Why did you choose to study this course at Keele?
I chose to study the Health Foundation Year at Keele because it allowed me to pursue my desired course of medicine, even though I didn’t take chemistry at A Level, which is usually a subject requirement. Keele was one of the very few universities that gave students the opportunity to study medicine, after successfully completing the HFY, if they didn’t have the appropriate A Levels, which was the position I was in since I studied Psychology, RE and Biology at A Level.
What is your favourite part about the course?
My favourite part of the foundation course is making friends with a variety of people who are all like-minded. The HFY includes all different health students, therefore you make friends from all different courses, unlike the usual degrees where you will only meet people from your specific course. I also enjoy how varied the course is because all modules cover different areas of study, so your learning is very vast which means you don’t lose motivation. I also appreciate the smaller tutorial and workshop classes, since this means we get more support and get to know our peers and lecturers on a closer level.
What is support like from staff within the Foundation Year?
The support from the FY staff is very strong. I struggled with chemistry at the beginning of the year and the lecturers were very happy for me to email any queries I had, and they would respond promptly. When it came to exam season, my lecturers encouraged us to send in past paper exam questions we had completed and they would give us feedback on our answers, and I found this very helpful.
What further opportunities are you involved in outside of your course? (Career events/societies etc.)
I am a committed member of the Lacrosse society at Keele, training three times a week with a match every Wednesday. This really helped me settle in University because it gave me a good circle of friends and it kept me busy, happy and healthy. I am also a student ambassador at Keele. This has given me plenty of social opportunities and has boosted my confidence.
What are you career aspirations?
I am aspiring to become a doctor. I am still unsure what area I would like to specialise in, however I enjoy working with children so paediatrics is definitely an area of interest.
How is this course helping you to reach your career aspirations?
After completing this course successfully, I will progress on to the medicine course at Keele. After five years studying on this course I will qualify as a doctor and begin my dream job.
What is your advice to anybody considering studying a Foundation Year at Keele?
My advice to future foundation year students is be optimistic about having an extra year at university because university goes so quickly. Also, it’s a good middle step between School and your actual university course, which makes it easier to settle into a new life of living and working independently.