“I can remember times when professor Sean Carrol answered questions almost an hour even after his lecture had ended, seeing him sitting along the stairs still teaching taught me about humility and passion.“

Bobola Adeoye, MSc Cardiovascular Rehabilitation, 2022, Cardiorespiratory Physiotherapist, Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Earlier this year a group of alumni who came to the University of Hull as international students and are currently enjoying careers in the UK returned to campus to share their advice, insights and experiences with current students. Topics covered included making the most of your time at a UK university, how to sell your skills and experiences to prospective employers, and how to negotiate the visa system once you find a job. An inspired and inspiring group of alumni they offered valuable advice on finding employment, transferring skills from the university course to a career and being persistent when applying for jobs.

We found these alumni so inspiring that we caught up with some of them afterwards to find out a little bit more about them and to distill their advice for an alumni audience.

In this interview, we meet Bobola Adeoye.

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Where do you come from originally and how did you decide to study at the University of Hull?

I am a Nigerian and one thing we are known for is our thirst for knowledge. The decision to study at Hull and leave the comfort of my home was not easy. I trained and worked in Nigeria as a Physiotherapist prior to my decision to study at the University of Hull. As a Cardiorespiratory Physiotherapist, I wanted to broaden the scope of my practice and knowledge, which made me search for universities in the United Kingdom that offered a Master’s Degree in this area of specialty. During my search, I found the Hull University Teaching Hospital, which is recognised for its expertise in cardiothoracic surgery, and this led me to the course Cardiovascular Rehabilitation at the University of Hull.

How did you enjoy being a University of Hull student?

The scenery at the University of Hull is quite calming and I usually enjoyed taking walks round the school. One of the views I would love you to explore is the view from the conservatory at the topmost floor in the University library. For someone like me, who had a kid who was not yet at nursery, finding out about the family room in the library was such a lifesaver for my studies as I was able to have access to library resources, study and still tend to my daughter at the same time. I passed by the library recently with my daughter and we could not stop talking about the memories we had there. I had great lecturers who would go the extra length just to make sure you had a good understanding of what was being taught. I can remember times when professor Sean Carrol answered questions almost an hour even after his lecture had ended, seeing him sitting along the stairs still teaching taught me about humility and passion. I have lots of great memories from the University of Hull. Moments with Natasha Hoggard at the career hub prepping for interviews, reviewing my supporting information when I was about to start my job applications and interviews are all treasured.

Could you tell us a little bit about your current job and what a day in your job looks like?

I work as a respiratory Physiotherapist at the University of Hull Teaching Hospitals on the Respiratory Clinical Assessment Service (RCAS) team also known as the virtual respiratory ward. Everyday is a learning day as it is a new team, which was recently started last year in September to support COPD patients to avoid hospital admission and support early hospital discharge. My day starts with an MDT with my other team members that consists of Respiratory Consultants, Respiratory Specialist Nurses and a Respiratory Specialist Physiotherapist. After MDT, I head into the community to meet with our patients, provide treatment and advice to help their condition. Occasionally, I come across patients who present symptoms that are not respiratory related and have to signpost accordingly. It is usually fun at work and I have been blessed with patients that I can relate to as friends.

How did your time at Hull help prepare you for your subsequent career?

University of Hull was a pruning ground. The curriculum was robust, although it is a bit different from my present role, but it definitely helped me during my interview period as there was knowledge overlap which was useful while I was job seeking.  Research skills gained at University is one skill that will also remain relevant. I am still trying to chart my course in the research field.

What is the most important advice you can take from your own career experience that you would offer someone wanting to follow in your footsteps?

I always, always have this to say to junior colleagues: ‘’take advice with a pinch of salt, what worked for me might not work for you’’, but one thing that has stood out for me in my career as a physiotherapist is recognising early my passion for cardiorespiratory. I am very passionate about studies around the lungs and heart. This has really helped me streamline my decision making when it comes to my career and ability to build a strong portfolio in the cardiorespiratory field. I look forward to more success and collaboration in this field. I would encourage anyone just starting out in their career to follow their passion, what excites them. When I started out, I had more knowledge in other areas of physiotherapy than cardiorespiratory. I was able to recognise that the fact that I had less knowledge in it did not limit me from developing myself and equipping myself with knowledge to get better. So, follow your own passion and not what your schools, lecturers or the rest of the world is focussed on. Your passion will sustain you when it gets tough.

What advice would you offer to international students currently studying at the University of Hull and thinking about their future career?

As an international student, the first thing is to do a career survey and skill mapping for your career in relation to what is obtainable in the United Kingdom. Find out about professional bodies that offer you a license to practice. If you are planning on a career switch, take on relevant courses and qualifications as soon as you can. What is obtainable in United States might be different from what is obtainable in United Kingdom. Find someone who has been successful at what you do or plan to do and do a career review with the person. Seek knowledge from others and join career specific platforms as it is a foreign land and not your usual terrain. Finally utilise the free services that the Student Futures career team offer and use it to your advantage to bridge the gap between UK and your country. They are happy to go through every step with you and offer you support.  I know we all want financial freedom but your first steps should be to take the time to add value to yourself and make yourself indispensable/competitive for the job market.

What motivated you to return to campus to speak to students?

I was motivated to return to campus because I have gained so much and it is only right that I give back the little I can and help others to chart their course more easily. A lot of us struggle to settle in quickly, but I believe with early planning and determination it is possible. I have friends who got employed months before completion of their programme.