Student heads for double career and launches YouTube channel

A West Norfolk student inspired by the dedication of healthcare professionals during the pandemic is heading to medical school this autumn, and hopes to serve in the army when he qualifies.

Colby Wood is also set to launch his own YouTube channel to document his life as a medical student and offering prospective students advice and tips as well as interviews linked to his studies.

A student at Springwood High School, Colby is heading to the University of Birmingham for a five year course to become a doctor. He hopes to specialise in either sports medicine or orthopaedics and serve with the army.

He is the first member of his family to go down the medical route and says he is looking forward to starting his studies and also his sports while at university.

Colby was signed to Norwich City Academy from the age of six to 13 and still plays for Heacham FC.

“Over the years, I’ve had  my fair share of knocks, seen teammates go through serious injuries and watched how important the medical side of sport really is. That’s where the spark for medicine came from,” he said.

The combination of sport and science helped him realise he wanted to do more than play, he wanted to understand the body and help people get back to doing what they love.

Being a student at Springwood High, a member of the West Norfolk Academies Trust, has also helped him achieve his goal, especially extra help he received outside of timetabled lessons.

“The school booster sessions for A and A* students have really helped me gain the edge above the rest of the cohort,” he said.

“Over the past seven years at Springwood I’ve had the opportunity to grow both academically and personally. One of the highlights was reading the County Cup final in football in Year 13, which was a testament to the hard work and teamwork of everyone involved.

“Additionally, the trip to Thailand in April 2024 allowed me to engage in meaningful community projects and broaden my perspective. Witnessing the dedication of the healthcare professionals during the Covid 19 pandemic inspired me to pursue a career in medicine. I aspire to become a doctor and serve in the British Army, combining my passion for healthcare with a commitment to serving others,” he said.

His YouTube channel, called Med with Colby, will run alongside his LinkedIn profile where he already posts regularly with tips on how to do well in interviews for medicine courses.

“Do your research early and put our full focus and attention into it because for medicine, it’s not one straight path. It’s like stepping stones that you need to do one at a time to reach the next time. For instance, you need to do an admissions test before you can even think about interviews,” he said.