Show Notes
Transitioning from school to university is challenging for everyone, but is perhaps even more so when that transition involves moving to a whole new country. International medical students are those of us in medical training who undertake their studies in a different country to the one they call home. Whether that’s a short hop across borders or moving to the other side of the world, studying in a new country comes with a unique of challenges. In this episode, the sharp scratch panel explore the journey of an international medical student. What is it like to get into, and get through medical school in a different country to the one you grew up in? How can you adjust to a new country and a new healthcare system? How does that impact students? Is there anything students studying closer to home can do to support their international friends and colleagues. The panel is joined by expert guest Nitin Shroti, a consultant urologist and BMA council member. Nitin has written extensively and campaigned for better support of ethnic minorities in UK health institutions. With 30 years of experience in the NHS as an international medical graduate, he brings both personal and professional insights into the systemic issues faced by medics coming from overseas.
Find us on social media: Twitter/X https://x.com/BMJStudent Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/?hl=en-gb
You can now receive the BMJ Student monthly roundup via email, sign up now: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc9djp8xBRKKenGqn-0RbNSl4qUx0Erg7hJ4jdP1vC8sRfrQA/viewform?usp=sf_lin
More from Sharp Scratch
What does it take to be a successful medical influencer? Dr Rohin Francis (a.k.a Medlife Crisis) debunks the misconceptions, and reveals hidden challenges. The panel, which also features new Sharp Scratch host Catherine Wang and FY1 doctor Judy Ugwuja, discuss how they feel when they see increasing numbers of medical influencers online - is it starting to get a bit cringe? What are the dos and don’ts of making content as a doctor, and should the GMC be better at regulating this? Hear the panel discuss all on this week’s episode of Sharp Scratch - enjoy!
Does medicine allow you to be creative? In Zaynah’s last episode as host of Sharp Scratch, she is joined by incoming Editorial Scholar Catherine Wang to explore her chosen topic of the 2026 BMJ Student print issue: medical humanities!
“I like science and I want to help people” is a classic med school interview answer to “Why medicine?”... Can a medical degree train you to help others, even without traditional doctor-ing? In this episode, Zaynah Khan sits down with Claire Oxlade, and medical student Maira, to discuss what medics can do to impact public health. Claire is the global engagement lead of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (BSAC), working alongside medics, scientists, policymakers and parliamentarians on antimicrobial resistance. This Sharp Scratch episode explores what “diplomacy” means in relation to public health and medicine, and potential careers that your medical degree equips you for - that you might not have considered before!
Does your digital footprint represent you personally, or are you perceived as a doctor while you doomscroll? Can you ever be sure that *all views are your own* ? Are you an avatar representing medicine or a private citizen?
The BMJ in a recent investigation found a “black hole” of medical student funding, with NHS trusts failing to account for over £400m meant for training future doctors. What does that mean for us as medical students?