I began as a student at the Royal College for the Deaf Exeter in 1995 after being at the School before that. In my first year I did a ‘Business’ course. During the year, I thought I would not like working in an office from 9 to 5pm. So I had a talk with my tutor about my future career because I was unsure of what I would like to do. I enjoyed skiing and swimming and I thought I would like to teach or to help people. So my tutor suggested a ‘Health and Social Care’ course. She was a great help to me as she realised that I was unsure of what kind of work I would like to do in the future.

In 1996, I studied the Intermediate Health and Social Care course. I was still unsure of what I really would like to do, but I really was enjoying the science parts of my course. So when I had to do some work experience, my tutor suggested going into the laboratory and we found work in the labs at South West Water. I worked in the Microbiology department, testing if there was any bacteria present in the water. Working in the laboratory interested me very much, but working in Microbiology did not!

In my last year we had to decide which university we wished to study at and which course we wanted to study. I knew that I wanted to work in a laboratory, but I was not sure which department or what work to do. My tutor recommended a ‘Biomedical Science’ course. We also had to choose a university which gave support to deaf students. I found a Biomedical Science course at the University of Wolverhampton, and there was support for deaf people there such as having a note-taker and interpreter in the lecture.

At first, I studied an HND in Biomedical Science for a year. I had to do a work experience, so my tutor recommended work in Haematology and Transfusion Science in the Hospital in Birmingham. Working there changed my life. I knew that that is what I wanted for a career. For the next two years, I studied a BSc (Hons) in Biomedical Science. I continued to learn about the Haematology and Transfusion Science with Immunology and Chemistry. I achieved a 2:1 for my degree.

After university in 2001, I got an interview at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth for a trainee Biomedical Scientist. After a year, I became a qualified Biomedical Scientist. There are long hours, but good money! Currently, I am studying an MSc in Biomedical Science course for three years and this course is through distance learning.

This will be good for my career prospects, as I am aiming to become Deputy Biomedical Scientist, where the job is like a supervisor. My four years in further education at Royal College for the Deaf Exeter gave me enough time to learn to a high enough level to go to university and decide on my career.

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