First Catholic Medical School Will Open in the UK< Will Teach Doctors Pro-Life Values
St Mary’s University (SMU) in London, England, recently announced that it is moving forward with plans to open the country’s first Catholic medical school.
Focused on equipping students to become “the complete doctor,” the new curriculum will be developed by the University of Central Lancashire (UCL) and implemented in September 2026.
SMU Vice-Chancellor Anthony McClaran said in a news release that the school will allow St Mary’s to deliver a “sustained, positive impact on society.”
“The school will not only contribute to the workforce development demands in the UK for more doctors and medical professionals, but it will also train global professionals able to work anywhere in the world,” he added. “Our approach to developing the whole person during students’ time at SMU will mean medics of the future will leave this University with the technical and personal skills they need to deliver truly holistic, compassionate, patient-centred care.”
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In a promotional video, interim founding dean Michael Bewick touched on the curriculum implemented at the school, noting that students “will be equipped with cutting edge training.”
“The modern, patient-focused curriculum will prepare students to lead with expertise, excellence, and empathy to enjoy careers where they transform the lives of patients in their care,” he said.
According to the news release, a newly formed partnership between the schools will allow SMU to use the other UCL’s Bachelor Medicine Bachelor Surgery (MBBS) curriculum. UCL will also serve as SMU’s contingency partner as the new medical school seeks accreditation from the General Medical Council.
The news release also added that SMU placed in the Top 10 nationally for student experience and the Top 5 nationally for teaching quality in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024.
On SMU’s website, McClaran cites the school’s “proven track record of teaching excellence and student satisfaction” as providing the capacity to provide “excellent doctors to a system which is currently under strain.”
He continued, “We place the student at the heart of everything we do and will deliver the best teaching experience to our School of Medicine students.”
LifeNews Note: Hannah Hiester writes for CatholicVote, where this column originally appeared.