Morley spoke to former Access to Medicine student Conrad Jethro for our celebration of British Science Week.
At 20 years old, Conrad Jethro made a big decision. He wanted to study medicine — but he didn’t have the A levels he needed. “I previously hadn’t sat biology or chemistry A levels and therefore I wouldn’t meet the entry requirements through traditional A levels in order to start studying medicine.” Instead of giving up, he found a new route: Morley College’s Access to Higher Education Diploma in Medicine. And it changed everything.
A One‑Year Sprint Toward a Medical Career
Conrad threw himself into the 2023–24 Access to Medicine Diploma, at the North Kensington Centre for Skills – a demanding Level 3 qualification designed for would‑be medics.
“I studied the OCN London Access to Higher Education Diploma in Medicine at Morley College London in the years 2023 to 2024,” he explains. “And it is equivalent qualification to A levels… and it encompasses biology, chemistry and physics.”
The pace is fast — exactly what Conrad needed. “It took one year,” he says. “Yes, the equivalent of 3 A levels.”
His course timetable was intense and focused. “I would study two days per week at college and then do studying on top of that outside of college on the days when I wasn’t in.”
Each week included structured sessions. “Everybody would have one biology lesson, one chemistry lesson, one physics lesson and one study skills lesson per week.”
Finding Motivation in a Diverse Classroom
What really struck Conrad was the community around him. “There are lots of students of different walks of life, different backgrounds, different ages, all coming together and having this goal together that everybody’s pursuing, which is really encouraging.”
Support from his tutors pushed him to achieve his potential. “There were fantastic teachers like Dr Fiona Murray … who I could reach out to for guidance and for tips and for support, particularly during the more challenging phases of the Access to medicine course.” “She was very instrumental in me reaching medical school.”
Securing his place at King’s was a moment he’ll never forget. “I was thrilled when I got my place to study medicine at King’s College London… to finally be able to achieve it – and to have started now, is really exciting.”
Conrad isn’t alone in his success. “Many of us went on to go on to medical school, which was really fantastic”; he says. His classmates progressed to St George’s, Bristol and Plymouth. “And that was all from my cohort.”
A Head Start at King’s College London
Today, Conrad is thriving studying medicine at King’s and he can draw a straight line back to Morley.
“The subject content of particularly biology and chemistry and even some of the physics has been really helpful for me. I found myself actively using it throughout medical school and it’s given me a strong foundation.”
He even feels the Access course gave him an edge. “I would even say it’s a slight advantage over particular A‑level students because particular subject content covered in Access to Medicine course is not covered in the A‑levels.”
“I Definitely Would” recommend Morley
With his medical career at Kings College London underway, Conrad doesn’t hesitate when asked whether he’d recommend the Access to Medicine course at Morley.
“Yes, I definitely would because I think that the support, the in‑person support is unmatched… the subject content is really invaluable to when you start medical school and start your training to be a doctor.”
Discover Morley’s Access Courses
You can apply now for a place on Morley’s Access to Medicine and Access to Engineering starting in September 2026. See our facilities and speak to tutors at our upcoming Open Day at North Kensington on 26th March – book your place today!
