For our Alumna of the Month interview, we spoke to Emma Fagg (nee Davies), Medical Registrar for the NHS.
Emma joined Bromley High School in Reception in 1990 and left in 2004, after studying A-level Biology, Chemistry, Geography and AS-level Physics to study Medicine at The University of Sheffield.
Please can you briefly describe your current role?
I am a Registrar working in Rheumatology and General Internal Medicine. Rheumatology is the medical specialty responsible for looking after patients with a wide range of diseases that affect their bones, joints, muscles, connective tissues and blood vessels. The majority of our work is done in outpatient clinics. However, some patients have rare and serious conditions that require inpatient hospital treatment. We have had many very unwell patients over the past year and it has been a particularly interesting time as a Rheumatologist as many of the medications that we use to treat our patients have been trialed on those with severe Covid-19 and some have been found to offer significant benefits for survival and length of hospital stay.
My General Internal Medical commitments include looking after an Elderly Care ward and being the Medical Registrar on call, which involves seeing all new medical admissions to the hospital and reviewing the most poorly patients on the wards under medicine and other specialties, including those who have suffered a cardiac arrest. When on call the Medical Registrar is essentially the onsite doctor responsible for the health of all the patients in the hospital, leading a large team of more junior doctors and nurses.
It is a very busy but rewarding job.
How did Bromley High School help shape your future career?
Bromley High School gave me the confidence and foundation to pursue whichever career I wished. From a young age we were taught that we could be whoever we wanted to be and that, in particular, being a girl did not limit us.
Initially I wanted to be a veterinary surgeon and undertook lots of work experience in this area. When I undertook work experience around GCSE level, I did one veterinary medicine placement and one sports medicine placement and at that point realised that while I love animals I would rather treat people and have pets at home!
What aspects of Bromley High School did you most enjoy, and find most rewarding?
The huge range of extra-curricular activities and opportunities available was brilliant and really helped me to discover the non-academic pastimes that I most enjoy (mainly sport). The variety of subjects on offer and support of the teachers was also instrumental in shaping my future.
What is your favourite memory of being at Bromley High School?
There are so many to choose from! I think the friendships and confidence I gained are the most valuable. I also have great memories of school trips, sports tournaments and competitions.
What value do you get out of your connections with your fellow alumnae?
Many of my fellow alumnae and friends are highly successful in their own careers. Being part of the GDST community can be useful in many aspects of life and you can often identify ‘Old Girls’ when you meet them through work or socially.
How have you benefited from being part of the wider GDST community?
I benefited from being part of the GDST community during most postgraduate studies and now that I have two girls of my own I look forward to getting more involved in the Trust over the coming years as my eldest is due to start at a GDST school this year.