Keep your eyes peeled for the future for more of Niamh Clifford!

Sports Club of the Year: Tag Rugby RCSI’s Tag Rugby Club has been growing steadily in numbers, after consistently training all year, and winning two leagues against other tag rugby teams around Dublin, At Banna Beach Tag Championships, the highlights were placing in the top 25 and top 12 of 70 teams, lead by Captain Sam Gunaratnam and Vice Captain Laura O Connor. Training takes place once a week in the Railway Sports Grounds and is always guaranteed to be a good time.

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Make sure to keep an eye out for all of these Clubs and Societies on Sign Up Day during Freshers! Getting involved in events in RCSI is a fantastic way to make friends! Have a great year! Best of luck to all the Clubs and Societies who are getting ready to have a year full of training and events!

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Lifestyle

Student Life

// On Dublin F

irst day in Dublin: stressfully viewing apartments with my soon-to-be-roommate and our eager mothers, with what seemed like 100 other nervous students. The fear of spending our year in an exorbitantly priced Airbnb was none too real. I’m sure this resonates with many of you. But we found a place, just like all of the other students (hopefully) did, and herein began our Dublin adventure.

« ALIYA ESMAIL

pub, The Barge. Though prohibited in Ireland, public drinking outside the Barge is both accepted and encouraged. Highly recommended for a fun Dublin eve. Check out some live music inside too!

AE: Café en Seine, Dawson street. Three floors of pure opulence to dance your way through. We often end our nights here, despite its repeating Saturday night soundtrack.

Impressions of Dublin

DF: Dublin in comparison to all of our other cities in Ireland comes closest to that non-stop land of the never sleeping hustle and bustle that some of you may be used to from NYC and Toronto. Whilst not as busy as those metropolises are, there is always something to do! The Phoenix park is the largest (1752 acres) enclosed park in Europe. In fact, it is bigger than all the parks in London put together and twice the size of Central Park in New York. A word of note though, much like Central Park only traverse it during the day.

Must-see neighbourhood in Dublin AE: A brisk 20 minute walk SW from RCSI and you will find yourself in Ranelagh (pronounced Ran-il-lah), an upmarket village of Dublin. I was initially drawn to its main street lined with plentiful, cutesy cafes and restaurants, marking it as the “brunch capital of Dublin.” I would highly recommend Tribeca, known for their nomz wings. As you make your way back from Ranelagh into the city, you’ll pass by the Grand Canal, which was once used for distribution by the famous Guinness Brewery.

As early as mid-day, you’ll see groups of locals and travellers alike enjoying a beer or two by the canal, outside a well-visited

September 2018

DF: Not to live up to a stereotype, but most of my destressing involves friends, food and usually beer. Aside from the obvious few spots beside the college, when we want to get away, we alternate between the College Green (Trinity College Dublin’s student bar) and P. Mac’s on Stephen St. (a short jaunt from the college and very in tune with its hipster clientele – myself hopefully not included).

When you want to dance

I have learned a lot about Dublin and Irish culture this past year.

But I thought to myself, how better for you if I share some of my perspectives of Dublin alongside a local Irish student, Dermot Farrell, born and raised, who knows the ins and outs of Dublin.

We hope our experiences help you out as you begin what is sure to be an exciting life at RCSI.

AE: What I first noticed was flowers en masse, draped across most window sills, colourful and lively, much like Dublin itself.

You can feel the energy of Dublin as you walk along pedestrianized Grafton Street, lined with shopping, cafes, restaurants, and impressive street musicians. Sunny St. Stephen’s Green lies at the end of Grafton, a sweet park for us RCSIers to picnic in (or to practice physical exams and history taking when library-induced cabin fever hits).

« DERMOT FARRELL

DF: Dunlaoighre is always a favourite of mine. Located in the south of the city, it is a coastal borough with breath-taking views, bustling cafés and some of the best ice-cream this side of the Atlantic (a bold claim, but it really is excellent). For those wanting drinks with friends, try the forty foot pub with views of the harbour and the ever important cheap drinks menu. You might try walking the harbour wall with an ice cream from Scrumdiddly’s, weather providing. If looking for that special somewhere, the white linen tables of Hartley’s bears some of the city’s finest haute cuisine (you may want your parents to pick up this particular check as cheap, it is not).

