We love hearing about our former students – like Jonathon McLaughlin.
Jonathon said he struggled with how he was taught Science at school and achieved a DD in double award science GCSE.
But all of this changed when he completed the Access in Science at NWRC.
Jonathon went on to achieve a 1st class honours degree in Stratified medicine, making the Dean’s list for all 3 years and completing a placement year in a research setting.
He then applied for a PhD with Dr Elaine Murray in the Clinical Translational Research and Innovation Centre (C-TRIC), investigating the biological mechanisms of mental health conditions and gained a place in the top 2 candidates, being offered a paid place in her lab.
He said: “My lecturers explained and taught these subjects with a sense of teamwork that I had never experienced at school. In a sense, lecturers were teaching someone in their team, rather than a student under them and it conveyed a sense of ‘wanting’ to share knowledge rather than a ‘need’ to teach. Since graduating from NWRC, I have recommended the Science course to numerous people, I believe it is the perfect steppingstone for anyone who might have had different aspirations in school or for those who just didn’t do as well as they hoped. Brilliant course, staff and feeling overall!”
#belikeJonathon apply for the Access in Science today.
But you need to be quick – applications for 2023/24 courses close on Friday! https://www.nwrc.ac.uk/courses/science-level-3-access-diploma
READ JONATHON'S Q&A HERE
Name:
Jonathon McLaughlin
Age:
28
What was your previous education before coming to NWRC?
I had completed my GCSE’s, achieving 6 in total with 3x B’s and 3x C’s. I continued to A-level education where I achieved a B in English Literature, a B in Music, and a C in Applied I.C.T. My aim was to go to University and study Music Journalism.
Course studied?
Access course in Science
Why did you choose to study the Access in Science?
I decided to go back to the Northwest Regional College to study an Access in Science to create a better opportunity for myself and create better job prospects.
Tell us a bit more about your course?
At first, I didn’t know what to expect as I was never talented in Science at GCSE, in fact, I achieved a DD in my double award Science GCSE. I did have an interest in science at school but always struggled with the way in which it was taught and never really grasped the concept of Chemistry or Physics but had always enjoyed Biology. This had all changed when I attended the NWRC, my lecturers explained and taught these subjects with a sense of teamwork that I had never experienced at school. In a sense, lecturers were teaching someone in their team, rather than a student under them and it conveyed a sense of ‘wanting’ to share knowledge rather than a ‘need’ to teach.
What have you enjoyed most about your time at College?
I really enjoyed the independence of education at college, when compared to school, I had almost felt forced to learn, whereas in the NWRC, it was a sense of knowledge sharing while being treated as an equal rather than a student in a classroom. This pushed me to want to learn more from my lecturers and provided a sense of achievement when I performed well in class tests or coursework.
What did you do afterwards?
After college, I had applied for a position in the Stratified Medicine course at Ulster University, I had carried the same attitude from NWRC to UU and achieved a 1st class honours degree, making the Dean’s list for all 3 years and completing a placement year in a research setting. After achieving my undergraduate degree in UU, I applied for a PhD with Dr Elaine Murray in the Clinical Translational Research and Innovation Centre (C-TRIC), investigating the biological mechanisms of mental health conditions and gained a place in the top 2 candidates, being offered a paid place in her lab.
Would you recommend this course to other students?
Since graduating from NWRC, I have recommended the Science course to numerous people, I believe it is the perfect steppingstone for anyone who might have had different aspirations in school or for those who just didn’t do as well as they hoped. Brilliant course, staff and feeling overall!
