Sarah

Sarah Gibbons, who moved to Reigate College from de Stafford School, will be leaving College this July and is going on to do an Advanced Level Apprenticeship to become a Pharmaceutical Technician. She plans to use the experience to get on to a degree course in Pharmaceutical Science at university. If all goes well she intends to specialise in mental health. Here she talks about her time at College and the choices she’s made along the way.

What are you studying at College?

I’ve been doing A Levels in Biology and Chemistry and a BTEC in Health & Social Care.

Why did you choose these subjects?

I knew I wanted to go into pharmaceuticals and the science of how medicine affects different people, so they were fairly obvious choices.

How have you found the Health & Social Care course at College?

It’s been really helpful doing it alongside Biology and Chemistry A Levels, because it’s helped me understand that the prescription of drugs is affected by the social environment and that there’s more to prescribing drugs than just having a problem and finding the exact medical solution. Doing a mix of two A Levels and one BTEC was definitely a good move, as it takes the pressure off a bit, around exam time.

What have you particularly enjoyed on the course?

I enjoyed learning about CPR. There’s no better skill to learn than saving someone’s life. I under-estimated how hard it would be to give chest compressions for three minutes. It’s really tiring!

Have you been on any good trips?

I got a lot out of the “Safe Drive, Stay Alive” presentation at Dorking Halls. Hearing people’s personal accounts really hit home. My friends and I sat huddled together, in floods of tears, especially when we heard the testimony of a young victim’s mother. I know I’m certainly never going to drink and drive, now that I’ve seen what it does to the people left behind.