Teenager receives prestigious scholarship to pursue studies in medicine and healthcare

Image by UCLan
A teenage girl, who was inspired to take up the professional role of a doctor after seeing her brother being born, has received a prestigious scholarship.
Zaynab Khan, a first year Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery student, has been awarded the Livesey Scholarship from the University of Central Lancashire, which covers her tuition fees for the entire duration of her course.
She said, “I was overjoyed and thrilled to be awarded the scholarship. I was excited about the prospect of going to university and studying medicine but it was a huge relief too because it really was the difference between being able to follow my dream of studying to become a doctor and not.
“The financial implication of studying medicine is significant in terms of the level of debt at the end of a course like this.
“This was something that has always worried me and I thank God for the scholarship which has taken away a lot of those worries and concerns, so that I can really focus on my studies.”
Khan was just nine-years-old when her mother went to the hospital and gave birth to her brother. This day was special as it made a huge impression on her, and she decided that she wanted to become a doctor.
The young girl, who was a former pupil at Tauheedul Islam Girls High School and is currently a Sixth Form pupil said, “I’ve always been interested in medicine and the health of young children and babies in particular ever since my brother was born.
“I’ve seen him grow since day one and I saw how there was a whole team of people – doctors, nurses, midwifes – checking on the baby and mother. I’ve always been interested in how a whole team of people are involved in the care of the baby and mother throughout a whole period and that’s how I got into medicine.”
Khan has done her family proud by becoming the first to attend university and pursue a career in medicine and healthcare.
The Livesey Scholarship is offered to one MBBS student every year, who belongs to an under-represented background and has successfully completed the Pathways to Medicine Programme, enabling them to complete their education free of cost at UCLan.