'I didn't get enough points for medicine in Ireland so I went to study to be a doctor in Tbilisi, Georgia instead'

"Becoming a doctor was an ambition I developed as a teenager growing up in Belclare, Co Galway. I was fascinated by human anatomy. My family, on my mum's side, were very involved with the Order of Malta, so they're first aid responders. So I guess I got some inspiration from that side, although there are no doctors in my family."

"I studied very hard and got over 500 points in the Leaving Cert, but I didn't get enough to be able to study medicine. It was shattering for me. I did a repeat Leaving Cert the following year, in 2014, when I was 19, and still didn't get enough to study medicine."

Ryan Mangan grew up in Belclare, Co Galway and developed an ambition to become a doctor as a teenager. He was fascinated by human anatomy and drew inspiration from his mother's side of the family, who were involved with the Order of Malta as first aid responders, despite no one in the family being a doctor. He studied hard and achieved over 500 points in the Leaving Cert but still fell short of medicine entry requirements. He repeated the Leaving Cert in 2014 at age 19 and again failed to reach the required points. Over a decade later, he pursued medical studies in Tbilisi, Georgia, moving his dream within reach.

Read at Independent