Welcome to the first newsletter from The Black Medic Plexus! This will act as a monthly check-in with members of the network, and also a haven of valuable content in the form of opportunities, books, blog posts and podcasts - all recommended by the BMP team!
Membership Co-Ordinator: Junior
Administrator: Victor
Head of Social Media: Liam
Creative Director: Osas
Events Officer: Ibinabo
Founder: Sharon
(and me!) Newsletter Writer & Editor: Adewale
👣 Our Mission
The Black Medic Plexus is a network which prides itself in building a strong community and network for black medical students across the UK. The platform was created to mould a supportive space for black medics based on community and work-life balance.
Our founder, Sharon Amukamara, launched BMP with the idea of not only changing the culture around the medical field but also to provide a supportive community for all black medical students:
“Once I got into medical school, I quickly realised the lack of a community amongst current black medical students – this was heightened at the fact that there aren’t many medics that look like myself and I was often met with the statement ‘Oh! You don’t look like a medic”.
Through our Instagram and LinkedIn pages, we will be posting interactive content touching on several branches, including lifestyle, academia and much more!
Check out our latest post from our Events Officer, Ibinabo, here:
👀 Things to Look Out For!
We have launched our “Quiz Question of the Week” series on our Instagram so, make sure to give that a try. Our question this week is:
Opportunities:
Melanin Medics have launched their “Envision Med” programme where you can get involved in mentoring aspiring medical students from the very beginning of their journey:
“Are you looking for the opportunity to help Year 12 students who were once just like you get into Medicine? Well, now is your chance! Melanin Medics is launching a new programme called “Envision Med”, which allows current medical students to provide them with long-term support with their Medicine application, right from the very beginning. If you want to be involved, click the link for more information!”
It is currently interview season, which also means there is a great demand for medical students who have been through the process. UniAdmissions are looking for medical students to provide interview tuition:
“UniAdmissions - Earn OVER £150 per day!”
Are you keen to help enthusiastic 16-18-year-olds with their UCAS application or preparation for interviews? If so, you could be earning OVER £150 per day AND get access to: - Free training - Free resources - Mentoring - Prizes
Our favourite part of the newsletter! Here, we will be giving our monthly recommendations of content that would be of value to you!
Adewale:
I recently wrote a blog post about the importance of medics thinking beyond “just Medicine”. Have a read to see why and how you can begin to “think beyond the stethoscope”.
Liam:
“The Black Experience” podcast, mainly the NEXGEN episode, was a thought-provoking conversation to listen to. The host, Richie Brave, spoke to a range of 16-20 year-olds who discussed their own life experiences and how recent events have shaped their views on the world. It was a great listen, and I would recommend it!
Ibinabo:
“Gifted Hands” by Ben Carson is a must-read for all medical students! It is a short but motivational insight into Ben Carson’s journey - one that will leave you inspired!
Sharon:
“Are Prisons Obsolete” by Angela Davis is another relevant read which sheds light on societal perceptions on crime and punishment, history of Prisons and the Prison Industrial Complex.
Reach Out to Us
For our members in the UK who are under lockdown, it is essential to ensure we are looking after our wellbeing during these difficult and uncertain times. Our DMs are always open, and we also recommend you also access resources from Student Space on the best ways to cope over lockdown.
Join a growing network of black medical students who are enriching themselves with valuable content!
