New “Medical School for Surrey” ready to swing open its doors

By Robert Blevin

Excitement is building as the final pieces of the jigsaw fall into place to confirm the opening of the University of Surrey’s new School of Medicine in September 2024.

Group of medical students in scrubs walking through open doors on a hospital corridor

Key updates on the exciting arrival of the first medical school in the County of Surrey, include:

Confirmation from the General Medical Council (GMC) at a formal Review Meeting today that the formal accreditation process for the new School is on track.
Confirmation that the full leadership team for the University of Surrey School of Medicine is now in place (see below).
The opening of the School of Medicine’s new Centre of Anatomical and Surgical Education – where medical students will be able to engage in practical anatomical learning thanks to those who kindly donate their bodies to medical education and research each year, and also through the use of ultrasound and virtual reality as learning tools – still a relative novelty in medical education in the UK.
Confirmation, just last month, that the government will fund 34 places for home medical students to join the new School of Medicine from September 2025. The school is opening in September 2024 with an initial cohort of international students but will be delighted to welcome home students in just its second year of operation.

Delivering a School of Medicine at Surrey is a hugely ambitious project which has relied on vision, commitment and hard work across the team and the University. It is a privilege to be leading the new School and I am grateful to so many – at the University and amongst our many NHS partners – for the dedication and enthusiasm that has helped achieve so much in such a short time. I am delighted to welcome such a high calibre team to lead our new School as we make our important contribution to addressing the shortage of doctors and helping to deliver the NHS workforce of the future. Professor Juliet Wright, Founding Dean of the University of Surrey School of Medicine and practising consultant physician and geriatrician

The full academic leadership team for the new University of Surrey School of Medicine is as follows:

Founding Dean – Professor Juliet Wright
Programme Director at the School of Medicine – Dr Deborah Bruce
Course Lead for Admissions and Assessment – Dr Katherine Webber
Head of Anatomy and Lead for Year 1 of the Medical Programme – Dr Aiden Jayanth
Director of Student Support and Professional Development – Professor Kristin Braun

We are excited to be opening the first medical school in the County of Surrey in September. This will be a major contribution to delivering the future medical workforce that the government is seeking in its NHS long-term workforce plan. Our multi-disciplinary expertise in technology and across the medical professions will ensure we will truly be training the doctors of the future. This is great news for our students, for our NHS partners, and for the communities in our home county of Surrey. We are delighted to be making yet another direct contribution to a healthier tomorrow for all. Professor Max Lu, President and Vice Chancellor

Opening a new School of Medicine is rightly a rigorous and exhaustive process. I can’t thank the professional teams at the University of Surrey enough for the huge effort that has gone into realising the dream of a Medical School for Surrey. We’re also grateful to the GMC for their professional stewardship of the process, and for all their advice and support as we continue this journey. We can’t wait to welcome our first medical students in September and look forward to training the next generations of doctors for the NHS. Professor Paul Townsend, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

Surrey’s Medical Programme relies on wide partner engagement across the NHS in the region, including:

Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust
Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust
Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust
Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust; and
Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Surrey Heartlands Health and Care Partnership
Frimley Health and Care Partnership

A School of Medicine in Surrey for the first time has a huge role to play in ensuring a pipeline of future doctors for the Royal Surrey and our NHS partners across the region. We’re delighted to be partnering with the University of Surrey’s new School of Medicine as we work together to deliver well-trained, technically savvy, and future-ready doctors. Louise Stead, Chief Executive, Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust