The success of a medicine graduate from the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) is being highlighted in a new national campaign celebrating people who were the first in their families to attend University.
Dean Hardy, who graduated in 2022 with a first-class honours Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree and now works for East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (ELHT), features in the Universities UK (UUK) 100 Faces campaign, which champions and celebrate the positive impact of ‘first-in-the-family’ (FitF) graduates on the UK.
"Since graduating, I have worked as a doctor in surgery, A&E, GP, and sub-specialities like obstetrics and gynaecology, gastroenterology and neonates. "
— MBBS graduate Dean Hardy
Bury-born Dean had dreamed all his life about becoming a doctor but never thought it was possible for someone from a working class background to achieve this. The 30-year-old, who lives in Rishton, spent eight years working towards his goal after completing a degree in biomedical science in Manchester before coming to UCLan.
Prior to being accepted onto MBBS degree, Dean received rejections from seven different medical schools and was told to pursue something different. Despite this, Dean persevered and was accepted by UCLan in 2017. He graduated in 2022 with a first-class honours and is now into his second year working as a junior doctor.
“I come from a working-class family and when I was younger, I didn’t think becoming a doctor was possible for someone like me” Dean said. “My sister, who passed away two weeks before my A-Level exams, always said I could do it though and believed in me.
"UCLan changed my life, giving myself and others from disadvantaged backgrounds the opportunity to prove they have what it takes to become a doctor. I am forever in UCLan’s debt."
— MBBS graduate Dean Hardy
“Since graduating, I have worked as a doctor in surgery, A&E, GP, and sub-specialities like obstetrics and gynaecology, gastroenterology and neonates.
“I also pick up many extra shifts, mainly in A&E and surgery, on some of my days off. It is so nice to see that every day I am making a positive impact to peoples’ lives.
“UCLan changed my life, giving myself and others from disadvantaged backgrounds the opportunity to prove they have what it takes to become a doctor. I am forever in UCLan’s debt.
“I am proud to be a part of the Universities UK 100 Faces campaign. I hope it inspires others to believe in their own ability, and that they can achieve anything with hard work.”
"I am proud to be a part of the Universities UK 100 Faces campaign. I hope it inspires others to believe in their own ability, and that they can achieve anything with hard work."
— MBBS graduate Dean Hardy
The success of students like Dean is testament to the extraordinary role university can play – particularly for those students who are the first in their family to attend and face significant barriers before they even set foot on campus. Despite this inequality, FiF students flourish at university – with three quarters of FiF respondents saying that their experiences at university made them more confident and ambitious, gave them broader life experiences and crucial life skills which continue to be impactful long after graduation.
However, the research also pointed to the need for uplifted financial support to ensure that FiF students are able to progress. Over 4 in 10 (41%) FitF students believe that without financial assistance they wouldn’t have been able to afford to go to university, and when non-graduates from across the UK were asked what might have persuaded them to attend university, almost half (48%) responded more financial support.
"There are those who say that too many people go to university. I disagree. These stories tell you why. "
— Vivienne Stern MBE, Chief Executive of Universities UK
Many graduates responding to this survey were eligible for non-repayable maintenance grants as students, which were replaced by repayable loans, in England in 2016, although maintenance grants continue to operate in Wales, Scotland and for some healthcare courses in England.
In light of this, UUK is campaigning to highlight the achievements of the extraordinary first in family graduates in every community, and to ensure that future generations don’t miss out on the transformative impact of a university education.
Vivienne Stern MBE, Chief Executive of Universities UK, commented: “There are those who say that too many people go to university. I disagree. These stories tell you why. In this country you are still twice as likely to go to university if you are from the wealthiest background, compared to the least wealthy. That’s not right.”
"I believe we have a responsibility to keep working to ensure a wider range of people in this country get access to the potentially transformative experience of going to university."
— Vivienne Stern MBE, Chief Executive of Universities UK
“The experiences of students who are the first in their families to have been to university tell a powerful story. I am amazed by how many graduates talked about having imposter syndrome – and the way that earning a degree helped to banish that feeling. I believe we have a responsibility to keep working to ensure a wider range of people in this country get access to the potentially transformative experience of going to university. For that to happen, we really do need to see an improvement in maintenance support to support those from the least privileged backgrounds.”
Dean is included in the Higher Education Trailblazers category. The full UUK 100 Faces campaign list is available on the UUK website.
