Sharp Scratch

“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/

 

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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

 

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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 

 

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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?

 

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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?

 

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