Our latest ARCH event was a huge success, offering an invaluable insight into multiple medical specialisms, career paths to them, understanding why specialisms are so important, and the power of them working together as demonstrated through the charity CLEFT.
Students were able to get hands-on, in what proved to be phenomenally popular, interactive, workshops. From having a go at suturing, to filling in a ‘tooth’ cavity you could feel the inspirational energy in the air and fantastic engagement from the students.
Over 200 people attended the insightful and uplifting evening led by Abbey Alumna, Dr. Shonnelly Novintan (Class of 2013). A plastic surgeon with a deep commitment to CLEFT, Shonnelly started the evening with a keynote speech, sharing her career journey, and how she came to get involved with the charity.
Shonnelly reflected on fond memories of The Abbey, from school trips and sports day to being a proud piano scholar and taking part in the musical production of Oklahoma. She then gave an honest insight into her life as a doctor. Transparent about the challenges, she also shared how “unbelievably rewarding it is to treat patients and support people in tough times of their life”.
We learned about the huge difference that the work of CLEFT makes and the charity’s mission to improve the lives of children and adults affected by cleft conditions. This can only be done with the combined skills of different medical specialists, working together. Shonnelly encouraged students to consider how they could contribute to the mission of CLEFT, including through becoming an ambassador, fundraising, or pursuing careers in healthcare.
Shonnelly then introduced a distinguished group of guest speakers, each representing a different specialism that plays a crucial role in the care CLEFT provides:
- Daniel Stonehouse-Smith – Orthodontist
- Alex Robinson – Doctor
- Will Raby-Smith – Doctor, Trainee Maxillofacial Surgeon
- Izzy Snape – Speech and Language Therapist
- Jenny Cropper – Clinical Psychologist
These specialists offered an overview of their work, providing valuable insights into the diverse skills and expertise that contribute to their multidisciplinary approach.
Guests then had the chance to choose which specialism they wanted to explore further as we broke out into workshops. There was the opportunity to learn more about career paths, ask questions and engage in hands-on activities that demonstrated real-life applications of medical techniques. Students relished the chance to have a go at stitching, use dentistry kit and eat starbursts to better understand speech rehabilitation. There was an electric atmosphere as the students gained a greater understanding of each role.
The ARCH Healthcare event was a tremendous success, offering students from seven different local schools a unique opportunity to learn from experts in the field and discover the profound impact of working together to provide the best care for patients.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the speakers, attendees, and staff who made this event possible, in particular Dr Shonnelly Novintan. It was a powerful insight into medical career paths and the impact of healthcare professionals working together for the greater good.
