St Albans doctor graduates on Zoom prior to emergency posting to NHS job

Graduation by Zoom didn't feel quite the same as the real thing for St Albans medical graduate Rebecca Lowe. Picture: Supplied (Image: Archant)

Former Sandringham pupil Rebecca Lowe celebrated the successful completion of five years of hard work training at Nottingham University medical school online, due to the coronavirus lockdown.

Rebecca was expecting to have a graduation ceremony in July but the epidemic meant that the event was brought forward to April to enable the already fully-qualified medics to be able to start working earlier.

She said: “I was meant to be flying to South Africa this week for a six-week voluntary stint on a hospital ward in accident and emergency.

“When that got cancelled I was disappointed but I was keen to begin working in the UK helping to make a difference in healthcare at this difficult time.”

Her dad Gary said: “She always aimed high and pushed herself to achieve the very best in everything she did.

“It was not the graduation ceremony that Rebecca expected but thanks to an appearance on BBC’s The One Show they managed to make it a special and memorable occasion.”

Some of her other family members in both Yorkshire and Cornwall who otherwise wouldn’t have been able to participate were also able to be part of the celebration.

Gary continued: “Mixed emotions from both me and my wife: we couldn’t be more proud of what Rebecca has achieved, especially knowing the sacrifices she has had to make along the way. But at the same time understand that she is about to put herself on the front line at a point in history that none of us will ever forget.

“At the moment, we are not sure what’s around the corner but what we are sure about is that as a nation we are in the fortunate position of knowing that we are not alone and the NHS and all key workers are there for us. Thanks to them all.”

Rebecca is waiting to hear when her post will begin in the NHS but she believes it is imminent.