Tag: Widening Participation

12 years of Pathways to Medicine: How Imperial is levelling the playing field for future medics

Professor Kevin Muprhy leads a clinical skills session with students on the Pathways to Medicine programme
Professor Kevin Muprhy leads a clinical skills session with students on the Pathways to Medicine programme

Ellie Cawthera explores the impact of Pathways to Medicine: Imperial College London’s widening participation programme for underrepresented young people interested in studying medicine. It includes activities that provide insight into the medical profession, support medical school applications and prepare young people for starting university.  

The programme is delivered in partnership with the Sutton Trust and is coordinated by the Outreach Team with support from the School of Medicine, led by Professor Kevin Murphy who helped launch the programme in 2014. As an Admissions Tutor, Kevin’s role entails assessing applications and conducting interviews with prospective students hoping to take their first step in becoming a doctor. Earlier on in this role, one thing stood out to him: those applying to study medicine at Imperial didn’t reflect the diversity of the society medicine seeks to serve. 

“It struck me that so many of them came from similar backgrounds. There were a lot of privately-schooled, upper-middle-class students. While these applicants were often well-prepared, I realised that the whole admissions process wasn’t set up for students from other backgrounds who faced more obstacles on the path to medicine. It just seemed harder for those from more ‘normal’ backgrounds. They didn’t have the same guidance, the same support.”

And so, in 2014, he launched Pathways to Medicine. Running for 12 years, the initiative supports young people from underrepresented backgrounds in applying to Medicine by offering mentorship, work experience opportunities and academic support. Taking place over two years, the programme includes masterclasses and exposure to life on campus as well as interview support for 60 students per cohort.   (more…)

Imperial College medical student receives The Diana Award

Haroop BolaFinal 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.  

Harroop Bola delivering a speech during the 3rd Annual BIMA Conference at Imperial College London
Figure 1: Harroop Bola delivering a speech during the 3rd Annual BIMA Conference at Imperial College London

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. 

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