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When Graeme Adamson emerges from the University of Dundee's graduation ceremony on 9 July, as a newly qualified doctor and the winner of two special awards, he will shatter the traditional mould. For, months away from his 40th birthday, Graeme is almost twice the age of most of his fellow medical graduates and, equally unusual, it was his second chance.Said Dean of the Faculty David Levison …. "Graeme is an exceptional student in every way. His example just goes to show that while a strict selection process is undoubtedly necessary for getting into medical school that process must have within it the flexibility and the humanity to accommodate the occasional exceptional circumstance or applicant."
In addition to graduating with honours, Graeme will receive three prizes for merit - the Bonnetmaker Craft Prize for medical sociology and psychology; the Zeneca Pharmacology & Therapeutics Award for the student gaining the highest aggregate marks for all examinations in pharmacology and therapeutics; and the American Medical Graduates Prize for pathology.
Coming from a well known local medical family it seemed natural for Graeme to enter medical school after leaving Dundee High - where he was head boy - in 1978. But he was unhappy and after three years decided to change career direction, swapping university for Dundee College of Education. While there he developed an interest in radio broadcasting and on graduating in 1985 joined Radio Tay first as commercial producer then later as presenter while also setting up his own sound hire and engineering business, Apex Acoustics.
Come 1989 Apex Acoustics had grown to the extent that Graeme had to make a choice. With some reluctance he resigned from Radio Tay to concentrate on the business, but continued to present Business Matters each week for Tay.
In 1993 after much soul searching, Graeme decided he should sell up and move on and decided to give university a second go. Much to his surprise and delight he was given a place to study medicine at the University of Dundee at the age of 33 - having convinced the panel he was now equal to the task.
Six years later, and ready to take up his first post as junior house officer at Ninewells, he says : "No regrets! Returning to study was not nearly as bad as I expected, and I've made many new friends - young and mature. I feel in a unique position to compare the new innovative teaching methods with the old-style of twenty years ago."/ends
Contact Graeme Adamson tel 01382 667009
