Iran UK Blog Reza/Payam Channel 4's 121

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2007-03-06T11:35:00.000Z

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2006-05-14T11:20:00.000+01:00

Wow, it has been a long time since my last post. I am kinda waiting for Reza to post - I guess he is busy as it comes up to the end of year.

It has been hectic this past month. I had an exam on friday which was hard, but it was on an interesting module - Human Sciences and Public Health (HSPH). Many (most?) people don't seem to like HSPH. They think HSPH is a 'filler' module to waste time. That annoys me no end - I have always thought HSPH covers what one could call the essence of medicine. It covers the important bits - cultural compitence, ethics, social inequalities and so on. The bits which set patients aside as human beings rather than just machines. But yet, people don't seem to care about HSPH. In fact, RAG week (where students raise money and give it to charity, lots of fun) is held during HSPH, futher decreasing attendence at lectures. That is disappointing.

Our next module is back to the more mechanical side of things - the locomotor system. That is a four week module and then we finish for exam leave with our exams at the end of June. This is the 'home stretch' basically. Hopefully it will go well and I will be able to go into the end of year exams optimistically. Lots of revision to get done between now and then...

I have recently found a really good blog by a british general practitioner (GP). It is an interesting read, and his style is funny despite the seriousness of some of his subject matter: http://nhsblogdoc.blogspot.com/

Best be off for now,

Payam

2006-04-16T16:56:00.000+01:00

Here are some holiday snaps as promised - these ones are from the temple of Poseidon at Sounion about an hour from Athens - the sunset was truly beautiful. More to come...

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The weather has (finally) begun to feel a bit spring-like here. What an awful winter. Of course, as soon as the weather starts getting better, revision has to start too - only a little while to go until the end of year exams!

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I am planning on a trip to Italy (hehe, I feel like I am doing so much travelling recently) with some friends over the summer. I hope it takes off and we go - and it looks like it will work out. I have wanted to go for ages and it will be a nice chance to see. I have been following the election there closely, waiting to see who will be confirmed as prime minister...

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Every two weeks during year one and two at medical school, we have a placement (Medicine in Society - 'MedSoc'). This aims to improve our understanding of patient interactions, give us some patient contact and help us understand more about healthcare in a broader, more practical sense. It is interesting, even if at times it feels that things aren't working how we want them to.

Of course, this has to be assesed. This is done by a professional conduct evauation, a project and a case presentation. I have to work on this project over easter (I have done an audit, making criteria for what should be included in all letters leaving the team and then assesing whether they are being included).

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I have my driving test on Friday and I *hope* it will go well. It would be nice to pass at the first attempt so I can get on with other things - I am trying to cram a few extra lessons this week while I am off.

Anyway, this post has become very long so I had best leave. Hopefully Reza will post on here soon.

Best Wishes and Khodahafez,

Payam

I'm Back!

2006-04-14T17:37:00.000+01:00

Hello All, Salam Reza,

Well, I am back from Athens now (arrived about an hour ago). Sorry about the long delay in posting - I didn't have time to get to a computer while I was away. It was really great - got to see lots of the important archeological sites which was quite interesting. There's lots of history between Greece and Iran. I will write more about it and put up some pictures soon, when I have finished unpacking.

Other than that, it is now easter weekend here which means that the shops are mostly closed for a weekend (this is less the case than it used to be, with all shops closed all weekend apparently - although I can't remember this). I usually use the extended weekend as a chance to rest, be with family and indulge in chocolate! Good fun.

I hope you are well, Reza. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Bye and Khodahafez,

Payam

Holiday

2006-04-07T14:05:00.000+01:00

Hello,

I had my (hard) dissection exam today - you wouldn't think true/false questions could be all that challenging, but they can! The module as a whole was interesting; with less anatomy teaching happening here in the UK, this was a great opportunity to learn some of the things which are not core. When I go back, it will be our 'Human Sciences and Public Health' module - a mix of Ethics, Sociology and other similar subjects. All of them are areas I am interested in so I look forward to it.

The University has closed for the Easter holidays now. I go on vacation to Greece tommorow. I am really looking forward to it - the weather looks perfect for exploring the sights (20 degrees C). It should be interesting.

