A midwife who made the leap to retrain as a doctor says a scholarship from the University of Central Lancashire has been “life changing.”
Emma Bell, 29, has received the Dr Kate Granger Scholarship from the University, which will cover her fees for the duration of the course.
The second year Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) student had still been working part-time as a midwife to fund her studies before she found out about the scholarship, which was established in the memory of Dr Kate Granger who campaigned for better patient care while suffering from terminal cancer.
"Prior to any knowledge of the scholarship, Dr Kate Granger’s ‘Hello my name is’ campaign has always struck a chord and inspired me to ensure that every patient I am caring for feels valued and heard."
— Dr Kate Granger scholarship recipient Emma Bell
Emma said: “I have always felt passionate that patient-centered, compassionate care is key to any healthcare professional’s role. Prior to any knowledge of the scholarship, Dr Kate Granger’s ‘Hello my name is’ campaign has always struck a chord and inspired me to ensure that every patient I am caring for feels valued and heard.
“I wasn’t eligible for a student loan as this is my second degree so this scholarship relieves me of a large financial burden and allows me to focus on my studies. To receive it in the name of someone so well revered in the NHS is an absolute honour.”
Emma’s passion for healthcare and helping others initially led her to become a midwife in 2018 after she missed out on medical school after college.
"I wasn’t eligible for a student loan as this is my second degree so this scholarship relieves me of a large financial burden and allows me to focus on my studies. To receive it in the name of someone so well revered in the NHS is an absolute honour."
— Dr Kate Granger scholarship recipient Emma Bell
Whilst she enjoyed her midwifery career working at Wythenshawe Hospital, alongside “truly resilient and hardworking colleagues”, it cemented Emma’s desire to become a doctor as she wanted to work on more complex cases.
She said: “Working as a midwife on a delivery suite only fueled my ambition to become a doctor. I found myself ever gravitating towards obstetric-led, complex cases and increasingly wanted to be involved in the medical decision making and learn more about the other medical fields.
"The fundamentals of patient-led care are the same though, whatever your role in the NHS, and I know the experience I’ve gained will serve me well as I begin my career as a medical doctor in a few years’ time."
— Dr Kate Granger scholarship recipient Emma Bell
“The fundamentals of patient-led care are the same though, whatever your role in the NHS, and I know the experience I’ve gained will serve me well as I begin my career as a medical doctor in a few years’ time.”
Emma, who will graduate from the University of Central Lancashire in 2029, added: “The Dr Kate Granger Scholarship gives mature students like me the opportunity to study medicine and bring their skills, experience and perspective to the career at a later stage in life, which I believe is invaluable to the medical profession.”