As a Year 12 student (this is me hiking Moel Famau with my Hype Merseyside group in preparation for our Social Action trip to South Africa) studying A Levels in Maths, Chemistry and Biology in a new College, as soon as I heard about the Medic Mentors Leadership Program I was eager to be involved, however my College was not part of the program therefore I spoke to the High Achiever and MedSoc Leads and they agreed to support my application.
I was enthusiastic to be the first person representing Medic Mentors at Carmel College and recognised it would be mutually beneficial. Additionally as the first in my family to go to Medical school I was keen to benefit from the wide range of insightful and inspiring opportunities that the Medic Mentor Leadership Program offered.
Medic Mentors provided many opportunities to enhance and develop my natural leadership skills which I had previously demonstrated throughout my school career; Wellbeing Buddy, School Council/Junior Leadership Team representative and Sports Leader. The Medical Leadership Programme developed these skills further and I am able to pass on the benefit of my experience to new Year 12 students through my College MedSoc.
With a passion for STEM and applying scientific solutions to a career that helps people has led to a strong and definite interest in dentistry. I have amassed a huge amount of knowledge about dentistry through attending Medic Mentor Leadership Conferences and speaking to Dentists, undergraduates and other Leadership Ambassadors. My interest sparked wider reading and my subscription to the Medic Mentor magazine and the study guides have been invaluable.
From the outset Medic Mentors had high expectations, on my first Medic Mentors course I delivered a presentation to a large group including Dentists, graduates and fellow Ambassadors whom I had never met before, this was challenging however I found it really boosted my confidence and presentation skills.
The Medic Mentor Leadership Program has enabled me to enhance a wide range of skills and qualities. Organisation and time management skills have been key in my role, I am methodical and able to prioritise well which will support my independent study whilst at Dental school.
I believe I am a strong advocate and am able to positively influence others, which is vital for leadership. I have evidenced this through introducing the Medic Mentor program to my College and gaining their support and endorsement and I have also encouraged other students to apply for the program. Introducing Medic Mentors to Carmel College was a really positive experience they were very receptive to someone from Carmel being an Ambassador and have given me the opportunity to share resources, feedback and present at MedSoc meetings. In addition the High Achievers newsletter published an article about opportunities available with Medic Mentors.
I have been keen to maintain momentum with my Medic Mentors Ambassador role despite Covid 19 and have maintained regular contact with Dr Sharon Uppal who I am privileged to have as my Mentor. I have formed friendships with other Ambassadors and we maintain regular contact which during these challenging times has been really useful. I am enthusiastically undertaking the Gold Award and am currently collating evidence and references as I know this will enhance my University applications.
The Leadership Ambassador program has been a fantastic opportunity to raise my awareness and understanding of medical careers and develop existing and new skills. I am more confident in my ability to secure a place to study dentistry both in the UK and abroad and it has encouraged me to consider studying dentistry in Spain. I am more confident in my choice to apply for dentistry school and am considering specialising in Maxillofacial dentistry and/or paediatrics. I am extremely grateful for the opportunities that have been presented to me through my Ambassador role.