The end of year exams are approaching, and the second week of the holidays will be a good point to start some decent revision for these. Best get a good start early on so I am not left cramming at the last minute.

The weather here has been awful this year - after 10 years of warmer than average weather during March, a year with average temperatures seems really cold! Things have got a bit better and hopefully, by the time I get back, spring will be in full flow.

Anyway, I had best go and pack!

Best Wishes and Khodahafez,

Payam

P.S., here is a picture of our haft-seen this year. Hope you like it!

2006-04-07T13:14:00.000+01:00

Hello!
today is the first holiday(weekend) after new year holidays!
I'm in the pediatrics course and i should start studying tomorrow because this is a major course with a large volume of notes and texts to read!
I just arrived home from the shift.in some of the courses we should stay in hospital about 4-5 hours more then other days. one of these courses is pediatrics.
we Had many cases of vomiting and I'm most of the cases , Gastroenteritis was the main reason.
then i should i should study the G.E chapter of essential nelson -pediatrics reference for students in Iran- .

how do you do payam?what are you doing these days?
say something or send some photos!...i wait for you!

2006-03-31T12:18:00.000+01:00

Hello Again,

I have been so busy this past week but I am fortunate to have today off to revise some of the anatomy that we have learnt! Dissection is very interesting and it has helped me learn lots more anatomy - it is hard work, however, and standing up for such long periods of time means I go home tired most days! We have an exam for this in one week time and I hear that it's usually hard.

My exam result from my last exam isn't back yet, and will probably take a few weeks.

How are you Reza? I hope you are well. Thank you for the picture you put up - I really like the way you have captured the patterns of the water. How are all the norouz celebrations going? Is university closed for norouz too?

Bye and Khodahafez,

Payam

2006-03-29T09:45:00.000+01:00

I'm so sorry for being late!
Although these days are new year holidays but first days i was busy for new year ceremonies and parities and after that i was busy for organizing my jobs like some researches we have done during last year and now we should write their papers and articles!
today is 8th day of new year and there is less than one week to going to university and hospital!
****
how are you dear payam?!
how was your exam result?!...i wait for your "Norouz" pictures...
i think if this weblog had more visitors it could encourage the writers to write more in quality and quantity!
i don't know how i can do it but i wish the project managers can solve it!
****
i took some photos these days and i like one of them more than others ,then i send it via this weblog for everybody especially dear payam and his family as a little new year gift!
have nice year!...
i wish i can return soon!

Exam is finished!

2006-03-25T14:13:00.000Z

Hello,

Well, I had my exam yesterday. It was only an hour and a quarter long, but it was really hard. At least it is out of the way now and I have a weekend off! (Hopefully I will make good use of it).

After the exam I went for a long walk from Tower Hill station (east London) to Victoria Station (in central London). It took me two hours, but it was really refreshing and was mostly along the River Thames. Exactly what I needed! My feet hurt, but it was worth it - the last week was really busy.

For the next two weeks I am doing a Selected Study Module - where the University gives us some choice over what we do. For me, this means two weeks of dissection - hopefully I will learn lots of Anatomy by doing this!

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Of course, Monday was Norouz. I had a great time - norouz has always been a great time of the year for me. It really does mark the beginning of a change in the weather for the better! Our haft-sin (see below) is quite nice this year (perhaps I will put up a picture of it).

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The haft-seen is a table with seven things beginnning with the persian letter 'seen' or S. It also has other things representing spring such as egg and goldfish as well as some watercress. Another important feature is a hyacinth (the fragrance has always been representative of the persian new year for me).

Persian new year is celebrated at the exact time of the Vernal Equinox (this year at 6.26pm GMT on Monday evening). This is the moment spring begins, and it marks the beginning of 13 days of celebration which end in seezdeh-bedar - which is when people go out to the countryside or a park for a picnic and drop the fully grown watercress into a river (representing a desire to make the entire world green). I am sure Reza will be able to say much more about this.

I hope you are well, Reza and look forward to hearing from you again. I am sure you have lots to say about norouz.

Best wishes, Bye and Khodahafez,

Payam

Happy "NOROUZ"!

