Letter to wob Medics

71 King John’s St Heaton
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE6 5XR

09/12/04

Dear Worth Old Boy Medics,

I am writing to enlist your support to found a new arm of Worth Old Boys’ Society. I am a Worth old boy and fourth-year medical student at Newcastle University. The Blue Paper has been read on many an occasion at my household, and only this summer did the idea for a Worth Old Boy Medical Society occur to me. Actually it wasn’t even The Blue Paper itself that inspired the idea, rather an article by one Paul Collini, entitled ‘medicine and mangoes’.

Dr Collini has been situated in Kumasi, Ghana for the best part of two years, and this summer, having ventured to Ghana for an unrelated reason, I met Dr Collini. I spoke to him for a couple of hours in his surgery in the D block of the Kumasi hospital. We discussed many things, but our schooling was not one of them. It was only back in the UK when I read his article in The Blue Paper that I realised that he had left Worth ten years before me, having lived in the very same house, and perhaps even the same room as me!

This coincidence made me think that a society where fellow doctors, medical students, and prospective medical students could share their experiences could only benefit all who joined. Therefore I would like to found a society of wobs whose common interest is medicine.

I think every member of the society stands to gain a great deal. For my part, as a medical student being educated in the current curriculum, career advice is something that is never really touched upon, but something that is essential for any student. For the prospective medical student, I could think of no better person to discuss their future with than medical students at the medical school they wish to be educated in, or doctors with a sound knowledge of their current working environment. I also think the society could provide a network suitable for: discussing current practice, developing student education, offering mutual support, and offering work placements.

These are my ideas about what a medical society could offer. To develop a society to meet the requirements outlined above is something which needs a meeting.

If the idea of a Worth Old Boy Medics Society, to be set up with the broad intentions outlined above appeals to everyone, then I suggest holding a dinner meeting in London (venue to be arranged, offers for one welcome) on the 21st of May 2005. I believe this will give people enough time to commit. Please let either the WOBS Secretary, Mrs McMenemy (wobs@wobsnet.org.uk) or me henrydholt@hotmail.com know if you can attend or if you have any thoughts on the matter.

Many thanks for your time,

Henry Holt