Best place to visit for a Dublin escape AE: “Have you ever visited a place so surreally beautiful and eerie that it felt like you’re in a fantasy novel?” An apt description of Glendalough written by a well-travelled blogger. About an hour’s drive from Dublin (public transportation available from St. Stephen’s Green), Glendalough, located in the Wicklow mountains, boasts a spectacular view of Glendalough Valley. On a dreary day, we hiked the 9km White Route trail and found ourselves among the clouds – a fantasy, indeed. Best Dublin escape for a day!

DF: Hard to beat Café en Seine, but for the younger, more ‘Irish’ vibe, Dicey’s and Copper Face Jacks are two of the enduring go-to locations of Dublin city. Remember now, drink sensibly etc. etc.

For the best full Irish breakfast AE: Admittedly, neither of us have succumbed to the tradition of the full Irish breakfast. However, a mutual friend of ours, Ally, would highly recommend Gerry’s, tucked away on Montague St. She frequents it about thrice weekly for their “cheap and delicious breakfast, with the best white pudding you will ever have in your life.”

DF: Been here 25 years and I haven’t had one but somehow Ally manages to consume several monthly. Must be worth it!

For dessert AE: With a wide range of beautiful desserts featuring real whipping cream, Queen of Tarts in Temple Bar continues to be my on-my-way home pit stop.

DF: For those looking for a longer trip away, I’d say go west to the welcoming atmosphere of Galway city. Galway for me feels the most European of all of our urban areas, with pavements bustling with street artists of all manners and types and a palpable vibrancy that refuses definition, in my opinion. The city has more great spots to eat than I could ever attempt to list, and the night life of Galway is second to none (underscored by the fact that you are guaranteed to bump into multiple hen and stag parties there). If you have a little longer to spend, the cliffs of Moher are about 90 minutes away by car and well, their beauty needs no introduction.

Where in Dublin to destress AE: I love to walk, and usually find myself strolling along the iconic River Liffey, the dividing line between north and south Dublin. It is an entertaining walk for those whose extreme sport is people watching.

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DF: For the cheap and cheerful: Off Beat Doughnuts (a personal favourite). For decadent, indulgent treats: Ladurée on South William St.

DIVERCSITY.COM

STUDENT LIFE Societies

// Student $avings A

s one of the most expensive cities in the Eurozone, Dublin is not always kind on a student budget. But despair not, as we have been bestowed with the magic that is a student card, and Dublin offers some great student deals. Here are a few highlights: Food For me personally, food deals are second to none!

Mongolian Barbeque In Temple Bar, Mongolian BBQ offers a truly unique dining experience. You get to fill a bowl with meat, vegetables and seasonings and watch a griller stir-fry it for you. It’s like dinner and a show, all in one. They offer an Early Bird discount on All-You-Can-Eat (until 7pm), lunch specials, and specific student discounts at off-peak times.

KC Peaches Visit any Dublin location for quick and healthy meals. Students can get takeaway boxes starting at as little as €5.00.

Pablo Picante’s I’m sure you’ve noticed the vast number of burrito bars across Dublin. Try the lunch-time student meal deal (burrito and drink for €6.50) at Pablo Picante’s, down the street from RCSI. Many burrito bars offer student discounts, so remember to ask!

Other notable student deals: MAO restaurant, Apache pizza, The Bagel Bar Coffee House

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« ALIYA ESMAIL

Drinks The pub scene: a quintessential part of student life in Dublin.

With the wealth of pubs and clubs around, choosing where to go on a Friday night can be a difficult feat. Here are a few to satisfy your weekly bevvy quota.

The Hideout Right in City Centre, Hideout is a BYOB (for €5) pool bar.

It’s a chill place to enjoy beers without cleaning out your wallet. They do offer a student rate of €10 per hour, and sometimes offer free BYOB for students, so keep an eye out!

The Pav Located on the south-eastern corner of the enchanting Trinity College, the Pav is a haven for us students with cans as cheap as €2.50. Also known for the open space out front, which could be considered Ireland’s biggest beer garden.

Hair In the midst of a busy semester, a haircut can be a wonderful break, with a relaxing head massage and amazingly scented post-cut hair. Or an inherently awkward experience with uncomfortable small-talk but necessary to avoid resemblance to a Woolly Mammoth. Regardless, they are not cheap.

Dicey’s No doubt one of the places with the cheapest pints in Dublin, from as low as €2 on Monday to €4 on Friday. Food-wise, they offer €2 items off their BBQ menu and we students have a special €5 carvery lunch discount.

