The making of a medic Luke Butler’s inspiring journey, powered by the Trinity Alumni Fund and Trinity Access Programmes (TAP), highlights the transformative impact of alumni support G rowing up in the shadows of an iconic Dublin hospital, Luke Butler’s journey through Trinity and becoming a doctor exemplifies the proud and powerful tradition of Trinity alumni reaching out to inspire and empower the students who are following in their footsteps. Luke Butler’s story is one that helps to inspire future students, a living example of how far consistent support, diligence and hope can take us. Really proud of his roots, Luke is from Maryland ‘just beside the Luas stop at James’s Hospital. I grew up there, spent my whole life there.’ His introduction to Trinity came through the annual TAP visits to St James’s Primary School. ‘They were excellent at getting the right people to talk to the right people.’ The visits to the school evolved into visits to the campus. Describing these trips, he reminisced on impressive exposure to the library, ‘We did a yearly trip to Trinity. The library did a bookbinding class where we made these little books… It reminded me of Harry Potter’. The idea of higher education was seeded early, but the social and financial barriers were numerous and obvious. ‘My parents had never gone to college. No one in my family had ever gone to college. TAP was really good for showing us that people from all backgrounds do end up going to college,’ he emphasised. The turning point came when he discovered a passion for science, sharing with his parents that Trinity was on his mind as the destination ahead. From the first moment, his parents were a wonderful support. They never doubted him and always encouraged him. The TAP Foundation Programme showed the way for Luke. A year of intensive science study would make up for the lack of required science subjects available at his secondary school. He recalled, of the first day: ‘My parents cried’ and arriving in Goldsmith Hall was ‘definitely scary.’ But with the intimidating first days came the all-important process of building confidence. Being together with other students from similar backgrounds helped with that, building solidarity. It would be needed, as a long journey lay ahead. Trinity alumni helped fund the wraparound supports throughout the half decade duration of his medical degree. Reflecting on the challenges of studying medicine, Luke highlighted the importance of knowing there was more than one type of support available – whether he accessed them or not. ‘Being a medical student, you are stressed enough just trying to get through the course. Having added financial pressure on top of that can make it extremely difficult. The important thing I always knew was that there were supports there for me. Financial support if you were in difficulty. Or counselling if you were really struggling. That made such a difference. Just knowing that no matter what happened there would be somebody there to help. That takes away so much stress and worry. After graduation, Luke went to New Zealand to do further training, focussing on Paediatrics. Luke’s ambition is to move back home and get a job as a Consultant Paediatrician at the new Children’s Hospital in his old neighbourhood of Dublin 8. ‘I still love Dublin 8. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.’ With his New Zealand life and training flourishing, Luke reflects further on the elements that inspired his younger self, the alumni support that helped to make his dreams a reality. He has no doubt that without the Trinity Alumni Fund and support that he received, he would not be where he is today. Representation and relatability were also key: the feeling that ‘I could be like that’. That same realisation inspired him to begin his own outreach initiative at his old primary school, where he could offer up an example to be followed. ‘Seeing people that the kids from my old school know doing something like medicine was great. it makes a huge difference,’ he confirmed.
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