Bradley Francis (photo by Peter Simmons)
By Eilidh Miller
We are delighted to share another brilliant short film on athletics in Scotland on Medical Student Athletes – Aberdeen University,
Our video highlights the experiences of medical student athletes at the University of Aberdeen who are balancing the demands of student athletics alongside one of the most challenging academic pathways.
The film follows Briagha Cook, Bradley Francis, Euan Wallace and Ihinosen Ibhanesebhor as they navigate training commitments, academic pressures and the realities of being a student, all whilst competing across their respective disciplines within the sport.
When Aberdeen Uni took a team to the BUCS Indoors earlier this year, seven of the 15-strong team were medical students.
For final-year medical student Briagha, who competes in sprint hurdles and long jump, athletics provides an important outlet alongside her studies.
‘While there can be straining and difficult sides of medicine, I see athletics as a release and a break from that,’ she explains in the film.
That sense of balance is a consistent theme throughout, with each athlete emphasising the crucial role athletics plays in supporting their mental wellbeing away from lectures, placements, and exams.
Third-year medical student and 110m hurdler Euan Wallace highlights the wider benefits of being involved in the sport.
Beyond training and competition, athletics offers valuable social connections and an opportunity to focus the mind in different ways, providing a positive contrast to the academic demands of a medicine degree.
The feature also explores the practical challenges of combining medicine and athletics, particularly during key stages of the degree.
Briagha and Bradley reflect on their fourth-year placements in Inverness, where extended periods away from their usual training environment required adaptability and independence, often meaning training alone or at venues with more limited facilities.
The importance of a strong support network between the group is clear, with athletes continuing to share advice and encouragement between each other.
Briagha Cook (photo by Bobby Gavin)
Despite these challenges, the overall message from the group is clear: the benefits of combining sport and study are significant. Developing effective time management is essential, but it is a skill that supports both academic and athletic progression.
Third-year sprinter Ihinosen Ibhanesebhor believes that though it may be challenging, medicine and athletics can complement one another and ultimately lead to positive personal development:
‘Athletics and medicine do go hand-in-hand, and I think in the future having both will help me to grow as a person.’
As Briagha prepares to graduate and begin her career in medicine, she looks ahead to continuing her journey in sport as a doctor.
Bradley, meanwhile, faces a demanding period ahead with upcoming exams and ambitions of Commonwealth Games qualification.
Alongside Euan and Ihinosen, their stories demonstrate that with commitment, support and balance, it is possible and rewarding to pursue both medicine and athletics throughout higher education.
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Aberdeen Uni