Oxford

I admit it….. I was excited about being at Oxford University as I’d been invited to present at the 8th Oxford Colloquium on Medical Education. Whilst it may be the seat of education for most of the ruling classes, it’s also a world leading institution. What’s more, it was in Pembroke College where Rosemary’s dad had studied.
 
The college wasn’t like your typical ex-polytechnic but a double quadrangle of 17th Century buildings, pristinely preserved and centred by immaculate lawns. I found my accommodation, room 10/10 which, whilst ancient, had been modernised to typical halls of residence standard, albeit slightly larger.
 
I entered the conference room at tea time so had plenty of time to set up. This was fortunate as my flash pen refused to work so went through a convoluted process to get it onto the appropriate laptop. Richard Dodds the captain of the Olympic Winning GB Hockey team in Seoul and an orthopaedic surgeon preceded me with a witty and engaging presentation.  No pressure then.
 
I talked through a range of topics, relating education in sport to medicine. My perception was that I wittered on a bit, but I got a good round of applause and numerous questions. I enjoyed being up there.
 
The day over-ran a bit so I only had a few minutes to get ready for dinner. Whilst my room was in illustrious surroundings, the shower was rubbish. I walked over to the dining room, a rather fine high-ceilinged oak panelled space with paintings of illustrious alumni looking down. I was surprised not to see Rosemary’s dad on the wall with his resplendent tummy covered in his favourite pink t-shirt.
 

Such occasions can be quite scary, especially when you don’t know anyone. However, I was soon put at ease by a chap called Prof. Richard Canter, a very nice surgeon who was a golf man. Surprisingly I know loads about golf so we had something in common. When he excused himself, I got chatting to a lovely registrar over a glass of champagne. Dinner was very nice too, a three course affair. It was a fun evening in which I used my best conversation skills. I gotta say that although I read the Guardian, I’m no longer going to subscribe to their anti-Oxford diatribe. Whilst it was a new world to me, everyone was so welcoming and interesting.