Dr Azza Abdelrahman, Consultant Biomedical Scientist

In school I loved biology, I was fascinated by microorganisms, and I knew I wanted to go into medicine so I took a degree it in. In the fourth year we had microbiology as a subject and I found my passion.

Microbiology is so variable. One organism can cause a multitude of infections, and one infection can be caused by a multitude of organisms. It’s like playing detective, and I just love it.

As a microbiologist at the hospital I interpret clinical sample results that come from the lab and then give antibiotic advice to the clinical team looking after the patient, to optimise their treatment. I also work closely with the infection prevention and control team by flagging certain contagious organisms that come up in a patient’s results, so that they can be isolated if needed.

As well as the hospital staff, all the GPs on the Wirral send their samples to the microbiology lab in Bromborough for testing. We work closely with them to advise what treatment to give to the patient. If the test results are unusual, we can also support the interpretation.

I do think women have some extra hurdles to jump over in science generally, but at WUTH I feel empowered. Having a female clinical lead inspires me, and having a really supportive team here has helped me to flourish.

My advice to other women would be to be self-aware, know  your strengths and achievements, give yourself the recognition you deserve, and don’t depend on others for validation.