Dear UCL Students and Friends,

I am starting this petition because I was not given a place on the iBSc Paediatrics and Child Health course for 3rd year.

For those of you who know me, you will understand why this has come as such a shock.

For those of you who don't: I have been a Fun Team leader for the past 2 years (volunteering to play with hospitalised children at UCH), served as Years 1-3 Rep on the Medsoc Paediatrics Committee this year (organising the annual Paeds conference and fundraising for Great Ormond Street), started my own campaign to prevent child sexual exploitation and have worked over summer with children for the past 5 years (musical education programmes, supporting children with special needs, tutoring etc).

What words cannot express is the fact that the happiness of children is my greatest passion and primary motivator in life. It is the reason that I am still here. It is what I live for, and to say that it is my everything would be an understatement. It is the path that I have always wanted to follow. I have fought for the rights of children my whole life, and will continue to do so.

Please help me to get one step closer to achieving my dreams by signing this petition, which I will be sending to the course directors and higher if need be.

In case you are not aware, their decision was based on a 1 page personal statement, they carried out no interviews, and only had 20 spaces on the course whereas other courses such as Neuroscience had 50. UCL should be accommodating the needs of their students, and facilitating their pursuits rather than stifling them.

Thank you for your support.

- Qudsiyah Shah, 2nd year medical student, UCL

P.S. In the 'comments' section of your signature, if you would like to put your position e.g. 'UCL medical student', 'iBSc Paeds student', 'friend', whatever it may be, that would be very useful for me. Thank you <3