Joshua Ballentine

I would like to specialise in cardiothoracic surgery or reconstructive surgery. I was inspired to study this degree as I grew up in a family that had quite a lot of disability and co-morbidities. Both my mother and sister were very sick as I went through my childhood and I spent a lot of time in hospital. After seeing the work that doctors did and how I felt when I would see my family member recover, it inspired me to do the same thing.

Edge Hill stood out for me because of the foundation year for medicine, which really helped me get started on my career journey. I liked the University’s location, given that I am a carer and could not move far from home. The campus also looked amazing, I love the modern styling and nature that surround it.

My favourite thing about my degree was being able to go out to placement from the first year and having that exposure to what the future holds so early on. This really motivated me in my studies, and I was focused on developing myself early on in the course.

The quality of teaching is outstanding. I can ask any question and not feel scared of getting it wrong. The friendly and open environment in the classroom that has been fostered over the years, and the individual rapport I have built with each lecturer, has made the degree so much more enjoyable.

This degree has given me opportunities to explore myself as a health professional and develop my understanding of how I work and react in a multitude of situations. I have reflected on my emotions and performances both in and outside of the medical setting to evaluate and improve on my development as a person. As this is person centred occupation, I have had the opportunity to develop my communication skills and emotional intelligence to respond appropriately to people who can be going through very difficult times. It has developed my work ethic, communication skills, professionalism and research capabilities.

My advice for someone looking to study this degree at Edge Hill is to go for it, honestly. The university is constantly improving, there are a wide range of facilities all in one place, what’s not to love about it?