Ciara Doyle
Year: Fourth (at time of interview: July 2020)
Hometown: Luton
Education: Biomedical Science: London Metropolitan
What work experience had you gained before coming here?
So after completing my undergraduate degree I worked as a manager in retail before being swayed back to the healthcare side of life. Then I worked as a phlebotomist, volunteered in my local hospice one day a week, volunteered at the local hospital another day a week before initiating my Biomedical Portfolio with full time work in a lab… And then decided I actually wanted to work directly with the patients rather than their blood samples.
Why did you choose Warwick?
I think we all like that it’s a graduate only course. It means that your life experience is considered rather than your application being based only on academia which suited my journey to medicine a lot more.
How are you finding the MB ChB so far? How have your clinical placements been?
There were plenty of ups and downs but it was all an experience I wouldn’t change for the world. Even the difficult days and trying times have entirely shaped and influenced the type of doctor I strive to be. Clinical placements very much varied but were essentially the part of the course that reinforced that this was the career for me.
What do you most enjoy about the course?
I loved how clinically based it was, we were put on the wards pretty much as soon as we started so the momentum never went. The student support team were also amazing, during a 4 year course a lot of unexpected events can happen in life so knowing they’re there to support you both academically and personally is a huge relief.
Have you been involved in any extracurricular activities during your time here?
During my first year I focused only on keeping up with the academia. But during the clinical years I was part of the Surgical Society team and took full advantage of all of the events put on by other societies for career prospects (and social events obviously).
Do you have any idea at this stage about which specialty you’d like to pursue?
I had managed to narrow it down to GP, psychiatry or women’s health. However, after being drawn in to work during the COVID 19 crisis I developed a new spark for respiratory medicine I never knew was there before so who knows.
Do you have any advice for people applying to the MB ChB at Warwick?
Make sure you’re doing medicine for the right reasons before applying by getting as much hands-on experience as you can. Your commitment will be tested at times but it will make it even more rewarding and passionate about your achievements as a result.
Finally, what three words would you use to describe your experience studying at Medical School so far?
Challenging. Gratifying. Exciting.