From First Steps to Future Doctors - Bahri & Stephanie's journey to study Medicine

Watch the full testimonials below

Stephanie

Bahri

What’s the most exciting part of your university journey so far? 

Stephanie 
The most exciting part of my university journey so far has been moving into my flat and living with strangers who are now my friends. Meeting new people has been a fun process. My course is exactly how I hoped it would be: a good level of challenging. I like being on campus most of the day because it gives me structure, and I really enjoy having a routine like I did at OICB. 

Bahri 
The most exciting part of the journey so far is my course. I’m doing medicine, and that’s what I always wanted to do. The interesting part was doing doing all the small parts like clinical skills and the anatomy skills where I get to closely interact with my peers and doing parts of the role. This includes specimen tests of different patients which is really exciting. I also joined the Football society, getting to talk to people from different nationalities and year groups and learn about their study courses. 

What would you say are the biggest differences between OIC and university? 

Stephanie 
The biggest difference between OICB and university is that no one is there to look after you anymore. At OICB, teachers cared about us a lot, but now you just attend lectures and don’t really know the lecturer as you’re just there to learn. We also don’t get in trouble for missing lectures or waking up late because it’s our timetable now, so we have a lot more freedom than we did at OICB. And of course, we don’t have weekly skits like OICB! 

Bahri 
The main difference is independence. At OICB, you do everything closely together, but at university, even though you have friends, they’re not as close as at OICB because you lived together there. You don’t get that same sense of community at uni. 

What challenges have you faced and how has OIC Brighton helped you to navigate those challenges? 

Stephanie 
One of the biggest challenges was moving away. Although OICB felt like a home away from home, moving from Brighton to Aberdeen was a big change. I had to get comfortable in a new space, but because I had already moved from Hong Kong to Brighton, that experience made it easier. I knew I’d need time to adjust and manage homesickness. Meeting new friends was also easier because of that previous experience. 

Bahri 
At first, I struggled with how to study through lectures because they’re very different from high school. I tried typing notes but then realized I should go back to my original method from OICB, annotating PowerPoints. That worked best for me and helped me study more efficiently. 

What’s your favourite thing about studying medicine? 

Stephanie 
My favourite thing about studying medicine is that everyone shares the same interest. Back at OICB, not all my friends wanted to do medicine, but now I’m in a lecture theatre with 300 people who all have the same goal. It makes studying more enjoyable, and I get to meet people from different backgrounds who share the same ambition. 

How did your time at OICB support your decision and aim to study medicine? 

Stephanie
OICB offered a lot of clubs, which let me try different subjects and helped me confirm that I wanted to study medicine. I enjoyed the sciences most, and joining MedSoc was really fun—it made me realize medicine was the right path for me. 

Bahri 
The medical society Stephanie and I set up was really successful. I enjoyed talking to younger years about the application process, which helped me understand myself better. Leading them was a new experience and something we wished we had when we were in Year 12. 

Was there a teacher or department who influenced your decision to study medicine? 

Stephanie 
Mostly the science teachers, especially Cornelius. He was very knowledgeable and explained processes in a way that made biology far more interesting than I expected. That made me want to study deeper. I also love interacting with people, so medicine felt like the perfect subject to combine science with communication. 

Bahri 
Kirsten, our Head of Sixth Form, supported me a lot. In my first year, I didn’t plan to study medicine, but when I changed my mind, she helped me find opportunities and supported me fully. She never discouraged me, even though I hadn’t prepared for medicine. She helped with interviews and always responded quickly whenever I needed advice. 

What part of OICB support systems such as boarding made a difference for you? 

Stephanie 
I really liked talking to the boarding staff after 8pm when we could stay after curfew. It was fun to get to know them, especially Steve, who was my boarding staff in Turing where I stayed. Talking to him and Tia was a nice break from studying because I could chat with adults and friends. It was comforting to have someone to talk to when I was stressed or bored, which you don’t really have at university where you’re more alone. That’s something I miss. 

Bahri 
I enjoyed chatting with the boarding staff. I still remember coming out of the kitchen and talking in the corridor outside the staff room in Turing House. Those conversations created fun memories. We shared thoughts openly, and it was great to hear their perspectives too. 

What advice would you give to current OICB students who would like to join the medicine pathway? 

Stephanie 
My advice is to never give up and keep your goal in mind. Medicine is a long journey, even after you get in, but if you truly want to become a doctor, it’s possible. When applying, remember why you want to do it, how you want to help people, and why medicine suits you. That motivation will take you far. 

Bahri 
My advice is the same: never give up. After A-Level results, I didn’t have any confirmed offers on UCAS. I waited for weeks after clearing and still had no school. Two weeks before uni started, St George’s called and offered me a place to study medicine. If I had given up earlier and chosen another course, I would have missed that opportunity. 

If you could sum up your time at OICB in one word, what would it be and why? 

Stephanie 
Joyous. Although it was hard to do skits every weekend and be away from home, I left with only positive memories of the people I met and the staff and teachers. I really liked my time here and wouldn’t change it for anything. 

Bahri 
Community. At OICB, there’s a strong sense of community where everyone knows each other. When you walk past someone, you smile and greet them. It’s really friendly.