MedSoc and ScottSoc were pleased to welcome for the first talk of the year Dr Marco Lee, a Fellow of both the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Pathologists. His initial medical training was at the University of Cambridge before completing his medical microbiology training at the London School of Tropical Medicine. 

He came to present an engaging talk titled “Pathology and the Glamour of CSI”. His main focus point throughout the talk was about diseases and in particular diseases which affect the heart. He explained how pathologists are like the CSI who investigate and determine what has killed someone. He provided some shocking anecdotes that helped to show how important pathologists are. 

One story in particular was about a patient who was not acting or behaving in a normal manner and after being referred to many specialists none could determine what was wrong. As he was older his family was going to put him in a caring home. However, when samples were sent to a pathologist, they were able to detect a pathogen and give him the right antibiotics which corrected his behaviour and allowed him to return to normal life. 

Dr Lee also explained the wide variety of career roles that can be taken by someone interested in medicine or medical research, and very kindly recorded an interview for the next OSCAR radio broadcast. Finally, the following day, Dr Lee put a number of the U6 pupils through their paces by giving them mock Oxbridge NatSci and medical interviews.

Jessica Cardwell (N)