Like most medical students, Emma Boxley decided to pursue a career in medicine because she wanted to help people. But it was her diagnosis with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a condition that affects connective tissue and causes chronic joint pain, that gave her a unique perspective of what it means to be a patient.
It was this experience that compelled her to study medicine, but it wasn’t until she got to the University of Southampton, that her passion to positively impact patients’ lives expanded to improving the health and wellbeing of her fellow medical students.
Helping people in need
“It sounds a bit cliché, but I just really wanted to help people. I was actually torn between medicine and a humanities-based degree, but I realised that with medicine, even if I did nothing outside of clinical work, I would still have a positive impact on society. I was a very sporty, active person when I was younger but when I was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, I couldn’t do anything. I spent so much time with doctors, being a patient. I could see how much they wanted to help people, and I wanted to do the same.
A collaborative environment
“I was deciding between Southampton and another medical school, but I was told that the other place was hyper-competitive. Southampton felt so collaborative and a place where students and staff helped each other, which is exactly what I wanted. I knew there might be more opportunities to develop different skills alongside my medical training, which was very exciting, and I’ve been able to do that through my third-year research projects, taking part in campaigns for better access to medicine and launching Mind Health for Medical Students.”
Setting up Mind Health for Medical Students
Mind Health for Medical Students is a charity dedicated to supporting medical students’ wellbeing and mental health. Across 10 UK universities, there are nearly 40 volunteers providing support, tutoring and mental health resources for medical students at whatever stage of their degree they’re at. Through the charity, Emma has delivered talks and workshops at other universities and authored peer-review research and wellbeing guides.
