15/03/2026
We’re always proud to hear about the amazing volunteering and advocacy of students who make an impact not just within the medical school, but also the world around them 🌍.
Our annual Alumni Award celebrates and recognises a current student who made a significant difference outside of the medical school.
Hear about the journey of this year’s winner, Lee Fernandes, and what winning this award means to him. We hope this award will inspire Lee and others to continue making a difference 💪:
“I’m incredibly grateful to the ICSM Phoenix Foundation for selecting me as the 2026 Alumni Award winner.
Six years at ICSM - and honestly, it’s hard to know where to begin.
Some of the projects I’ve been a part of grew far beyond anything I first imagined. From helping build the UK’s first lifestyle medicine course, now delivered in almost 90 secondary schools, to chairing ICSM RAG and breaking fundraising records, to now building a women’s health wearable with Lutea.
On paper, they sound like big milestones.
But in reality, these projects started small. It might have been a conversation after a lecture, a rough idea scribbled down, or a plan that didn’t quite make sense yet. There was plenty of uncertainty, long evenings, setbacks, and the kind of self-doubt no one talks about online. Most importantly, I worked with people who challenged me, trusted me, and held me to standards higher than I set for myself.
Even though this award has my name on it, it truly belongs to the teams and friends who stood with me. They backed the ideas, did the work, and helped turn ambition into something tangible beyond the walls of medical school.
Over these six years, I’ve learned that progress doesn’t come from having all the answers. It starts with believing that something can be better and being willing to work towards it, even when the path forward isn’t clear.
So if you’re thinking about doing something a bit different from the mainstream, something that feels a little uncomfortable or unconventional, you probably don’t need anyone’s permission.
You just need to start.“
