In late 2016, Prostate Cymru introduced travelling fellowships to help medical students specialising in urology to fund their elective studies. An elective is a placement in which the student chooses the content and setting of their studies.
The Ray Murray and Ray Williams travelling fellowships were created to support students from Cardiff University and Swansea University respectively. The fellowships are named in memory of Ray Murray, the founder of Prostate Cymru and Ray Williams OBE, the founding Chairman of the Pembrokeshire Friends of Prostate Cymru.
This year’s Ray Murray travelling fellowships were awarded to Cardiff University students Ethan Bateson and Aled Rees. Ethan is furthering his knowledge of urology and robotic surgery in Singapore during his elective period. Aled, who has previously completed placements in urology departments across Wales, is studying prostate diseases at the University of California in San Francisco.
The Ray Williams travelling fellowships were awarded to Swansea University postgraduate students Steffan Jones, Andrew Thomson, Amy Owen and Sarah Rangan. Friends Steffan and Andrew have travelled to Sri Lanka for their electives to work at the teaching hospital in Karapitiya Mahamodara and the University Hospital of Ruhuna respectively. Amy and Sarah have travelled to the pacific islands to study urology in Tonga and Vanuatu.
Further grants will be awarded later in the year to support more Cardiff and Swansea University students who are pursuing studies and a career in urology.