When I started on my medical degree, initially I was expecting to complete in the regular five years; it was only really as I progressed on the course that I thought about the possibility of intercalation.
I knew my degree would give me everything I needed to train and become a doctor, but I also had an interest in ethics and law. The option of intercalation allowed me to pursue this particular interest and I ended up undertaking my additional BSc in Healthcare, Ethics and Law.
When the time came, I was a little bit worried about settling in.
Not only was I was starting a new course but I was studying alongside practising GPs, other healthcare professionals and even law graduates. It was difficult to work out what this was going to be like, and how I was going to integrate with people who had a lot more life experience than I did and I didn't know whether my inexperience would be a disadvantage.
When I arrived, everyone on my course was really welcoming. I also ended up living in postgraduate halls - because I was a little bit older - and right from the start that was a really lovely experience. I was meeting people from all over the world who were doing masters or doctorate programmes in a variety of subjects.
The fact that we had come from a wide variety of backgrounds meant that, particularly for our legal and ethical discussions, there was a real richness to the sharing of ideas and it really enhanced my experience.
One of the challenges on my course for those intercalating was assessment via essay; having been on a medical degree where I was used to multiple choice questions writing an essay giving an opinion on an ethical subject was really quite a challenge. A lot of us were nervous about whether what we produced would fulfil the requirements.
Our Professor was very understanding, and allowed us to submit a draft for some comments and feedback before we gave in our first assignment - which of course wasn't going to be allowed for the rest of the year.
I was very nervous about submitting that first essay.
I ended up getting some very positive comments and some really constructive feedback - and I also got a much better score than I was expecting! This gave me a huge boost in confidence for the rest of the course and for my continuation into medicine.
When I came back from my intercalation to re-join the rest of the course there were a proportion of my year that had already moved on so I was with a new group of people, and many people had already lined up house shares and places to stay. So reintegrating in terms of accommodation and also into the course was quite difficult at the time.
I soon overcame those initial teething problems, helped by the fact we were out on clinical placement together, and working in smaller groups, which really helped you to settle back in.
Despite the challenges, if I had my time over again I would definitely intercalate.
I had a richness of experience that I would not have gained otherwise. I had important developmental and life experiences, starting over and connecting with people from a whole range of different walks of life - it led on to important things for me. I have gone on to work in education and it led onto me developing course materials and subsequently writing a book based on the area I intercalated in.
The Liverpool advantage
Liverpool is an exciting, energetic city and I think the School of Medicine reflects that.
We have connections with a broad range of really excellent, local, specialist centres and there are fabulous cultural opportunities here, as well as educational ones.
Most of your medical career choices are a mixture of circumstance and design. For me personally, the design elements that made me come to Liverpool were - knowing I was coming to a friendly city, with a lot going on culturally, and Liverpool has good rail connections as well as other transport links. And the School itself is not only welcoming but also includes specialists from a variety of different areas. I knew Liverpool was somewhere that I could pursue my particular passion for education and training.
Words of wisdom
If you are considering or about to start studying medicine I would encourage you to keep an open mind about your career choices early on. A medical career is a long career, and you have plenty of time to change your mind along the way. There is such a breadth of opportunity in medicine with many branches and niches available to you.
Whatever you are doing during your studies try to think about how you can learn more about that breadth; take the opportunity to talk to people who have had varied, different and interesting career paths about the choices they have made along the way.
You will find what feels right for you.
Setbacks throughout your studies and indeed your career are both normal, and to be expected, but you can learn to turn those setbacks to your advantage and make them a real asset in terms of your learning and development.
As well as a practising physician, Dr Tippett is the Director of Medical Education, Educational Research, Educator Development & Engagement at the School of Medicine, and Aintree Clinical Placement Lead for our Year 2 students.