Chemistry Evening – Spectrometry
On the evening of Friday 11th October, Concord’s Chemistry students were extremely lucky to be able to analyse their recently-studied practical results using a very rare spectrometry machine. NMR and Infra-red spectrometry machines are very expensive and difficult to get a hold of by schools – Concord’s students were fortunate to be visited by a spectroscopy expert from Newcastle University, who showed, explained and taught our 6.2 students the process of using the spectrometers.
This was not only an enhanced learning experience for young chemistry enthusiasts, but also a very beneficial practical activity, as the event aided students in studying for our current topic, spectroscopy techniques and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR). Furthermore, the results obtained by the students were astonishing! Every sample developed a reading of more than 98% pure. The results would have been very hard to read without the precise industrial tools and high-technology laboratory equipment that the spectroscopy expert used.
Kristijonas – 6.2
MedSoc London Trip 2019
After settling down at the hotel, our first destination in London – the Science Museum. The museum was huge and a lot of it was about aviation and space, however, the medical part of the museum was under renovation, so unfortunately, we were not able to learn much about history of medicine.
We then visited Imperial College. We had a quick tour and we went in for some seminar-type talks. We first had an activity answering different fun questions about the human body, then we had a talk related to admissions and studying at Imperial and living in London. After visiting Imperial College, we went on to the Wellcome Collection where we got to see a lot of models of humans and also a lot of equipment used for surgeries in ‘the old times’. It was quite interesting; for me that was the highlight of our first day. At night, after dinner, we went for a walk around the London Eye and Embankment area.
On the second day, we went to St. George’s University near the outskirts of London. We had a short talk about admissions and also life at St. George’s. We then had a tour taking us around different parts of the hospital and university, including the Human Dissection Room, which was amazing. We got to see and touch a real cadaver and different organs too. We also got to see a collection of different specimens and learn a lot about them in the Pathology Museum. Shortly after lunch, we had a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) session with our guides, including tips about tackling exam questions and also a group discussion. For the last part of our tour in St. George’s University, we had an activity workshop with different stations including clinical skills on how to check blood pressure, CPR, testing our reflex in our joints and many others. Afterwards, we had dinner at Marco Pierre White’s restaurant and I think we all had a great time.
We started our third and final day by going to King’s College London, where, once again, we had a lecture-style talk and then a tour around the university, including going to their own pathology museum which was huge, and lots of specimen were displayed. Afterwards, we went to the Old Operating Theatre and learnt about its history and stories about the types of procedures and methods that used to happen there in Victorian times. That was our final activity before some free time for shopping and then a train journey back to Shrewsbury.
It was definitely a great experience to visit different parts of London and a handful of universities, and importantly, to also learn more about medicine. But, I do think the Science Museum would have been more beneficial if all areas were finished and open, and I would have liked to have spent more time at the pathology museum at King’s College.
Gayvn – 6.1
Concord’s Medical Futures Conference
The medical conference was an extremely engaging, informative and heart-warming experience. It not only provided invaluable insights into the process and strategy for application to medical schools but also gave potential medics the opportunity to catch a glimpse of their future in the present, by meeting with medical representatives from a multitude of top universities.
Overall, the conference was the perfect blend of education, advice and excitement and was an incredible experience for everyone who attended.
Emily – 6.1
Medical Futures Conference 2019
On the 2nd of March 2019, Concord College held its second Medical Futures Conference. A number of lecturers were invited to present talks to potential medical students. In addition, there were sessions set up for meeting different professionals from a variety of medial backgrounds and careers, as well as over 20 medical university representatives and alumni. We also had several workshops including Medic Portal’s ‘Introduction to the UCAT and BMAT Admission Tests’ and interview preparation sessions led by university representatives. Committee members of Concord’s Medical Society and School Prefects spent the day welcoming doctors, lecturers, alumni and approximately 70 external students for this conference.
As a 6.2 who has recently applied to study medicine, I felt that this event was more applicable for those who were preparing to apply. However, it was still an extremely insightful opportunity as meeting the professionals allowed me to understand the field of medicine from a more experienced point of view. I am very grateful for all of the doctors and lecturers who committed their time for this event despite their busy schedules. It gave students a chance to ask questions about the field of medicine they were interested in, that only those in the business could answer – which is truly an opportunity that is hard to come by. Furthermore, the alumni were really helpful, as they understood the situation us students were in, particularly in terms of the transition from boarding school life to independent university life. They were able to give several tips in regards to accommodation and finances, as well as coping with the stress from studies and exams.
