Making the Most of Medical School

Making the Most of Medical School

What are the key skills, experiences or qualifications does a medical student need to be an ‘all-rounder’ medic and why is it important? Editor of new title Ashton Barnett-Vanes of Making the Most of Medical School: The Alternative Guide answers all in his essential guide. That all medical students whether they are embarking on their journey or have already started their course need to read.

Quality not Quantity 

As a recently qualified doctor and former medical student himself, Ashton’s book speaks to medical students by offering advice and guidance relevant to a diverse career in and parallel to medicine.  It is the first book to go beyond the tick-box style nature of ‘CV building’.

‘Becoming a successful researcher does not depend on how many papers or letters you have on PubMed, but whether you can see problems, hypothesise a cause and construct a methodical approach to solving them – or at least proving they exist,’ says Ashton.

The editor Ashton Barnett-Vanes also understands the current climate of tough competition and new opportunities medical students face.   The Editor’s own experience as a medical student where he led a project to change WHO policy on internships, covered in a recent article in the BBC. Is another reason why medical students can learn a lot from his title Making the Most of Medical School: The Alternative Guide .

How the guide can help? 

Speaking about his title, Ashton said “I chose to edit this book in part because of the unique dichotomy today’s doctors face. On the one hand, they must endure increasing competition for popular clinical posts, often requiring further degrees, research or management experience to get a foot in the door. On the other, they see a burgeoning health, technology and pharmaceutical sector hungry for doctors with cross-sector knowledge and interests. In both cases, those clinicians with a range of skills and experience often find themselves in highest demand. The reason this book exists is because there is no better place to embark on this developmental journey than medical school”.

The book also offers advice from contributors from across the world at every career stage to help give medical students who use the book a wealth of knowledge and expertise.  The title also may be of relevance to junior doctors or healthcare professionals as well.

Find out more about Making the Most of Medical School: The Alternative Guide here.