RNC alumna's path to medical success

RNC was delighted to welcome back former student Tiri Hughes, who recently returned to the College to share her journey from RNC to a successful career in medicine. Tiri, who studied A-Levels in Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Psychology from 2015 to 2018, captivated the audience with an honest and humorous account of her experiences.


Originally from Devon, Tiri attended mainstream schools but faced challenges in secondary school due to her visual impairment and wheelchair use. Despite these obstacles, she excelled academically.

From a young age, Tiri had aspirations of becoming a doctor. Inspired by an article about a visually impaired doctor in Cardiff, she discovered it was possible to pursue this path.

Her plan was to stagger A Level studies at RNC over three years, so that she could also learn valuable independence skills, assistive technology skills, Braille, and mobility. However, she found that universities typically preferred students to complete A Levels all together.

Undeterred, and even before starting her A Levels, Tiri approached various medical schools to enquire about their flexibility regarding staggered A Level studies. The University of Oxford said they would consider her application, along with Cardiff and two other London universities.

Tiri said:

‘I initially got rejected from Oxford because of the issues with not taking all my A Levels in one go. However I reminded them of the email I had sent previously and was given an interview, and ultimately accepted. It was a lesson in being proactive because if you think you want to do something, start early and talk to people that might be involved. People will get to know you a little bit and you’ll get to know what to expect. Also later down the line if they change their mind, you've got a chain of evidence.’

During her time at Oxford, as beautiful as the Harry Potter-esque buildings were, due to their age, Tiri faced various accessibility challenges but overcame them through self-advocacy and the skills she had acquired at RNC.

She also shared anecdotes about her experiences living with flatmates and navigating the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. She even had to show a fellow student how to use the toaster!

The constraints of the pandemic forced Tiri to move out of College and into shared accommodation, creating a living experience not too dissimilar to the TV show Friends.

While her flatmates focused on computer-based subjects, Tiri's laboratory work required her to venture outside during the pandemic, leading to funny stories about procuring essential supplies like toilet paper and being the "breadwinner" for the group.

Tiri’s medical training was both challenging and rewarding. She discussed some of the issues she faced, such as performing delicate procedures like suturing. However, she emphasised the importance of knowing one’s limitations and being realistic.

Following her final medical school examinations in January, Tiri embarked on an elective placement in South Africa, providing additional support to local doctors, where she gained valuable experience in a resource-constrained healthcare system.

She talked about the challenges and rewards of working in such a demanding environment. She also got the opportunity to enjoy the country’s landscapes and wildlife.

At the end of her placement she took a bit more time out to travel, visiting Lesotho, Hong Kong and Japan.

In August she started work as a Junior Doctor in Oxford hospitals - opting to stay in Oxford due to her familiarity with the city and the hospital. Tiri is currently working through the different specialties to determine her long term career path.

Tiri gave a hugely informative talk peppered with humour, covering her time at RNC, studying at Oxford and during the various hospital placements. Lots of questions came from the floor at the end, and it was a struggle for her to leave the room as a queue of students formed to ask more questions.

We're incredibly proud of Tiri's success and grateful to her for sparing the time to visit the College and inspire the next generation.

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