A world full of opportunities for student doctors

Fourteen student doctors from the University of Sunderland who have expanded their experience on the world stage are now taking their skills into the NHS to benefit patients across the north-east and beyond.

Earlier this year, the MBChB Medicine degree students were supported by The Rothley Trust Medical Elective Awards to experience medicine in Australia, Greece, Japan, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Poland, Sri Lanka, and the USA. The students also raised funds themselves to supplement their awards.

This summer sees 95 new doctors graduate from the University’s Medicine degree and 100% of graduates going into immediate employment, with 66% of those graduates staying in the region.

For Minahil Abbas, her time in Pakistan and Malaysia had a huge impact on her as a person, and as aspiring young doctor.

Minahil, 23, from Newcastle, said: “The Rothley Trust gave me the opportunity to experience different cultures, healthcare systems, languages, and ways of life. It was an experience that broadened my perspective as both a medical student and as a person, and I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity.

“It is a privilege being there for patients and their families during some of the most difficult moments of their lives. Being trusted during those vulnerable times is something that should never be taken for granted. Whether it is through treatment, reassurance, or simply being a listening ear, being able to ease someone’s pain is incredibly rewarding.”

Minahil starts work as a Foundation Doctor with Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust this summer.

Joining Minahil at Northumbria Healthcare will be Laura Mason, 23, from Choppington in Northumberland, who travelled to the other side of the world – and then a little further.

Laura said: “I’ve been lucky enough to see parts of Australia, learn about their culture and how this impacts health, immerse myself in the healthcare system there and see specialties I’d never experienced before.

“I then got to visit Greece to do the same, getting experience of differences between healthcare provision in private and public settings, experience challenges of healthcare provision to patients only there for a day and seeing staff members conduct consultation in a myriad of languages.”

Holly Margetts, 23, from Guisborough in North Yorkshire, visited Kanti Children’s Hospital, in Kathmandu, Nepal.

“The Rothley Trust allowed me to experience healthcare in a very different setting to the NHS, and meet some wonderful people,” said Holly.

“I like being around people, I love learning and I like a challenge. My first job is in A&E, but I’ll definitely be going on holiday before then.”

Emily Burke, 27, from Whitley Bay, originally studied for a career in public health before realising that practicing medicine is where her passion lay.

“I want to change people’s lives at an individual level by helping them receive the best medical care possible, whilst also educating and empowering underrepresented groups to access healthcare when they need it,” said Emily.

Emily spent a month in the emergency department of a private hospital in Colombo, Sri Lanka, followed by a month at a private sports medicine clinic in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

But now, Emily is preparing to practice medicine much closer to home.

She said: “I will be working in general practice, emergency medicine and paediatrics, but I’ll start in acute internal medicine at North Tyneside General Hospital – the hospital where I was born.

“Returning there as a working medical doctor feels like a full circle moment.”

The Rothley scholarship was also an opportunity for one student doctor to reconnect with his family history. Philip Glancey, 23, from Northumberland, travelled to the University Clinical Center of the Medical University of Warsaw.

Philip said: “Being a Rothley scholar allowed me to turn my elective into a culturally enriching trip, giving me the freedom to visit museums, spend time with extended family, and explore my Polish heritage.

“I was born in Newcastle, but my mum is from Lublin in Poland. Without this funding, I simply would not have been able to experience as much as I did or make such lasting memories.”

Philip joins Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust as a foundation doctor.

The Rothley Trust is a charity that supports initiatives in the north-east focused on community, children and young people, energy saving, education, disability, ex-service people and medical education.

A spokesperson for The Rothley Trust said: "We are very pleased to support students from the University of Sunderland’s School of Medicine, enabling them to experience medicine in healthcare settings all over the world, see different cultures and ways of life, enhance their medical and personal development and to bring a new perspective into their studies and work in the north-east and beyond."

Professor Scott Wilkes, Head of the University’s School of Medicine, said: “I’m immensely grateful to The Rothley Trust for giving the opportunity to our wonderful medical students at the start of their careers. Their experience will stay with them forever and will shape their future careers.

The support of The Rothley Trust enables us to meet our School’s philosophy of ‘making medicine accessible to talented students who may not have otherwise had the opportunity’.”

The 2026 University of Sunderland Rothley Trust scholars are: Minahil Abbas from Newcastle; Abdullah Alazzawi (Darlington); Christina Alwin (Newcastle), Jack Baillie (Darlington); Emily Jane Burke (Whitley Bay); Jay Elliott (Newcastle); Philip Glancey (Northumberland); Emli Henman (Newcastle); Zara Iqbal (Newcastle); Lucy Lynch (Gateshead); Holly Margetts (Guisborough); Laura Mason (Choppington); Tinaye Mupedziswa (Peterlee); Jessica Stephenson (Newcastle) and Casie Williams from Durham.

For more information on studying MBChB Medicine at the University of Sunderland, click here.