County's First Medical School Welcomes Students

The University of Hertfordshire has opened the first medical school in Hatfield. The school welcomes its students to take a five-year bachelor's degree. It aims to recruit up to 70 international students a year. Students in the first intake have travelled from countries such as Australia, Canada, the USA, the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, and Zimbabwe.

The medical school opened a year earlier than planned to help address the doctor shortage in the East of England. According to one of the university's heads of medicine, the region has 2.5 doctors per 1,000 people, compared with 3.2 across England, leaving a shortage of around 4,500 doctors.

One student is a 56-year-old who has been trying to get into medical school for 20 years after a career in pain medicine, rehabilitation and anaesthetics. She also added that she’s interested in public health and pandemic response.

Students will gain practical experience from their first year through clinical simulations, hospital placements, and training at local GP practices. Placements will include Watford General Hospital and the Lister Hospital in Stevenage. Several students said the university's hands-on teaching approach and welcoming campus attracted them to the programme.

The university also hopes to welcome UK-funded medical students in future years as national allocations become available, helping train doctors to serve communities across Hertfordshire.