New medical scholarship seeks to improve diversity in the NHS
The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) has announced a new scholarship which will provide the NHS with doctors who more closely represent the communities they serve.
The new scholarship, worth approximately £46,250 per student, will be awarded to two widening participation applicants to the Bachelor of Medicine Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) who have successfully completed UCLan’s Pathways to Medicine Programme, who rank the highest after the application process. The scholarship will be used to cover all annual tuition fees of the five-year course.
Named after one of the University’s founders, Joseph Livesey, the Livesey Scholarship will be awarded to two UK students applying to its MBBS (Bachelor Medicine, Bachelor Surgery) degree from 2020 entry and every year beyond that, in addition to the existing Kate Granger Scholarship available to students from Cumbria, and the Mackenzie Scholarship offered to students from East Lancashire.
The launch of the Livesey Scholarship coincides with the University’s 190th and the NHS’ 70th anniversaries and cements UCLan’s commitment to offering opportunities to underprivileged students and training the doctors of the future.
"Through this scholarship we will not only help to drive the NHS towards a brighter and stronger future, but also encourage students, who would otherwise find it very difficult or even impossible to fund their medical degree, to achieve their potential."
Professor Cathy Jackson commented: “As a University, we have a responsibility to do as much as we can to ensure that all prospective medical students are given equal opportunities, whatever their background. We’re incredibly proud of the work we have done so far to put this in to practice and how we are helping to shape the future NHS workforce.
“Through this scholarship we will not only help to drive the NHS towards a brighter and stronger future, but also encourage students, who would otherwise find it very difficult or even impossible to fund their medical degree, to achieve their potential.”