It was as a teenager at Berkeley Institute that Merate-Kristos Place first realised she had to be a physician.

"My high school biology classes at Berkeley helped me to realise how amazing the human body is. I really enjoyed learning how the body works and how impressive the organ systems function together to keep us alive," said Dr. Place.

"I mixed this with my love for people and desire to work in an environment where you meet new people everyday and I knew medicine was the career choice for me."

Her heart's desire materialised last July when she graduated from medical school in the UK. In a short trip home recently, she expressed special thanks to the Hospitals Auxiliary of Bermuda (HAB) which in 2004 awarded her a $100,000 scholarship. The award was a special one-off to mark the Auxiliary's 50th anniversary.

During the visit she was also able to meet with HAB President Dana Goodfellow and General Manager Nancy Oughton and both women expressed their delight at Dr. Place's graduation and the close contact she's kept with the organisation.

Dr. Place said her relationship with the organisation began when she was in high school.

"My history with the Auxiliary began when I started volunteering as a Candystriper at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital during high school. I have always enjoyed working with the Pink Ladies, and remember working closely with them in the cafe on Saturday mornings while candystriping," she said.

"Once I had finished candystriping and was attending Emory University for my Bachelor's degree, the Hospitals Auxiliary of Bermuda announced their 50th Anniversary Medical Scholarship. I applied for this scholarship and after various panel interview rounds, I was elated when I was selected as the sole scholarship recipient."

The award saw Dr. Place receive $20,000 a year for five years, but altogether she spent 11 years training for her medical degree, two years at Armand Hammer United World College of the American West, four years of pre-med at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, and five years at King's College London School of Medicine and Dentistry.

An outstanding student, Dr. Place completed her undergraduate degree as an Emory Scholar part of Phi Beta Kappa National Honour Society and received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology, summa cum laude.

Although she's successfully completed 11 years of training and is a practicing physician, she said she still has a long way to go before she will be finished.

A condition of the scholarship is that she must return to work in Bermuda for at least five years. Dr. Place said she has every intention of doing this but said it's likely to take at least ten years before she is able to do so.

The process is lengthy because she has not chosen an area to specialise in.

She said she is strongly considering anaesthetics but also finds haematology (the study of blood) interesting.

"In the United Kingdom, one has to do two years of foundation training before specialising. These two years are the equivalent of the North American system's internship year and then residency," she said.

"Upon completing my speciality training I surely do plan on returning home to work as a doctor. I feel that it is very important for the community of Bermuda to see the final product as so many people have contributed to my achievements.

"People would always ask my parents, or myself while home on the holidays, how everything was going in school. This genuine interest in my progress was always very inspiring and extremely motivating," she said.

But she said the women of the Hospital's Auxiliary were especially supportive and encouraging when she was in school. They have rallied around me and have ensured that I knew they were in my corner for the entire duration of my medical studies.

"As I would submit my grades each medical school term, I would receive a letter of congratulations and a reiteration of how proud they were of me. This support system kept me going while in medical school as it was a great feeling to know that everyone back at home in Bermuda was rallying behind me to do well," she said.

Naturally her parents Albert and Christine Place and her older brother Wolde-Maryam Place, have always been on the frontline of the rallying crowd for Dr. Place, but she said the HAB was not far behind. Currently she is working at Guy's and St. Thomas' National Health Service Foundation Trust in London, England.

She started there last August and said she's pleased she's been able to stay in contact with the HAB. She said: "and I have a good feeling that we will continue to maintain this close relationship."

The Hospitals Auxiliary of Bermuda each year give an Education Award of $5,000 to a deserving candidate. Only those in the candystriper programme are eligible. Applicants must submit an application form and required documentation by this Friday, June 4.