A medical student who wants to become a psychiatrist has earned a scholarship aimed at the healthcare field.

The Margaret and Robert Harvey Medical Scholarship, administered by Margot Harvey, a GP, has picked Chantae Hollis as its recipient as the fund entered its second decade.

Ms Hollis said: “It was a blessing to receive this scholarship from Dr Harvey.

“During the interview, I think we spoke on the phone for over two hours, discussing our love and passion for medicine and the challenges we face as Black females in the world of medicine.”

Ms Hollis, who was brought up in a single-parent home, said it was “hard to believe” how far she had come.

She added: “In high school, I had set my focus on becoming a clinical psychologist.

“After the economic recession, I couldn’t afford to continue private schooling, so I obtained my General Education Diploma and enrolled in Bermuda College where I received my Associate’s Degree.

She said that after she competed a summer programme at the Mid Atlantic Wellness Institute in 2012, she set her mind on psychiatry.

Ms Hollis said: “I decided that in addition to performing psychotherapy, I also wanted to be able to make diagnoses and prescribe medication for people with severe mental illness.

“That’s when I made the decision that I wanted to go to medical school and become a psychiatrist.”

Ms Hollis finished her undergraduate degree in Bangor, Wales, where she finished top of her class.

She said: “Bermuda College’s science and arts department really gave me great foundation for my pre-med degree.”

Ms Hollis is in her final year at the John F Kennedy University School of Medicine in Curaçao in the southern Caribbean and completing clinical rotations in Chicago.

She said her time in the United States had helped to broaden her horizons.

Ms Hollis added: “Here in Chicago, I volunteer with animals, help support mothers affected by domestic abuse and poverty, and recently took up a role as a crisis line worker for youths.

“It's hard sometimes finding a balance between education, community work and personal life, but I think the volunteer work we do is pivotal in the community.”