Maddie Inman

About Me:

Hi I’m Madie (she/they), I’ve been a student here since 2020! When I am not working on classes I am chilling at home or in the city. I am into books and films and art and cooking and many hyperfixations. I personally like to use the words disabled and neurodivergent to explain my identity, I find a deep sense of pride, community and freedom in using these terms.

My course and my studies:

I am a second-year medical student. I did not come into medical school directly from sixth form, I took the route of first doing an undergraduate degree, which was biomedicine also at UEA. I have been at university for a while and there has been a lot of change. From beginning in a Covid year, to being a burnt out barely coping student, to now finding my feet and studying on my terms - I have had such a journey.

What is your favourite thing about your course?

Let’s start off with the fact that I love medicine, I love the topics and the theory, and the nerdy beauty of the human body, and the importance good care makes for people. What is specific about UEA is the focus on communication skills and other less scientific but vital aspects of Medicine. Roleplaying communication is so helpful before seeing patients, I feel so much more comfortable in my expected role, I am more comfortable and less socially drained when actually talking to patients (high patient contact is another good part of this course).

Adjustments:

I have a lot more adjustments available to me than I personally use but it is very reassuring to know they are available to me, for example I don’t find using dyslexia software useful to manage my dyslexia.

My most helpful adjustments include having extra time in exams, allowing me time to properly understand my questions before answering. I am also guaranteed to be able to extend my coursework deadline by a specified amount of time if I need it, this has been so helpful when I am struggling with executive dysfunction, struggles in time management or general exhaustion.

I don’t need to take a lot of adjustments because my course already provides them, such as always giving digital copies of the learning materials.

Support at UEA:

I have only sought out a small amount of support at UEA. I was originally screened for my Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and ADHD by the Uni which helped me on the path to my diagnosis. This year I have also been screened for Autism, which has been very validating. UEA puts accommodations into place while in this screening process which was a total game changer. I have also received specialist tutoring to help with these. I have also been supported by the wellbeing team, I have had counselling sessions and wellbeing workshops.

I have been very well supported by my academic advisor, which all students at UEA have. I was able to talk to my advisor while in the processes of diagnosing and understanding what I was struggling with. My advisor was able to provide practical support, especially when my neurodivergence was negatively impacting my grades. I have also been speaking to the Medicine Senior Advisor team this year for support with an issue which was not related to disability.

My journey to UEA:

I did not consider disability at all when I came to UEA, I had no clue I was disabled! All I knew was that I was struggling in school and by sixth form it was starting to show in my grades. I applied for medical school in 2019, UEA was my top choice, the only choice really as all other unis were applied for strategically.

When I did not make my grades, UEA reached out to offer me a position in the Biomedicine course. I am so grateful to have taken the three years to understand my disability and learn to live well with it.

What would I have done differently?

I think that if I knew how student support could help me from the beginning, I would have gotten help earlier. My experience improved a lot with support so I could have gotten the benefits of this a few months earlier.

What is something I wish I knew before starting university?

University is very different from school, work, life in general. This can be a blessing and a curse. The curse being that a new environment shakes up pre-existing coping mechanisms and adjusting can be tough, and this is normal to find tricky. The blessing is the independence and control you get at university. For example, in first year when I struggled massively with executive dysfunction, I found one of the few places I could consistently work was in the laundry room. I’d procrastinate all day then go do laundry at 11pm, sit by my clothes and work for the next few hours. It’s weird but it worked and I had the freedom to do this.

Hobbies and interests / clubs and societies:

I have been in the Disabled Students’ Community for almost 4 years, I’ve taken a step back from committee so now just enjoy the community and connection it provides me. Outside of uni I like to read, watch TV, movies and have ridiculously passionate opinions on historical fashion costuming. I like to paint and draw and on occasion I go swimming. I spend a lot of my free time hanging around in the city.

My favourite thing about UEA / Norwich:

I love the independent shops and places to eat in the city, they are spread all around. Some are so good, like guaranteed impulse purchase any time I set foot inside levels of good. This is one of the reasons I like hanging about in the city so much.

My future plans are...

I hope to get my medical degree and become a doctor, only time will tell the specifics of this.