Tell us a bit about your career ambitions and why you wanted to be a nurse? Where are you going to study, and what are your plans?
I am hopefully going to the University of Birmingham to complete a master’s in children’s nursing. After this, I plan to complete a graduate-entry medicine course to become a doctor. My sister is disabled like me, and I also have other health conditions, so have always been surrounded by nurses and doctors; it is all I have ever known. I wanted to do medicine, but unfortunately wasn’t doing the right subjects for A-levels, so will do nursing first then pursue it later. I have always wanted to be a doctor, the body fascinates me, and I think being surrounded by it all for as long as I can remember has definitely contributed to my desire to help people and work with the body.
How did you find the application process for getting into uni?
I found the process intense but manageable. I did my first draft for my personal statement in the summer of year 12. This really helped speed things up for me, and I managed to submit my application by the end of October of year 13. I saw my mentor for feedback on my personal statement around 5 times, and also got a friend and my mum to read through it. Although sometimes the feedback contradicted, it was definitely beneficial receiving feedback form multiple people. I completed the rest of my UCAS application on my own, I found it really easy, however if I did need any help with it, there was always someone to ask. My school had a UCAS drop in everyday up until the end of October, where I could ask any questions or receive feedback on my personal statement, however I didn’t feel I needed that support. By the middle of January, I had received feedback from pretty much all of my universities and started to attend all my interviews. I applied to the University of Manchester for children’s nursing, University of Manchester for adult nursing, University of Liverpool for adult nursing, University of Birmingham for a bachelor’s in children’s nursing, and the University of Birmingham for a master’s in children’s nursing. I know my choices are a bit odd, as I applied to the same universities twice! I withdrew my application for the University of Manchester for adult nursing for personal reasons, I got rejected from UoM for children’s nursing too. I got offered places for the rest of my universities, and then took a few weeks to decide which were going to be my firm and insurance choices.
What are you most looking forward to about starting your course? Is there anything you are uncertain about?
The thing I am most looking forward to for university is starting learning. I love learning and am often teaching myself things in my spare time, and I am really looking forward to beginning lectures and starting using all my new stationery! I am worried about how it is going to pan out with Coronavirus; however, I know the universities will do what is best for us, and keep us safe. Hopefully within the next few weeks we will receive correspondence on the plan for students, which will ease my worry.
Was there anything you looked out for when searching for universities and courses, because of your epilepsy?
Not particularly, however when I went to open days I made sure to ask about their disability service and speak to the lecturers about my epilepsy. In fact, one of the universities were very rude about my epilepsy and said that I should just give up because I will never be able to do anything within healthcare with my epilepsy. I am very glad I mentioned my epilepsy as I would have hated to end up at a university that wasn’t supportive of me and my conditions, especially, as now I know this isn’t true. I wanted to check that I would receive extra support, and that they had a well-established disability service for me to access when I need it.
Are you moving away to go to uni or staying local? What factors played a part in this decision?
I am moving away for university and am going to be staying in halls. I knew I wanted to move away the minute I applied; I craved a lot of independence. I am aware it will be more difficult, as I have so many appointments for my epilepsy and other conditions, however I am so ready to start the rest of my life so felt it was best for me to move away. I will be moving one-and-a-half-hour drive/car journey away, which will mean I will be able to come home for appointments, but also be far enough away to live on my own and have my own independence. I couldn’t imagine staying at home, I’m so ready and excited!
Will you tell your course mates about your epilepsy?
I am definitely planning to tell them about my conditions. Alongside epilepsy, one of my other conditions is postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, which can cause me to pass out, so I would really like my friends and classmates to know what to do if a situation like that arose so I can still be safe. I am not sure how I am going to tell them yet, and I am sure there will be many questions, but I will try to answer them to the best of my ability! My best friend is actually going to be on my course at the same university, and she knows exactly what to do if I collapse and have a seizure, which makes me feel a lot safer, as I trust her so I know even if other people don’t know what to do, she does. I think because I am going to be a student nurse, I am in the best course to receive first aid from my classmates too ha-ha!
What advice would you give to a young person with epilepsy who is beginning their journey into further education or training?
I would say don’t let anyone tell you can’t do something. I have been told this many times, and I have had to take a different route to become a doctor, but that is okay! Never give up, and if you need to take a different path to get to the place you want to be, that’s okay!
