Students thinking about a career in medicine have been given a taste of life at Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

AS and A-Level teenagers considering a degree in medicine spent time with qualified doctors, medical students, nurses, radiographers, laboratory staff and volunteers during their Aspiring Medics placement at King’s Mill Hospital, Sutton.

Accredited by Industrial Cadets, an organisation inspired by the Prince of Wales, the placement is the first work experience programme to be accredited at the trust and has been running for two years.

The accreditation acts as both a kite mark to recognise high-quality placements and also a framework for developing provision following best practice.

The youngsters spent time with staff in the pharmacy; fracture clinic; endoscopy; orthopaedics; ear, nose and throat clinic; and ophthalmology. They also tried their hand at basic clinical skills such as plastering and cannulation.

The programme has been co-ordinated by Dr Susan Geary, consultant radiologist; Mr Vikram Desai, orthopaedic consultant; and Ms Val McCabe, medical education undergraduate co-ordinator.

Dr Geary said: “The placement is a fantastic opportunity for young people to gain a variety of experiences within a hospital environment and to help them make decisions about their future careers.”

Pictured are Aspiring Medics students with Christina Bond, area employer engagement manager at Industrial Cadets, left, and Dr Susan Geary, consultant radiologist at Sherwood Forest Hospitals, right.

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