Aston Medical School has been given full approval by the General Medical Council (GMC), meaning they can award degrees to graduating students for the first time this year.

The Medical School at Aston University completed the GMC’s rigorous quality assurance process, which began in 2016. The decision, ratified by the GMC’s Council, means Aston Medical School can be added to the list of UK bodies able to award a primary medical qualification.

The approval means that from this summer, medical graduates from Aston University will be added to the medical register and will be able to join the UK’s healthcare workforce as doctors.

Aston Medical School welcomed its first students in 2018 and will be graduating its first cohort of students at its graduation ceremonies taking place in July 2023.

The school was built on the ethos of educating medical professionals of the future, those who come from a wide cross section of society, and in particular those from disadvantaged communities where they have traditionally faced more barriers to accessing and completing medical education.

Professor Helen Cameron, Dean of Medical Education at Aston Medical School, said:

“This is a really exciting moment for Aston Medical School, and we are delighted for our students, especially our pioneer cohort who will graduate in July with an Aston University medical degree and contribute to the UK’s healthcare workforce. Our focus on providing excellent education and support to a diverse range of students, including those from disadvantaged communities, has been at the heart of our mission since the school’s inception.

“We are proud that through commitment, team-work, and partnership with our students, we have met the GMC’s rigorous quality assurance standards and we look forward to continuing to educate the healthcare leaders of the future.”

Professor Aleks Subic, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Aston University, said:

“Receiving full approval from the General Medical Council – GMC is a significant milestone for the Aston Medical School and Aston University in general, and a testament to the hard work and dedication of our faculty, staff and students.

“This achievement enables us to continue our mission of developing the next generation of medical professionals, with a particular focus on promoting diversity and inclusion in healthcare education and improving healthcare in the community.

“We are proud to be adding new exceptional talent to the UK’s healthcare workforce and look forward to the contributions our graduates will make to the field.”

Professor Colin Melville, the GMC’s Medical Director and Director of Education and Standards, said:

“The GMC maintains high standards and has a very rigorous process before a new medical school can award primary medical qualifications to its students. Aston University has worked hard, over a number of years, to meet our quality assurance standards. I’m delighted that, thanks to that hard work, they now have GMC approval to award medical degrees.”

The GMC oversees both undergraduate and postgraduate medical education and training in the UK. Any institution looking to establish a new medical school or training programme must demonstrate it meets the GMC’s standards by being subject to an extensive period of quality assurance.