A Medical School for all of Wales
We have an ongoing strategy based on three key priorities, to deliver doctors for Wales. A key aim of this three-part strategy is to be "A Medical School for all of Wales" this aim is delivered through our Doctors for Wales programme.
This programme aims to put us at the forefront of designing and securing the medical and life science workforce of the future. Our commitment to this is delivered through working with health partners across Wales to identify, understand and meet their workforce needs and enable service change through research and innovation-driven improvements in treatment and practice.
There are significant challenges to the medical workforce in Wales, including the recruitment and retention of Doctors. The National Assembly for Wales commissioned a 2017 report from the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee. Two of the recommendations from this report were to
- "...secure a sustained increase in the number of Welsh-domiciled students applying to medical schools within Wales"
- "...develop a programme of support and advice on medical schools admissions and interviews for pupils in Wales"
How we deliver Doctors for Wales
We have an ongoing package of measures in place to meet these two recommendations. These include:
- Taster days and preparation workshops for aspiring medical students
- Pathway to Medicine from specific BSc courses offered by Swansea University Medical School*
- Increased number of interviews
- Eligibility for remaining interview places will be determined based on domicile, secondary school attended and region of origin. Preference for the remaining places will be given to students applying from Wales.
The measures described here are designed to increase the number of Welsh-domiciled applicants who interview for medicine, without reducing interviews available to applicants who are not Welsh domiciled. Once at the interview, all applicants are treated equally. The interview process does not favour or discriminate against, any applicant on the basis of geographic, social, or economic background gender, race, religion or sexual orientation.