Dear Friend,
Most of you might not be aware that
studentBMJ provides Clegg Scholarship for those who are interested in Medical Jouranlism. Any Medical Student from all over the world can apply. Here is the detail published in
studentBMJ
The BMJ Publishing Group is looking for students who will be able to spend eight weeks with them. That could be an elective, during summer vacation or as an appropriate part of your curriculum. Students at any stage of their medical degree are welcome to apply, but prior writing experience is preferable.
This time another opportunity is knocking your door, if your capable you might be the another Clegg Scholar. So, guys what do you think gear up apply for it. Here is the detail about recent notice published by
studentBMJ:
Just WHO is the Clegg scholar 
Learn about medical journalism: apply for the Clegg Scholarship
The Clegg Scholarship is aimed at students from all over the world wanting to learn about medical journalism.
The BMJ Publishing Group is looking for students who will be able to spend eight weeks with us.
This could be for your elective, during your summer vacation or as an appropriate part of your curriculum.
Students at any stage of their medical degree are welcome to apply, but prior writing experience is preferable.
You will be paid £1200 ($2100; €1750), and must be able to spend eight weeks at the BMJ offices in London. If you are interested please send a curriculum vitae, a record of any published work and a covering letter explaining why you would like to work with the BMJ as email attachments to: Julia Burrell:
jburrell@bmj.com Closing date: 5 December 2005 ************************************************** ****
More about Clegg Scholarship an article by Ruth Little who got this and has written about the experience in the studentBMJ gives the lowdown on her time working at the
BMJ in London, far from her native city of Melbourne, learning about medical journalism
Right from the beginning, I drifted through medicine. Students around me were focused and passionate. One day, I hoped, their consuming desire to be a doctor would strike me and cure me of my cynicism and lack of direction. I have realised that this lightning moment will never come for me. This thought terrifies me, as I cannot imagine myself working as a doctor, and I am about to start the final year. Since realising all this I have been searching for my niche in the medical realm; my elective could provide an invaluable opportunity for me to explore using my medical knowledge in a "non-medical" area. As a result, during my elective I did not set foot inside a hospital or see any patients. Instead I spent seven and a half weeks as a Clegg Scholar at the
BMJ.
The Clegg Scholarship provided a window onto the world of medical journalism, offering me a chance to become involved in writing, editing, critical appraisal, research, and internet skills. I could choose how I spent my time, and my aim was to do as much writing as possible, and I was given plenty of opportunities.
The challenge of journalism
Initially, I was daunted: I was a clueless medical student pretending to be a journalist who didn't even know what NHS stood for. I was ill prepared for the journalistic process. I simply didn't have the confidence that comes with experience. I soon learnt, however, that doors quickly open for the media, and placing
BMJ in front of my name had a magical effect. My nerves were eventually soothed with the help of time and support from the team at the
BMJ. The staff provided me with ideas and opportunities to write articles, advised me, edited my sometimes chaotic writing, and encouraged me to learn as much as I could. I was impressed by the level of professionalism at the
BMJ, in particular the regular challenging and reassessment of their own methods and standards.
London living
The chance to live in the vibrant chaotic atmosphere of London was also a once in a lifetime opportunity for me, as I live in Melbourne, but the games of sardines on the tube at rush hour were unwanted. I soon learnt that London is an amazing place, so long as you have money and live on the underground route.
It is hard to imagine how people survive in London without a substantial income. Perhaps this explains the homelessness, a part of most big cities, but which seemed more overt in London. In particular, one woman remains etched in my memory. I saw her most mornings, huddling in the cold and clearly ill from life on the streets. I often secretly hoped that she wouldn't be there, so I wouldn't have to walk past her with my breakfast in hand. Sometimes she got a share, as I thought that a nutritious banana or muffin would help her more than a few pence. This was the most difficult part of my time in London.
London's proximity to the rest of Europe was a huge bonus and in stark contrast to Australian concepts of distance. The ability to travel from London to Paris on Eurostar--from English breakfast tea to camembert and croissants--within a matter of hours was difficult for me to conceptualise but none the less something I took advantage of.
An experience of a lifetime
I arranged accommodation from Australia, which cost more but saved me the hassle: I had no idea of what the different parts of London were like, and I didn't want to spend time traipsing between various dumps. Initially, I lived at a friend's house in Brixton. When people heard this, they were usually surprised, if not worried, but I had no problems and a lot of fun. Perhaps I was just a naive and lucky traveller; who knows? I later shifted to the more manicured East Finchley. It had a lot less attitude, and I felt safer walking home from the tube at night.
I could not understand why Londoners complained about the weather. I'd given up 30ºC summer days and daylight from 6 am to 9 pm. If I could take it, how bad could it be? I had expected real cold, the kind of cold that burrows deep inside your chest and makes you catch your breath. Instead, all I got was whingeing semi-rainy cold. I confess that I began to yearn for a hot Aussie summer, as I was bombarded by advertisements for exotic island paradises and hot Australian landscapes on the underground. Sadly, after seven and a half weeks, the time had come to leave and return to my former life as a medical student. While I'm still not sure what I'll do after graduation, my stint as a Clegg Scholar has opened my eyes to a broader medical world that exists outside wards and clinics. In the future I may be able to combine my medical training with other interests: my insecurities and fears about my career in the future have mellowed.
Ruth Little,
final year medical student, University of Melbourne, Australia
Email:
ruthylittle@yahoo.com studentBMJ 2002;10:397-440 November ISSN 0966-6494
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