Victoria Chinonye Chukwuma successfully juggled a part-time physiotherapy job, pregnancy and childbirth with MSc Musculoskeletal Management course
A Blackpool-based NHS primary care physiotherapist is celebrating achieving a Master of Science in musculoskeletal management qualification from UCLan in the same academic year she fell pregnant and gave birth to her first child.
Mature student Victoria Chinonye Chukwuma, who is originally from Nigeria but now lives in Leyland with her husband Fabian Toochukwu Okeke, long held the dream of becoming a qualified physiotherapist after being inspired by the caring nature of her late aunty Nneka, a fellow practitioner, and her Uncle Demian.
Juggling studying at UCLan’s Preston campus with a part-time job working for Ascenti Physio became even more complicated when Victoria fell pregnant with her son, Miracle Toochukwu Okeke.
Victoria said: “Miracle is my first child and was born in December 2022. Going through the Master degree process while heavily pregnant was admittedly difficult but encouragement from my loving husband and mum gave me the additional strength I needed to push myself through to achieving my dream of qualifying as a physiotherapist.”
"Going through the Master degree process while heavily pregnant was admittedly difficult but encouragement from my loving husband and mum gave me the additional strength I needed to push myself through to achieving my dream of qualifying as a physiotherapist"
— New MSc Musculoskeletal Management graduate Victoria Chinonye Chukwuma
Keen to enhance her Bachelor of Medical Rehabilitation in Physiotherapy degree gained at Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Nigeria, Victoria chose the course at UCLan because she was captivated by the module and its mode of delivery.
“I came across UCLan’s website while surfing the internet looking for means to make me a better clinician. I was deeply convinced I would be helped to attain greater heights in my desired field of work, so I got myself enrolled,” added Victoria.
“My tutors were friendly and easily approachable. The module was delivered by experts in their field, giving me the opportunity of learning from the best to become a better version of myself.”
Miracle is now six-months-old and will attend the graduation ceremony with Victoria, who is enjoying her new job working for the NHS primary care in Blackpool South. However, Victoria is not finished with education yet and is already considering completing a PhD.
