Managing relationships in medical school can be challenging. Whether that be a romantic relationship, or your relationships with your friends or family. Sometimes it can feel like medicine doesn't leave you much time for anything else, but that doesn't have to be the case. It's important to make time for those who are closest to you and most important to you. You can do this by planning out what time you're going to spend on work, and the time you spend with those important to you. Always leave time for the things that you enjoy. Medicine can sometimes be really difficult, so it's important to have a good support system around you. You might want to let them know that even if you can't make as much time for them as you like, you are still thinking about them. Don't think that you can't have a personal life outside of medicine -it is something that you are perfectly able to do. Sometimes it might mean moving your time around and planning ahead - but it's doable!

Sex is always an awkward topic of conversation. Whether it's seeing a sex scene when you're watching a movie with your parents and squirming in your seat, or telling the doctor about your sexual activity. But why? Sex is normal. Most of us have had it, and we're all a product of it. An STD shouldn't be any more shameful than catching a cold, but for many it is. The gay community was incredibly stigmatized in the 1980s during the AIDs crisis, and this stigma continued until recently with limits on giving blood for men who have sex with men. We should all feel free to talk about our sexual identities and the number of our sexual partners without judgement, even if it is a bit awkward at first. All medical students and doctors should feel comfortable talking about a patient's sex life regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or age. A person's sexual health is just as important as their physical and mental health and should be treated as such. Help end the stigma by discussing sexual health and wellbeing.

Find Your Nearest Sexual Health Clinic You can do this by going onto the NHS website: https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/sexual-health/find-a-sexual-health-clinic. Let's Talk About It: This is an NHS website that has information about Contraception as well as referral pathways and specialist: clinics.https://www.letstalkaboutit.nhs.uk/ . Society for Adolescent Medicine This website has helplines that you can access, as well as a wealth on information on sexual health conditions.

According to the current working definition, sexual health is: “…a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality; it is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity. Sexual health requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, as well as the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination and violence. For sexual health to be attained and maintained, the sexual rights of all persons must be respected, protected and fulfilled." Sexual health is important for the overall health and well-being of individuals. The ability of people to achieve sexual health and wellbeing depends on access to good information about sex and sexuality, knowledge of the consequence of unprotected sexual activity, ability to access sexual health care, and living in an environment that affirms and promotes sexual health. Sexual health also includes negative consequences and conditions such as sexually transmitted infections, unintended pregnancy and abortion, sexual dysfunction, sexual violence, and harmful practices such as female genital mutilation. Taking good care of your sexual health can include planning for and using contraception, understanding about changes to your body, learning how to avoid sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancy, and knowing where to go if you want help and advice about your sexual health.

@teddybearmedic Teddy is a fifth-year medical student at The University of Nottingham. @malone_187 Malone is a medical student that created 'Mind the gap', a resource for conditions on black and brown skin. @jess.olo Jess is a student who is intercalating at Cambridge and has produced two ebooks for medical students. @aymarasuasot Aymara is a third year medical student at the university of nottingham.

Being a student of colour in medical school presents different challenges than those who aren't ethnic minorities. As a medical student, there is always the fear that your race may impact your interaction with patients, as some still hold the unfortunate belief that the best doctors are white, when this is not and never has been the case. Ethnic minorities are underrepresented in the NHS, and it can be difficult not always feeling represented in a field that you want to go into, as well as reports of bullying and harassment of people of colour by colleagues who are supposed to respect you. The medical curriculum also is centred towards white skin a lot of the time. There is a lack of education about what different conditions look like on people of colour, and our anatomy textbooks show mostly white bodies and diagrams. While inclusivity has much improved over the years in medicine, there is still much to do by ways of reducing the difficulties faced by BAME groups. No one should have to be worried that the colour of their skin will affect how they are treated or define how much respect they receive.

Experiencing racism can make us more likely to develop mental health problems. It can also lead to internalised racism and internalised colourism, and racial trauma. Racism can make you feel unwelcome, lonely, isolated, anxious, fearful, angry, frustrated, overwhelmed, or forced to supress how you feel. “We get that agency of emotional response removed from us. All human beings react emotionally, but there you are, in that moment of being abused and you're having to stop the natural response of anger or sadness because you don't wanna escalate something.” – Isaac, member of Mind's young Black men programme. Some researchers say that racial trauma should be included as part of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Others say that it should be separate from PTSD, to reflect the specific traumatic experiences and effects of racism. But however you choose to define your experiences, it is always ok to ask for help with your mental health. You shouldn't need to say specific things or use specific words to get support. “When you are a brown Hindu non-binary person, the impact of gender, race and religion on your mental health is stronger. There are constant reminders in the world of how you are different, from equal opportunities monitoring forms, to the way people look at you on the street.” – Jasmin, Mind blogger. These resources have been collated from Mind, there are many more great resources on their website.

https://raceequalityfoundation.org.uk/ The Race Equality Foundation helps to provide information about practices to promote equality and information on discrimination. https://racialjusticenetwork.co.uk/ The Racial Justice Network produces research on racial issues as well as informing and influencing people about equality. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPgQKzfnvYrg2YwrI2iQb0g Race Equality Matters has a youtube channel dedicated to uplifting black voices. https://www.blackandbrownskin.co.uk/mindthegap Mind the gap is a book all about black and brown skin conditions that is beginning to be used in the medical curriculum.

