October 12, 2022 5.30 pm This story is over 20 months old

Lincoln Medical School eyeing independence after success

The school’s first graduates will be working by 2024
The school is a partnership between Lincoln and Nottingham universities | Photo: University of Lincoln

Lincoln Medical School is keen to press ahead with independence after its initial success.

Dozens of home-grown doctors will officially graduate for the first time in 2024.

It is hoped the school will help address Lincolnshire’s historic “chronic shortage” of medical staff.

Professor Danny McLaughlin, the Associate Dean of Medicine, told Lincolnshire County Council he was very happy with the first few years.

“By 2024, the NHS and members of the public will be interacting with the fantastic young trainees in and around Lincolnshire,” Professor McLaughlin told the Health Scrutiny Panel.

“Feedback from doctors who have worked with students on GP or hospital placements has been extremely positive.”

The school is a partnership between the Universities of Lincoln and Nottingham.

Although students receive their training in Lincoln, they are registered under the University of Nottingham.

“We are aiming to take in our first cohort of independent medical students in September 2026,” Professor McLaughlin said.

Early feedback from the medical community has been “very positive” | Photo: Shradha Mishra

“This was part of the parternship agreement between the universities. We feel we have had so much success that we are keen for this to happen as soon as possible.

This would be subject to approval from the General Medical Council and other bodies, who have given initial support.

Councillors asked whether the school could expand to meet the need for doctors.

Professor McLaughlin said: “It’s generally agreed that [the country] needs to be training more doctors than we currently are.

“The building has scope to increase training places – the lecture theatre can hold up to 120 per year – but there has to be political and financial will from the government to allow this.”

He added there were no plans to launch additional programmes yet, but other departments were looking into creating a Radiography degree to meet demand.

The medical school’s drop-out rate has been very low – of the 80 students who began the first year, 75 are now in their fourth year.