Previous Prior Pursglove students bring us up to date on their latest achievements
STEM students go on to achieve great things at Prior Pursglove (Image: Prior Pursglove College)
Science, technology, engineering and mathematics are collectively known as STEM subjects. With a high proportion of its students going on to study at Oxbridge universities, Prior Pursglove College prides itself on the number of opportunities it gives to all its students, particularly those interested in studying and starting a career in STEM.
Prior Pursglove always enjoys hearing from its former students and about what they have gone on to achieve in their lives after studying. The college has recently been in touch with students who studied one or more of the STEM subjects on offer, to find out what they have been up to.
Carl
Carl is a Senior Lecturer in Human Geography (Image: Prior Pursglove College)
Carl studied biology, geography and psychology at Prior Pursglove and after leaving the college in 2009, went on to study human geography at Northumbria University. After graduating from Northumbria in 2012, Carl continued his passion for Human Geography and finished his PhD in 2018, going on to work at the University of Oxford as a postdoctoral researcher, before getting his first permanent lectureship at the University of Brighton.
Speaking about his experience, he said: “I am currently a Senior Lecturer in Human Geography. At Brighton, I teach all different aspects of human geography, but I focus on inequality, power, violence and digital culture. I research issues to do with sexual violence and masculinity and how digital data transform everyday lives.
“Prior was a wonderful experience, I felt supported by the staff who were very caring and certainly helped me develop my potential. I learned so much at Prior and I began to think about the world in different ways, which helped me in my career as an academic.”
Lewis
Lewis is the founder of Geeky Medics (Image: Prior Pursglove College)
Having studied biology, chemistry and statistics at Prior Pursglove College, Lewis graduated in medicine from Newcastle University in 2012. Whilst a fourth-year student at the university, Lewis created a medical education website called Geeky Medics. After trying different medical roles, including working as an emergency doctor in Australia for a year, Lewis is now training in Newcastle to become a GP.
Talking about his current journey in medicine, Lewis said: “I decided to commit to training as a GP (in Newcastle), but part-time so that I could also continue to work on Geeky Medics too. I was also made an NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Fellow at this point recognising the founding of Geeky Medics and its use by medical schools and medical students all over the world.
“In the next couple of years, I will be finishing off my GP training whilst continuing to work on Geeky Medics and tutoring at the medical school one day a week. Geeky Medics is a free online medical education platform that provides high-quality medical education resources and tools for medical students and other healthcare professionals. I have now been working on it for 12 years somehow! It has just surpassed a quarter of a billion views total, with over five million views a month from a global audience. We are also approaching 1 million YouTube subscribers!”
Rachel
After studying away, Rachel now lives back in the North East (Image: Prior Pursglove College)
At Prior Pursglove, Rachel studied biology, chemistry, maths and general studies. Having worked in A&E, Paediatrics, and Mental Health, she now works as a GP in North Yorkshire.
After attending medical school in Manchester, Rachel explained why she chose to move back home. She said: “The call of the North East was just too strong! I am now working as a GP in North Yorkshire, which allows me to spend my weekends with my husband, walking our dog Rosie on the moors and enjoying a Sunday dinner in a proper Yorkshire pub.
“I am so grateful for my time at Prior Pursglove and the opportunities it provided that have led me to where I am today.”
Lucy
Former student-turned-teacher, Lucy (Image: Prior Pursglove College)
Lucy studied chemistry, maths and physics at Prior Pursglove. Remembering her experience at the college, she said: “It was as a student at Prior Pursglove College that I first found my love of physics. I was inspired to therefore study physics at degree level and went on to gain my masters.
“While at university, I had a part-time job tutoring A-level physics students. It was this job that motivated me to pursue a career in teaching. Once I had completed the masters, I trained to teach and as luck would have it, a few years down the line I got a job teaching A-level physics at the very college I attended!”
Priya
Priya recalls how her teachers helped with her studies massively (Image: Prior Pursglove College)
During her time at Prior Pursglove College, Priya studied biology, chemistry and maths. Reflecting on her time as a student there, she said: “Initially college was quite a tough time for me because I studied in Tamil medium in Sri Lanka, whereas in the UK, I had to learn everything in English. However, my college teachers helped me through my studies in PPC. I will never forget that time in my life. My words cannot express my gratitude towards my teachers.
“I studied at Plovdiv Medical University in Bulgaria and completed my MD (masters in medicine), qualifying as a doctor. I am currently working with the British government in one of the British territories called Diego Garcia.”
More to explore at Prior Pursglove
For all its STEM students, Prior Pursglove College has dedicated support for those who are interested in carrying on to have a fulfilling career in the STEM industry.
The High Flyers Programme is just one example of how the college supports its STEM students. The programme aims to support students on their journey, by helping them take part in additional qualifications, gaining relevant work experience, and encouraging them to take part in activities that will enhance their application such as the Maths Challenge, Royal Society of Chemistry Olympiad, Biology Olympiad, MediLink, STEM events and other enrichment activities.
The college is hosting an open event on Wednesday, March 29 from 5pm – 7pm. The open event is a brilliant opportunity to find out about the wide range of courses on offer, speak to staff for expert careers advice and guidance, as well as view the fantastic facilities and tour the campus.
To find out more about STEM subjects and to explore the open event details, visit the Prior Pursglove College website here.
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