BMAT 2014, a disappointing result

Unfortunately, on the day of taking the BMAT I was shocked to be informed that the exam invigilators were unaware of the extra time that I had been given as a result of my dyslexia.
I had sat the exam the previous year and had extra time, achieving a good result that I felt reflected my aptitude well.Unfortunately I had to drop out of school that year for health reasons and I am currently sitting year 13 to complete my A levels.
 However, this year I was panicked by the prospect of having to sit the exam with less time than I needed, and was interrupted throughout sitting the test  with updates on whether I would get my extra time or not. I was devastated coming out of the test, knowing that my performance had been inhibited. And my fears were realised yesterday by a disappointing BMAT result. After being offered interview last year from UCL,  I am worried that this year I will fall short of this opportunity.
But I will come back fighting! If I don't achieve a place in the next year I will keep trying until my dream is fulfilled.

Adjustable Liquid Filled Glasses- Of course!

Chatting to my GP, I was enthused to hear of the invention of glasses that could be adjusted to the individual's sight without the need for an optometrist. I was surprised that I hadn't heard of this sooner!
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2008/dec/22/diy-adjustable-glasses-josh-silver

It is one of those ideas that makes absolute sense, why hadn't this sleek design been stumbled upon before?! But it was the mind of Josh Silver, Professor of Physics at Oxford University, to answer his own question of the possibility of adjustable lenses. I was also delighted to see that the aim for this was 'to offer glasses to a billion of the world's poorest people by 2020'. Making the glasses to your prescription- not the other way around.
This is a brilliant example of how physics can be applied to aid medical needs of the many. As a physics student, fascinated by light and vision, it is an exciting prospect. I also admire the charitable nature of Silver's ambition and like to see it as a flagship for how academia can improve the quality of life for so many in need. I find this truly inspirational. 
Here's a link to a TED talk, with the prof himself showing how they can be used:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpKWHSsBpnE

Dyslexia Diagnosis at long last...

After years upon years of feeling stupid and covering up my weaknesses, at the age of 18 I finally had a dyslexia test at my school. I tell you, after putting so much hard work and effort into my English GCSEs it was a hugely triumphant moment to discover that I achieved A*s with this difficulty in information processing.

Telling people about my diagnosis, I got 'about time!' and 'I always knew it' to things from my grandmother like 'you can't be dyslexic, you're intelligent!'. As we know, however, dyslexia occurs independently of intelligence. But for me, it was just a massive relief for my difficulties to actually be recognised for the first time. I also was told that my IQ was in the top 2% of the population- a real confidence boost. 

My school were not very keen for me to have the test done, but after a lot of convincing they agreed, and I now have a very much needed extra time for my exams. I really hope that anyone who suspects dyslexia is able to get tested and get support as soon as possible- mine came late but I already feel like a massive weight has been lifted!

Ebola- a preventable outbreak?

I recently gave a talk on the nature of the Ebola virus, also covering the political and social issues bought up by the recent outbreak at my Medical Club (as part of the medical society at my school that I set up a few years back). There was a great turn out with the number of interested students, it has obviously captured the attention of us all.

The Ebola virus causes Ebola haemorrhagic fever (also known as Ebola virus disease). The first outbreak of the disease was in 1976, there were two simultaneous outbreaks and the name comes from the Ebola River, near to Yambuku where one of them started. The current outbreak is the largest since its discovery. There are five known species of the Ebolavirus, with three associated with the large outbreaks in Africa.
The host of this potentially-deadly virus is the fruit bat of the Pteropodidae family, and is spread to the human population by close contact with bodily fluids such as blood, of infected animals. Burial ceremonies are thought to have a major impact on transmission, due to the direct contact with the deceased. Humans are only infectious after the incubation period, and symptoms appear. WHO states ' First symptoms are the sudden onset of fever fatigue, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. This is followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, symptoms of impaired kidney and liver function, and in some cases, both internal and external bleeding (e.g. oozing from the gums, blood in the stools). Laboratory findings include low white blood cell and platelet counts and elevated liver enzymes.'
I found the BBC's Horizon and Panorama coverage of the disease to be insightful, with footage of the centres set up to mitigate the impacts and workers in their extensive protective clothing and procedures. There was a great deal of distressing footage of ebola orphans and patients near-paralysed with the virus. I chose to show some clips in my presentation to give students a real idea of the horrific impacts of such a tiny organism. 
I did feel, however, that a majority of the news coverage was focused on the possibility of the virus spreading to 'us' as opposed to empathy for the people suffering and action to help in any way possible. 
There was a large discussion on the possibility, in retrospect, of whether the outbreak could've been prevented or stopped in its tracks earlier. After all, we have been aware of the disease since the 1970s. 

(This post is in progress...)