Warwick medical students join fight against coronavirus

120 final-year medical students from the University of Warwick have volunteered to support the NHS locally to help the response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The students, who will be working at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW), Warwick Hospital and George Eliot Hospital, will be clerking patients, undertaking administrative tasks and operating a doctor buddy system.

Professor Kiran Patel, chief medical officer at UHCW NHS Trust, said: “Together with the University of Warwick, we have mobilised these students very quickly, and have pulled together a comprehensive support package for them as they start in employment.”

All the students have passed their final exams and are qualified to “deliver basic care in a highly supervised clinical environment”.

Jonny Kaberry, one of the Warwick Medical School students said: “Instead of going on elective placement this month, due to the increasing demand on the healthcare system here in the UK we have decided to stay in Coventry and Warwickshire to support the local health services.

“We are happy that we are playing our part during this critical time.”

Another student from the Warwick Medical School, Dhivyaa Premachandra stated: “This is what we’ve spent the last four years training for, so we’re really pleased be using those skills and knowledge to help support the NHS.”

Professor Sudhesh Kumar, the dean of Warwick Medical School said: “As Dean of Warwick Medical School I am both deeply proud and grateful that all these talented young medical students are adding their talent, energy and commitment to the frontline of the pandemic response in our region’s hospitals.”

This comes after medical schools across the UK were urged to fast-track qualifications for final year students, in order to draft them to the frontline.