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Sharp Scratch

The BMJ

Bringing together medical students, new doctors and expert guests to discuss everything you need to know to be a good doctor.

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  • 24 episodes
  • fortnightly
  • Avg 39 min
  • English

Episodes 24

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  • #157
    Nov 14, 2025 · 44 min

    How to avoid the 'Surgical Scaries'

    In this Surgical themed episode, host Zaynah Khan sits down with Ms Samantha Tross, the first black female Orthopedic Surgeon in the UK. They are also joined by previous editorial scholars on the panel - George Webster, Éabha Lynn, and Laura Hope Nunez-Mulder. Together they discuss first or memorable experiences of surgery in medical school / as a doctor, and Samantha shares advice on navigating surgery, especially as a woman of colour. Fill in our feedback survey to let us know your thoughts about Sharp Scratch and content from the BMJ and BMJ Student https://forms.gle/hr9BWNYx6DkVrBSP7 Follow us on Instagram, X, Bluesky and TikTok https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ https://x.com/BMJStudent https://bsky.app/profile/bmjstudent.bsky.social https://www.tiktok.com/@sharpscratchpod

  • #145
    Oct 31, 2025 · 33 min

    Dissection Horror Stories - Halloween Episode

    In this Halloween episode, host Zaynah Khan sits down with expert guest Dr. Jennifer Wallis, a Senior Teaching Fellow and Lecturer in History of Science and Medicine at Imperial, and medical student Anna de Beer. They'll be sharing real-life dissection horror stories and experiences from current times, while also exploring the dark side of medical history and past influences of cadaveric dissection. Fill in our feedback survey to let us know your thoughts about Sharp Scratch and content from the BMJ and BMJ Student https://forms.gle/hr9BWNYx6DkVrBSP7 Follow us on Instagram, X, Bluesky and TikTok https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ https://x.com/BMJStudent https://bsky.app/profile/bmjstudent.bsky.social https://www.tiktok.com/@sharpscratchpod

  • #156
    Oct 10, 2025 · 42 min

    Practicing creative writing to be a better doctor

    In this episode, new host Zaynah Khan meets with Author, Poet, Creative Writing Lecturer, and Ex-Doctor Gita Ralleigh. They are joined by Khadijah, a medical student taught by Gita, and panellists Elgan and Maira who help explore the role of creativity within medicine and how writing can help enhance clinical practice. Fill in our feedback survey to let us know your thoughts about Sharp Scratch and content from the BMJ and BMJ Student https://forms.gle/hr9BWNYx6DkVrBSP7 Follow us on Instagram, X and TikTok https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ https://x.com/BMJStudent https://www.tiktok.com/@sharpscratchpod READING LIST ⁃ ‘Unheard: The Medical Practice of Silencing’ by Dr Rageshri Dhairyawan ⁃ ‘The Undying’ by Anne Boyer ⁃ Arthur Frank’s framing of patient narratives ⁃ ‘The Empathy Exams’ by Leslie Jamison ⁃ ‘When Breath Becomes Air’ by Paul Kalanithi ⁃ Patient made writing and art ⁃ John Clare’s poetry ⁃ ‘Time is a Mother’ by Ocean Vuong ⁃ ‘Giving Up the Ghost’ by Hilary Mantel ⁃ Phil Whitaker’s commentary ⁃ ‘The Story of a Heart’ by Rachel Clarke ⁃ ‘The Prison Doctor’ by Dr Amanda Brown ⁃ ‘The Diving Bell and the Butterfly’ by Jean-Dominique Bauby

  • #155
    Sep 21, 2025 · 44 min

    Re-release: Reasons to be hopeful

    In the final instalment from the Sharp Scratch archives, incoming Sharp Scratch host Zaynah Khan is rebroadcasting one of her favourite episodes- on hope. This episode was originally published on April 15, 2024. With the rapid unfolding of recent events in medicine, it can be easy to lose hope for the future. From low pay and staffing crises to the rapid changes to postgraduate training, it can feel like things are getting worse. But is this really the case? In this episode, the panel discusses what 'hope' really means and whether there's any hope for a better future in medicine (spoiler alert: there is!). They're joined by Anna Baverstock, a consultant pediatrician and well-being lead based in Somerset. Follow BMJ Student on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmj_student/ X: https://x.com/BMJStudent Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sharpscratchpod

Showing 21–24 of 24 episodes