Rabhia Khan

What are your top 3 favourite things about Swansea?

• The stunning beaches
• Quirky food places and cafes (Joe's ice cream)
• Rhossili sunflower field!

Why did you choose to study your degree at Swansea?
I chose to study at Swansea because of the beautiful natural scenery, having a beach directly opposite campus is a massive flex! The highly reputable medical school which is number 1 in the UK gives me great certainty that the quality of teaching is of the best in the entire country. My course is fully funded by the NHS and as a postgraduate, having this support definitely helped me to make my decision to study at Swansea.

What is your favourite thing about your course?
The clinical skills sessions on Friday are such fun, we learn everything from how to inject anesthesia (into oranges!) and suture incisions to learning the cardinal signs for someone in heart failure and the appropriate examination to take. Everyone on the cohort is so friendly and it honestly as cliché as it may sound, it feels like one big family, we run regular revision sessions to help each other out. Placement is also really great, the buzz of working in a hospital or general practice and seeing your own patients with the clinical supervision and support makes you feel as if you are already qualified and working as a PA.

What are you planning/hoping to do after you graduate?
I am hoping to work as a qualified physician associate in secondary care.

Would you recommend Swansea University to other students?
Yes, absolutely! Swansea is such a vibrant and beautiful city, there's so much to do and see.

Are you/have you been part of a society?
I am vice president of the Physician Associate society which aims to both raise awareness of the programme to prospective students as well to organise fun activities and socials for current PA students.

Have you lived in halls during your studies?
I live in private student accommodation, which I've massively enjoyed. Being so close to city centre and the beach has been genuinely such a vibe.

Have you worked part-time during your degree?
Yes, working as a student ambassador is both an exciting way to meet new likeminded individuals and it’s also been such a fun way to speak about my experiences of studying at Swansea to the new prospective students. I'm so glad I could share my passion of studying the PA course with new students through a range of webinars and open days. I've also recently started working as a COVID vaccinator for Swansea Bay which has given me great clinical exposure and knowledge of hospital systems, this will massively help me with my future career as a Physician Associate.

Have you accessed student support at Swansea University?
I accessed the financial hardship funding support as I faced some uncertainty during my studies. I found the team to be helpful, guiding me every step of the process. Thankfully the support eased some of my financial burdens and allowed me to focus on my studies, I'm so thankful for the support I received.