Exeter Medical Students win big again at National Neuroanatomy Competition
University of Exeter medical students have been recognised with top honours for showing outstanding anatomical knowledge in a national competition.
Five medical students represented Exeter at the 13th edition of the National Undergraduate Neuroanatomy Competition (NUNC) held at University of Glasgow in May, and all five went on to clinch podium prizes at the competition. The students were selected from a group of 41 medical and neurosciences students who attended Saturday teaching sessions ahead of the competition.
Prizes for all five participants placed Exeter at the top of the award table this year, replicating the feat from the 12th edition of the NUNC competition where five participants from Exeter also achieved remarkable successes.
The full list of Exeter prizes won at this year’s edition is:
1. Runner’s Up Clinical Trophy Prize: Arsh Thao (3rd Year BMBS student)
2. Runner’s Up Pre-Clinical Trophy Prize: Sean Ho (2nd Year BMBS student)
3. Distinction Medal Prize: Ismail Ahmad Shaikh (2nd Year BMBS student)
4. Distinction Medal Prize: Ali Abusara (2nd Year BMBS student)
5. Distinction Medal Prize: Ganesh Mistry (2nd Year BMBS student)
Exeter has been strongly represented in NUNC competitions by pre-clinical 1st and 2nd year medical students who represent stiff competition for contemporaries around the country. Exeter pre-clinical 1st and 2nd year students have so far amassed seven out of the university’s nine distinction medals at NUNC prizes.
Amelia Dickson, outgoing President of the Anatomy Society and winner of the 2024 NUNC Best Pre-Clinical Prize, said: “It’s been a pleasure to lead the Anatomy Society this year. The Exeter NUNC campaign is one of the biggest events the society runs, and I’m delighted to see the progress and achievements students have recorded. The NUNC campaign offers a breadth of opportunities to all students involved, and I look forward to seeing its continued success.”
Dr Hope Gangata, Exeter’s Academic lead for the NUNC preparation programme, paid tribute to the five student tutors and representatives from Exeter’s Anatomy society who assisted the participants in preparing for the competition. He also commended Professor Kevin Brandom and Exeter’s medical school for their invaluable support. The five student tutors, Sean Ho, Advitha Vasudevan, Jinu Chang, Princee Kaur and Shivani Agheda, have also submitted Teaching AFHEA applications using tutoring experience gained from the NUNC preparatory programme.
Dr Gangata said: “We have a special community of medical and neuroscience students who are passionate about neuroanatomy and the stellar performance at national 2025 NUNC Conferences, despite travelling the longest distance to Glasgow of all NUNC attendees.”
