During my final year at university I applied for the position of Labs Executive at London Blockchain Labs (LBL). The organisation is a nexus of students from University College London, Imperial College London, and London School of Economics and Political Science. Predominantly a research institution, my initial role as Labs Executive was to present research, in the domain of blockchain technology, to both the Labs department and the organisation as a whole. I then co-pioneered a sub-section of the department concerning consultancy. Specifically, I approached companies who were looking to introduce NFT projects into their services. This would then involve a meeting with the company to discuss the services that LBL can offer, matching their desires, and then collaborating with said company in order to achieve their goal. Most recently, we began working with the art studio, The Wolberg Studio, on an NFT project that captured their unique ‘pintillism’ style, but unfortunately due to the ever changing nature of the NFT space, we were unable to see the whole project through due to the relative collapse of the NFT market in March 2022. Nonetheless, I developed many key skills throughout the process, including; creating a new arm of London Blockchain Labs in the form of a consulting service; leading a team of blockchain experts; problem solving; and, most importantly, experience in the many stages that consulting requires.

As medical secretary to Mr Baljit Dheansa at The McIndoe Centre Hospital I take pride in offering the upmost of patient care. My general, but primary, roles include correspondence with patients and healthcare professionals, making appointments, and handling patient queries. Beyond this I deal with filing and maintaining medical records, dictating patient notes, and handling clerical tasks in the hospital. Having worked in healthcare for over six years, I have extensive medical experience in a patient-facing environment and, due to this, I hold superior professionalism and communication skills with both patients and the multidisciplinary team. Specifically, I have cultivated the ability to help make a patients’ experience as comfortable and efficient as possible. While I fostered an extensive wealth of knowledge in my undergraduate degree, I found the vital interpersonal skills that I gained whilst working as a medical secretary have enabled me to become a desirable employee for the future.

Working as a ward clerk at The McIndoe Centre Hospital cultivated my work ethic. In this environment, seamless teamwork was most imperative. Operating with the multidisciplinary team on the ward I would provide administrate support to healthcare professionals and non-clinical staff alike. Whether it be updating the ward’s board or supplying nurses and doctors with relevant information, notes and files, I became adept at multitasking whilst remaining focussed on providing the most important duties as swiftly as possible. Fundamentally, it blossomed my confidence in working with a team of highly competent professionals, and in time I grew to become an integral member of the team. I found a great sense pleasure in working for the patients on the ward. Being one of the first members of staff that a patient would meet at the hospital it was vital that I made them feel as comfortable and reassured as possible. In terms of patient contact, my roles included showing them to their rooms and always being available to answer any questions or queries that they may have had. No one day would be the same as another, and each patient was unique in their needs. I was able to flawlessly adapt my manner and communication style to each and every patient that walked through the hospital doors. I took pride in providing a comfortable and rewarding experience throughout a patients’ journey from admission to discharge. During the first COVID-19 lockdown, the hospital was repurposed into a trauma unit. This swift change in scenario required impeccable adaptability to the new tasks at hand, and I relished in having the opportunity to step up and carry out new duties. It was a baptism of fire, and I look back with immense pride in how each of us in the team not only coped with the change but became far stronger in our roles.

My role as part-time medical records analyst at The McIndoe Centre Hospital was pivotal in my development as a professional employee. Fundamentally the job in question had a simple objective: analyse and scan inpatient and outpatient patients notes and files. However, the sheer amount of data that needed attending to on a daily basis was extensive. Throughout my time as medical records analyst I dealt with thousands of notes and files, but with the margin of error being practically high my role necessitated extreme diligence, attentiveness, and focus. My work station was situated in an office with multiple other team members in the hospital, and I thoroughly enjoyed being part of a team where each of our efforts contributed towards a common goal. Beyond this, I discovered the importance of collaboration and communication, and how good management of a department is key.

I found that working as a healthcare assistant at The Queen Victoria Hospital me to the sheer satisfaction that hands-on patient care can give. Each day at the hospital saw new opportunities to be of assistance to both patients and the multidisciplinary team alike. Nonetheless, my primary roles constituted; personal care of the patients including infection prevention and control; communication with patients, relatives and carers; and maintaining comfort and safety for the patients. While most of my professional experiences were in a non-clinical environment, working as a healthcare assistant enabled me to naturally develop a more caring and responsible temperament. Furthermore, on a much deeper level, my ability to sympathise and be sensitive and respectful became of paramount importance. The emotional strength I gained from this profession has made me become extraordinarily resilient to distressing and intense work.