A 2018 BMA survey found that despite the growing numbers of black, Asian and minority ethnic doctors, 45% of them didn't feel there was respect for diversity nor a culture of inclusion in their main place of work. The race report also doesn't acknowledge how workers from some ethnic minority backgrounds continue to be overrepresented in lower pay grades and underrepresented in higher grade roles. Underrepresentation at leadership level and fewer career progression opportunities are evidence of the structural inequalities that persist within our healthcare system. These same factors may have also helped foster an environment where some ethnic minority healthcare workers experience bullying and harassment more than their white colleagues. Race also plays a significant factor in the progression of doctors. There continues to be a pass rate gap in all medical postgraduate exams, between UK-trained white doctors (76%), UK-trained ethnic minority doctors (63%) and IMG doctors (41%). Evidence shows that structural racism leads to people from ethnic minority backgrounds having poorer health outcomes. The impact of COVID-19 on ethnic minority healthcare workers is confirmation of this. Within the healthcare workforce, a shocking 85% of the doctors who died from COVID-19 were from ethnic minority backgrounds. It is less likely that socioeconomic factors can explain this disproportionate impact. BMA surveys of members during the pandemic found that doctors from ethnic minority backgrounds were more likely to feel pressured to work without adequate PPE, and were more afraid to speak out about safety concerns for fear of recrimination, or it affecting their careers. This information is from the BMA article 'Race inequalities and ethnic disparities in healthcare'. More information about race and healthcare can be found on the british medical association's website.

Being a student under the LGBTQ+ umbrella can sometimes be difficult under normal circumstances but being LGBTQ+ in Medical School can present a unique set of challenges for some. Going to university for the first time may lead to a period of reflection, self-discovery and ultimately newfound freedom and joy. For others, it may be a time of confusion, fear, ostracization and sadness. Most students will realistically experience these lows and highs in an unpredictable mixture. No two students will have the same journey, and it is important to remember that LGBTQ+ students (while sometimes being referred to as a single group) are not a monolith, and every student will have different challenges, needs and experiences. So what might be different for an LGBTQ+ Medical student, compared with a student studying another course? The combination of the increased risk in LGBTQ+ populations of developing mental disorders and substance abuse issues (usually attributed to societal views, discrimination and lack of support), mixed with the documented increase of mental distress in Medical students can be a real recipe for trouble for some people, and the stigma of seeking support for mental health issues in Medical School can compound the distress and isolation felt. There is also unfortunately still discrimination including homophobia, biphobia and transphobia among some Medical students, teaching staff and NHS staff, as well as from members of the public including patients. Students may not feel comfortable or empowered to challenge a member of staff or a patient who says something discriminatory, and they may feel isolated if their friends or colleagues do not step up and call out discrimination either. Even subtle or seemingly innocuous things can contribute to a general sense of being “othered”, for example every PBL case during the year involving straight couples, or lecturers referring to groups of students as “ladies and gentlemen”. Medical curricula are also very binary when it comes to sex and gender, and in a lot of way Medical students are taught to categorise patients into two groups (Male and Female) without being taught the nuance of this, or how to accommodate people who do not fit the binary as it is taught. While many students may not notice things like this, feeling unrepresented or like you don’t really belong can have a serious negative impact on enjoyment of the course and mental health. Coming out as trans or non-binary at medical school can be a particularly stressful and anxiety-inducing time. Many trans students will change their names, the pronouns they use, and may change their appearance and clothing too. They might be communicating this to friends and family, hoping for a supportive reaction and fearing potential negative reactions too. The usual medical school bureaucracy (we have all experienced it!) is amplified when trying to get every system to update new names, email addresses, and ID photos, and communicate to staff that your name and pronouns have changed. It thankfully isn’t all doom and gloom, but it is important for every student to have an understanding of the experiences their colleagues may be having, and what can be done to support them as individuals, and to make the system better and more accommodating for everyone.

Educate Yourself It's worth looking at resources from a range of trusted places to familiarise yourself with current LGBT issues, LGBT history, and the language associated with this. Learn about pronouns and how to use them, and keep up to date with news by reading things that have been written by LGBT people. Be Visible Don't support in silence. You show your support by attending LGBT events and talking about LGBT news in a positive way. If you are visibly showing your support and having conversations about making an inclusive environment, this will create a space where people feel safe and comfortable to be themselves and speak openly. Be Mindful If someone comes out to you, it's important to check and make sure whether this is something that can be referred to in casual conversation or is something that they would like to keep private. Avoid assuming that everyone you meet is straight and/or cisgender. Avoid using gendered language where these assumptions are implied. Speak Up and Support If you hear people making transphobic or homophobic comments and jokes, call them out. Support LGBT charities with donations or opportunities to volunteer or take action, for example writing to your MP about an issue.

GLADD.co.uk GLADD's membership is open to any doctor, dentist, medical, or dental student. They run events around the country, such as Pride and socials with other LGBTQ+ professional groups. They work with the BMA and GMC to tackle discrimination in healthcare. Stonewall.org.uk Stonewall's website has a search function where you can find resources and events in your area. They have resources for BAME and POC communities for disabled LGBT people, and more. TheProudTrust.org.uk The Proud Trust has a way to find your nearest LGBT youth group, resources for education, and a confidential instant messaging service. They have resources for young people, adults, and schools.