Successes: Ross Coomber
In January 2008, the Grants Committee decided to award a Special Award to Ross Coomber, a 5th year student in the School of Medicine, Health Policy and Practice at UEA.
The award was made in recognition of Ross’s exceptional commitment to his medical studies and dedication to supporting the education of his fellow students.
Ross first came to the attention of the Foundation when presenting to 3rd and 4th year UEA MED students at an Electives evening in November 2007. In his presentation, it was clear that he had gone beyond the normal scope of an elective and had used the opportunity to maximise the benefit of the experience not only for himself but, crucially, for the individuals and community with which he had come into contact.
Ross spent his elective working for Aid Camps International, at the Bharatpur Cancer Hospital in Chitwan in Nepal, assisting with cancer surgery. His experiences there mirrored those of many other medical students on electives, particularly those in developing countries.