Six students at Solihull Sixth Form College have been accepted onto Aston University’s Pathways Programmes this year and are looking forward to an exciting year of events that they hope will lead them on the path to a career in Medicine and Healthcare.
Mohammed Swara, Tafannum Chowdhury, Juliette Thomas, Windsor Fong and Ibrahim Hassan have places on the Pathways to Medicine Programme, while Leyla Bibi has secured a place on the Pathways to Healthcare programme. The initiative has been designed by Aston University to help students develop knowledge and skills and give them an insight into university life. The 18-month programme will help students make informed choices about their university courses and future career paths.
The programme’s eighth cohort launches at the start of November and a full programme of events is planned, starting with an Open Day, the launch of the tutoring programme and a Medicine Taster Day. Academic Tutoring will take place every month and there is an NHS & Allied Professions Day taking place in February. The Year 12 programme concludes with a Summer School and once the students move into Year 13, interview preparation days will be available, as well as more academic tutoring and a Boot Camp.
Curriculum Leader for Natural Sciences, Joseph Wright, commented:
“Solihull Sixth Form College has a great track record for helping learners secure places on Aston University’s Pathways Programme. I’m delighted for the six young people who have been accepted onto the programme this year and I’m confident that they will learn a lot from being part of it. Completion of the initiative will benefit their progression chances, as they may be able to get an improved offer for a place on one of the courses at Aston University as a result. We will be working hard to support these learners to ensure they get the most out of this fantastic opportunity.”
As well as these six students, there are others at the College who will benefit from additional support to get them into healthcare careers by way of the College’s Pre-Medical School enrichment. This weekly activity is designed to support students who have serious and realistic aspirations to study Medicine at university. Through a series of lectures, visits and practical activities, students strengthen their understanding of the medical profession and develop a greater appreciation of the essential skills and relevant experience required for a successful university application. Activities include university masterclasses, visiting speakers, attendance at university lectures and problem-based learning activities. The universities involved have previously included Aston, Birmingham, Keele, Leicester and Liverpool. Students are encouraged to take an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) in a relevant medically-related field as part of this enrichment, which involves personal research and is graded like half an A level.
13 October 2023