Run in partnership with local hospitals, the school has been praised by the British Medical Association but it has pointed out that to meet

Wales needs more medical students

future healthcare demands even greater efforts will be needed.

Local GPs who have to contend with the day-to-day pressures of the NHS say that an extra 1,500 doctors need to be trained each year to bring the UK up to the standard of its European neighbours.

Dr Bryn John of the British Medical Association said: "We will have to have at least one other clinical school in Wales producing at least double the amount of graduates, if we are to reach the same levels of medical cover similar to France and Germany".

A total of 50 students who have already completed three years at Cardiff Medical School are now studying at Swansea University and surrounding local hospitals.

Professor Julian Hopkin of Swansea Clinical School said: "These are undergraduates from a broad background and I think that has important advantages.

Different culture

"I think it will broaden the talent we bring into medicine and I think it will make medicine more effective".

Eventually the clinical school hopes to train 75 undergraduates per year and, if the Welsh Assembly approves, introduce a new kind of course for students who have already completed a degree.

Medical student Andrew Davies said: "These are smaller regional hospitals which are much more intimate so we get to know the staff better."

"They also don't see so many students so they are much more eager to teach you and its nice to be in a different culture, " he said.

In north Wales health chiefs have also met to discuss plans to develop a clinical school in their region.