Sparking Connections At MedSoc With Old Wellingtonian Freddie Renyard

In a wonderful example of our Old Wellingtonians inspiring current Wellington students, MedSoc and Mrs MacAlister's Year 10 Biologists welcomed Freddie Renyard to an afternoon of Q and A and hands on Medical School style practicals!

In MedSoc Freddie spoke about his journey from Wellington to Year 2 of his career as a doctor, now working in plastic surgery at the John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford, but combining his clinical work, on call and night shifts with academic research studying new applications of MRI scanning in diagnostics. Freddie helped our U6th medicine applicants with key interview skills and insights, and inspired others with what he has learnt in his career to date. 

Freddie then joined Year 10 students in their introduction to aseptic technique and antibiotics bringing to life parts of their GCSE immunology topic, sharing how he uses the same techniques of aseptic technique when preparing swabs for diagnosis and faces the challenges of the global antibiotic resistance crisis daily in his job as a doctor! They were surprised to learn he was even examined in handwashing technique as requirement for qualification as a doctor, and that instead of the bunsen they were using in the lab, to remove airborne bacteria in an operating theatre negative pressure systems were in place!  Their lesson finished with a Q and A with superb questions by students inspired by bringing their class practical into a real world setting!