Post by Clare Tharmarajah

I had the privilege of meeting Valerie Fiamavle, our 2026 Black Heritage Undergraduate of the Year winner at the Target Jobs Undergraduate of the Year Awards. Valerie is an exceptional student whose work to widen access to medicine has already supported thousands of aspiring medics from underrepresented backgrounds. Her drive, thoughtfulness and commitment to long‑term community change are genuinely inspiring. This year also marked our fifth year sponsoring the Black Heritage Undergraduate of the Year award, recognising students who are breaking down barriers, widening access and creating meaningful change. Meeting all 10 of our finalists and hearing about their achievements was a real privilege. As our winner, Valerie will take part in a paid, multi week, tailored work experience with us and receive a year‑long mentoring opportunity, alongside the rest of our fantastic finalists. These are the moments that remind me why this work matters so much.