Narthana Jayaweerasingham

I thrive in social settings and I believe I have excellent communication skills and patience, which I have demonstrated through my volunteering and hospital work experience for my applications to medical schools in the last year of secondary school. I volunteered at a dialysis ward at Hammersmith Hospital, where I handed out meals and talked to the lovely patients weekly, overcoming difficulties with how to converse with different groups of people. I currently volunteer at the Harrow Association of Disabled People, working with young adults and children with special needs, tailoring activities to each person and helping with snack-time and games; I also helped to run their 2022 summer art club. Previously, I volunteered at a care home, interacting with elderly people of different needs, maintaining close relationships with some over the time that I volunteered there. I learnt to manoeuvre tough conversations and situations, including a couple of angry people. I believe I am able to lead groups and manage tasks efficiently, as I oversaw groups of volunteers to help Year 5 and 6 children with homework at my school, and ran our school’s Medical Society, where we had to organise our own speakers and give talks that we created. I was the Publicity Officer for the school’s Charities Committee, which meant that I organised and advertised fundraisers. Through these, I truly learnt the important of efficiency and organisation. Furthermore, I have also completed the silver Duke of Edinburgh award, working with my team to complete the expedition, as well as tutoring children for the volunteering section. I believe I work well under a team, as I am not afraid to speak up and voice my opinion, in a polite manner, once carefully thinking it through.

While I have not yet had a job, I have been volunteering for three years and have also had hospital and General Practice work experience, where I improved my communication skills and empathy, while observing doctors and nurses. As previously mentioned, I volunteered at a hospital weekly, where I talked to patients, took meal orders and handed them out, and listened to their requests to make their stay more comfortable. I have been volunteering at the Harrow Association of Disabled People for three years, where I have built strong relationships with the children and young adults there, tailoring activities to their individual needs and continually improving the way I communicate with each person. Last year, I volunteered at a care home, where I interacted with elderly people of different needs, learning to manoeuvre difficult conversations and situations. I work well under a team, which I have put into practice while completing the expedition section of my silver Duke of Edinburgh award, and running our school's Medical Society, which included organising external speakers and giving our own talks. As the Publicity Officer for my school's Charities Committee, I organised and advertised fundraisers with the committee, improving my organisation and communication within the team.

Last month, I completed my A-Level examinations and am awaiting the results this August. I took Mathematics, Biology and Chemistry, all three of which I was predicted A*s in earlier this year. In October 2022, I took my Tamil A-Level, which I received an A* in as well.