First St Andrews MBChB cohort begins clinical training in Fife
Authored by the NHS Fife Corporate Communications Team. See original article.
The students began their academic block at the University of St Andrews on Monday (19 January) before joining clinical teams at Cameron Hospital the following day, marking another milestone in the expanding partnership between the University and NHS Fife.
Ahead of the students’ arrival, Ward 7 at Cameron Hospital has undergone a full refurbishment by NHS Fife’s Medical Education Department, transforming it into a modern, fully equipped education hub. It now has a number of large teaching classrooms, a clinical skills area and a simulated house. This new facility provides students with the opportunity to build practical skills in a safe, realistic environment that mirrors the types of care delivered in community settings.
The MBChB (ScotCOM) programme, jointly developed by the University of St Andrews and NHS Fife, allows students to complete their full medical degree, including all clinical placements, within Fife for the first time. Previously, students were required to leave the region after their pre‑clinical studies to complete their training elsewhere.
The partnership, formalised in a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2024, is already delivering significant benefits, including enhanced teaching capacity, expanded research collaboration and increased community involvement in shaping medical education. It also supports NHS Fife’s ambition to continue growing as a teaching and research‑active health board, attracting clinicians, academics and future healthcare professionals to the region.
The first cohort of students on the new MBChB pathway are expected to graduate as fully qualified doctors in 2028. Their training across Fife’s hospitals, GP practices and community settings will play an important role in strengthening the future medical workforce both locally and nationally.
MBChB Programme Director, Dr Rebecca Walmsley, said: “St Andrews School of Medicine is delighted that our new students are commencing their main clinical placement blocks in NHS Fife, including through the new education centre, for the first time starting this January.
“This new degree programme allows students to complete their medical training with placements in NHS Fife, NHS Forth Valley and NHS Borders, and is a significant positive development. We are delighted to be working in partnership with NHS Fife and look forward to the students’ first graduation as doctors in 2028.”
NHS Fife Medical Director, Professor Chris McKenna, who was awarded an honorary professorship by the University for his contribution to medical leadership and education, said: “We are delighted to welcome this latest group of students to NHS Fife. Their arrival marks another important step forward in our partnership with the University of St Andrews and demonstrates our shared commitment to developing the medical workforce of the future.
“The newly refurbished simulation facility at Cameron Hospital offers an excellent, realistic learning space that reflects the care delivered every day across our communities. By undertaking their full degree training here in Fife, students gain invaluable experience across both community and hospital settings, while contributing meaningfully to the care we provide. We’re incredibly proud to play a central role in shaping the next generation of doctors.