More Open Days!

I visited Oxford and Newcastle University this week! I thoroughly enjoyed my time at both universities and I think its even clearer now that if I was lucky enough to get into any medical school i'd have a fantastic time!! I thought that the city of Oxford was lovely and I found the collegiate system very attractive, the obvious problem with Oxford is how competitive and difficult it is to get in. Even more difficult that the other medical schools perhaps! I fell in love with the sports centre at Newcastle and liked how close the campus was to the city centre.. In addition Newcastle often scores very highly in student satisfaction surveys and I can see why! Finally it may have been perception but I thought everyone I met was very friendly, both at the university and in the centre.

I plan to look at more universities over the summer, if possible in person, otherwise via the internet and prospectuses. I think the open days I have attended so far have confirmed my desire to study at a campus university and have made me even keener to study medicine having heard about the courses in detail! There is only one large barrier, getting the grades and being successful in the selection process..


A few months ago I posted about a man called Tony Nicklinson who is suffering from "locked in" syndrome and has been for seven years following a stroke. He is paralysed yet his mind is fully functional. His plea for death is due to go to trail very soon, he does not wish for a new law to be put in place - simply a remedy for his particular case, which is a desire to die to end his suffering. His condition is so severe that the suicide would not be assisted, instead he would have to be killed by medical means, Euthanasia.

There are obviously many complications surrounding the case and time must be spent considering them and a conclusion, the ruling will occur at a later date after some time. There are many arguments for and against the case, for example Tony's mind is fully functional so surely it is his decision whether or not he wants to die, not the states? However by contrast, would the permission for Tony to end his life with the help of medical support be murder?