Final year medical student, Harroop Bola, and Founding Chair of the British Indian Medical Association, which received the Diana Award last year, shares how the association fosters mentorship, education, and leadership for medical professionals from Widening Participation backgrounds. He highlights BIMA’s impactful initiatives, from academic workshops to community support, inspiring the next generation of changemakers in the NHS and global healthcare.
I am delighted to share that my work with the British Indian Medical Association has been honoured with the Diana Award 2024- the highest accolade a young person can achieve for social action or humanitarian efforts. Established in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales, the award is given out by the charity of the same name and has the support of both her sons, HRH The Prince of Wales and Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex.
Joining Imperial College London’s School of Medicine as a first-generation university student without established connections in medicine was an intimidating journey. While access to medical school has improved through widening participation initiatives, the systemic challenges remain; opportunities within medicine often favour those with access to high-quality mentorship. With approximately one-third of medical students coming from medical families and competition for training posts increasing annually, mentorship has become an invaluable asset. For individuals like me, navigating the complexities of a medical career and building a competitive portfolio without prior insight into the profession can feel overwhelming.
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, as I transitioned from my first to second year of medical school, I joined forces with Dr Amar Rai and Virensinh Rathod to establish the British Indian Medical Association (BIMA). Our vision was simple yet powerful: to foster a sense of community within the medical field and leverage collective support to address gaps in education, mentorship, and cultural identity.