Rebecca Mills (Medicine, 2004)
Rebecca Mills studied Medicine at Oxford before pursuing a career in orthopaedics. She has recently returned from a period of study and training in Sydney and is now combining a career in medicine with scientific research.
I was fairly hesitant about applying to Oxford – I didn’t know anyone that had been and particularly for medicine. The course was very different from other medical schools, with a heavy science focus. However, I decided to take a chance with my ‘spare’ UCAS choice and, after being randomly allocated to interview at Hertford and spending a night in the bar meeting the other candidates, I remember feeling quite certain that this was the college for me!
I am now training as an orthopaedic surgeon, a career choice I firmly believe I would never have even considered had I not been emboldened by the Hertford tutorial system, and encouraged to believe anything was achievable, no matter how competitive.
I also had no idea that studying at Hertford would open so many doors to incredible opportunities for my future career. I have just returned from 18 months in Sydney, where I was funded by the Radcliffe Travelling Fellowship to dual train as a scientist in a world-renowned orthopaedic biology and engineering lab. Here, I developed a novel model of implant-associated infection and furthered our knowledge of the mechanisms by which such devastating infections occur. I hope that my work will facilitate the development of new antimicrobial agents to improve patient outcomes worldwide. Certainly my science-focused undergraduate education gave me the confidence to take on this challenge and to value taking time out of my orthopaedic programme to train as a surgeon-scientist.
My time living in Sydney also offered the opportunity to continue the Hertford spirit of ‘having a go’ at all manner of sports, and so, naturally, I took up everything from beach volleyball at sunrise to twilight yacht racing, and even found myself enrolled in a highly competitive SUPball league – a game unique to Sydney that involves playing rugby/lacrosse on stand-up paddleboards!
To the next generation of Hertford medics, I would encourage you to embrace the very different medical education you receive at Oxford – enjoy being quizzed relentlessly in tutorials and learning to stand up for yourself. It will help you develop the confidence you need to excel in your future careers!