The F Word - Failure in Medical School

If you had to make a CV of your failures, what would be on it? This week, the Sharp Scratch panel talks to Professor Melanie Stefan about their failures, but also the pressure to turn every setback into a success story. They discuss who is actually allowed to fail, and why the intensity of medical school, in particular, makes it so difficult to recover from.    Follow us on Instagram, X, Bluesky and TikTok https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/    https://x.com/BMJStudent    https://bsky.app/profile/bmjstudent.bsky.social     https://www.tiktok.com/@sharpscratchpod      Fill in our feedback survey to let us know your thoughts about Sharp Scratch and content from the BMJ and BMJ Student https://forms.gle/hr9BWNYx6DkVrBSP7  

Do you ever feel uncomfortable expressing empathy towards patients? This week, the Sharp Scratch panel talks to Dr Bill Laughey to discuss how empathy is taught in communication skills sessions, and graded in OSCEs. They talk about the disconnect between feeling empathy and how we’re taught to express it in the clinical setting. And, finally, do we as medical students become less empathetic over time?  Follow us on Instagram, X, Bluesky and TikTok https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/    https://x.com/BMJStudent    https://bsky.app/profile/bmjstudent.bsky.social     https://www.tiktok.com/@sharpscratchpod      Fill in our feedback survey to let us know your thoughts about Sharp Scratch and content from the BMJ and BMJ Student https://forms.gle/hr9BWNYx6DkVrBSP7 

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!   Follow us on Instagram, X, Bluesky and TikTok https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/    https://x.com/BMJStudent    https://bsky.app/profile/bmjstudent.bsky.social     https://www.tiktok.com/@sharpscratchpod      Fill in our feedback survey to let us know your thoughts about Sharp Scratch and content from the BMJ and BMJ Student https://forms.gle/hr9BWNYx6DkVrBSP7 

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! Hear from medics, involved in creating the issue, about the role that creativity plays in medicine for them - including illustrator of the zine Dr Kathryn Raj. The 2026 Clegg Scholars Nilay Sah, Rojbin Yigit, Anna de Beer and Ella Banbury share insights from medics they’ve interviewed who have taken a non-traditional path in medicine. Explore ways that you can integrate creativity into your medical studies and career! For the last time, as host - stay safe, stay sharp!  Zaynah   Listen to Zaynah’s favourite Sharp Scratch episode: “I’m Not Like Other Medics—Deconstructing the medical student stereotype”  On Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4PYI9EmWsmmOliekGYsORl?si=ACsbahwWRcau8CCAOlzLpg or (https://tinyurl.com/yjrkd9h5)  On Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/im-not-like-other-medics-deconstructing-the-medical/id331561304?i=1000759002063 or (https://tinyurl.com/253k4ajw)   Follow us on Instagram, X, Bluesky and TikTok https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/    https://x.com/BMJStudent    https://bsky.app/profile/bmjstudent.bsky.social     https://www.tiktok.com/@sharpscratchpod      Fill in our feedback survey to let us know your thoughts about Sharp Scratch and content from the BMJ and BMJ Student https://forms.gle/hr9BWNYx6DkVrBSP7  

“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!   Links mentioned during the episode: Zaynah’s interview of Claire Oxlade and Dame Sally Davies about the play Lifeline: https://www.bmj.com/content/394/bmj-2026-100170  Get your BSAC membership here: https://bsac.org.uk/membership/   Follow us on Instagram, X, Bluesky and TikTok https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/    https://x.com/BMJStudent    https://bsky.app/profile/bmjstudent.bsky.social     https://www.tiktok.com/@sharpscratchpod      Fill in our feedback survey to let us know your thoughts about Sharp Scratch and content from the BMJ and BMJ Student https://forms.gle/hr9BWNYx6DkVrBSP7

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?    Zaynah Khan sits down with Dr Jonny Guckian, together with panellists Kayode and Korianne, to discuss whether medics have a duty of care on social media. They share storytimes of social media horror stories for medics, lessons learnt (sometimes the hard way), and how medics can ethically use social media without the fear of getting struck off!   Read the study that Jonny mentions: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2211883726000262   Follow us on Instagram, X, Bluesky and TikTok https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/    https://x.com/BMJStudent    https://bsky.app/profile/bmjstudent.bsky.social     https://www.tiktok.com/@sharpscratchpod      Fill in our feedback survey to let us know your thoughts about Sharp Scratch and content from the BMJ and BMJ Student https://forms.gle/hr9BWNYx6DkVrBSP7  

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?   In this episode, Zaynah Khan sits down with Dr Iain Beardsell, director of undergraduate medical education at UHS. Together, with panellists Éabha and Elgan, they discuss the implications of this investigation, and how it affects clinical placements and teaching for current medical students.   Read the full investigation here: https://www.bmj.com/content/393/bmj-2026-285592    Follow us on Instagram, X, Bluesky and TikTok https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/    https://x.com/BMJStudent    https://bsky.app/profile/bmjstudent.bsky.social     https://www.tiktok.com/@sharpscratchpod  

If more of our clinical thinking is done by technology, what does it mean to be a doctor in the future? Will our jobs be replaced by AI?  In this episode of Sharp Scratch, host Zaynah Khan is joined by panellists and medical students Nilay and Inez, alongside expert guest Professor Paul Taylor, to discuss one of the biggest question marks hanging over the future of medicine: the rapid rise of AI. How will rapid implementation of AI impact the future role of a doctor? Should we be using AI in medicine? If so, how can we do so ethically? Are medical schools equipping us for future medical careers involving AI, tech, and robots?   Follow us on Instagram, X, Bluesky and TikTok https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/    https://x.com/BMJStudent    https://bsky.app/profile/bmjstudent.bsky.social     https://www.tiktok.com/@sharpscratchpod      Fill in our feedback survey to let us know your thoughts about Sharp Scratch and content from the BMJ and BMJ Student https://forms.gle/hr9BWNYx6DkVrBSP7    

What happens when the career you spent your life chasing no longer feels like the right fit? We are currently witnessing a massive cultural shift in medical schools and in training. More and more students and FYs are looking at "portfolio careers," eyeing the exit door, and searching for opportunities completely outside of clinical practice. But actually choosing to leave is difficult… In this episode, Zaynah Khan and the Sharp Scratch panel dive into how a dysfunctional system can capitalize on young, high-achieving, validation-seeking students until they are completely exhausted. But it's not just a conversation about quitting. For those who want to stay, we look at real, practical strategies to cope and sustain a lifelong career without losing yourself. Discussing - what makes staying in medicine feel worth it?   Follow us on Instagram, X, Bluesky and TikTok https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/     https://x.com/BMJStudent     https://bsky.app/profile/bmjstudent.bsky.social      https://www.tiktok.com/@sharpscratchpod     Fill in our feedback survey to let us know your thoughts about Sharp Scratch and content from the BMJ and BMJ Student https://forms.gle/hr9BWNYx6DkVrBSP7      

Why is academic failure surrounded by shame and guilt? Find out what support is available for students, and why failing may make you a better doctor in the long term.   Zaynah and George reflect on failure in medical school - taboo, support, impact on identity-  in this new introduction. Followed by Nikki's episode 'The F Word' from 2021.   This week the panel are joined by Rakesh Patel, Clinical Associate Professor in Medical Education, to talk about failing - and why medical students are so embarrassed to fail.   Follow us on Instagram, X, Bluesky and TikTok https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/    https://x.com/BMJStudent    https://bsky.app/profile/bmjstudent.bsky.social     https://www.tiktok.com/@sharpscratchpod