From self-doubt to Medicine degree as Wrexham student celebrates university success

A WREXHAM student who once questioned whether a career in medicine was within reach is preparing to study at the University of Manchester after flourishing at Coleg Cambria.

Martyna Julia Kaczmarek, 18, from Wrexham, studied A Levels in Biology, Chemistry and Mathematics at the college’s Yale Sixth Form after leaving The Maelor School in Penley.

She will begin her Medicine degree this autumn and hopes to pursue a career as a doctor, with genetics currently the field that interests her most.

Looking back, Martyna says choosing Coleg Cambria proved to be the right decision.

“My confidence grew so much during my time there, and the support I received during the application process was more than I could’ve wished for,” she said.

“In particular, Olwen Kiff was incredibly helpful with her medical background, she offered invaluable advice and guidance, especially through the college’s medical club, where she organised meetings, gave us personal advice, and gave us opportunities to speak with medical students. That support played a huge role in helping me get into the degree and university I wanted to go to.”

Martyna says learning to believe in herself was one of the biggest challenges she faced, but being surrounded by like-minded students and supportive staff made all the difference.

“I would like to thank Nora Richardson, my chemistry teacher, who challenged me in an encouraging way and fuelled my curiosity and critical thinking.

“The main obstacle I faced over the past two years was having confidence in myself. However, being surrounded by other students going through similar experiences made a huge difference. Because Coleg Cambria is such a large and diverse college, it was easy to find people with similar ambitions and interests, which made me feel supported and understood throughout the process.”

Martyna also made the most of opportunities outside lessons. She took part in the prestigious Seren Programme, including its Medic Programme, attended summer schools at Oxford and Cardiff, and represented Coleg Cambria as a student ambassador.

“I feel very lucky to have had the opportunities I did through the Seren Programme. The Medic Programme in particular was such an important part of my journey, and I would not have been able to get into medicine without it,” she added.

“It was challenging and pushed me well outside of my comfort zone, but that was exactly what I needed to grow into a stronger medical applicant.”

Gareth Jones, Assistant Principal and Head of Yale Sixth, said: “Martyna has worked incredibly hard over the last two years and has grown enormously in confidence. Medicine is one of the most competitive university courses to secure a place on, so this is a fantastic achievement.

“She made the most of every opportunity available to her, both academically and through programmes such as Seren, and thoroughly deserves this success. We are incredibly proud of everything she has achieved and wish her every success as she begins the next chapter of her journey.”

To find out more on A Levels and the wide range of qualifications available at Coleg Cambria, visit www.cambria.ac.uk.