Published on 19 September 2018
The next generation of doctors are set to find out more about the University of Sunderland’s pioneering new School of Medicine.
This month would-be medics will arrive for an Undergraduate Open Day to discover more about the School –what it can offer them and how to apply.
As well as discovering more about the course itself, the visitors will be given a tour of the University’s facilities and laboratories where they will be potentially based.
Sunderland is one of only five new medical schools to be announced in the UK - established to address the regional imbalance of medical education places across England.
The School aims to widen access to ensure the profession reflects the communities it serves and address the chronic shortage of doctors in the North East.
Professor Scott Wilkes, Head of the School of Medicine, said: “Our focus is on recruiting the right students.
“One of our defining characteristics is around Widening Participation (WP) – which means finding those academically successful students who have the talent but have not had the opportunity to study medicine, due to socio-economic barriers.
“We want to demonstrate how to break those entry metrics, which can be attributed to economic advantage. Our admissions process is open nationally and we are receiving applications from across the country.
“We’re also coaching potential applicants who are socio-economically disadvantaged on how to complete the forms, perform in a mini-medical interview, what professionalism is all about, how to demonstrate their drive and social and leadership skills. Our coaching means they are competing on a level playing field with others students.
“We are a small medical school, but will have a significant tutor infrastructure that will care and look after its students.”
Trainee doctors will specialise as they choose, though it’s anticipated a large proportion will graduate into General Practice or Psychiatry, complementing existing medical provision in the region and adding to the diversity of medical schools in the UK.
The would-be medics are arriving as part of a University-wide Undergraduate Open Day between 9.30am and 4pm on Saturday September 22. For more information about booking a place, visit here.