Anglia Ruskin graduate Geoffrey Bowen has won the Institute of Complementary and Natural Medicine (ICNM) student of the year 2009 award.

The first ever ICNM Awards recognised complementary medicine practitioners for their achievements and for raising the profile of complementary medicine. The best complementary medicine student was based on a range of criteria including class performance, coursework, supervised practice and case studies.

The ICNM accredit the practice elements of the BSc (Hons) Complementary Medicine course following notification from the Faculty of Health & Social Care that students have successfully passed their practical exams.

Geoffrey graduated in 2009 after completing a BSc (Hons) Complementary Medicine (Reflexology) with a first class classification. He was notified of winning this award in early 2010 and has been awarded a certificate of achievement and a year free membership to the ICNM.

Geoffrey was nominated for the award by Carol Ellis (Complementary Medicine pathway leader) who commented in her nomination;

"Geoffrey has constantly demonstrated motivation, conscientiousness and the ability to apply himself to succeed. Throughout the course whenever the team have needed help, Geoffrey was always one of the first students to volunteer; he has also voluntarily exceeded his clinical placements both within the University and at a local cancer care centre.

During the summer vacation Geoffrey and I worked together at the university where we completed a research project: An evaluation of the effects, if any, of reflexology on blood pressure and heart rate in healthy individuals. We are currently writing the study up and plan to publish in the near future, it is hoped that the results will add to the growing database of knowledge of reflexology."

Geoffrey currently works 2 days a week at the Helen Rollason Cancer Centre (based at Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford) as a complementary therapist.