A ST AUSTELL secondary school has launched a programme which aims to help more pupils go into careers as medical and healthcare professionals.

Penrice Academy has created the Future Medics scheme to increase awareness among youngsters of what it takes to study medicine and healthcare subjects.

The initiative provides a range of opportunities including talks and hands-on experience, and strives to level the playing field for state-educated pupils.

Representatives from the Peninsula Medical School, based at the University of Plymouth, the Brighton and Sussex Medical School, and the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust have helped the Penrice Academy careers team in setting up the programme at the school.

Penrice careers curriculum lead April Stevenson said: “In 2019, a report from the Sutton Trust identified that whilst just seven per cent of Britons are privately educated, they make up 39 per cent of the leading professions.

“Children in St Austell deserve the best, and we are playing our part to level the playing field by striving to offer Penrice students the best careers opportunities and experiences possible.

“I know from being a parent that it is so competitive to get into medical school and if you don’t find out about a lot of the application processes and the challenges until A-Levels, then you are already at a disadvantage.

“Building strong personal statements is one thing, but there are so many other considerations. For example, the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) exam must be sat in October the year before a student applies to university.

“This translates to a student’s first two months at college or sixth form in Year 12. If they only become aware of the UCAT requirement after this deadline, then some medical career pathways may already be closed or delayed by a whole year at the very least.”

Ahead of the launch of the scheme at the school, Penrice Academy ran pilot events during the last academic year which included some guest speakers from the field of medicine.

Mrs Stevenson said: “The pilot events were a tremendous success – at one particular event we had over 70 interested students attend!”