Health, Sport and Bioscience Graduate Profiles
Helen - BSc Podiatric Medicine
I was enjoying a successful career in medical publishing for around five years, when it gradually dawned upon me that although I was comfortable and prospering, this was not my dream job; I did not want to spend the rest of my life working nine to five in an office in front of a computer. In 2005 I decided to set a change in motion. I was looking to continue my medical interests and passionately wanted to work with people in a clinical aspect. Podiatry ticked all the boxes: as a practice it is wholly medical in its roots with surgical elements, and as podiatrist you are constantly working with people and there is a lot of scope for progression. After dipping my toes in the water via a work experience placement, I was confident that this would be the perfect degree and I applied to the University of East London for a place on their BSc Podiatric Medicine course.
Admittedly, it was quite a culture shock to return to education after a long break, and it took until I finished my first year to regain my full confidence and effective routine. What made all the difference in my transition was the genuine warmth and support from all the staff. Having already done one degree I hadn’t expected this, but I can sincerely say that at the University of East London there is no “them and us” divide between staff and students; we’re one big team working towards a common goal, educational success. As part of the degree, all students have to complete over 1000 clinical hours with real patients. Of all the things I did as a student, nothing was more necessary or more humbling for anyone looking to work as a practitioner in health. I learnt the true value of compassion doing this degree. The course was stimulating but tough and, second time around, I was determined to earn myself a first class degree and the lecturers were behind me all the way.
Now that I’ve graduated, I’m very pleased that I took the risk and made the choice to retrain. I’m loving the challenges and rewards of being an NHS Community Podiatrist, it’s the first step towards my ultimate goal: to have my own private podiatry practice.
