A medical student from a working-class area of Newcastle, Uashar Badakhshan, will be honored at the eighth annual Student Social Mobility Awards on July 8, 2026, for overcoming significant adversity to pursue a career in medicine.
From Doubt to Determination
Uashar, a final-year medical student at the University of Exeter, never believed a career in medicine was possible for someone from his background. Growing up in a working-class area and attending a state school, he viewed medicine as a career reserved for the elite.
At age 14, his father died from metastatic bowel cancer, a blow that deeply affected his family and education. The experience became a turning point. Uashar said: "I realised I had a choice: continue down the same path or work towards building a different future. Passing my GCSEs remains one of my proudest achievements because I genuinely never believed I could."
Role Models and Support
Uashar credits his mother as a key inspiration. After his father's death, she became a single parent while managing grief and financial uncertainty. "She always encouraged me to continue pushing myself academically, even when I doubted my own abilities," he said.
Support from teachers and university access programmes, including the Sutton Trust, helped him realise his potential. He now advocates for widening participation schemes, mentorship, and work experience for students from underrepresented backgrounds.
Academic Excellence and Advocacy
Uashar has achieved among the highest grades in his cohort, received a Wellcome Trust Scholarship, and presented award-winning research on ethnic health inequalities internationally. He is passionate about widening participation and mentorship, and champions inclusion through the Army Cadets National Multicultural Network.
He has been nominated for the Academic Success Award at the Student Social Mobility Awards, organised by upReach, a social mobility charity that provides 1-to-1 career support to 3,200 students across the UK.
Broader Impact
upReach CEO Nick Brent said: "Talent is everywhere but young people are often held back by things outside their control. Now more than ever, it is imperative to uplift those who have worked tirelessly to succeed."
Research shows working-class students are less likely to complete internships or secure highly-skilled graduate jobs, even with higher grades. Uashar and other nominees serve as inspiring role models for those from similar backgrounds.
Uashar advises young people in Newcastle: "Do not let your background define what you believe you are capable of achieving. Potential is not limited by where you come from. Take every opportunity, even if it feels outside your comfort zone. Setbacks do not define your future."
