Medical Student Heads to Africa to Learn His Trade

Date published: 30 March 2010

Medical student heads to Africa to learn his trade

A STUDENT who has ambitions of becoming a doctor is going to experience medicine in Africa for four months.
Nineteen-year-old Philip Bacon is on a gap year before he enrols on a five-year degree course in medicine.
The former Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School student said: “Representatives from the charity AIM International came to my church, St John’s in Baxenden. They explained about the work they do in Africa and said that the placement could be tailor-made to what I was hoping to do in the future.
“I will be going to Chad in central Africa on April 8 for four months. It is French speaking and I will be staying with an English doctor and another person from London.
“I will be working with children and youth groups and I will also get the opportunity to work with the doctor in the hospital.
“I will also be doing a seminar and working with a support group for people with HIV and AIDS.
“I play piano and sing and I so I will be using my skills to also help the children in music groups.”
Philip, from Marlowe Avenue, Baxenden, is a former pupil of Accrington’s St Christopher’s CE High School.

Although he has travelled in Europe, he said he had never been any further and so the African trip would be an adventure.

He had to raise £3,300 and completed a 10k run in the Lake District at Cartmell last Saturday (20 March).

“I used to run for Lancashire when I was younger and I enjoy running for leisure,” he said. “I decided it would be a good way of raising some money towards the trip and, for me, it was stress free.”

His run realised £1,000 and he finished eighth out of more than 200 runners.

Philip added: “This will be such a good experience for me because of what I want to do for my career.

“The biggest challenge is going to be the culture because it will be completely different to what I am used to. When I arrive it will be 40C and I will have to get used to the language – but I did do AS level French so hopefully that will help.”