Medical education in Wales

[7][8] In January 2023, it was confirmed that Bangor University would be forming North Wales Medical School, teaching and awarding both four-year graduate entry medicine and five-year undergraduate courses from September 2024.

[11] Medical students in Wales would have the option to study at least 30% of their degree in Welsh for the first time from 2015 according to Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol, and receive a scholarship by doing so.

[13] In 2017 a six-part television series, Doctoriaid Yfory, followed students at Cardiff University who were able to use the Welsh language as part of the training, preparing them in particular to work in Welsh-speaking areas of Wales.

Students can choose to be part of the fluent, non-fluent and non-Welsh streams, allowing tailored training.

Awen Iorwerth, a clinical lecturer at Cardiff medical school, said: "We know that receiving care from someone who recognizes and - possibly - speaks your mother tongue leads to better results and satisfaction."

"Recent research has shown that medical students with Welsh skills are more likely to stay and work in Wales after graduating.

This comprises a minimum of 12 to 18 months of posts in a variety of hospital specialities - often including paediatrics, psychiatry, geriatrics and obstetrics & gynaecology.

[18] After successfully completing a Foundation Programme (not limited to Wales), doctors can pursue Core Training (CT) that lasts two to three years which depends on the specialty.

With this being a higher proportion than England, Scotland or NI, concern was raised that not enough was being done to prepare for recruiting more GPs to replace retiring ones.

In Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, there are currently 28 vacant GP positions that are currently filled in by locum staff.