by Karen Stephanou, Careers Office Administrator
The Careers Office has had a very busy semester in terms of organising presentations under their series ‘A Career In…’. The objective of the series is to address the needs of the MD and MBBS students in choosing a career specialisation. Dr Evagoras Nicolaides, Professor for Postgraduate Medicine and Academic Lead for Careers, was instrumental in advising the Careers Office throughout the series and opened all three presentations during the 2016-17 academic year.
‘A Career in Gastroenterology’ was held in March. Dr Louis Loizou, Clinical Associate Professor and Consultant Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist at the Aretaeion Hospital, Nicosia, facilitated the event. Professor Stephen G. Bown, Emeritus Professor of Laser Medicine & Surgery, Research Department of Tissue & Energy, Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, University College London presented and answered students’ questions concerning FY1 & FY2 programmes and being a Gastroenterologist in the UK.
MBBS Alumni from UNic were also extremely helpful this academic year by volunteering their time to hold Q&A sessions and presentations in our Careers Practical Information Sessions Series for medical students on various topics at various clinical sites. The Careers Office and the Medical School are very grateful for their assistance and support.
In February, Dr Georgios Kourounis, 2016 graduate and currently FY1 Doctor at Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary, UK, held a Q&A session entitled ‘Being An FY1’.
In March, Dr Joel Meredith, 2015 graduate and currently a Resident at the University of Ottawa in the Family Medicine Programme, Ottawa, Canada, held a Q&A session to P & F Students at Swedish Covenant Hospital in Chicago entitled ‘PG Applications for F1 in UK and Canadian Residency’. Also in March, Dr Jane Khalife, 2016 graduate and currently a Resident in the Internal Medicine progamme at Thomas Jefferson University, Pennsylvania, USA, held a Q&A session to P & F Students at Swedish Covenant Hospital, Chicago entitled ‘Applying for and entering US Residency’.
In April, Dr Michael Okocha, 2015 graduate and currently FY2 at Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust, UK, presented the annual ‘Becoming an F1’ to graduating F Year students.
The final Q&A session for the 2016-17 academic year was held in June. Dr Kai Chi Chan, 2015 graduate and currently finishing his F2 at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, UK, held a Q&A session on ‘F1,F2 and Getting into Core Surgical Training’. Dr Chan continues with his training and has recently secured his core surgical post at Stoke Mandeville.