By Dr Jermaine Wright

For thousands of young people getting their A-level results, today can feel like one of the most important days of their lives.

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There is so much pressure attached to those grades, particularly if you have your heart set on a competitive career pathway or a highly coveted university place.

So, what happens if you don’t get the grades you hoped for? Does that put an end to your dreams and ambitions? Absolutely not. What it does instead is give you the opportunity to stop and ask yourself some very important questions: “Is this still the path I want to take?” “Are there other ways I can get there?”, “What can I do differently to reach my goal?”

The pathway isn’t always linear and your A-levels are just exam results – not a reflection of who you are as a person and what you’re capable of achieving in life.

I remember my own results day very well – and the journey to get there – even 17 years later. My grades certainly didn’t reflect my potential, but I didn’t let them stop me from achieving a successful career as a doctor. Growing up, medicine wasn't even on my radar.

I was raised on a........

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