On 6 July,  seven current medical students from the University of Edinburgh will be accepting a posthumous MBChB degree on behalf of the Edinburgh Seven.  We spoke to each of them about the significance of the event and their ambitions for the future.

Mei Yen Liew, Year 2. Originally from Malaysia.

What inspires you about the Edinburgh Seven?
Their tenacity to succeed academically and pursue a career in medicine greatly inspires me. The many challenges faced motivated them to persevere instead of giving up midway, and they eventually completed their medical studies.

Why do you think it’s important that the seven are receiving their posthumous degrees?
It was a great honour that the University of Edinburgh was the first British university to accept female students through the enrolment of the Edinburgh Seven. However, they were subsequently denied their medical degrees and the act of awarding them their posthumous degrees is one way to correct this historical wrong, as mentioned by Professor Peter Mathieson, the principal and vice-chancellor of the university.

What do you hope to achieve in your own career?
The medical profession extends beyond a career – it is a calling. I hope I will be able to best serve society through this profession. I aspire to delve deeper into medical research, while helping to improve the quality of life at the front lines of healthcare.

Representing the Seven: Mei Yen Liew / Edinburgh Seven by blogadmin is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 3.0