When the first cohort of students arrive on Tuesday it will mark the end of the first phase of an ambitious project to create a new medical school in Cumbria.
At a time when education is undergoing challenges, The Pears Cumbria School of Medicine – a partnership between the University of Cumbria and Imperial College London – represents a show of confidence in a changing sector.
Supported by the Pears Foundation the school will train doctors committed to delivering cutting-edge healthcare and serving the needs of communities in Cumbria and beyond.
For head of operations Chris Harris, the opening date of August 26 marks the end of a whirlwind period of work.
He said: “When I arrived in Cumbria last year, I was given a plan for a medical school on paper, and a very small, dedicated team of interim project staff.
“The school had lots of local support and goodwill but no brand awareness, challenges around recruiting staff, and a hard deadline of August 26 2025!”
Fifty-eight graduate-entry students will embark on an accelerated, four-year Imperial degree programme which is being delivered in collaboration with the University of Cumbria.
The first cohort of students are ideally poised to take the next steps to becoming doctors.
Not only will the school broaden the county’s education appeal, it will also be a significant employer drawing on the expertise of around 70 academics, clinicians and support staff.
Chris said: “We have developed a curriculum, built a policy framework and a timetable, delivered all of the operational and ICT infrastructure for a medical school, and kitted out a series of classrooms for our students.
“We have worked through the General Medical Council’s new programme quality assurance process, and established a school with real vision – the first of its kind – in record time and within budget.”
The school is led by Professor Mary Morrel, an expert in sleep and respiratory physiology at Imperial College’s National Heart and Lung Institute.
Vice-Dean is Martin Lupton, who is also Vice-Dean (education) for the Faculty of Medicine at Imperial College, as well as working as a consultant obstetrician at Chelsea and Westminster Foundation NHS Trust.
While students will start their journey in Carlisle, placements in the second year will see them work alongside NHS teams in Barrow at Furness General Hospital.
“We’ve created a bespoke curriculum for the students that includes the GMC’s national curriculum but also includes the needs of the region which is where we hope our graduates will eventually practice,” Chris said.
