Emmanuella Adu (Year 4) and Nour Al Tarsha (Year 5) are proud to be your BMA Reps this year, making sure your voices are heard on a national level and that Liverpool, and the North West, are well represented when it comes to driving positive and meaningful change at the British Medical Association and for the future of healthcare.
Meet Emmanuella, BMA Rep for Liverpool, and Nour, Deputy BMA Rep, are delighted to represent Liverpool this year and encourage you to reach out to them with your ideas and experiences to help shape our healthcare system for the better.
Taking up these roles with the BMA
Emmanuella: I became interested in the BMA during my intercalation year, as I had the opportunity to liaise with them as part of my extracurricular work. I was inspired by the values of a trade union, but more importantly discovering the tangible impact that I as a student can make. Through promoting local engagement, policy making and debating over the future of medicine, getting involved with the BMA has changed my world view as a medical student. Change only happens when voices are converted into talking points and actions, and this opinion is greatly fostered by the BMA.
Nour: I was motivated to get involved with the BMA because I believe that student voices should meaningfully shape the culture, wellbeing, and fairness of our training environment.
Throughout my journey, I’ve seen how powerful collective advocacy can be when students feel heard and represented.
My role, in essence, is to act as a bridge: ensuring that concerns from students on the ground reach the right national and regional structures, and that BMA policies and decisions reflect lived experience. It’s about promoting fairness, equity, and professional values, while ensuring students understand the support, protections, and opportunities the BMA offers. Ultimately, I wanted to contribute positively to a culture where medical students feel empowered, respected, and engaged.
What that looks like in practice
Emmanuella: We are currently gathering motions from Liverpool Medical Students to be debated at the Medical Student Conference 2026. This is an opportunity for medical students to make their voices heard by submitting proposals regarding Medical Education, Finance, Wellbeing, Widening Participation and Equality themes. The goal is to gather national wide feedback and contemplate ways to change the climate of medical school for the better.
Nour: At the moment, I’m focusing on strengthening student engagement and ensuring that policy conversations genuinely reflect the lived realities of medical students. This includes increasing awareness of BMA resources, improving accessibility to wellbeing and academic support, and encouraging students from all backgrounds to get involved in advocacy.
I’m also working on building stronger communication channels - regular feedback loops, drop-in sessions, and collaborative meetings with year reps - so that students feel supported and able to raise concerns early. Alongside this, I’m contributing to discussions on placement quality, student wellbeing, and fair academic progression, all while ensuring our work reflects core BMA values of inclusivity, transparency, and collective responsibility.
Strong and inclusive representation
Emmanuella: My biggest ambition is to bring more Northwest Representation to the BMA.
It is important that the social issues that we face as medical students are equally reflected across the nation, and this starts by encouraging Liverpool students to get involved.
This can be done by following our Instagram account, filling in surveys, attending events and communicating with your BMA Representatives.
Nour: My biggest ambition this year is to create sustainable, long-term structures that empower students after my term ends. I want to strengthen representation so that every student, regardless of background, stage, or personal circumstances, has a clear route to raise concerns, influence policy, and feel part of the wider medical community. I also hope to contribute to shaping fairer systems around wellbeing, training environments, and academic transition points. If by the end of the year more students feel heard, supported, and confident engaging with policy, I’ll see that as real progress.
Advocating for change
Emmanuella: I would like to empower the students of Liverpool to stay up to date and passionate about the political climate of medicine. Times might be uncertain however change only comes through representation and contribution. Advocating for real change starts with sharing feedback and thoughts to every listening ear.
Nour: The message I want to share most strongly is that representation matters, and every student’s experience is valuable in shaping a fairer, more compassionate training environment. Widening Participation isn’t about labels - it’s about recognising diverse experiences and ensuring equity in opportunity, wellbeing, and support.
Discover more
- Learn more about the British Medical Association and the resources and support available to you as a student doctor at BMA – Student.
- Follow BMA.Students on Instagram to stay up to date with all of the latest updates, events and resources aimed at medical students.
- Reach out to your Liverpool reps to elevate your voice and experiences to national level and submit your motions by 2 January for consideration at the Medical Student Conference 2026.