Faye Bardi

What were you doing before you came to study at City St George’s?

I moved to London in 2016 to study Art Curation - but when that didn’t work out, I began working in a coffee shop whilst I tried to figure out what I wanted out of life and my career.

How did you develop an interest in this subject area and why did you choose to study this course?

I was interested in healthcare and specifically women’s health since I was a teenager, but I felt too intimidated to apply for midwifery during my final year of school as I had only studied humanities. It was only during the Covid-19 pandemic that I realised I wanted more from life and to make a real difference to others. So, I decided to be brave and applied. I felt really inspired to study midwifery as I find pregnancy and birth fascinating, and I really wanted to help women/birthing people.

Why did you choose to study at City St George’s?

Initially I was drawn to the university’s location and placement hospitals, but I was convinced to study at City St George’s during my interview - my interviewer was the kindest, gentlest person and she made the interview feel fun instead of anxiety-inducing. I knew then that the community here would be friendly and welcoming.

What has been your favourite thing about studying this course?

The opportunity to closely support women / birthing people during one of the most vulnerable times of their life. Attending births and helping new life come into the world is a seriously special feeling and I’ve cried so many happy tears.

What is your favourite thing about studying at City St George’s?

Definitely the staff. The pastoral support is amazing and it really feels as though all lecturers and tutors care about us as individuals.

How have you found the teaching and facilities on your course?

The teaching is great and I specifically love that we have lots of guest speakers coming in to teach on their chosen speciality. We have lots of reflection sessions in groups where we can discuss placement experiences (the good and the bad!), and decompress. The facilities are also great and we have lots of skills days throughout each year where we can practice suturing, cannulation, labour support and other clinical skills together as a group.

Where have you been on your clinical placements, and what have you enjoyed most about these experiences?

I’ve had placements in all parts of maternity care including Antenatal, Intrapartum and Postnatal. I’ve also spent a week with the home birth team. In our second year, we also have a few nursing placements including A&E, operating theatres and gynaecology clinics.

My favourite placement was definitely working with the home birth team for a week - it was so interesting to see how things work outside of the hospital, and I was really impressed with the relationships the midwives had built with the women/birthing people.

How will these experiences help you with your future career?

By rotating through all aspects of maternity care, I know that I’ve built a good foundation of experiences for myself for when I qualify. During my home birth placement I felt really inspired and felt like I really knew what kind of midwife I wanted to be.

What would be your advice to students about to start their first placement experience.

Ask lots of questions! I knew almost nothing when I went to placement for the first time, I had never really been in an NHS hospital before and had also never held a baby. I still ask lots of questions and think it’s a really great way to learn. As midwives (and student midwives) we will never know everything and continue to learn new things throughout our careers, and what better way to learn than from each other? Also, get some comfortable shoes and compression socks - you’ll be standing for a long time!

Have you overcome any challenges during your studies?

I very much struggled to adjust to the long shift patterns and especially nights, and I found it very difficult to continue turning up every day. But as I started to feel more comfortable and competent in placement, I started to look forward to going in. And my body eventually adjusted to working long hours and night shifts.

What kind of things are you involved in outside of your course?

I’m an avid reader and I also enjoy drawing, swimming and building legos! Of course I also like to decompress by spending time with friends and pets.

What do you plan to do after you graduate, and how has City St George’s helped prepare you for this?

I’m hoping to get into a preceptorship programme at a London teaching hospital and practice as a clinical midwife. We’ve had a few career fairs and lots of support when it comes to applying and interviewing for jobs. But before that I’m planning to go on holiday in a very sunny and warm country!

What would be your advice to anyone considering studying this course?

Go for it! It won’t always be easy - but if you want to work with amazing women and make a real difference in people’s lives then it’s a great place to be.