Widening Access to Medicine Southampton

WAMsoc is a medical student led society that aims to widen access to higher education for children from less privileged backgrounds, especially medicine. We have already been a representation of our University on a nationwide scale and we want to continue doing so. We are endeavouring to widen access in many different ways. Firstly we visit local schools, to give the children more information about applying to medicine, and show them that they have the potential to apply if they want. These sessions involve inspiring the children to raise their aspirations and apply to Medical school, as well as giving them the information and resources they need to do so. Another part of our society is supporting the Into University sessions on campus. These are sessions where children from schools nationwide come to Highfield Campus, to learn about lots of different careers and university courses. We, as a society, represent Medicine at these sessions. We run stations of different activities a medical student does, to give the children more information on what being a medical student involves. Thirdly, we have launched an e-mentoring scheme where we match up current medical students with Year 12 students who are in the process of applying to medical school. Through this scheme, the Year 12 student can get continual assistance and input into applying for medical school from someone who has just undergone this experience.