I’m Ali Saleem—a dental student at Newcastle University and the founder of MedRise Mentors. And I know exactly how it feels to stare at a rejection email.

I didn’t get into dental school the first time.

Going through the application process twice was gruelling—doubling the stress, the self-doubt, and the sheer exhaustion of it all. But it also doubled my understanding of what students really need: not just a tutor, but a mentor. Someone who could’ve warned me about the pitfalls, calmed my nerves before interviews, and reminded me that setbacks don’t define you.

After 260+ hours of tutoring and seeing how broken the system is—impersonal agencies, tutors who vanish after one subject, parents paying sky-high fees for patchy help—I decided to fix it.

This isn’t some corporate tutoring empire. (I’m definitely not the next Jeff Bezos—unless he suddenly starts caring about personal statements and UCAT scores!) It’s just me, a dental student who’s been in your shoes, building the kind of support I wish I’d had. I started MedRise Mentors from my tiny student room, fueled by late-night coffee and the belief that no one should have to face this journey alone.

If you’re feeling lost, stressed, or just need someone who gets it—I’ve been there. Let’s walk this path together.