Capitol More centrally located, Capitol boasts a tasty selection of cocktails, with cocktail deals nearly every night. Visit Thursday when all cocktails are two for €7 from 5pm to 10pm Entertainment Movies @ Dundrum Although a Luas ride up, Movies @ Dundrum offers a small discount on ticket prices every night of the week if you remember to bring your student card. For the best deal, show up on Student Tuesday for a large popcorn and drink, and one movie ticket for a tenner.

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Square Barbers Located on Lincoln Place (Dublin 2), students (men only) pay €12 all week!

House of Colour Several locations (Dublin 11, 2) offer a 20% discount Monday-Wednesday with a valid student card.

Note: The Dublin 2 location is a training academy: if willing to allow a trainee to cut your hair, you may get it free or, at least, heavily discounted.

Transportation Student Leap Card For commuting around Dublin, a leap card offers cheaper student fares for public and private transport, including for the Dublin Bus, LUAS, DART, and commuter trains. You can also use your Leap to get discounts at hundreds of stores around Ireland: McDonalds, Boots, Cineworld, Dublin Zoo, Apache pizza, and much more! You can apply for a Leap card

DIVERCSITY.COM

Lifestyle

Clubs & Societies

Niteline listens ARTICLE WRITTEN BY NITELINE.

I

haven’t studied hard enough. I’m finding it hard to fit in. I miss home. I feel lonely. I’m not having fun. I wish I didn’t get drunk last night. I’m scared of coming out. Is this course for me?

Everyone experiences college differently, there is never a ‘right’ way.

A lot of the time people say that college has to be the best years of your life, and you feel like you have to make it so. No one tells you how hard it can be and no one tells you that it’s ok to have these feelings. It sometimes feels difficult when things get on top of you. You deny yourself the right to feel sad because you think you shouldn’t. If everyone around you is coping with the same things as you then why is it that it is more difficult for you? When things get too much it can sometimes be hard to open up and talk about it. You’ll say you don’t want to bother anyone. Opening up isn’t easy but by sharing how you feel with someone else they might be more at ease with sharing with you. No one feels fantastic all the time, it’s important to know that. The simple act of asking someone if they are okay could be more beneficial than you know. Giving someone your listening ear to let them talk about their day can make a huge difference.

We don’t have to worry about things on our own. If you ever need to talk about your day you can call Niteline any night of term from 9pm to 2.30am. We provide a non-judgemental, non-directive completely anonymous and confidential listening ear. No problem is too big or too small. We listen.

The Wellness Wheel take a moment to reflect...

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Societies Lifestyle

// Food Diaries

« SIMRANPAL DHANJU

Welcome all, especially to all the freshers!

I’ve been teaching myself to cook for a while now and over the years I’ve accumulated lots of recipes that are easy enough for students to throw together on busy weekdays.

Hopefully I can share some tips with you all in the coming months and inspire you to get in the kitchen! I’ll be posting a new recipe in every issue but if you have any particular requests feel free to send them to: divercsity@rcsi.ie Today we’re going to go over how to make spaghetti carbonara. It might sound fancy and intimidating but this is one of the easiest pasta dishes you can make and it’s all done in 15 minutes! I usually make this a few times a week, pairing it with a salad for dinner.

You’ll notice the recipe only calls for egg yolks, no cream or butter. The secret to real carbonara is using the starch in the pasta water to thicken the sauce while the egg yolks will add richness. So whatever you do don’t drain the pasta! In fact, stop draining any and all pasta you cook from now on – the pasta water is a precious resource for making all kinds of pasta dishes (cacio e pepe, al limone and aglio e olio, to name a few)

Spaghetti Carbonara Ingredients (serves 2) -150 g spaghetti -4 egg yolks -4 tablespoons of freshly grated parmesan -black pepper (to taste) -40 g of pancetta

Recipe 1. Bring a pot of salted water to boil and add the spaghetti. Cook for 1-2 mins less than the package directions.

2. In a separate pot cook the pancetta over medium heat until translucent; reduce heat to low and keep warm. Add in the black pepper to toast it in the fat from the pancetta.

3. Mix parmesan and egg yolks together and set aside.

4. Take a few spoons of the pasta water, add it to the pancetta and stir. The starch in the water will help create a more homogenous mix for the sauce.

5. When the pasta still has some bite to it (this is what the fancy chefs call “al dente”) add it to the pancetta; don’t bother draining the pasta, just lift out with a pair of tongs and dunk it straight in. We still want some of the water clinging to it!

6. Vigorously stir the pasta to coat it with the fat from the pancetta. You want to see a slight sheen on the pasta but it doesn’t have to be a perfect coating.

