Sonia

Certified Tutor

My interest in applying for the position at Varsity Tutors stems from an ongoing commitment to expand my knowledge surrounding the mechanisms utilised to treat and diagnose various conditions. In addition to this, I would like to strengthen my understanding of the anatomy of living organisms, their morphology and physiology. I am confident that this position would provide me with the foundation towards achieving my objective of entering academia and helping improve the quality of teaching towards children and young adults of different age ranges. I am keen to support and educate in biology using various strategies to teach students as well as encouraging them and advising them in this subject.
Initially, I became interested in studying pharmacology as a Coventry University student of Applied Sciences which lead me to undertake a BSc in Medical and Pharmacological Sciences at Coventry University. Upon the completion of my research project which conducted 'An Investigation of the Effect of Beta-carotene Extract from Vernonia amygdalina plus Tamoxifen vs Tamoxifen alone on Breast Cancer Cell Line, MCF-7' I became intrigued by the process by which individual drugs function and how the slightest adjustment in the way a drug is administered could impact such a targeted disease as cancer. This inspired me to pursue academia and educate others about how fascinating the body is and how it functions.
Alongside my studies as a postgraduate student studying MSc in Pharmacology and Drug Discovery, I am also a part-time carer working at a residential home alongside qualified nurses. Through this, I have gained significant insight and appreciation into the administration of medicine for service users. This allowed first-hand observation of the processes of disease management for conditions such as diabetes, sciatica, different types of cancers, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, hyper/hypotension etc. I have also gained experience from working as a peer mentor where I was able to aid new-coming students unfamiliar with the university campus, guide them, interact with them etc.
Moreover, over time I have developed a range of transferrable skills necessary for this role. For example, being able to confidently use Microsoft zoom, Microsoft word, PowerPoint, Sway, Microsoft Excel etc. During my undergraduate degree, I undertook modules which enabled me to present using PowerPoint, to various target audiences using the correct terminology to interact. I believe this will be highly important when interacting with and teaching students.
As an active sociable individual, I am a member of several societies including the British Pharmacological Society (BPS), the Islamic Society of Coventry, and the Coventry University Pakistani Society for whom I am the social media manager. In addition to this, during my free time, I have an Instagram account dedicated to my undergraduate course, BSc Medical and Pharmacological Sciences. I regularly share posts regarding the content I have covered during my time at university to encourage others to embrace the enriched learning environment.