Loughinisland girl Rachel setting her sights on medicine

Loughinisland girl Rachel setting her sights on medicine

20 August 2014

A LOUGHINISLAND schoolgirl is one of the UK’s top A-level achievers of the year.

Eighteen year-old Rachel Nelson collected five A* grades in a range of maths and science subjects when she arrived at Down High School on Thursday morning.

With an offer to study medicine at Queen’s University if she achieves three As, Rachel, a former pupil of Cumran Primary School in Clough, has comfortably made the cut as a medical student.

Although she worked hard for her results and admits she was aiming high, Rachel says she managed to maintain a normal life throughout the examination period.

“I did work hard but not excessively hard,” she said. “I was still able to get enough sleep and have a bit of a life.

“I was aiming for A*s, that was my goal, but it seemed like a distant goal at the time.

“I am looking forward to seeing what areas of medicine I discover but I am also sorry to be leaving Down High. I had an amazing time and a lot of the credit for my results belongs to the teachers.”