“I graduated as a doctor from the University of Leeds in 2023 and moved to Bristol for my first job. I’m currently an academic foundation doctor at Southmead Hospital, working on the foundation programme. I’m fortunate to be on the academic track, thanks to Heart Research UK. This path offers protected time for research and study, allowing me to attend conferences and focus on my academic interests.”

“I joined the EXSEL programme to pursue vascular research, particularly in relation to cardiovascular outcomes. For my first project, I studied patients with peripheral arterial disease, those who experience pain in their legs due to poor blood flow. I looked at their cardiovascular outcomes following surgery and had the opportunity to present my findings at a conference, where I won a national prize. Since then, I’ve continued attending the Vascular Society’s Annual Scientific meeting every year.”

“Without the EXSEL programme, I think I would have been working as a healthcare assistant throughout medical school, with no time for extracurricular activities or research. Through EXSEL, I had the opportunity to integrate to a Master of Research, where I took a year out of medicine to study peripheral arterial disease in detail. It was an incredible year, allowing me to research deep into the cardiovascular outcomes related to statin medication, cholesterol, and other influencing factors.

“That first project really set things in motion. I began taking on more research projects, which led to more publications and presentations. My work has primarily focused on improving the overall health of vascular patients to reduce their risks and enhance treatment outcomes, which has been really interesting. It snowballed into an early academic career, and eventually, that’s how I secured my academic job here in Bristol, where I’m now supported by the vascular surgeons. It’s worked out really well.”

“In my fourth year, I did a project that looked at how much vascular teaching medical students in the UK received. The results were concerning, many students had no vascular placement and were unaware that vascular disease is often undertreated. They didn’t know that vascular patients, who are commonly thought to only face amputations, are actually at a much higher risk of heart attacks. This gap in knowledge likely means that many GPs and other doctors aren’t prescribing the medical therapies that these patients need. 

“The project was a great learning experience for me, and I had the opportunity to present it at the same conference I’ve been attending every year since EXSEL. This time, it was a bigger moment for me because it was my own project. EXSEL allowed me to develop the idea, write the protocol, and select my team of supervisors. It was my first lead author paper, and I was proud to win another national award for it. The paper was later accepted by the Royal College of Surgeons of England Annals, so now a lot of surgeons will read it and understand the gap in how vascular surgery is taught. This was a huge milestone in my career, and it wouldn’t have been possible without the skills and support I gained through EXSEL.”

“I come from a disadvantaged background. My parents didn’t go to university, and I wasn’t raised in an academic family. I came into research with no real understanding of what was expected or what the standard was. EXSEL provided me with mentors who, in many ways, were like parental figures who encouraged me to set a higher standard for myself than I would’ve ever imagined. EXSEL kept pushing me to grow and put that emphasis on me that I could reach that ceiling if I wanted it. And then I just went for it and realised that it’s not as hard as it’s made out to be. 

“I really believe EXSEL should continue to provide funding for opportunities like this. There are so many talented students and only a few places. We need more people coming into academia, advancing medicine for the benefit of patients. It’s also important to encourage people from disadvantaged backgrounds to get involved in research and medicine. Having that perspective matters. For example, I do think of the social challenges patients face, whether it’s how someone manages their medication or the financial pressures they face, like not being able to afford prescriptions. I think my background gives me insights that others may not have, and we need that diversity in medicine and research to make sure we’re addressing all aspects of patient care.”