Edinburgh University encourages wider access to medicine

Edinburgh University is to launch an initiative scheme to encourage more students from state schools to study law or medicine.

The "Pathways to the Professions" initiative is a two year pilot scheme and aims to foster links between the university, schools, and the legal and medical professions. A total of £70 000 has been awarded to the initiative by the Sutton Trust.

The trust, which was founded in 1997, aims to provide educational opportunities for young people from non-privileged backgrounds. The trust's founder, Peter Lampl, said, "Work experience and work shadowing - important requirements for entry into the professions - are often more easily available to young people with relatives or family friends in them. This perpetuates a certain social mix, and opportunities are denied to able young people who lack information about how to gain access to the professions. We hope to counter this and to develop a broader intake from all socio-economic groups."

Edinburgh University has a long history of involvement in similar initiative schemes to widen access to university. It has recently been involved in the Lothian Equal Access Programme for Schools (LEAPS), developing partnerships between the university, four local councils, and three other higher education institutions.

Jenny Blythe, Dundee


studentBMJ 2001;09:217-260 July ISSN 0966-6494