My Desire To Become A Healthcare Professional

Growing up alongside my grandmother who suffered from COPD, has made me more inquisitive about finding out the primary cause of different diagnoses. I began by reading information from a wide range of sources on COPD, which compelled me to choose science-based subjects for A-Level. I was fortunate enough to spend time with my grandma, who was receiving palliative care at a local hospice. Here, I witnessed the patient-centered approach used by the dedicated healthcare team, allowing my grandmother to feel both valued and dignified during the last days of her life. My curiosity for science combined with the empathy I saw in these healthcare professionals has reaffirmed my decision to pursue a career in medicine.

I arranged to spend one week in the Endocrinology Department at Charing Cross Hospital, which provided me with further insight into how doctors, nurses, allied healthcare and administrative staff work together and communicate effectively to improve the quality of care received by patients. Spending time with patients with Type 2 diabetes revealed the impact chronic diseases can have on patients and underlined the importance of prevention rather than treatment. During my time in the Urology Department of Northwick Park Hospital, I observed several MDT meetings. Here I learnt the importance of managing a patient’s disease holistically, as in the case of prostate cancer. I particularly admired how even when mistakes were made, doctors took the opportunity to learn from them, as in the case of a patient’s blood test results which were not reviewed for two days.

I have been volunteering at a care home over the last year and been a patient companion at a local hospital. Interacting with residents and assisting them during mealtimes has been very rewarding and has helped further improve my communication skills. There were times where I felt upset when dementia residents forgot their own names and it is this that sparked my interest in Alzheimer’s disease and cancer. It led me to read ‘The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat’ and ‘When Breath Becomes Air’, which furthered my interest in the neurological field. I completed a four-week Nuffield placement at King’s College on the “Status quo of prostate cancer clinical guidelines”. This has allowed me to work alongside well-known researchers in this field and I am delighted that I will be added as a co-author in this research paper. Whilst at first, I struggled to manage my time efficiently and finish my tasks, I began to apply SMART analysis to my schedules, which helped me meet all my deadlines for me to submit my final project in on time.

I have achieved the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award and I was a route marshal for the ‘Walk It Event 2018’, organized by the Crohns and Colitis charity. Both activities furthered my teamwork, leadership and communication skills. I am an avid keyboard player and have recently achieved a distinction in Grade 6. I enjoy experimenting on the keyboard, which gives me a sense of pleasure and relaxation. Alongside this, I regularly play badminton and swim at the local leisure center. I have been a prefect at my secondary school and a ‘Guardian Angel’ at my sixth form, which has allowed me to set a good example and help guide younger pupils. I am a regular member of Centre of the Cell at Queen Mary University and RAF Family events; this has allowed me to meet a diverse range of people, which I thoroughly enjoy. Since Year 10, I have been a participant at both the Imperial STEM Potential and Pathways to Medicine programs. I have been given the opportunity to take part in taster sessions at university level and I was able to act as a Volunteer Patient for the first-year medical students to enable them to enhance their communication skills.

I believe I am a committed and hardworking individual, and I look forward to pursuing a career in medicine at university and beyond.