I’m Izzy and I’ve just finished my first year of medical school at Bristol. It’s been an exciting time and I’ve enjoyed every minute – here’s how I got there.
I grew up in West London and attended state schools for Secondary and
Sixth Form. The school was always enjoyable, both the social aspects and constant learning, so naturally, I was looking for a future that encompassed these qualities. I only came to the decision to pursue medicine when I was in Sixth Form and was welcomed with support from my teachers, peers and family. Every student in my 150 strong year group was lucky enough to be assigned a mentor and I’ll never forget my first meeting where I would come to realise that my personal statement required some much-needed improvements.
Here began my journey into seeking work experience. After months of automated email replies, DBS checks, additional vaccinations and rejections, I eventually got through to the volunteering scheme in Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and was given a role working for Medicinema, a
charity linked to and operating within the hospital. This volunteering was my primary form of regular work experience, involving talking to patients, taking them to and from the cinema and tending to some of their basic needs during the screening.
Lessons learnt from my volunteering enabled me to improve my personal statement with reflections on experiences as well as knowledge of the inner workings of a large hospital.
Studying for the UCAT whilst on holiday, revising for A-Levels and preparing for interviews meant a busy summer which thankfully paid off – I was invited for interviews at Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and Edinburgh and received offers from all 4. After firming Bristol, I was ready for my first year of pandemic learning, masks and all.