Teesside University launches North East's newest medical school inspiring future doctors

Teesside University has reached an important milestone in the development of its new Medical School, enabling recruitment to begin for its first cohort of students.

This latest milestone marks a significant moment for healthcare education in the region, with Teesside on track to become home to the North East's newest Medical School, building on its substantial reputation for delivering healthcare training across multiple specialisms, and helping to strengthen opportunities for future generations of doctors. The School will welcome its first students in September 2027, with a curriculum designed to develop skilled and compassionate doctors who are equipped to meet the healthcare challenges of the future. With several healthcare programmes already being offered by the University, medical students will have the unique opportunity to study alongside health students from a variety of disciplines.

Alongside preparations for its first intake, Teesside University has launched Future Doctors, a comprehensive, long-term programme of support, mentorship and outreach to schools and pupils across the region, encouraging young people from Year 9 onwards to explore medicine as a career and demonstrating that studying to become a doctor is within their reach.

The initiative forms part of the University's wider commitment to raising aspirations, widening participation and supporting economic growth across Tees Valley and the wider North East.

Professor Mark Simpson, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Teesside University, said: 'This is a landmark achievement for Teesside University and for the wider region. We are delighted to begin the next chapter in our journey to establish the North East's newest Medical School.

'The Medical School will create new opportunities for talented students, strengthen educational provision in the region and build on our longstanding commitment to supporting local communities.

"We are particularly proud of our Future Doctors programme, which is helping to inspire young people from across the North East to consider careers in medicine. By raising aspirations and creating clear pathways into higher education, we are investing in both individual potential and the future prosperity of our region.'

Dr Ann French, Dean of the School of Health & Life Sciences, said: 'This approval is the culmination of years of planning, collaboration and commitment from colleagues and partners.

'Our Medical School has been designed to provide an outstanding student experience, combining academic excellence with hands-on clinical learning and a strong focus on patient-centred care.

'We want to ensure that talented young people can see medicine as a realistic and achievable ambition, regardless of their background. Through our outreach activity and strong links with schools and healthcare partners, we are helping to develop the next generation of doctors.'

Professor Derek Bell OBE, Chair of University Hospitals Tees, said: 'The announcement to establish a medical school on Teesside is an outstanding achievement for the university. As University Hospitals Tees, we have actively supported achieving this long-term goal and know this will bring many benefits for the local population.

'A medical school for Teesside is testament to the commitment of the university to our communities and indeed our health services. As one of the biggest employers across Teesside, our talent pipeline needs real investment, and the establishment of a dedicated space for doctors to grow and learn in our area is truly welcomed.'

The Medical School builds on Teesside University's established strengths in health and life sciences and forms a key part of its ambitions to support skills development, innovation and economic growth across the region.

Students will benefit from teaching in the University's award-winning BIOS facility, a £36.9m purpose-built centre for health and life sciences education, while studying at a university recognised nationally and internationally for outstanding student outcomes and awarded Gold across all three categories of the Teaching Excellence Framework. This commitment to excellence has also been reflected through recent national accolades, including most recently the Times Higher Education University of the Year and the Daily Mail Modern University of the Year Awards.