I am a first aider with Calder EMS, and recently provided cover for Manchester Gay Pride weekend. From this volunteering I have learned to appreciate the similar but different roles of various healthcare professionals. Within myself, as well as attaining a high level of competence in first aid, I have became reflective about my treatment and I now look back & see how I could have done things differently. In addition, I feel a valued member of a dynamic team, in which I work together successfully with other volunteers to provided a charitable service to those in need of assistance.
I would like to be able to help people when they are in need, use my knowledge for the benefit of others, and work as part of an inter-professional team. I have a superb attention to detail, am very hard-working, and can learn things very quickly. It is these reasons that form the basis of my wanting to read medicine and ultimately become a doctor.
I also volunteer for Sunderland MIND, where I help out at the drop-in. The service users have various mental health issues, and make them feel welcome and spend the afternoon talking with them over a few games of pool.
I see my Asperger’s Syndrome as a beneficial characteristic rather than a disability or problem. This outlook has helped me to overcome various obstacles that I have discovered on the road to my preferred career. To assist me to overcome the ‘social communication difficulties’ that come with AS, I am busy spending 3 years at ESPA College, during which time I participate in the ‘24-hour curriculum’ that is designed to help boost my social skills and work on problem areas. ESPA is also supporting me at GFE College to complete my A-levels; currently I have A2 Physics, and will have A2 Chemistry by the end of the year. I am also doing AS Math, and HEFC Biology. The reasons for this are explained in letters being sent to you directly by ESPA.
Whilst I try not to let my AS affect my life; I do acknowledge the difficulties it poses, and I put a lot of time and effort in to trying to develop the skills necessary to be accepted as ‘normal’. I know that my ambition of becoming a doctor will be more challenging for me than it might be for other applicants; however it is a challenge I feel I could achieve.
Last summer I visited 7 medical schools to help me choose where I would feel comfortable studying, and where my skills would be utilised to the best advantage of myself and the medical school. From this experience, I understand more about medical degrees and the career path of becoming a doctor.
Outside of academic and medicine-related achievements, I like to refine my creativity through the medium of photography. Having initially studied this through ESPA, I now take the responsibility of learning this skill myself. Another hobby is to design, program, and manage websites. I am the webmaster for medicaladmissions.co.uk and I see this new website as opportunities to further develop my skills in php, and to learn the new skill of interacting with MySQL databases; this is something completely self-taught.
I’m aware of how important it is to keep good health & fitness, and I recently planned and cycled the 140 mile Coast to Coast along with 5 students and 3 staff from ESPA. We go out as a club once per week on round trips of 20-40 miles. We meet once per month, where I am the secretary.
I am also undertaking the Duke of Edinburgh’s award, which has introduced many new skills to me including the ability to conquer some of my fears. I have already attained Bronze & Silver, and will be working towards Gold this year. I have tried many new things that I otherwise would not, eg high wire. I also take the opportunity to fundraise for different charities. The award also means my problem solving and decision making need to be of a high standard in order to complete the expedition section.