dr john reid opens new school

14 October 2003

Dr John Reid officially opened Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) when he visited on October 15th, 2003.

The Minister for Health met some of the 136 students who managed to win places on the five-year course and found out more about what it is like to study at BSMS.

Dr Reid also met the Dean of BSMS Prof Jon Cohen, Vice Chancellor of the University of Sussex Prof Alasdair Smith and Vice Chancellor of the University of Brighton, Prof Sir David Watson.

This is the first intake of students for BSMS, which is a joint venture between the University of Brighton, the University of Sussex and the Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust.

BSMS received more than 970 applications for the 136 places – meaning each place was oversubscribed by seven applicants for every place!

The £28.5 million school has been funded by the Department of Health and the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE).

Clinical training will be based at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton, Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath, Mill View in Hove and in General Practices throughout the local area. The academic study will be based in new buildings at both universities.

In their final year of the five-year course students will be placed in other major clinical centres throughout Sussex including Eastbourne, Hastings, Chichester and Worthing.

Prof Jon Cohen, Dean of BSMS, said: “We are absolutely delighted that the Secretary of State for Health came to see our new school and met our students. The establishment of a medical school in Brighton is a wonderful boost to not only the strong academic history of this area but also a matter of pride for the local community.”