Leathersellers’ Alumni
Mariam Omar
A Q&A with Mariam Omar, a final year medical student at King’s College London and alumna of the Leathersellers’ Student Grants Programme.
Photography by Paul Read.
Can you tell us a little about your background?
Nationally, I am originally from Somalia, but was born in Saudi Arabia, lived in Somalia, Yemen, and Malaysia before finally settling in the UK.
I am a final-year medical student at King’s College London. Prior to starting my medical course at King’s, I studied medicine for two years in Sana’a- Yemen. Unfortunately, I was unable to complete my studies there due to the outbreak of war. Between leaving Yemen and starting medicine again, I spent several years away from formal education, before I could find my way back into higher education.
Can you tell us more about what you currently do – any highlights?
I am interested in a career in Academic Medicine, so I have been working on a couple of projects in Haematology and Rheumatology alongside placement. I am about to start my placement in Acute Care at King’s College Hospital where I will be rotating across Surgery and Medicine for eight weeks as part of my two last blocks of my final year.
How has the Leathersellers’ Foundation supported you on your professional journey and what did this enable you to do?
The Foundation has played a transformational and practical role by alleviating financial pressures during the most intense years of my clinical training.
The support I received has allowed me to dedicate time and energy to meaningful opportunities and reduce my financial instability. It meant that I could focus on my studies and my portfolio as I prepare myself for what will be a very competitive academic career in Medicine. In fact, the funding I received this year prevented me from having to interrupt my studies—something I was seriously considering because of the financial burden that comes with the final year. Without this support, it honestly would have been extremely challenging.
What barriers did the grant help you overcome?
The support helped me overcome significant financial insecurity and anxiety. It allowed me “academic focus” and reduced the psychological burden of the financial pressures of medical school.
I can not imagine how it would have been possible to finish medical school without the support.
Do you think the grant has affected your chances of social mobility?
Absolutely. It has enabled me to access academic and professional networks that would have otherwise been out of reach. I’ve also gained a mentor who has supported me in developing transferable skills that will be valuable for my future career.
What do you like about being part of the Leathersellers’ alumni network?
It’s inspiring to be part of a community of people from diverse backgrounds achieving incredible things across various disciplines. I enjoy talking to alumni from various backgrounds in leather, law, philosophy, and of course Medicine, all of whom were once supported by the Foundation and come back to support and inspire the next generation.
Being a Leathersellers’ alumni means having a sense of community and being part of a legacy that supports potential and personal growth.
What are your ambitions for the future?
My main focus is on preparing for my final exams, completing my Foundation Programme application, and continuing with my current academic projects. That’s the short-term plan. In the medium term, I hope to apply for internal medicine training, with the goal of combining clinical practice with academic research.
I’m still exploring a few specialties that interest me—particularly Rheumatology, Haematology, Nephrology, and Neurology, in that order! Hopefully, as I go through foundation and core training, my path will become clearer!
Beyond clinical medicine, I’m also passionate about humanitarian work and migrant health. I’m not exactly sure how that will fit into my future career just yet, but I’m keen to find a way to integrate those interests over time.
Looking ahead, I hope to be part of the Leathersellers’ legacy by supporting future students and giving back to the community that supported me.
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