Hull York Medical School celebrates first Medicine graduates to pass through Gateway

Students graduating with a medical degree this July from Hull York Medical School (HYMS) will include a group whose dreams of becoming doctors had once seemed unattainable.

In 2019 HYMS introduced an innovative Medicine with a Gateway Year programme, recognising that many with the skills, ability and compassion to become excellent medics, might, through their personal circumstances, miss out on the chance to realise their ambitions.

The class of 2025 will include, for the first time, students who have followed both five- and six-year routes to graduation.

The Gateway programme begins with a foundation year, offering courses on human biology, clinical skills, professionalism and the NHS, together with academic and pastoral support to prepare students for medical training.

Their graduation represents a significant milestone in the School’s commitment to widening participation and transforming access to medical education. On 16 July, they will don their caps and gowns and take to the stage to receive their MB BS Medicine degrees.

Jason Boland, Professor of Palliative Medicine and Education, at HYMS was instrumental in establishing the Medicine with a Gateway Year programme. He said: “Since the School was established, we’ve been committed to identifying the best possible applicants to study Medicine, regardless of personal circumstances or background.

“We knew six years ago that gifted, caring and clever people from across our region were missing out on the opportunity to become the doctors they wanted to be, perhaps because of their post code and the educational opportunities or support they had access to, or because they grew up having to care for parents or siblings, or because they grew up in care themselves. We hoped to inspire people, particularly from Hull and East Yorkshire, to study medicine in this area so they might make a difference to the health of patients locally.

“Six years on those graduating from our Medicine with a Gateway Year programme have demonstrated their resilience and commitment to medicine. They have worked hard, learned well and proved themselves to be the caring and compassionate people we imagined them to be. They are now starting their careers working in hospitals in the area.

“I had the pleasure of welcoming the first cohort of Gateway students when they arrived in 2019 and feel privileged to have been part of their journey. As they prepare to graduate alongside their fellow Medicine students, I would like to express how enormously proud we are of all of them and know that they will go on to make a real difference to their patients, within our community and further afield.”

The foundation year includes placements in hospitals and GP settings to help students develop the communication skills, confidence and empathetic approach required to deliver care within the NHS. Upon successful completion, students' progress directly into the five-year medicine programme.

Ellis Bywood is one of those graduating. He says:

“I grew up in Hull and joined the Hull York Medical School in 2019 after completing my A Levels at Malet Lambert School. The School’s Medicine with a Gateway Year programme gave me the opportunity to fulfil my dream of becoming a doctor. It also gave me the chance to train in the local area I grew up in – something which was really important to me. The Gateway Year provided a foundation for my studies – allowing me to build on what I had learnt during my A Levels as well as prepare me for the next five years of study.

“The early clinical exposure was definitely a highlight of my time here – being able to apply what I learned to real clinical situations, along with the support of motivational and inspiring tutors.

“Now that my studies have finished, I am looking forward to continuing work in the region as a doctor helping people in my local community.”

Lauren Farr is the first in her family to attend university. She says:

“My interest in medicine was sparked at 14 when I had surgery on my ankle – the care and compassion I received from doctors inspired me to pursue medicine.

“I struggled transitioning from GCSEs to A-Levels and my teachers initially doubted my chances of studying medicine. I was offered a one-to-one meeting with someone at the college who was involved in the Gateway Programme.

“Medical school is demanding and having to study an extra year might be seen as a set-back. For me it was an opportunity.

“Hull York Medical School has thoroughly prepared me for the challenges ahead, and I am really excited to apply everything I have learned.”

Find out more about the Medicine with a Gateway Year Programme.