Biomedical sciences undergrad offering biology and chemistry tutoring up to high school/sixth form level.

Orla's CV

I am a highly ambitious and focused individual, who has recently completed 11 GCSEs achieving high grades in Maths and Sciences and 3 A-Level science qualifications. I have used my experience in clinical environments to build upon my keen interest in the medical sector and use relevant situations to apply and develop my knowledge. I aim to become a qualified Biomedical scientist, working with researchers to study underlying diseases, specifically cancers, and develop treatments to improve patient quality of life.

Education and Qualifications:

2018 – Present University of Edinburgh – Biomedical Sciences BSc (4 years)

2017-2018 Sydenham and Forest Hill Sixth Form (SFH6), London – Year 13
A2 Levels: Chemistry (B), Physics (B), Biology (A).

2016 – 2017 Sydenham and Forest Hill Sixth Form (SFH6), London – Year 12
AS Levels: Chemistry (A), Biology (B), Physics (B), Maths (A).

2011-2016 Sydenham Secondary School, London
GCSEs: Biology (A), Chemistry (A), Physics (A), Maths (A), Latin (A)
German (A), Geography (A*), Music (A), Religious Education (A*), English Language (A), English Literature (A*).

Work Experience:

July 2015 London Vision Clinic, London (unpaid work experience)
• Shadowing key administration staff, witnessing regular work tasks
• Sat in on consultant appointments observing surgical consultations and diagnoses
• Assisted with work tasks such as a comparison project completing spreadsheets updating patient profiles with current prescriptions
• Learned about the effects of different surgeries suited for specific eye conditions
• Gained knowledge of clinical health and safety standards in surgical environments

July 2017 Lewisham Hospital Paediatric Department, London (unpaid work experience)
• Observing regular tests to monitor patient conditions such as the blood gas results of babies, using a radiometer, on the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to monitor acidity and gas levels of the blood to inform doctors on whether the respiratory system is functioning correctly
• Observing a ‘Grand Round’ discussion between teams to update other departments on the condition of each patient and what treatment would be advisable
• Sitting in on consultations at Kaleidoscope Children’s Centre diagnosing conditions such as autism and anxiety in children based on records by schools and parents

July 2017 King’s College Hospital Cardiology Laboratories, London (unpaid work experience)
• Shadowing PhD students performing biochemical tests for proteins using Western blots and for DNA using quantitative qPCR (real-time PCR) and qualitative PCR including the thermocycling stages - DNA denaturation, annealing and elongation
• Understanding why the addition of primers with fluorescent probes (cyber green) to DNA samples is used to detect complementary sequences via colorimetric detection machines - depending on the fluorescence after each cycle
• Helping prepare agarose gel electrophoresis used to identify the molecular weight of samples depending on the concentration of the gel, the charge of samples and corresponding pore sizes to fit proteins and DNA sizes
• Using pipetting skills to fill wells in the agarose gel, make up the “Master Mix” for PCR tests and applying antibodies and secondary antibodies to proteins to prevent non-specific binding

August 2017 Guy’s Hospital Head and Neck Pathology Laboratories, London (unpaid work experience)
• Observing the head of department identify tissue structures such as mineralisation of salivary glands, shedding of pseudolymph stones, calcification of blood vessels and identification of woven bone and permanent cancellous bone based on the presence of lamellae and osteocyte cells
• Shadowing a scientist creating wax moulds of biopsies and then using a cryostat cut thin samples onto a microscope slide to be fixed and stained
• Understanding how a sample of trachea from surgery in liquid nitrogen is fast-track tested for malignancy such as an increased presentation of mitotic division
• Attending a multidisciplinary team meeting discussing patient treatment, tumour progression determines threats to other organs, future treatments and whether it’ll be curative or palliative

August 2017 UCL Institute of Ophthalmology Laboratories, London (unpaid work experience)
• Studying chemical transfections of genes and the difference between stable transfections, when transgenes integrate with the host genome, and transient transfections, when the transgenes only express for a short period of time
• Attending a presentation by a PhD student on their research - the expression of the NUBI gene and the effect on microtubule-associated proteins in mice with Alzheimer’s disease
• Contributing to a PCR test using DNA patient blood to identify whether a codon is repeated more than 50 times, indicating a higher risk of disease
• Seeding corneal epithelial cells to calculate the volume for transfection so the agreed ideal density is reached, using a haemocytometer for an average
• Undertaking my own immunohistochemical staining of retina tissue grown over 300 days, using Recoverin and Rhodopsin first antibodies and then secondary antibodies to prevent non-specific binding to the green and yellow fluorescent proteins detected under a microscope – the nuclei identified by a DAPI blue stain

Additional Interests:

Recognition:
• Biomedical Sciences 1st Year Programme Student Representative, University of Edinburgh, 2018
• SFH6 Student Ambassador, 2017
• Deputy Head Girl, Prefect and Student Guide, Sydenham School, 2016

Hobbies:
• 1st Flute Lewisham School’s Concert Band, 2008-2018
• 1st Flute Sydenham School’s Swing Band, 2012-2015

Interests:
• Attended the Royal Holloway Biosciences Taster Day - learning pipetting techniques involving gold nanoparticles for drug delivery and how to identify bacteria using the Gram stain, the Catalase test and the Phenol Red carbohydrate test.
• Attending Kings College London Outreach for Medicine Lectures
• Attended Oxford Medical Insight day – talks on cryopreservation research by the Future Fertility Trust
• Presented an academic poster on plasma waves and the magnetosphere at Queen Mary’s MUSICs project with a small group of students
• Attended a visit to CERN to understand the roles of sub-atomic particles in the universe