Lauren Field

My first impression of Surrey was amazing. I felt that I fitted in with the cohort, everyone was so welcoming and I always got greeted with a smile. The academic staff are great, being able to trust your lecturers is so important. For me, having a joke with them is brilliant for team building. As well as the great relationship we have with our lecturers, they are so caring and there has never been a time when I doubted that I could go to them if I had an issue.

The practical side has got to be my favourite part of the course.

I feel this is really where I can develop my knowledge and skills that I have learned in the theory parts of the course. I also enjoy the practical side because we can get involved with scenarios that really test me, it allows us to get an idea of what it will be like on the road. It makes a good balance between practical and classroom based learning.

The facilities at Surrey are impressive. We have manakins that simulate ‘real life’ that we can practice on - they blink, make sounds, and you can listen to their chest sounds as well as practise performance recorded CPR. They have hospital wards with bays, in which you can choose to record yourself so you can watch yourself back and develop your practical skills. They also have all the kit that is in an ambulance so that you can practise with it before you go out on the road.

In my first year I lived in University accommodation. It made me feel as if I was part of a family.

I have never lived away from home, so at the beginning, I found it difficult because I was home sick. As we started to get to know each other, we would have big house meals and go out together. When I was having a bad day, we would all just sit in someone’s room and chat.

I am part of the Paramedic Society, it has contributed to my Surrey experience by enabling me to see things in different ways. For example, I now know what it takes to organise an event and what people may want out of it. This year I have also become part of the committee, which I never thought I would do.

The society helps me to get out into the community and to demonstrate the paramedic profession and what I love about it.

Surrey Sports Park is unique and I really like going there, it is great for socialising with your friends and it has really good places to eat and drink. There are a variety of different sports to choose from and the few that I have joined have been welcoming and non-judgemental. Also, the staff there are really helpful and are open to answering any questions.

I spend a lot of time at the lake on campus because I love the quietness of it and, of course, the views! I found it really useful that I could still connect to the internet there. It was great to still be able to do work and the fresh air was really beneficial. In the summer, we would sometimes do practical sessions outside, which was great for our group’s moral.

During my course, I am on placement 50 per cent of the time. I am currently working in the south-east coast area at different ambulance stations and hospitals. You change stations each year, which allows you to work different shifts with different colleagues. In my first year I was placed at Caterham Ambulance Station and my second year was at Dorking Ambulance Station. My nearest hospital was East Surrey Hospital and I completed all of my hospital placements here. During my ambulance placements, I worked with my mentor, going on actual 999 calls and helping to treat patients. This allowed me to develop my interpersonal and practical skills. Within the hospital environment I learned new skills that I could use out on the road. I also had opportunities to work with different professionals, which has enhanced my knowledge. The sense of teamwork and accomplishment is very rewarding. The trust and respect you have for your colleagues has to be one of my biggest highlights.

The biggest highlight for me so far is the feeling that you are making a difference to vulnerable people.

I have learnt many skills during placement, some of them being clinical e.g. cannulation, intubation. However, I have also learned how to effectively communicate with patients and staff members. I have also learned how to take control of a scene and developed my leadership skills. Learning these things has dramatically boosted my confidence and is something I will keep improving throughout my career. 

I was very supported during this placement, the University kept in constant contact with me and made sure I was happy with what I was doing and the workplace kept me updated with relevant information. I feel that a placement is amazing way to gain skills and have contact with people you would not usually get the chance to meet. It is nice to get a truthful understanding of what it is going to be like when you qualify.

I have studied aboard in Mexico. I decided to take up this opportunity as we were given three weeks at the end of second year. It was an opportunity to go and experience different cultures and how other countries deal with injuries. This has helped me grow as a student and experience injuries that I have never seen before.

My highlight for the whole experience was seeing a different culture and how they work. Also, I got to meet a lot of new people that I am still in contact with. I got to  learn from people with all different backgrounds and experiences.  In Mexico, the healthcare system is very different because everyone has to pay for their treatment. If the patient cannot afford the treatment then the treatment cannot be performed. This presented a huge ethical dilemma for me because I had never come across this situation before.

The best moment at Surrey so far is my studies and all the friends I have made throughout my time at the University. I have enjoyed my studies as there is always something new to learn and every day is a different day.  

I have changed massively since starting University, I am a completely different person to what I was when I first started at Surrey. I have become more confident and I have really grown as a person. There are things that I never thought I would do before coming here. For example, going aboard to study and having the opportunity to work with amazing professionals.  I am more outgoing and willing to get involved in activities and feel more confident in helping other students complete tasks. I have learnt about myself and what I can do by pushing myself. 

I will never forget the experience I have had at Surrey University, it has made me the person I am today and I will always be an advocate for the University and the things it does for students. One day I would love to return to the University to enable other students to have the positive experience I did."

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