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Personal Profile, Charlotte 2
Attended "Leap into Health 2005"
Previous course
A-Levels (Geography, Psychology, Sociology, Critical Thinking) at Gordano School 6th Form.
Current course
Children’s Nursing BSc (Hons) at the University of the West of England (UWE).
Why did you decide to apply to attend a Summer School?
It was nearing the end of my A levels and I was still unsure what career path I wanted to follow. I decided on three things; I didn’t want a normal ‘9 till 5’ job, I loved spending time with children, and wanted the chance to make a difference in other peoples lives. I spoke to my head of careers at sixth form and she mentioned about the summer school. I didn’t know very much about the health care professions and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to find out from people who were very much involved.
How did your Summer School help you? What did you take from the experience?
The summer school gave me an insight into what it would be like to work in a wide variety of health care services. It gave me the chance to meet many professionals who could give me first hand information about health care careers, and it opened up many doors to work experience opportunities which are extremely hard to come across in the NHS. Over the week I was given a huge amount of information and advice to take away about future careers in health care, as well as being able to participate in practical activities which furthered my interest into the area.
Did your Summer School meet your expectations?
The summer school went beyond my expectations. When my teacher recommend I went to a summer school over my half term I was really against the idea as I only had a week off and didn’t want to ‘waste’ it sitting in a classroom listening to more teachers. However there was such a wide range of activities to participate in and the schedule was well planned so as everything we did was interesting and related to what we were there for.
What was the best aspect of the Summer School?
The bowling at the end of the week . . . Only joking! It was brilliant because there was something there for everyone. We were all given the chance to look at most of the professions within the health care services so we had a good idea of what everyone does and were able to see more clearly what suited us personally.
I also thought the session we were given on writing your personal statement was fantastic as you were told what head of admissions would look for.
Would you recommend a Summer School to others and why?
I would definitely recommend the summer school to others as it is probably the reason I am here today. The summer school allowed me to see what was involved in my chosen career path which in turn reinforced my decision to enrol here. For anyone who is the slightest bit interested in the health services this summer school is the best opportunity to gain information, advice, and brilliant contacts!
How did you choose your place of study?
I live just outside Bristol so it’s only a short commute from home everyday which was a big influencing factor. Also the fact there is a regional children’s hospital just down the road, and many children’s wards in local hospitals was a very positive aspect to UWE. There is also a fantastic HSC library which is crucial at this level in education.
What do you like best about your course?
The thing I like most about my course is that I have roughly a 50/50 split between theory in uni and placement in hospital and community. Even when in uni for my theory, there are still many sessions devoted to skills which take place in a practical environment. This way of learning really suits me as I am much more of a ‘hands on’ person.
I have also found that most of the staff will go out of their way to make you feel comfortable and will do all they can to help you reach your full potential.
Charlotte