Isle of Man Government – Manx Nursing Advisors play an important role in training future doctors

Andy Davies (Consultant Geriatrician at the Isle of Man Care Centre) was a key figure in the establishment of the new medical school in Sunderland, with the initial intake of 43 students now graduating as foundation doctors.

Andy was appointed Head of Undergraduate Programmes to lead the bid for the new Medical School at the University of Sunderland. He spent two years helping to prepare the bid until the first cohort of students enrolled in September 2018, before leaving in December 2022 to work at Noble Hospital.

The first batch of students will graduate in July 2024, and Andy was invited to attend the graduation ceremony. He commented:

“The tasks of creating a medical school, recruiting staff and hospitals, and writing curriculum and instructional manuals were all worthwhile to see the first batch of graduates receive their degrees and become graduates.”

Noble Hospital and the education team here also play their part – despite the distance from the island in the North East of England, this has not stopped students from doing their placements at Noble Hospital. The first two Sunderland Medical School students arrived on the island for a four-week placement in the summer of 2022, and they are the forerunners of several others – the Isle of Man Nursing Centre recently hosted three third-year students for a four-week placement. Noble Hospital has an excellent reputation among medical students for the high level of care and supervision it provides, as well as the opportunity to experience this beautiful island, not just as a job.

Andy added:

“What makes graduation even more gratifying is that the School of Medicine places a strong emphasis on attracting students from non-traditional backgrounds – 43% of our students meet this criteria, including students from low-income families, students whose parents did not attend college, and students from impoverished zip codes. As they receive their degrees, I reflect on their stories – earning a medical degree is hard enough, but getting one while working two or three jobs, battling personal health issues, or going through a crisis makes it a very special moment. It’s even more gratifying to see them succeed, knowing that they were able to not only make it through their degree program, but also through countless personal challenges.

“The process of training future doctors is challenging. It takes five years to gain a medical degree and another six to ten years to become a consultant or GP. Creating excellent training spaces to facilitate the development of these doctors is vital to maintaining a flow of talent. Creating a supportive and interesting learning environment that encourages students and graduates to return to work at Manx Care is key to building a sustainable medical workforce. I am pleased to say that the team here are creating such learning spaces, so the future looks bright.”