Derrick Lamount Mobley II
Anticipated Graduation date: January 2024
My original plans were to complete my core rotations in the US because I wanted to be as close as possible to my momma’s cooking. I grew up on a cattle farm in Southern Tennessee, and I love nothing more than a good home-cooked meal and cornbread. The most extensive thing life has taught me is that it never goes according to our plans. I was offered the opportunity to complete some of my core rotations in the UK, and everything fell into place.
Ms. Alison Allen is an angel in disguise, and the UK Clinical Team made me feel safe and trust in the process. I wasn’t sure what hospital I wanted to be placed at, even though they gave me great resources and information about the areas. I was so blessed and grateful for how they handled the transition for me. They scheduled everything with the hospitals and arranged housing accommodations for me too.
I was placed at North Middlesex University Hospital in London for my Family Medicine, Obstetrics & Gynecology, and Pediatrics cores. My time at the hospital was outstanding. One of the best things I enjoyed during my rotations was that they always made me feel a part of the team, and the doctors were compassionate and knowledgeable. My southern accent is very thick, and I am not the most well-spoken man, but they were always patient with me and made me feel confident to speak up. The hospital pathology is diverse, the hands-on training is next level, and the library is fantastic.
I completed my Psychiatry core at St. Ann’s Hospital in London and experienced the exact detail of teamwork and care. My psychiatry core was phenomenal because I could see different scheduled clinics; as a result, I could see many different patient presentations. During this rotation, I visited HMP Pentonville, an Alzheimer’s clinic, an eating disorder clinic, a learning disability clinic, and a drug abuse clinic.
At this point, my six months were up, and it was time to head back home to TN. I arrived home and immediately applied for a visa to finish up the rest of 3rd year and 4th year in the UK. I am currently placed at Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester to complete my internal medicine and surgery core and to finish up 4th- year electives. Once again, I have been blown away by the consultants and staff at the hospital. They are brilliant, humble, compassionate, and always make time for you. Even though I don’t have any family in the UK, I know I can reach out to any of them for guidance and support. The pathology is also incredible here, and you see many textbook cases. The weekly teaching sessions help to consolidate the material, and the radiology sessions are invaluable. We discuss weekly clinical cases and follow up with physical examination skills.
Medicine is a humbling and daunting journey, but a support system like this makes all the difference in the world. The most significant concept about medicine is that you are not treating an illness or condition but rather treating a person with that illness or condition. We must always remember to keep medicine patient-centered and have humility and compassion. We always experience moments and seasons where we are deeply impacted and changed for the better; that’s what my time in the UK has felt like.
“One of the best things I enjoyed during my rotations was that they always made me feel a part of the team, and the doctors were compassionate and knowledgeable.”