This summer marks a significant milestone for Edinburgh Medical School, as the first cohort of students from the HCP-Med programme (MBChB for Healthcare Professionals) graduated from MacEwan Hall.
Launched in 2020, HCP-Med was created to support experienced healthcare professionals — including nurses, paramedics, and physiotherapists — in retraining as doctors. These pioneering students joined the programme in the midst of the pandemic, balancing academic study with their NHS roles and family commitments.
Their journey has been challenging but deeply inspiring. Many brought years of frontline experience to the classroom, enriching discussions and offering unique perspectives on patient care. We’ve heard stories of students fitting in study sessions between children’s football matches and hospital shifts — a testament to their dedication and resilience. The friendships and support networks they’ve formed along the way have become a lasting source of strength.
Flying the flag
Calum MacDonald is a graduate from the first cohort of the HCP-Med programme, having started his career as a staff nurse in an intensive care unit in Glasgow.
His experience working in intensive care and subsequent training to become an advanced critical care practitioner – a role he has held since 2016 – led him to consider a career as a doctor.
The programme gave Calum the ability to stay in Glasgow and juggle work and part time study, while also managing family life after becoming a father in his second year.
Now a newly qualified doctor, Calum has secured a foundation post in Glasgow and will rotate across seven specialties.
Following the two-year foundation programme, Calum is considering specialising in anaesthetics or general practice.
Calum said: “I’m very proud to fly the flag for the HCP-Med programme – it’s been a challenging but incredibly rewarding journey. Being able to continue working as a nurse while studying medicine was a huge financial incentive. I am delighted to be graduating today and am excited to start my placement as a junior doctor in Glasgow.”
Widening access
HCP-Med was designed with widening access in mind. It offers an innovative way to retain people within the healthcare workforce and potentially enhance recruitment to shortage specialties in underserved areas of Scotland.
The first three years are delivered online, making it accessible from anywhere in Scotland. There is a strong emphasis on GP placements before students transition to full-time study in the final years.
Dr Jen Kennedy, Programme Director HCP-MED, said: “We have lots of incredibly talented people working within the NHS in Scotland who may have missed the traditional route to become doctors. By creating this new pathway and widening access to medical degrees, we are able to nurture their talent and use their valuable experience to enhance the healthcare workforce”.
Professor David Kluth, Head of Edinburgh Medical School, said: “I am very proud that Edinburgh is the first university in the UK to offer this innovative part-time programme. We are committed to doing all we can to empower individuals to reach their full potential and to widen access to medicine for future generations. The students on this programme bring with them a rich diversity of backgrounds, experiences and skills — from prior careers to lived experience of the communities they will serve. This breadth of talent and perspective is vital in building a more inclusive, adaptable, and effective medical workforce for Scotland.”
This graduation represents more than a personal achievement — it’s a celebration of innovation and collaboration between the university, Scottish Funding Council and the NHS. We look forward to following our student’s careers as they embark on their foundation years training.