7. Now the important part: remove the pot from the heat and WHILE STIRRING, add the egg yolk mixture. This will help us cook it through without making scrambled eggs. You’ll know you’re done when the sauce is thick and clings to the pasta so keep stirring and tossing and you’ll get there in no time. This is also where the pasta will finish cooking so don’t be afraid to take your time.

8. To serve, I like to crack a little fresh pepper over the top.

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Clubs & Societies

// Malaysia to Dublin

« STEPHANIE SONIA KA KAY TANG

“Where are you from because you don’t sound Malaysian” “If you’re from Malaysia, how do you know how to speak English/how can you speak such good English” “Did you get a culture shock when you moved overseas” “Where is Malaysia?” “I heard people swing from tree to tree to get places” (I kid you not, that was actually one of the questions I was asked once).

Born and raised in Malaysia for the first 15 years of my life, and then moving 2,658 miles down south to Australia for 3.5 years, and most recently, 8,414 miles up North to Dublin for 2 years and for the next 0.5 years. I have had my fair share of packing, unpacking, settling down in a completely foreign place with zero friends and family, home-sickness, mixed feelings of excitement and fear that I may not fit in, leaving old friends behind, making new friends, but most of all, calling a new place my home for the next couple years.

The day I touched down in the land famously known for Guinness, leprechauns, rugby, Irish folk music, Grafton Street, and so much more, I was overwhelmed with mixed emotions; excitement, nervousness and unknowing-ness. I was a lost child. I had no clue what was in store for me in the coming few days, let alone weeks, months and even years, and being fresh out of high school, I had no clue what the infamous “uni life” was going to be like - if it was going to throw a huge wrecking ball my way; but seeing that I’m here sharing my experience with you, I guess I have survived 2 years.

Back to the day I arrived in Dublin; after getting through immigration, collecting my suitcases (which I will point out; collectively weighed more than me), as I walked out into the arrival hall, in this midst of the Irish crowd, stood 2 RCSI PMC students who came to pick me up, and I’m not going to lie, seeing them calmed my nerves because I knew I’d be in their positions soon enough.

Being an international student will make you realize a few things; you rely on your parents too much, laundry is no longer free of charge so you wear the same outfit several times before you chuck it in the wash, you can’t cook to save your life, your sense of direction is so bad you get lost walking from RCSI back to Mercer, etc etc, or maybe that was just me. But I guarantee you you’ll face your own set of problems and that is perfectly normal, just remember there are a bunch of lost kids out there too so you aren’t alone.

Now, we go to my first day at RCSI, I was stoked. We sat through a series of lectures for the first two days, but for me, the day I was most excited for was “Societies Sign Up Day”. Walking past the booths, I got increasingly excited at the diversity and variety of clubs and societies. I signed

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up with many, MANY societies, but after receiving a ton of emails from all the societies, and figuring out exactly how much time I had, I finally decided to commit to Drama Soc, PMCSA and Netball; and these are where my fondest memories were made, because here’s the real talk, we all have this tendency to stick to familiar grounds, and from there, we’d remain static in our own circle of friends and not want to take that extra effort to branch out from there. For example, in my first year, I involved myself in a Dramasoc play; and in the cast were students from different parts of the globe (Canada, Australia, America, Singapore, Malaysian, Maldives, Ireland, Bahrain), different years (1st, 2nd, 3rd Med) and programs (GEM students, Pharmacy students), so you can imagine how diverse we were, but we all had one common interest – drama, and that was enough for us to form friendships and memories we’d never forget.

So, if it’s one thing I cannot stress enough (especially for those of you out there who only wants to study 24/7), put yourself out there, join as many societies as you can, make the most out of your time here in RCSI before time gradually gets taken away from you and the next thing you know is you are fighting for a seat at the library, and spending 15 hours there during exam season.

This brings me on to the complete opposite side of being in RCSI, it’s not always going smooth sailing. Weeks and months of lectures, all in one set of exams, to which everyone strives for the golden words, “First Class Honours” to appear on their transcripts. At some point, you’re probably going to have an emotional meltdown thinking, “It’s too much”, but I guarantee you everyone around you is in the same boat, and if they say they aren’t, they’re lying. My only advice here is, find your own way of studying, figure out what works for you, stick to it and as the Irish say, “you’ll be grand”.

RCSI is a place I met some of the greatest people around (and also some of the most difficult and not so great people but we wont dwell on that). Surround yourself with the right people because they will be your backbone, your moral compasses and your rock for the next couple years. If it takes longer than you would’ve liked, be patient, because someone once said to me “It wouldn’t have mattered if we met in another time, I think we still would’ve been friends because we would’ve found each other eventually”.

