Alumni Stories: Dr Charles Hillman, Class of 2018
2018 BSc (Hons) Medicine graduate Dr Charles Hillman shares his memories of studying Medicine at St Andrews and advice for current and prospective students.
In school, I knew I wanted a career in science and was always most interested in human biology. I’ve always been a people person, and I love a challenge, so applying to medicine seemed the logical decision for me. Work experience and reading helped me gain a greater understanding of what the career would entail. St Andrews was always on my radar. A prestigious university steeped in history with a more traditional style of medical education, it was also the place where my uncle and aunt met. They both attended the medical school, having an incredible experience that brought them back year on year to visit. I attended the open day and fell in love; you had a historical campus basically on the beach, but also modern facilities in which to learn. When I received my offers, St Andrews was the obvious choice, and I’ve never looked back.
I believe our education, split between small town and big city, is possibly one of the broadest available during medical school. I had the benefit of attending a tiny seaside town’s single GP practice, whilst also being in resus in Manchester’s major trauma centre. It prepared me for the frequent changes in location that accompany a medical career, and it gave me an understanding of the range of people from different walks of life for which the NHS cares.
The dissection room was an essential contributor to my anatomy knowledge. I’ve always enjoyed anatomy and credit my strong basis in it to the many hours I spent in the DR (dissecting room), discovering anatomical features for the first time, in person. Even now, when I go over anatomy for exams or try to correlate symptoms and signs to the relevant structure, I return to what I learned about its 3D relations, texture, and size during my time in the St Andrews DR. Our anatomical practical exams tested us on this precise visuospatial knowledge, so we had to make sure we knew our stuff.
Aside from the anatomy teaching, I really enjoyed the second semester of our final year — clinical skills mixed with the dissertation. I found my love of medical research during that time and developed the foundational research skills that enabled me to successfully gain an academic foundation post and thrive in it. I was able to complete a project in which I was really interested, signaling the start of a longer journey in sports and exercise medicine research that I’m still on.
Life as a medical student at St Andrews was, in one word, fantastic. Everyone says that university comprises the best years of their life, but my preclinical years were truly incredible. The social atmosphere incubated by its small, campus-like feel means you’ll never be far from a friend or someone you know. You also get to mix with the wider university — some medical schools can be quite separate, and this was a key reason why I picked St Andrews. While I had many late nights at the library — and don’t get me wrong, the degree was incredibly tough at times — I still got to enjoy being active in multiple societies and competing regularly with the cross country club. I made close friends both in and outside of medicine that I know I’ll have for life.
I’m currently in my first year of A&E training in the North West of England, after returning from six months of travelling. I thoroughly enjoy the varied nature and procedural tasks of a lot of my work. You get the privilege of meeting people from all walks of life at their most vulnerable, and (in my opinion) it attracts the most fun staff in the hospital!
Whilst I’m in A&E training at the moment, my plan is to apply for sports and exercise medicine (SEM) higher specialty training once I’m eligible in a few years. Since my project in third year on beetroot juice and cycling performance with Dr Shireffs, I’ve known that this is where my interests lie. As someone who’s an active (and frequently injured) sportsperson myself, I know how important good musculoskeletal (MSK) care is. MSK health is so integral to quality of life as we age, and the provision of care available across the UK is so variable. With SEM, you have the opportunity to make a real difference to your patients’ quality of everyday life for years to come and can play a key role in keeping people active to prevent other diseases down the line.