Since the NHS’s foundation 70 years ago, the College of Medical and Dental Sciences has trained over 10,000 Dentistry, Medicine and Nursing students, many of whom have gone on to play important roles within the NHS.
The work of the University and other universities has been highlighed by the Medical Schools Council in this interactive timeline exploring 70 years of universities working with the NHS.
We recently invited members of our esteemed alumni back to campus to meet some of our current students in an 'across the generations' perspective of working in the NHS.
Kate Fussell, interviewed by Lydia Wilson
Kate Fussell (MBChB Medicine, 1951) started at the University when she was just 17-years-old. Kate went on to have a very successful career, pioneering research into breast cancer and reconstructive surgery after mastectomy, and becoming one of only a handful of female Fellows of the Royal College of Surgeons.
Lydia Wilson (MBChB Medicine, 2020) is President of the University’s long-standing Medical Society, which is open to students from all disciplines within the College of Medical and Dental Sciences. Lydia will be entering her fourth year in October 2018.
Kate Fussell, interviewed by Lydia Wilson
Jenny Hiley, interviewed by Travis Norton
Jenny Hiley (BNurs Nursing, 2005) is a Programme Manager at West Midlands Clinical Academic Careers Programmes and is based at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust. Jenny entered the NHS in 2005 and has had a varied career, currently running regional training programmes for nurses, midwives and allied health professionals.
Travis Norton (BNurs Nursing, 2018) was recently award ‘Student Nurse of the Year: Adult’ at the prestigious Student Nursing Times Awards. Travis has now completed the BNurs Nursing programme and will be entering the NHS as a Qualified Nurse shortly.
Jenny Hiley, interviewed by Travis Norton
Dr Janet Clarke, interviewed by Elen Rowlands
Dr Janet Clarke MBE (BDS Dentistry, 1981) is Deputy Chief Dental Officer England and Local Dental Network Chair for NHS England West Midlands. Janet completed a Master of Community Dental Health in 1989 and worked as a clinical dental officer in a range of Midland health authorities before becoming Associate Director for Dental Services in 1991 and Deputy Chief Dental Officer England in 2016.
Elen Rowlands (BDS Dental Surgery, 2018) will be graduating from the University this summer and has relished her role as Vice President of the European Dental Students Association. As she starts her career Elen is hoping to find a role where she can balance patient care with dental public health.
Dr Janet Clarke, interviewed by Elen Rowlands
A legacy of training nurses
An interesting snapshot into our history of training nurses can be found in the article below, from a 1953 edition of the Birmingham Mail.
View the full article here
Below: Nurse S.T. Blackwood, who came over from Jamaica, trained at Birmingham in order to take her skills back to the new hospital being built in her hometown of Kingston.
Find out more
More about our NHS contributions and achievements
More about the history of the College of Medical and Dental Sciences
More about our innovative education