2006-03-23T04:39:00.000Z

Happy new year!....
Happy norouz....
today is the 2rd day of "farvardin" the first month of persian year...
payam is now getting ready for his exam and i waut for him...
here,in iran schools are off for 13 days as new year holiday!
bytheway,happy new year...
i will post more...

It's my turn!!

2006-03-18T23:22:00.000Z

Hello everybody!...Hello payam!after some days far from routine life for dermatology exam, now i return here!

****
In Iran , medical education is based on lecture and clinical practice.after a 2.5 years period on basic science of medicine, there is a 1 year pathophysiology course.then students enter the hospital as a " stager ".after this,internship will starts and you are works in the hospital for education,you should have some night shifts and you are responsible for your patients.interns manage the patients with residents and consultant professors.

****

I feel a moderate foot pain!it is nor due to bones or joints neither due to skin!...(i don't know if this sentence is correct!...please help meee!)this pain started last night while i was walking and studying!it may seems so funny, but because i like sleep too much,when i want to be awake for studying,i should walk and read!i was walking around the house from 8 Am to 4 Am (next day!) with short time breaks!...then i think this pain is due to over activity!

****

Yesterday was a wonderful day for me!...
Akbar Ganji was released from the prison!....he was in the prison due to political challenges from 6 years ago....i will write more about him and Iran's political situations.

****

and the last interesting event!...today i met 3 old friend!...Amirhosein(we were in the same schools from kindergarten to high school),Reza(my high school classmate) and Mahdi(guidance school classmate).reviewing the memorials are always interesting....

****

2 days to spring....2 days to Persian new year:1385.
I will write more about Norouz if you are interested....and i will send some photos about this ancient ceremony even you are not interested!!!;)

PS: thank you payam for hiding my absence!...i promise to be more available!...if you prefer some subjects, we can focus on them for next posts,then I'm ready...tell your comments and ask your questions!....
Iprepared this post yesterday but i saved as a draft to add 3 photos to text but unsolved problems didn't let me to do it.i wish i can finde a new way to add photos inspite this low quality internet connection!

Truly yours:
***Reza***

Alirezanajafian@gmail.com
Visit My photoblog

2006-03-15T15:34:00.000Z

Well, today was a pretty typical day so maybe it is a good idea to write about it and give an idea of what a typical day at medical school here is like.

I just got back from an IT Lab session. It was on fetal development and abnormalities. Some of the pictures we were shown were quite severe - lots of different conditions which can affect fetal development.

Before the IT Lab, we had two lectures (one on common diseases in childhood and one about childhood tumours). The first lecture was quite interesting. The lecturer was really good in my opinion; clearly very interested in his subject. The second was a quick overview of tumours in children - lots of microscope slides, most being really similar and difficult to tell apart!

Yesterday we had a 'Formative Assessment Workshop' - a chance to test our knowledge of what we have learnt over the past 4 weeks before the exam next Friday. I realized there are quite a few important areas I need to revise, although it was also nice to get an idea of what I have learnt so far. It looks like the class will be split into three for the exam due to clashes with other exams happening at the end of term - not the nicest thing that could happened but it shouldn't make a difference really.

Friday is a really full day - starting at 8am and finishing at 5pm. Starting before 9 is unusual in the first and second years of the course (it has only happened twice so far this year) and means I have to leave at 6am (a two hour rather than one hour long journey)!

I suppose Reza won't be posting until after his exam, which I think is on Thursday or Saturday. If you do have a look on here before then, Reza, good luck!

All the best,

Payam

A bit more

2006-03-13T21:57:00.000Z

Hello Again,

Thought I would write some more about myself...

I am British-Iranian but, having been born and raised here in the UK, my experience of Iran is limited to two short (2 week) holidays - both were amazing and enlightening; I look forward to hearing from Reza about his experiences as a student.

I commute daily from South London to the East where my medical school is. Lots of students choose to do this (1 in 5 apparently), especially medical students, because of the long course I suppose. I will be moving out from home to live closer to University from next year for the last three years of my course. This is when I will be expected on ward rounds, which can start very early in the morning.

