There's plenty of drama for first year doctor and Newcastle University graduate Andy Steval in “Junior doctors: Your life in their hands” which returns to our screens.

22-year-old Andy was filmed for the second series which follows the struggle to deal with the transition from medical student to junior doctor.

Having just graduated from Newcastle University – a moment shared with the TV crew as well as his family in the first episode - the programme sees Andy at work on the wards of Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.

His first month is spent in Trauma & Orthopaedics (broken bones) and the following three months in General Surgery and Andy explained his concerns about being on the wards: “You worry because as a medical student there are lots of things that you only do a few times like taking blood, or cannulas. They’re the type of thing that you may start out the week not being very good at, but by the end of the week you’re really good at it. It’s a learning curve.

“Also if you are on your own on a night shift and the patient is unwell you have to remember all that stuff and cope with the stress of it.”

Andy grew up in Otley near Leeds and studied at Newcastle University and this is his first time living down south in the bright lights of London. He’s the first medic in his family and the only one to have chosen that path out of his group of home friends, some of whom still work in local pubs and supermarkets.

Andy is a keen footballer who used to play for a university team and he is also in touch with his creative side – as well as playing the acoustic guitar, he has recently taken up life-drawing classes.

The BBC series will follow Andy as he takes his first steps towards his goal of becoming a surgeon.

“Junior doctors: Your life in their hands” is on BBC3 starting Tuesday 24th January at 21:00.

 Andy’s video profile and more information about the programme can be seen online.

(Picture courtesy of the BBC)

published on: 18 January 2012