In my relatively short time here, I have been able to build strong, supportive relationships which I will make sure to keep up in the future. I have also been encouraged to expand my academic knowledge beyond the IB curriculum, such as the IB lecture day, where I gave a presentation to my year group on current and developing treatments for epilepsy.

Wellington Shanghai encourages you to try, even if you might not initially succeed. I have always enjoyed singing; I was in the school choir and have had lessons regularly. I had, however, always been too nervous to audition for any solos or musical parts. This year, I decided to audition for the whole school production of The Wiz and got a principal role with a solo song, despite having never auditioned before. I learnt to test my limits and to just try out, even if you are unsure of the outcome.

As a Wellington pupil, I was able to take part in last year’s Sichuan trip. While on this trip, I was also able to volunteer and make a difference in communities affected by the Sichuan earthquake disaster by plastering new houses whilst also enjoying time with friends on hikes.

In year 13, I started a project to teach Latin to the younger years at Wellington with one of my friends. Having the opportunity to independently design a curriculum and lesson plans, adapting it for each lesson to make our lessons both engaging and educational was very enjoyable for me.

Since medicine is one of the most competitive courses to get a place on, requiring additional examinations and interviews, it can be hard to stand out amongst the many, many applicants. The school provided in-depth support and guidance on how to prepare an application, for example, by conducting mock interviews, and how to apply strategically in order to maximise my chances. Moreover, Wellington helped guide me towards different hospital placements on offer in Shanghai, such as the Jiahui Health Scholars Program, which provided me with valuable insight into medicine as a career. All of this will serve me well at the University of Nottingham, where I will begin my path to a career in medicine.