Sole sisters

All paths led to podiatry for Grace Gates, Maisy Walker and Connie Regan who have well and truly found their feet in podiatry careers at Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust, despite taking very different routes into the NHS.

Finding our feet after #ResultsDay

Despite not getting the A-Level results to study a degree in physiotherapy, 22-year-old Maisy Walker said the clearing process helped open up a new career pathway to study at the university she’d always wanted to.

“It was all a bit of a drama on results day. The pandemic meant we didn’t sit our exams that year and the coursework grades I initially received weren’t a true reflection of the work I’d put in.”

“I was really upset initially, but going through the clearing process really helped. I ended up speaking to the podiatry lead at Plymouth University where I’d had my heart set on going.

“I didn’t know very much about podiatry, but once I learned more about how it incorporates aspects of physio, nursing and musculoskeletal care, I quickly realised it would be the perfect course for me.”

For Maisy, the three years spent at university were ‘the best three years ever’. She now works as a fully-qualified podiatrist at Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust.

She said: “It is really rewarding working as a fully-qualified podiatrist, having my own caseload of patients and building relationships with them. As one of the youngest members of the team, my colleagues are genuinely caring and make sure I’m ok. I feel like there are really clear pathways in the NHS and that I’m in a stable job for the future.

“If you’ve not had the results you hoped for, there are always other options and courses, it’s not something to worry about. Just find something you enjoy, even it’s not exactly what you originally set out to do, it might surprise you.”

Twenty-year-old Connie Regan was set on becoming a physiotherapist, but after a disheartening A-Level results day, a new career in podiatry was the calling she would never have otherwise answered.

“I was always interested in sports growing up and physiotherapy felt like a natural career choice for me, so it was disheartening not getting the grades I hoped for,” explained Connie.

“My career advisor helped talk me through other options and one of those was the podiatry course at Brighton University.

“My first reaction was, ‘what’s podiatry?’ Most people are familiar with physiotherapy, but podiatry was a new area of healthcare for me.

“I learned that, like physio, podiatry has a very hands-on approach to treatment and I would still be able to go down the sports pathway too. In fact, there are so many different other routes in podiatry such as vulnerable footcare and diabetes care. I liked that it was like a specialised physio and the job possibilities afterwards were really positive.”

Making the brave move from Birmingham to Brighton, Connie said the whole experience has given her new life skills and confidence.

“Living and studying in Brighton gave me the confidence to apply for a job in Kent and I’m now in my first month working as a fully-qualified podiatrist at Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust.”

Connie’s advice to anyone going through a challenging results day is:

“Don’t be disheartened, look at other options that most align with your goals and give it a go. Everything happens for a reason.”

If you’re considering your options this #ResultsDay, there’s still time to find the right path for you.

You can join the NHS through clearing. Find out more – search NHS careers.

University isn't for everyone

From a young age 25-year-old Grace Gates knew she wanted to become a podiatrist after watching the compassion and care her nan received.

“My nan was a double-leg amputee and suffered from diabetic ulcers. I would watch the podiatrist come in to treat her at home and I saw how much they helped her. It inspired me to want to do that for someone one day.”

“I started my A Levels but ended up dropping out half-way through. I felt I would do better in a work-based learning environment and after speaking to a career advisor, I mapped out a plan of the steps I’d need to take to become a podiatrist.”

After gaining experience working in different healthcare settings and roles, Grace applied as a podiatry assistant at KCHFT and was offered a place on the podiatry apprenticeship programme.

“Everyone learns in a different way and I just find the hands-on experience of working alongside the podiatrists and combining it with the study works for me.

“The job is so varied. It’s so rewarding to help ease pain for people. I love it.

“It doesn’t matter if you don’t have A Levels or don’t get the results you hoped for. There are other ways in to a career in the NHS depending on what suits you.

University isn’t for everyone. If you’ve just got your #ALevelResults and want to get into the world of work, the NHS offers on-the-job training and endless opportunities to progress.

Search HCSW careers. #WeAreTheNHS