Alumni Stories: Dr Aaron Taylor, Class of 2018
2018 BSc (Hons) Medicine graduate Dr Aaron Taylor shares his memories of studying Medicine at St Andrews and advice for current and prospective students.
I was always interested in sciences at school. In particular, I think I was always curious about finding out the why behind how things worked. I also enjoyed working with people and wanted a career that would make me feel as though I was making a difference. Maybe a little less standard is that I wanted a career that would challenge me — where I’d have the opportunity to solve complex problems. Also, I was a huge fan of Hugh Laurie in House M.D. (the character’s questionable ethical decisions aside).
The smaller town and school at St Andrews meant there was a real community feel, to the extent that staff at the medical school would know your name. Wherever you went, there were always familiar faces, and you were never far away from friends. Standout parts of the course were the hands-on anatomy dissection within the first few months and the high-quality clinical skills facilities. I enjoyed my time so much that I decided to go back and teach as a Medical Demonstrator. These are doctors who have typically been qualified for over two years and come to help deliver sections of the course. They often bring a recent clinical perspective to the lessons and can still remember what it’s like being a medical student.
The medical course at St Andrews is certainly not an easy one; the material is detailed and is designed to link concepts and knowledge together over time. Because of that, I still rely on much of what I was taught in St Andrews today; I even occasionally pick up my St Andrews anatomy notes before theatre cases.
If St Andrews feels like a close community, then the medical school is even closer. The Bute Medical Society is constantly organising events — the annual Bute Ball being a consistent highlight — which means there is always a big social event in the calendar to look forward to. If you have a particular interest, there’s almost certainly a society for it, from the Surgical Society, which runs annual conferences, to Teddy Bear Hospital, which holds outreach sessions at local schools to help dispel kids’ anxieties about going to the doctor.
I am currently training to be an anaesthetist in Glasgow, with a plan of also training in intensive care. I realised this was what I wanted to do whilst attending a summer placement in ICU as an undergraduate at St Andrews. For me, anaesthetics and intensive care are the perfect combination of practical skills, rich understanding of the why in medicine, and teamwork.
Medicine is a great career, but a demanding one. The learning and exams don’t stop at university, so make sure you know what you’re signing up for. It’s still absolutely worth it in my opinion, particularly if you enjoy learning new things. For current students, be easy on yourself. Remember the medical course is long and difficult. Take the opportunities that come your way and find out what helps you relax and recharge — it’s just as important when you’re revising as it is when you’re finally working as a qualified doctor.