News

Training brings a local link for doctors

(21 June 2004)

The University of Durham today (21 June) celebrates the completion of training of the second intake of medical students who are based at the Queen's Campus in Stockton.

The five year MBBS degree is a new joint venture with the University of Newcastle with students spend the initial two years based at the Queen's Campus before moving on to the University of Newcastle to complete their final three years of clinical training in a wide range of NHS hospital and community settings across the region.

Admissions to the course at Stockton reflect the existing success of the University in recruiting a broad range of students. Over half of the completing students are from the North East.

Focusing on practical experience, students have a close relationship with the local community as part of their studies. In the first year each student is allocated to a pregnant woman and her family for in-depth research - looking at how pregnancy and the birth of a child affects the whole family. During the second year students are attached to someone with a long-term illness or disability which forms the basis of a special research project.

As well as these individual projects, the Medicine in the Community strand provides an opportunity for students to spend time every week during their first and second years, with a wide variety of hands-on community work.

Professor John Hamilton, Academic Director of Phase 1 Medicine said: "This strand of the curriculum breaks new ground. If doctors are to provide comprehensive care for an individual or a family, they require insight into the factors within the community that determine health and illness. These placements allow students to gain access to parts of the community that are rarely reached through conventional health service postings".

The University is committed to widening access and have developed a range of aspiration raising initiatives from interactive careers days, student visits to schools and open days to encourage local students to consider a career in medicine.

Mum of two, Alison Grainger from Middlesbrough was a health professional, nursing and health visiting for most of her career until she and her family spent time living and working in Australia. She said: I have always yearned for the opportunity to undertake medical training and when I returned from Australia and found out the course was based at Stockton I knew the time was right. The mix of students from all ages and backgrounds made it a very welcoming and supportive group. We learnt from tutors, patients and each other."

Jordana Moody from Redcar attended Prior Pursglove College, Guisborough before completing her first degree at Manchester University in Microbiology. She is the first person in her family to enter higher education and feels the innovative Life Cycle module which offers patients, their carers and health professionals the opportunity to talk about their own experience is invaluable. She said:We've heard directly from a wide range of people with health problems, from their own point of view. This has provided us with a very positive opportunity to learn directly from patients about their lives and the issues affecting them".

During their two years at the University both Alison and Jordana spent time working at the Fulcrum Practice in Middlesbrough which provides a holistic range of care for substance misuse where they learnt how the practice works and visited specific client groups. Jordana said:"We can live quite sheltered lives and don't always appreciate the issues around us in our own communities and the placements was invaluable for increasing our awareness and integrating students into key local agencies".

Alexander Murray from Cumbria completed an Access to Medicine course at the College of West Anglia before undertaking his Phase One Medical training at Stockton. Through a co-ordinated placement with Tees Valley Arts, Alex spent time with Roaring Mouse, a Hartlepool based drama group for adults with learning difficulties helping them to develop drama. He said:"It was a brilliant opportunity to meet with a broad range of people and get involved. It offered me a real opportunity to contribute and I was even invited to narrate one of their productions!"

The three students now move on to the James Cook University Hospital for a 15 week placement before rotating between other hospitals in the region.

Sir Kenneth Calman, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Durham and former Chief Medical Officer said:"Our partnership with the University of Newcastle is designed to encourage a new style of doctor, one who combines technical proficiency in medicine with a deeper awareness of contemporary health and community issues. This is an exciting challenge".

Representatives from both universities and guests from the wider community who contribute to the community-centred curriculum will attend the ceremony. Guest of honour is Dr Richard Smith, Editor Of The British Medical Journal.

Professor Pali Hungin OBE, Dean of Medicine at the University of Durham said:"today we mark the transition from Durham to Newcastle and acknowledge those who have helped to shape this successful curriculum and partnership. With the support of local agencies and clinicians we have developed an innovative curriculum and we will continue to work with colleagues to enhance the experience and build on that success".

Media Call Monday 21 June from 3.14 to 4.00 p.m. staff and students will be available for interviews and photographs in the Holliday Building, University of Durham, Queen's Campus, Stockton. Ceremony commences at 5 p.m. in Waterside Room, Holliday Building, Queen's Campus.

Enquiries: -

Jan Cawood, Public Relations Officer, University of Durham Tel: 0191-334-0018

Notes to Editors

1. Phase 1 Medicine students were first admitted to the Queen's Campus in October 2001. With an initial 70 students, the course has continued to grow and now takes 95 undergraduates every year.

2. In the North-East, medical education is delivered through a partnership between the universities of Newcastle and Durham, together with NHS hospitals, general practices and public health units. A total of 340 medical students begin their training at the two universities each year.

3. Students without the required A levels can enter Phase 1 Medicine through the successful completion of a one year Foundation Programme, which is classed as year 0 of the degree.

4. Richard Smith is the Editor of the BMJ, and the Chief Executive of the BMJ Publishing Group. He is a visiting Professor from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. A graduate in medicine from Edinburgh, he worked in hospital medicine in New Zealand and Scotland before joining the BMJ. He has written and broadcast a wide range of tropics and has a degree in management science from the Standford Business School.