Inspiring the next generation of Medics
On Wednesday 3 April, Stamford Park Trust proudly hosted its first ever ‘So You Want to Be a Doctor?’ event at Ashton Sixth Form College (ASFC), bringing together Year 10 and Year 11 students from our secondary schools. The event, which was designed and led by Dr Damian Windle from the ASFC XL Team, provided an invaluable insight into careers in Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science.
The idea for the event came from a student voice meeting with the Year 11 forums, where students expressed a desire for more support in pursuing careers in medicine. Thanks to this feedback and the collaborative spirit of our Trust, the vision quickly became a reality.
The conference featured a packed schedule of informative sessions and engaging discussions, starting with an overview of what a career in medicine entails and how to navigate the application process. Students also had the opportunity to explore the science facilities at ASFC during a guided tour, and gain practical advice on work experience and university entrance exams such as the UCAT.
A particular highlight was the ‘Meet the Medics’ session, where current Year 13 students Ella, Emily and Sikander, each holding confirmed offers to study medicine, shared their journeys, top tips and insights into the preparation required. Hearing from students who were once in their shoes added an authentic and relatable dimension to the event and clearly resonated with the audience.
The afternoon concluded with a session focused on UCAT preparation and a final evaluation, where students reflected on what they had learned and how they plan to move forward with their ambitions.
Student feedback speaks volumes about the impact of the day:
"I enjoyed listening to the raw experiences of medical students and hearing how difficult it can be, rather than a glamorisation of it.”
“A well balanced and well rounded overview of the medicine process that was definitely helpful and provides lots of insight into the application process.”
“The authenticity of the students at Ashton Sixth Form College is really amazing!”
“Meeting the students really helped me to understand how I can approach this field.”
“Amazing and extremely helpful about the information on grades needed – it cleared up a lot of confusion I had.”
“I really enjoyed the part where we met the three students – they were very interesting and useful. Everything shown to us today was relevant and important to me.”
This cross Trust initiative is a brilliant example of how our schools can work together to empower students, respond to their ideas and open doors to high level career paths. By listening to student voice and taking action, we are not only helping to shape futures, but also strengthening connections across our schools and creating new opportunities for all.
We look forward to building on the success of the first ‘So You Want to Be a Doctor?’ event and to continuing this kind of collaborative, student led work across Stamford Park Trust.