Podiatry alumni Lucy walks into a new job within days of graduating

A recent graduate who was snapped up by an employer in her home county credits the facilities and career options made available to her after studying with the University of Northampton for her rapid career success.

Lucy Poore – originally from Truro, Cornwall – graduated from the University’s Podiatry programme this summer.

But within only a few days she had already started work as an Associate Podiatrist at Cornwall Podiatry – which had just opened a new treatment room – in the Cornish town of Helston.

Of her role, Lucy said: “I loved living in Northampton as there was always something to see and do, so the town really grew on me and I made many great friends. So much so that I didn’t realise how much I missed my family and friends and the Cornish lifestyle – especially the beaches!

“The job in Helston came along at just the right point; I feel very lucky to have landed one so soon. I only started two weeks ago but I have had brilliant support from the practice and have settled in well. I’m getting really good feedback from my patients already, so I’m glad I’m putting what I learned at the University to beneficial use right from the start.”

Lucy feels that her employability is down to the breadth and varied nature of her time at the University: “Firstly, after a lot of research about other universities, the big selling point was that the programme here was nationally ranked very highly.

“I then did some further reading around what was offered at Northampton and I felt straight away that as a student I was going to be immersed into really broad, varied and detailed studies. From at risk patients, paediatrics, orthopaedics, sports and – with apologies to the faint-hearted! – dissection, I covered a lot of ground.

“The clinic is amazing as you get the opportunity to start treating patients from your first year, all the way through to your final one, which has massively helped with my confidence and patient interaction skills.”

Podiatry wasn’t a profession immediately on Lucy’s radar. She attributes to this a lack of visibility within the family of health professions but encourages other people of a similar outlook to hers to look into it: “I had previously worked in a health setting, so I always had that passion for working with people and making them well and comfortable again. But it was only after doing some digging around that I came across podiatry.

“Podiatry is 100% the most rewarding job – there is no better feeling to when a patient walks into your clinic in pain/limping and leaves pain free and walking normally. If you are someone who likes to have a positive influence on people’s lives, then it is the career for you.”

Find out more about Podiatry at the University of Northampton.