Newham Hospital helps develop next generation of doctors
Staff at Newham Hospital are developing the next generation of doctors, having helped local multiple A level students secure places at medical school.
The programme – led by Dr Hafiz Syed, a consultant at Newham Hospital – sees students from Brampton Manor carry out work experience at Newham Hospital for a number of weeks. During their time there, the students experience what it’s like to work in a clinical environment that cares for one of the most diverse populations in the UK.
They have the opportunity to shadow teams as they care for patients, learning that it’s important to think about all aspects of a person’s care – physical, mental and emotional, as well as their living situation and the support they have. The students also learn the importance of team work when caring for patients and are shown the other side to medicine – what it takes to manage and run clinics, wards, departments etc.
Reflecting on their experience at Newham Hospital, Maryam Aziz one of the Brampton Manor students who will be attending the Universtiy of Leeds, said: ‘The Newham experience was so nice, fast-paced, and it made me excited to do medicine. I loved how the multi-disciplinary teams learnt from each other and it made me feel really inspired. I learnt a lot from the cases especially as Dr Syed got us to reflect on the emotional as well as physical side of the cases. Every time I mentioned this in my interview, the interviewer got very interested and asked me to tell them more! I feel that this gave me the edge.’
12 students from 2022/23 cohort applied for and were offered places at various medical schools. And today, as A level students across the country receive their results, they learned that they have been accepted – they’re going to university to train to be future doctors.
Speaking on the news, Dr Syed said: “This group of students worked so hard and were so eager to learn during their time with us that it’s no surprise they’ve all been accepted to medical school. Being able to provide them and others with the opportunity to learn what it’s like being a doctor is a privilege and a pleasure.
“I’m glad we could offer them insight and experience into their future careers, and I’m proud that we played a part in getting them there. I’d also like to thank everyone at Newham Hospital who supported these students – and the new cohort who are with us now – during their time here.
Peace Imwensi, who will be studying medicine at the University of Nottingham is grateful for the experience at Newham Hospital, saying “On behalf of us all, I would love to say a massive thank you to Dr Syed and all the other staff for taking time out of your jobs to teach us what it’s like to be a doctor”.
We wish the students – and everyone else who received their A levels results today – all the best on their next steps, whether they’re going to university, beginning an apprenticeship or starting a new job.