A Barrow student has won three highly prestigious awards in the world of undergraduate dentistry.
Laura Irving, who studies at the University of Central Lancashire, has recently received the Undergraduate Research Prize from the British Endodontic Society, collected the British Society of Periodontology’s Frank Ashley Undergraduate Prize and accepted the Society for the Advancement of Anaesthesia in Dentistry Dental Student Essay Prize.
The final year dental surgery student won the prizes for writing three extracurricular research papers.
Laura, who undertakes her clinical training at the university’s dental education centre in Morecambe, said: “I feel really proud to have won these awards and it’s given me a big confidence boost.
“To win three national awards is a big achievement, especially given the undoubted talents of the students from the 15 other dental schools in the UK, who were my competition”.
After studying at Furness Academy and Barrow Sixth Form College, the 28-year-old took a gap year before studying microbiology at the University of Exeter. After graduation, she worked full-time for a year as a clinical audit facilitator at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary, and still continues in that role two days a week.
Laura then chose to undertake a one-year secondary school teacher training postgraduate course at the University of Cumbria before enrolling on to the four-year University of Central Lancashire course.
She said: “I’ve always been interested in people and science. Though it might seem a little crazy to some people, by spending all these years at university I’m now in a good position for my future career which will hopefully combine clinical work with academic research and maybe even some teaching.
“I’ve really loved my course, it’s been great to have such a hands on experience being on clinic for two to three days each week. The tutors have been amazing and I’ve made so many lifelong friends.”
