Interactive hospital for the next generation of medics

53 Year 12 learners from across Wales had the opportunity to gain first-hand experience of a career in medicine at The Hope Hospital.

They experienced what it was like to be a medical student in Cardiff by participating in Case Based Learning and Communication Skills workshops based on early year medical student teaching.

Cardiff University’s School of Medicine and the Welsh Government’s Seren programme have teamed up on the project, creating a two-day free of charge residential Summer School for Welsh learners considering studying medicine.

The highlight of the Summer School was the Hope Hospital, where actors presented with various ‘symptoms’ allowing the pupils to assess and treat their ‘patient’. They were supported by current medical students and Clinical Skills staff, who guided them through how to take a history and what medical procedures might be needed.

Seren is a Welsh Government initiative to help Wales’s most able state-educated learners achieve their full academic potential and enter leading universities in Wales, the UK and overseas. Around 22,000 learners in years 8 to 13 are currently participating in Seren. In 2022, half of all participants went on to study a science, technology, engineering or mathematics, or ‘STEM’ subject at university.

Dr Naomi Stanton, a GP and Senior Clinical Lecturer and Director of Admissions at Cardiff University said:

“We were delighted to be working with the Welsh Government on this project. The pandemic has meant several years of remote learning for learners, so this type of immersive experience is invaluable. The “hospital” allowed the Year 12s to learn hands on, improving their communication skills and confidence, both of which are a key component of medical training and beyond.

Talking to medical students and experiencing student life also gave them insights into university life and a career in health. It is vitally important for the future healthcare workforce of Wales that we encourage and support young people’s aspirations for careers in healthcare and provide every opportunity that we can to ensure their success.”

Dr Jamie Read, Dean of Medical Education said:

“This summer school represented a fantastic opportunity to increase the number of pupils from Wales who go on to study medicine. At a time where we need more doctors than ever, we hope that the experiences these students have encourages them to train and work as doctors in Wales.”

Jeremy Miles, the Minister for Education and Welsh Language, added:

“Seren is a fantastic scheme which has had tremendous success in helping our most able young people get into some of the best universities in the world, regardless of their background.’’

“This is a great example of how our Seren programme can work in collaboration with leading Welsh universities to provide a free of charge experience to help nurture the next generation of medics."