University plans fast-track doctor qualification

Plans for medical students to be offered a fast-tracked route to become qualified doctors have been announced.

The proposal for a six-year "pathway for aspiring medical professionals" has been unveiled by the University of Wolverhampton (UOW) for a medical academic training facility it would jointly launch with the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine (AUC).

Under the plan, a two-year accelerated Bachelor of Medical Sciences degree at the Midlands university would be followed by entry into semester two of AUC's four-year Doctor of Medicine programme.

A non-legally binding memorandum of understanding to launch the facility has been signed, UOW confirmed.

The programme has been designed to attract high-achieving students, with targeted recruitment in the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, India, and the UK, UOW said.

Students would be eligible for substantial scholarships, it added, with the first students expected to start in autumn 2026.

AUC said its "flagship campus" was in the Caribbean but there was also a site in Preston, England.

The medical school, which is based at its Sint Maarten Campus, said its ultimate goal was to educate future physicians who would "deliver exceptional, empathetic care" and make a "lasting impact" on communities.

Dr Mark Rosenberg, dean at AUC, said: "By combining a high-quality, accelerated academic programme with a shared commitment to a supportive and compassionate learning environment, we are creating the conditions for student success."

UOW said students would benefit from clinical training opportunities across the UK and US, as well as on global placements.

These would culminate "in progression to the US National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) or the UK's General Medical Council (GMC) Foundation Year training pathways".

Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.