My favourite part of the day was the inspiring lecture given by a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, who talked about her interest in musculoskeletal oncology. She introduced a case from a previous operation she had whereby the multidisciplinary team had to discuss the necessity of a bespoke prosthetic. I found it amazing to see how the people involved in the case were not only doctors, but also engineers who designed the implant, physiotherapists, nurses and many other professionals who all worked together to help treat this patient. The lecturer emphasised the importance of teamwork in this field, and I felt that that was something we, as a school, achieved on the day of the conference.
Charmaine – 6.2
An inspiring lecture on Nanotechnology
Last Tuesday, I had the pleasure of attending a lecture on Nanotechnology, delivered by Professor Jon Preece at the University of Birmingham. Undoubtedly, the lecture had only scratched the surface of nanotechnology, but for me, it had provided a lot of useful insights – such as how this technology is applied in microchips and what advances it could bring to us in the years ahead. Despite sitting afar from the lecturer, I could clearly hear the genuine excitement and passion in his voice, which made the talk highly captivating and inspiring. Overall, it was a great experience!
Minh Chau – 6.2
Chemistry Olympiad
The International British Chemistry Olympiad Round 1 competition was an interesting experience, as we undertook questions that we have never seen before. It was particularly challenging as they introduced unknown concepts to us, and we were asked to use our knowledge from the Chemistry A-Level syllabus to infer the answers to these questions. It was stimulating to be exposed to the larger world of Chemistry outside of what we learn for our A-Levels, and the difficulty of the competition will definitely help in doing our exams in the near future and at higher education.
Wei En – 6.2
An Inspiring Research Lab Placement
Three Concord sixth form students have gained valuable insights into future cancer treatments, as part of an exciting research placement.
The students joined Professor Wang, Dr Kannappans and the research team at the University of Wolverhampton, who are currently investigating the treatment of aggressive, resistant cancers with high mortality rates, such as pancreatic cancer, brain tumours and lung cancer, with the aim of improving patient outcomes. Read the full story on the Concord College website.
“It was such a valuable opportunity to be able to witness a notable medical project first-hand, by the researchers at the University of Wolverhampton. Their ideas of using existing medications in the market but through different methods left me in awe. I did not realise there were such ways to help fight cancer.
Whilst there, we learnt the processes of culturing cells, testing different medicines and applying different doses, using an array of methods and high-end equipment. It was spectacular.
With regards to their research, it was an eye-opening experience to witness such a significant project being conducted. We were learning things way beyond our syllabus and we were able to expand our understanding through our existing knowledge – which enforced a good foundation for understanding the entire project.
The research team were welcoming and we appreciated their patience with our lesser knowledge. Dr Wang and co were kind mentors and taught us things step-by-step to aid our learning. They explained theories in extreme detail, and helped us grow and learn. This experience was new to us, without a doubt! It’s made us more intrigued by medical research and introduced us to university education too.
We are very grateful for their hospitality, both in our recent education and socially too. It was amazing to have the team share their personal experiences and medical backgrounds with us, and we have left with a deeper understanding of what we can expect in the near future, at university and beyond.”
Doraleen – 6.1
A tour of the new Science Block
Sixth form Marketing Prefects Michael Lang and Heidi Vuong were the first students to be shown around new Science Block at Concord in December during the final phase of its construction. Both were impressed with the scale and design of the new facility.
Said Michael: “The new science block is huge and I was just so shocked as the building is so much bigger than it actually looks from the outside. The facilities look pristine and the design of it is very minimalistic and beautiful.
“I am of course honoured to have been one of the first students to have been inside the science block and I really do hope that the rest of the school looks forward to it being opened in January,” he added.
Said Heidi: “I was very surprised and impressed at how big and modern the new science block is. When students talk of the new block, we talk about it very casually. We don’t realize how much effort and thought were put in into building the block: having the idea to build this, designing, the builders working hard, Mrs Carter having to block the roads for safety reasons , from the little things to the big things.
“I really appreciate it that Concord puts into so much effort to provide many of its students with the best learning experience. The fact that the school decided to build this makes me really appreciate how Concord works really hard to prioritize improving its students’ welfare and learning experience.”