So freshers, treasure your time in RCSI because before you know, you’ll be an RCSI graduate working full time as a houseman in a hospital with zero time for yourself.

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Societies

// Publish or Perish W

illiam Osler once said ‘A doctor is a student til his death’. In medical school we tend to exist in an isolated bubble of studying and preparing for the next exam. We get through the Christmas exams and then have a brief respite until Summer exams and then, for some, an even briefer respite before step exam studying starts. We do it as a means to an end. The end of the academic year each year until the end of medical school.

What we can lose sight of is medicine is constantly evolving and changing. Very few treatment plans are the exact same as they were ten years ago. This is down to one major contributing factor- research. Research dictates new management plans, eliminates outdated practices, introduces new treatments and sometimes, every so often, discovers a cure. RCSI is a hub of international research- tissue engineering, breast carcinoma, mesothelioma, lupus and epilepsy are just a tiny number of topics currently being researched in RCSI. As a student you many have aspirations towards a career in research or even imagine a full-time medical or surgical career which allows you to combine clinical research in a particular area of interest to you. While these dreams are noble there is no reason why you cannot start getting involved with research during your undergraduate years. Below are just some of the ways you can get involved with research in RCSI; Student Medical Journal The SMJ is one of the greatest resources available to RCSI students. As the current director of the SMJ, I must confess that I am perhaps biased. However I think it is one of the easiest ways for students across all disciplines to get involved in all aspects of research. We publish our journal once a year and it is 100% student run. We accept submissions from all undergraduate students on any topic of their choosing under a wide variety of headings such as case reports, elective reports, perspective pieces and of course original research.

This is an idea opportunity for students who know what area they’d like to pursue to get an article published in that area. Of course as a first year student the idea of writing a complete academic piece can be intimidating, which is why this year for the first time we have opened the SMJ blog to all students in RCSI. The blog can be on any topic at all, is

SEPTEMBER2018 2018 September

« SUZANNE M. MURPHY

shorter than journal submissions and offers students to write not only about current topics in healthcare but also offer their own insights and opinions on it. As someone who initially got involved with academic writing through blogging, I can confirm that it is a nice way to ease yourself into healthcare writing. The SMJ is also responsible for hosting regular journal cubs where doctors from a range of disciplines will discuss their current research and give students an opportunity to ask questions and learn more. It also offers a relaxed opportunity for networking with academic and clinical staff.

1. It makes you a competitive applicant- It can be hard to stand out in medical school, your classmates are all highly intelligent individuals, but one sure fire way to stand out is to have some research at undergraduate level. I’ve spoken to doctors about getting places on basic and higher surgical training schemes here and in the UK and doctors in the States about how they select competitive applicants and one theme that kept recurring was research- it shows a commitment to learning as well as both professional and personal development.

RCSI Summer School The RCSI summer school is another fantastic option for students wishing to get involved with research. It offers students a chance to spend 8 weeks in a lab or clinical setting, working with a principal investigator from RCSI. There is also a selection of structured work shops which students can learn skills that will benefit them for the rest of their career. The research topics are diverse, including microbiology, molecular oncology and cognitive science. They also offer a valuable chance to meet students from across the years and different courses who may end up being some of your closest friends!

2. It is satisfying seeing your name in print- Whether that be a blog, a printed journal article or a ICHAMS poster, there is an immense satisfaction to seeing your name next to the research project you have worked on and contributed to.

ICHAMS The International Conference for Healthcare and Medical Students (ICHAMS) is a conference for undergraduate students in any of the healthcare disciplines to present their research to an audience of their peers as well as those educators in the field. In 2018, RCSI welcomed almost 250 students from across the globe, 100 of whom were presenting poster presentations of their research. The conference is not limited to research presentations as students are also invited to take part in numerous workshops including practical skills such as ultrasound and suturing skills and research based workshops such as conducting clinical research.

4. You get to meet new people- working in healthcare requires people to find their tribe. If you are lucky you have them before you start college but sometimes old friends who are pursuing other careers just won’t appreciated the nuanced difficulties of a career in healthcare. Undergraduate research allows you to meet people with a similar interests who might just become lifelong friends.

3. It gives you an opportunity to get experience in an area you may want to work in in the future- If you are sure your future lies in oncology, it can be very rewarding to compete research in a lab working on cancer research. You get a more in depth understanding of the disease process than you can ever get from reading textbooks.

