‘I didn’t do A-Levels, they are not the only route to university' – says Clinic Director and Podiatrist

Elaine McLaughlin who studied at NWRC in the early 1990s has spent the past 30 years providing foot care and podiatry needs in the North West, as well as mentoring a huge number of healthcare students who want to enter the profession.

She currently employs eight podiatrists, two beauticians, five reception staff and is mentoring three podiatric students.

Elaine is a huge supporter of Further Education and says NWRC has been instrumental in shaping the careers of health care professionals locally.

“After my GCSEs I came to the ‘Tech’ to do the BTEC in Science, I didn’t want to do A-Levels in English or History and that was what was on offer at my school,” she said. “There were only 15 of us in the class at NWRC, it was a brilliant two years and when I was finished I felt so ready to go to university. The college had given me all the tools I needed to get to university.”

Elaine went on to graduate from the Durham School of Podiatric Medicine with a BSc in Podiatry with distinction on the first ever year that degree ran. She then returned home and opened Carlisle Road Foot Clinic when she was just 22.

Since graduation, Elaine has striven to maintain high standards of treatment by completing a post-graduate certificate in Sports Podiatry from Manchester Metropolitan University. Elaine is an experienced practitioner in all areas of podiatry including acupuncture, local anaesthetic, prosthetic toenails, low-level laser therapy and the surgical removal of verrucae and toenails.

“I was the first-ever BCS podiatrist in the area,” she said. “In November 2023 I celebrated 30 years in business.

“The last three decades it has been brilliant to see so many young people enter the profession. My daughter Emma Crilly who now works with me in Carlisle Road studied the BTEC Level 3 in Health Science at NWRC before studying podiatry at Ulster, as did our podiatrists Chiara Fiorentini, Meghan Morrison, Nichola Tighe and Radiography student Ashlene McAllister.

“I look back at myself as a 16-year-old and think how lucky I was that I made that decision to go to NWRC. Lots of students are getting their results this week and I wish them all the best. If I had to give them advice, I'd say that A-Levels are not the only option after GCSEs. NWRC set me up great for my future.

“I love seeing the students coming through, especially when they have come from NWRC. One of the students I am mentoring this year is a BTEC Level 3 Health Science graduate at NWRC, who is now studying podiatry at Ulster University and the skills she learned from the lecturers at the college are helping her with her course."

NWRC will be running Results days on Thursday and Friday, August 22 and 23 at Strand Rd, Limavady and Strabane campus from 10am until 4pm.

Curriculum staff and support services will be available to help students and parents.

Register to attend at www.nwrc.ac.uk/results for the chance to win a £150 gift card.