Originally published on the General Medical Council website and reprinted with permission.
A doctor-to-be at Brunel University of London has won a UK-wide competition held by the regulator for doctors, the General Medical Council (GMC) and the Medical Schools Council (MSC).
Students studying medicine across the country were invited to create a social media post, podcast or blog on a landmark moment for medical education in the UK, the introduction of the new Medical Licensing Assessment (MLA).
The new assessment has been designed to give patients and employers more confidence in doctors new to the register, testing knowledge, skills and behaviours required for safe medical practice.
All medical students graduating from UK universities from this academic year onwards will need to pass the MLA before they can join the medical register. Doctors wanting to join the UK medical register from abroad will need to take and pass a version of the MLA delivered by the GMC.
The annual competition challenged students’ leadership skills, asking them to explain the new test to fellow students, in a way that could be accessed easily, anywhere and in their own time.
The competition is held every year to help medical students develop their professional skills.
The winner, Eshwa Zahra, 20, is a third-year student at Brunel University of London in Uxbridge. Originally from New Delhi, India, she moved to London to pursue a career in medicine and joined the medical school.
Eshwa tackled the challenge with an animated video aimed at her fellow med-students, explaining the important change in an accessible way.
Eshwa said: ‘I wanted to highlight the bigger picture and the purpose behind the exam, reassuring ourselves, our future employers, colleagues, and patients that we have the core knowledge, skills, and behaviours necessary for safe medical practice.’
When asked about her future career, Eshwa said: “My main aim is to become a skilled and compassionate doctor. I have a keen interest in research and surgery, but as I’ve just started my third year, I’m eager to explore different specialties. Everything seems fascinating at this stage!”
Clare Owen, Assistant Director of the Medical Schools Council said: “We saw such a great variety of submissions this year and everyone who took part should feel proud of themselves. The winner's submission however was especially strong, being both informative and reassuring about what the MLA will involve for students and how it contributes to patient safety. The production was also impressive, making it a very enjoyable and entertaining watch!”
Professor Colin Melville, the GMC’s Medical Director and Director of Education and Standards, who was part of the judging panel, said: “The variety of content submitted showcased a real skill within the medical student community of providing information in many varied ways to resonate with their peers. The other judges and I came to a unanimous agreement for Eshwa’s winning entry, which is accessible, engaging and assuring.”
The video will now be shared with all UK medical schools as a learning resource. The winner also received £300 in vouchers.
Find out more about the MLA and the student competition.
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