A Will to Succeed

Georgina had always wanted to go into medicine, but after finishing her A-levels, that ambition seemed more like a dream than a reality. The costs of entrance exams and application fees meant that a medicine qualification seemed impossible.

Undeterred, Georgina applied to study Medical Physiology and Therapeutics at Nottingham. “I thought this degree would be good because you learn about anatomy, clinical skills and physiology,” explained Georgina. “This is a great basis for applying to study at medical school.”

Now in her final year, she has been ranked in the top two throughout the course and, thanks to her determination, she has been able to sit the medicine exams required to get into medicine school and is waiting to hear which school she will be attending. However, none of this would have been possible with a scholarship.

“The scholarship has made a real difference,” said Georgina. “It’s quite an intense course and there’s a lot of content and assessments, which would have been overwhelming if I’d been working lots of hours in a part-time job, just to make ends meet.

“When I first arrived at university, it was kind of daunting, but when I received the email saying I was going to get the scholarship, it was a huge relief and it felt like someone really believed in me. It’s given me such confidence.”

In fact, this sense of belief and financial freedom has given Georgina the chance to pursue opportunities outside of her studies. “Without the pressures of working in a part-time job I’ve been able to volunteer for the St John Ambulance.

“When I had the interview with them, I said how receiving the scholarship has made me want to give something back. Now I’ve been attending events, going to hospitals and helping patients. I’m not sure I would have had the confidence to do that without the scholarship, but I just believe in myself now, which has allowed me to grow as a person and a student."