If you would like to learn more about getting involved with the SMJ or how you can submit a blog please don’t hesitate to contact us at: editorsmj@rcsi.ie

But why get involved…?

In medical school it can feel like a struggle just to balance study with home life, maintaining friendships and relationships as well as trying to carve out enough time for hobbies.

The idea of research might seem stressful or time consuming but there are so many benefits to completing research as an undergraduate including;

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ICHAMS 2019 - Inspiring Excellence

Participate. Partner. Pioneer. That is the motto of the International Conference for Healthcare and Medical Students, commonly known as ICHAMS. ICHAMS is a research conference that is run by students from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) but is open to medical and healthcare students worldwide. It has taken place annually in Dublin since 2011, with the support of Dr. Sarah O’Neill, Chair of the Scientific Committee at RCSI. Last year, over 250 students from 49 different countries attended the conference in Dublin. It is an excellent opportunity for healthcare and medical students to present and share their research, fostering collaboration with professors and students from all around the world.

The ICHAMS Mission The ICHAMS conference encourages innovative partnership in a vast range of research areas and provides the opportunity for attendees to gain valuable presentation experience. A high calibre of students attend annually to network, share their research and exchange ideas with peers from around the world.

In addition to both poster and oral presentations that take place over the weekend, ICHAMS invites leaders in research and healthcare as key-note speakers to present on a variety of topics and inspire attendees. Additionally, ICHAMS holds interactive workshops that provide the opportunity to develop practical skills, including suturing techniques as well as writing workshops focused on how to successfully write a research publication. ICHAMS aims to provide a comprehensive learning experience.

This Year’s Conference at a Glance ICHAMS 2019 will take place February 21-23rd, 2019 at the new RCSI Building on 26 York Street and in the historic building across the street. This is both an event and location that you don’t want to miss as the 26 York Street venue was voted Ireland’s favourite building at the Royal Institute

September 2018

of the Architects in Ireland (RIAI) Irish Architecture Awards 2018. So, mark your calendars for this year’s conference and participate in an event that inspires excellence in research.

The dedicated ICHAMS Executive Committee work year-round to ensure the best conference experience for all attending delegates. All committee members are full-time students at RCSI. This year’s committee includes Taylor Cunningham and Isha Bagwe in the role of Co-Chairs; Julia Hunter and Felipe Colon as Advisors; Kristyn Dunlop, Emma Parker and Bianca DeBenedictis as Scientific Officers; Alexandra Mitcham, Ciarán Carney, Jeffrey Lam as Education & Workshop Officers; Yasi Besharatian as Special Tasks Officer, Clare Lambert and Chelsea Cheng as Social Media and Marketing Officers; Alex Bonte and Phil Hwang as IT Officers; Caroline Lowman and Natalie Smith as Events & Accommodation Officers; Sean Hamlin as International PR Officer and Ola Michalec as National PR Officer.

Conference Participation and Opportunities for Involvement ICHAMS welcomes attendees to participate in the conference in either an active or passive way.

Active participation entails submitting an abstract and successful submissions will be invited to present their work in the form of an oral or poster presentation. New this year, ICHAMS has expanded eligible abstracts to include research conducted as part of a graduate program. Those that submit under this category will be judged separately from undergraduate research. Details on submission criteria for both undergraduate and graduate work will be available on our new website, launching early September 2018. You can also follow us on Facebook to stay up to date with the latest information.

Presenting at ICHAMS provides the opportunity for students that are passionate about sharing their research findings to practice their presentation skills and gain feedback, as well

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as exchange ideas and experience with attendees from around the world. There are also plenty of judge and student-selected awards for the best presentations. In addition, abstracts are published in the BioMed Central (BMC) Journal, giving students the opportunity to add to their CV. It is also possible to attend the conference as a passive participant for those who want to network with professors and students, enjoy the keynote speaker presentations and learn about the novel research in their field of interest or research undertaken by their peers. Registration for passive participation will open early September 2018. For announcements on when registration will open, follow us on Facebook.

Additionally, this year the Public Relations Officers have introduced the opportunity for selected delegates to become ICHAMS Ambassadors. Ambassadors have an important role and serve as a point of contact for those attending the conference from all around the word. This includes sharing their ICHAMS experience and encouraging other students to attend and/or present research at the conference. Ambassadors usually attend the conference and want to share their positive experience with others, so if you are enthusiastic about getting involved consider the role of ICHAMS Ambassador! More information will be provided at the conference, but feel free to e-mail the PR team ICHAMSmarketing@rcsi.com with any questions.

