Twin sisters on path to becoming doctors

Twin sisters Brianna La-Thaniel Capleton and Rianna La-Manda Capleton are finally on the path to fulfilling their lifelong dream of becoming doctors. At the start of the 2025/26 academic year, the former Immaculate Conception High students officially began their Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) programme at The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona.

Their journey, however, was not without hurdles. Despite stellar performances in both CSEC and CAPE examinations, the sisters were forced to put their ambitions on hold for a year due to the steep tuition fees, which total more than J$7 million. Instead, they enrolled in biochemistry at UWI while holding fast to their true passion for medicine.

That dream was reignited when the National Baking Company Foundation announced its scholarship programme for 2025. Their mother, Camille McKoy, encouraged them to apply, sensing it was the perfect opportunity. Her instincts proved right -- the twins were awarded full scholarships valued at J$7,729,810, along with internships at National Bakery's head office on Half-Way Tree Road, St Andrew.

"Receiving this scholarship will allow us to complete medicine much quicker than having to wait," Rianna shared. Her sister Brianna added, "We're tremendously grateful because it gives us the chance to study our programme at the right pace without delays."

Now settled into their MBBS studies, the sisters say they are excited to finally step into the journey they envisioned since childhood. "To get this support from National is really wonderful. It means we can build on our dreams and grow into the doctors we've always wanted to become," Rianna said.

For Brianna and Rianna, medicine isn't just a career choice -- it's a calling they have felt since infancy.

"I always knew that they had a passion to become doctors. For Career Day [at One Way Prep School and Greater Portmore Primary School], we would ask them what they wanted to become, and that's what they said for the last three years in the early childhood stage," said McKoy, who defines her girls as "book worms, very humble, obedient and different compared to the average girls whom they are related to".

She also revealed that the twins will be the first two from her family to attend college.

"So mi know seh greatness was in a dem from dem small. They were never like the average kids who like to play. They were more into wanting me to buy medicine toys, needles and things that deal with medicine. In primary school, that's the same thing they liked. In high school, they say the same things, so I said, 'This is the dream that they will follow'."

The twins said their dreams were further fuelled from watching medical interactions through the media, with the cartoon Doc McStuffins, and shows Chicago Med and Grey's Anatomy.

As twins, they don't have the same study pattern, but study together and ask each other questions. The twin's youngest sister, Julisa Savannah Capleton, 12, is also following in their footsteps. At the start of this month, she also started attending Immaculate, given her excellence scores from sitting the Primary Exit Profile examinations.

After completing their MBBS, the twins intend to work at a local hospital and do a speciality in psychiatry, pathology or anaesthesiology.