Transformational Story of a Teen Who Battled with Bad Life Style, Left School aged 14 without any qualifications turned her Life Around to Become an A&E Doctor

This story is inspiring! Read below;

'My teenage years are where it all went wrong really. I left school at 14, halfway through year 10, and I ended up skipping a lot and I wasn't living at home.

'I got into alcohol at an early age - about 13 - and I was drinking every single day. I think I was probably depressed but I didn't know it at the time.'

Struggling to deal with the pressure of a mother battling with bipolar disorder and with no one to speak to, she turned to alcoholism.

'I turned to alcohol and then I began to rebel and that got me into lots of trouble as a teenager.'  

Her father had moved away from the area so she says she and her sister were often left alone. However, after years of depression and gaining a 'reputation' in Harlow, she sought a clean break and became determined to start a new life.

She began searching for any job she could find and with no qualifications, found only waitressing available to her. 

'I think I wanted to start a new life,' she said. 'But because I had a reputation - it was either that or staying depressed.

'I got my first job at 17 at a restaurant in Great Dunmow. It only lasted four weeks because I was a really bad waitress. It was my first job, it was long hours, and they fired me after four weeks.'

Despite the brief nature of her very first role, the restaurant job wasn't all bad for Ms Barton as she met her partner there, who she is still with 15 years later.

Without any qualifications, and a relatively empty CV, Ms Barton explained that she eventually turned to looking at healthcare jobs because the advertisements said no previous experience was necessary.

While working she could also train towards her National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) in care

Soon she managed to land a job as a health care assistant at St Catherine's Care Home in Broxbourne.

While working she could also train towards her National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) in care.

In her two years at the care home Ms Barton managed to achieve her NVQ as well as getting key skills in English and Maths.

While at the care home Ms Barton said her confidence grew but she soon wanted more and set about finding a path into hospital care.

She managed to get a part time job on an X-ray ward at Princess Alexandra Hospital and landed a place on an Access to Nursing course at a college in Enfield, North London.

Because of the financial constraints Ms Barton ended up working for 60 hours a week as she tried to balance professional and academic commitments.

'You don't really get support in college and I just got on with it,' she explained.

'I had about one meal a day and that's effectively how I survived. There were lots of times I wanted to quit but if I did that then I would have got nothing.'

She added: 'My final year was a very tough year for me. My mum had been well for a few years but she got taken off of tablets and she got sectioned again.

'I was commuting each way trying to visit my mum but also studying for my final exams.'

Despite the demanding college years, Ms Barton managed to pass her exams.

Sadly, her graduation day wasn't as happy as it could have been as her proud mother was unable to attend due to anxiety attacks.

Soon after, her passion for medicine progressed, and, after watching a number of surgeries, decided her next goal was to become a qualified doctor. 

Ms Barton found an Access to Medicine course but required Maths and English GCSE's so she first had to complete them both via home study courses.

Once she had completed her two GCSE's, Ms Barton was accepted on to the course and moved to Norwich. She then applied for a university place to study medicine, but failed to gain acceptance on to any courses.

Instead, she was offered a biomedicine course, but didn't feel it suited her so once again applied for a degree in medicine.

Finally, Ms Barton was accepted on to a six-year degree at St George's Hospital in London where she graduated from three years ago.

She now works in Q&E at Princess Alexandra hospital in Harlow, and she has already set her mind on her next task - to become a GP.

'I felt like I needed a better work life balance so I decided to apply for GP training.

'I was working nights and I didn't want to do that for the rest of my life.'

Ms Barton's journey has not been without its struggles.

But is keen to use her personal journey as an inspiration to others.

'I just want people to know that if you come from nothing there are options if you are willing to put the effort in,' she said.

'It's just staying focused and staying in education. It was a struggle and I am not going to tell anyone it is easy - I used to study for my exams on the Central Line! It's the way that you think about it. 

Always, what was in my head was, if I don't do this then it's all gone and I am back to square one.

'If I give up then I am going to be left with nothing. If I had a normal life, and I went to school, I don't know what I would be doing now,' she added.

'I kind of found medicine and I don't think I would have found it if I had a normal life. I am quite good with depressed patients and that's because of my past. But I am not your average doctor, as I'm quite common, and I think that helps.

'I just hope that other people can see it the way I thought it was.'

Every teenager has a story , every adult had some kind of experience as a teenager. Tell that story and see yourself heal while others learn from it . Visit https://voiceofteens1.blogspot.com.ng Send your story to castlepaysngo1@gmail.com Or call 2348068944572