Registration for ICHAMS 2019 will open early September 2018.

For more information, follow us on Facebook, visit the website at www.ichams.org or email ICHAMS@rcsi.ie -Ola Michalec- National PR

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Societies

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Clubs & Societies

// Keyboard Warriors A

lfie Evans was born in May 2016. In December he was admitted to Alder Hey’s children’s hospital in Liverpool after suffering seizures. He remained in the hospital until he died in April 2018. Alfie was found to be suffering from an undiagnosed neurodegenerative disorder. As his health deteriorated his medical team clashed with Alfie’s parents about withdrawing his life support. Despite Alfie spending over a year in a semi-vegetative state his family wanted to bring him to Italy where a hospital, with links to the Vatican, were suggesting various procedures to help Alfie breathe. They were not offering a cure. They were not offering a definitive diagnosis. The only medical procedures offered were aimed at prolonging Alfie’s life.

Experts at Alder Hey warned that the stimulation caused by a flight and travel could cause even more extensive brain damage. As the legal battle between the parents and Alder Hey intensified a social media campaign began to gain momentum.

‘Alfie’s Army’- a Facebook group committed to publicising Alfie’s story and supporting his parents in their attempts to prolong Alfie’s life, had over 750,000 members. What began as comments of support for the family snowballed to include vicious posts criticising Alder Hey, calling his medical team murderers and implying there was a conspiracy to end Alfie’s life.

The group spawned many other social media pages, all sharing similar beliefs.

As the high court and the supreme court ruled in favour of Alder Hey and three judges said there was no violation of human rights on the part of Alder Hey, the Facebook page (moderated by Alfie’s family) called on the public to protest. In April 2018 hundreds of people descended on Alder Hey hospital. Local police authorities were required to get involved when several protestors tried to storm the hospital and became abusive towards hospital staff. The crowd blocked the road outside the hospital, slowing down any entry to the hospital. Staff reported feeling intimidated and scared as they tried to enter the hospital to begin their work day. Alfie’s supporters maintained a presence outside the hospital. On April 23rd 2018 Alfie’s life support was reported to have been withdrawn. Alfie died in the early hours of the 28th April 2018.

September 2018 SEPTEMBER 2018

« SUZANNE M. MURPHY

Alfie’s story is tragic. There is no doubt of how much care and support his parents must have needed throughout his hospitalisation. However at the very centre of this story there is not only Alfie – there is also a children’s hospital, full of families trying to care for their sick child.

Alder Hey is one of the largest hospitals in the UK. It is a centre of excellence for oncology , childhood lupus and muscular dystrophy amongst other conditions. It is one of four centres for childhood epilepsy surgery and is a designated paediatric major trauma centre. The chaos caused by the protests and media circus that surrounded Alfie’s case would have impacted on every single other child in that hospital, as well as their families. Public posts on social media claiming the doctors and nurses were murderers and that the hospital had an ulterior motive for withdrawing Alfie’s life support must have caused upset amongst the parents of seriously ill children.

How distressing must it have been for parents who had children pass away in Alder Hey, wondering if there was any truths in all of these posts. As healthcare professionals we can recognise that Alfie’s parents were probably so devastated by grief that they couldn’t see past their own situation. A vicious cycle of denial, anger and bargaining overcame them as they fought to hold on to their very much loved son. However those outside the situation, the keyboard warriors, joining a battle that wasn’t theirs to fight, wielded a power that would never have been possible twenty years ago.

Social media is one of the best ways of connecting people globally. It has allowed for large volumes of information to be shared with much larger audiences than would ever have been possible before. When used correctly it can have such a positive impact on health and health promotion. However, one thing we can take from the Alfie Evans case is that just one single Facebook page has the power to cause untold levels of disruption and upset.

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Societies

// Student Services Office Welcome to RCSI. The beginning of any college programme is an exciting time as you adjust to learning new subjects, making new friends and living in a different environment. The Student Services Office is here to assist and support you and to make the transition into College life as smooth as possible. Student Services are located on the ground floor of 123 St Stephens Green.

The Student Services Office delivers an A-Z of supports and services to students, ranging from Accommodation to Zumba classes, and much more in between.

The focus of the office is on Student Life and it is home to sports clubs, societies, student events and the college gym. The office also offers a wide range of accommodation services including off-campus, on-campus and peripheral.

The open door policy in Student Services allows instant access to all these services, and seeks to deliver a quality student experience.

