Laura Giles

"From a young age I was always interested in working in the NHS, and as I completed my work experience at Sunderland Royal Hospital, it reinforced my desire to work in that field. I therefore set my sights on applying to university. I was very keen to apply to local universities and as Sunderland Medical School was due to open that year, MBChB (Medicine) automatically became my first choice. I'd visited an Open Day at the University and was impressed with the facilities, as well as the friendly staff. Sunderland stood out from the other universities I visited.

Although I received a number of offers to study medicine across the country, my passion was to work within the north-east where I grew up. Being at Sunderland Medical School will allow me to give back to the community I was raised in, hopefully working alongside doctors and medical staff at Sunderland Royal Hospital. Sunderland has everything I want in a medical school, and the support I've received so far from the staff has given me the confidence and drive to become a successful clinician. The University is a very close knit community, where every student and member of staff are there to help you through stressful situations but make the journey more rewarding. I'm grateful to be part of the future of training doctors in Sunderland.

One aspect of medical school I really enjoy is anatomy, where we're taught by leading doctors, surgeons, and radiography staff. During these sessions, we use an anatomage table, which is a virtual cadaver, allowing us to dissect the body and locate the internal organs – this is a great way to learn! I also really enjoy GP/hospital placements which enables me to communicate with patients and see first-hand how medicine is delivered in primary and secondary care.

Since starting the course, I've been exposed to multiple sectors in healthcare including general practice, psychiatry, consultant specialities, and in the local community within care homes. Alongside this, I get the chance to interact with different specialists during my training through lectures and anatomy sessions, where external clinicians teach us. From this, I've tried to grab all opportunities with both hands in order to experience the wide variety of specialities my course has to offer, by gaining external shadowing experiences and attending conferences led by the Royal College of Surgeons. Whatever pathway I take in my career, I can be guaranteed to be supported throughout by the staff at the University.

My advice to prospective students would be to aim high and believe in your ability to achieve what you want. I never thought I'd be offered a place at Sunderland Medical School, but with hard work, resilience, and perseverance, I was given the opportunity. I'd also arrange to attend an Open Day and have a look around their facilities – you'd be really impressed! Also, to speak with other students to find out their personal opinions and experiences at the University is incredibly beneficial.

So far, my experience here has been rewarding and enjoyable. I'm very excited for what my future holds at the University of Sunderland."