My course is a Problem Based Learning (PBL) based course. PBL is a method where we sit in a group of about 8 people, work on a clinical problem and set ourselves learning objectives. We then return after a few days and feedback to the group on what we have learnt, helping each other to clarify areas of difficulty. It doesn't always work perfectly, but we usually get there in the end (and if we don't, there is a facilitator present to make sure we are doing OK)! This is all supplemented with lectures, practicals, sessions in the IT Lab, Workshops and 'Medicine in Society'.

Medicine in Society is a placement programme where we are assigned to a healthcare team (General Practitioners (GPs) in year 1, other non-hospital care in year 2) and visit them every two weeks - we are expected to observe interactions between patients and healthcare providers as well as understand a bit more about how healthcare works in practice. This year, I have been placed with a community psychiatric team and so far it has been very interesting.

What are your experiences of teaching at medical school Reza? How are you taught there? It would be interesting to see how the teaching is similar and how it is different compared with here. I had a look at your photo-blog and I have to say I was really impressed - the photos are so good and capture quite a lot!

Anyway, that's enough for today - work to do!

Bye and Khoda-hafez,

Payam

Introduction from London

2006-03-13T11:26:00.000Z

Hello all and Salam Reza!

I'm Payam, a second year medical student in London. I will be giving a London perspective on life as a medical student in this blog. Hopefully, it will serve as a useful dialogue. I am sure it will be a pleasure.

At the moment I am doing my Human Development module (the exam is in two weeks!). That covers everything from reproduction to child development and aging. It is interesting, but hard work too.

I thought I should write something now, before I head off - I will write something more substantial and say a bit more about myself again when I get home!

All the best,

Payam

P.S. Best of luck on your revision for your dermatology exam Reza!

Norouz....comming soon!

2006-03-12T22:36:00.000Z

Do you have any dermal nodule?!...
or are you suffering of eczema?!...
I know that you are amazed by the starting sentences!...but there are less than 6 days to dermatology final exam and you shouldn't expect better than these thoughts!
***
I still wait for a cooperator in UK for changing the atmosphere of this blog but i think i should be more patient!it is 1:45 Am here. i arrived home 2 hours ago. I was studying dermatology notes and getting ready for the exam in the hospital library.
***
By the way, i want to start some posts about "NOROUZ"!what dose it mean?!...i guess you will ask this question!...be patient like me or even lees than me!....
I'm here to tell you about "NOROUZ"!
"NOROUZ" is the name of new year in Iran.Persian new year starts with spring when the world is going to renew and nature wakes up!"NOROUZ" is a combined word made of tow words:"NO" which means "New" and "ROUZ" which means "Day" then "NOROUZ" means "New Day".Norouz is considered as new year in Iran,Tajikistan and Afghanistan.
There are many ceremonies for new year in Iran and i try to tell you more about them.
I wish i could take some photos of Norouz ceremonies.Now enjoy these colorful eggs as a symbol of norouz...

They appear near norouz and people buy or make them for new year celebration.I will take more photos of Iran about norouz .
Well...it's better to go to bed before my eyes close in front of monitor!write comments and ask your questions....Have nice day!...

Alirezanajafian@gmail.com Visit My photoblog

Welcome to my world!

2006-03-07T12:29:00.000Z

Hello everybody!
I'm Alireza najafian,an Iranian boy ,student of medicine.you can call me "Reza"!.
I'm invited here to introduce my country to you.
These days,most of the people in the different countries ,know Iran with news about nuclear dispute.
But i try to make a new window to this old an ancient country.I can't and I don't want to change your idea but i want help you to know Iranian people and Persian culture without filter of politics!...
Take off political glass.Majority of Iranian people are extremely different of the government.
We respect everybody with any ideology and religion.
We respect the peace...
and we are qualified for FREEDOM.
I'm not here for political discussion but i thought that it is necessary to reform your view of Iranians.
I'm waiting for my new friend to write this weblog together.
in future, i will tell you more about our life in this part of world.
Write your comments and ask your questions....
Truly yours:
***Reza***

Welcome

2006-03-03T20:45:00.000Z

Welcome to Channel 4's 121. 121 is a place for alternative perspectives on countries in and out of the news, an opportunity to go beyond the tired old tales and get a fresh story from everyday individuals. It's based around international dialogues (using ‘blog’ technology) between paired individuals with similar concerns or occupations from the UK and the other country in question.