General Information Student Services Contact Information - E: studentservices@rcsi.ie , T: 01 402 2294 Who we are: Student Services Manager: Corriena Brien, E: cbrien@rcsi.ie , T: +353 1 402 8582 Accommodation: Ivan Carty, E: ivancarty@rcsi.ie , T: +353 1 402 2579 Front of House: Deirdre Ring, E: deirdrering@rcsi.ie , T: + 353 1 402 2294 Peripheral Accommodation: Magda Paduch: magdapaduch@rcsi.ie Societies: Tanya Chapple, E: tanyachapple@rcsi.ie , T + 353 402 8534 Sports: Emily O’Brien, E: emilyobrien@rcsi.ie , T: + 353 1 402 2571 Sports Centre: David Harris, E: davidharris@rcsi.ie , T: + 353 1 402 2383 Range of Services: The Student Services Offices plays a key role in student life, delivering the following services: - Accommodation – on campus, off campus and peripheral - Access

- Immigration and Visa Support - Induction & Orientation - Merchandise - Publications - Societies

- Sports Clubs

- Sports Centre – Gym, Sports Hall, Fitness Studio and Weights Room - Student Events

- Student Financial Assistance - Scholarships

- And much more besides …..

SEPTEMBER 2018 September 2018

Further information available on our Moodle Pages and college website

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Education

Anatomy WITH Clive Lee //

Clubs & Societies

« PROF. CLIVE LEE HEAD OF ANATOMY RCSI, PRESIDENT OF THE ANATOMICAL SOCIETY

CIRCLE OF WILLIS

Thomas Willis (1621-1675) was a medical graduate of Oxford University and a founding member of the Royal Society.

Willis was a pioneer in research into the anatomy of the brain, nervous system and muscles. Willis’s anatomy of the brain and nerves, as described in his Cerebri anatome of 1664, is minute and elaborate and he coined the term neurology. His most notable discovery was the “Circle of Willis”, a circle of arteries on the base of the brain, the original drawing of which was by Sir Christopher Wren, the architect of St Paul’s Cathedral in London

CONTEST QUIZ QUESTION!!!

A 26 year old woman collapses and you observe that her right eyelid is closed, her right pupil is large and unreactive and her right eye is pulled laterally and inferiorly. You correctly diagnose an oculomotor nerve (CN III) palsy. This is most likely to be due to an aneurysm of the: A. B. C. D. E.

Anterior cerebral artery Anterior communicating artery Basilar artery Middle cerebral artery Posterior communicating artery

BE IN WITH A CHANCE TO WIN OUR MONTHLY GIVEAWAY! Winner will be announced and contacted in the next month’s issue.

Illustrations courtesy of freepik

Enter by emailing A, B, C, D or E with the subject Anatomy Quiz! to divercsity@rcsi.ie Get the quiz question in your RCSI email when you join our monthly newsletter!

Email with subject Add to newsletter to divercsity@rcsi.ie

SEPTEMBER2018 2018 September

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Education

// RCSI Library WWW.RCSI/LIBRARY | 26 YORK STREET | BEAUMONT HOSPITAL

A BIG welcome to all students from the RCSI Library team!

From our locations in 26 York Street & Beaumont Hospital, we provide

SPACES, RESOURCES & SUPPORTS FOR YOUR LEARNING Drop by our Information Point/Service Desk: > Help finding resources > Service Demonstrations > How-to support > Direction & Advice

> Advice on search > Sweets & Treats

Get the most out of your Library: www.rcsi.ie/LibraryStart September 2018

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Photography

//Summer in ‘The Kingdom’ - A Collage of County Kerry

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« QASIM ALI BARI

DIVERCSITY.COM

Student Union

//Meet Your Student Union...

SEPTEMBER 2018

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IS BACK

BUT NOT WITHOUT YOUR HELP!

S T S I N M COLU culture music events sports s n o i n i p o g n i e b l l we

EDITOR

S

RCSI n ews Studen t Life Societi es Educat ion Enterta inmen t

& more...

Get in touch with us: divercsity@rcsi.com To join our mailing list, or for societies or general enquiries, email divercsity@rcsi.ie Read anything you love? Did we print something you hate? Have a great idea or suggestion for the paper?

Let us know how we are doing! editor.divercsity@rcsi.ie Share the excitement online, Like us on facebook.com/DIVERCSITY Join the Facebook Society Group Page for the latest updates facebook.com/groups/divercsitysignup Share and view this issue online from issuu.com/rcsidivercsity