Lucia lazzereschi
Current Employer/Organisation Name
Oxford Hospital Foundation Trust
What have you been doing since leaving Exeter, and what are you doing now?
I graduated from Exeter in 2017 and went to read Graduate Medicine at Southampton Medical School. I then moved to Oxford and started working as a foundation doctor. I am currently working in Intensive Care Medicine until November, when I then start an academic research block focusing on cancer biology.
Why did you choose this career? And what do you enjoy most about your work?
I always wanted to work within healthcare, but when I applied to university I wasn’t sure if I wanted this to be as a researcher or as a doctor. Doing an academic medical post allows me to do both, which is a dream come true, and something I am positive I would not have been able to achieve if I hadn’t studied Medical Sciences at Exeter before my medical degree. I love the variety of the work and that I get to apply both basic sciences and soft skills to patient-centred care.
Please tell us if you were a member of any societies, groups or sports clubs?
University of Exeter Women in Business
Medical Sciences Society Exeter
University Amateur Boxing Club
University of Exeter Volleyball Club.
Were you part of the Exeter Student Ambassador Scheme at any point during your studies?
Yes.
What did you enjoy most about your programme and what was the biggest highlight?
Medical Sciences made me realise how much I love basic sciences, and how important understanding the science that underpins clinical practice is to patient care. Modules in immunology and cell biology made me realise the type of research and the field of science I want to work in. The highlight was without a doubt the placement training year; I loved being able to work in a lab in a field of my choice (cancer biology) and learned so much about evidence based research. Small group learning was a great teaching tool as it catered for everyone’s preferred teaching and learning styles. I would go back in a heartbeat and do it all over again if I could.
What skills and experiences have been most useful for your career?
Inter-personal and communication skills I developed through small group learning are essential to my day to day working life as a junior doctor. Being able to think critically, and the independent learning I developed was invaluable during my medical degree and now at work when translating scientific discoveries and research into treatment plans for patients.
What are your plans for the future?
I am planning on applying for an academic clinical fellow (ACF) job in oncology or pathology with the end goal of doing a PhD in cancer biology to then split my time between academic and clinical work.
