Lincoln Medical School Celebrates First Cohort of Medicine Graduates

The University of Lincoln is celebrating the graduation of the first cohort of Medicine students from the Lincoln Medical School (LMS), a milestone marking a significant step forward for the region’s healthcare education and services.

Lincoln Medical School, a collaboration between the University of Lincoln and the University of Nottingham, has played a major role in addressing local NHS skills shortages and advancing healthcare in Greater Lincolnshire and surrounding rural areas since its creation in 2018.

Lincolnshire was previously the largest English county without its own dedicated medical school. Now an established centre for medical learning, LMS is already playing a vital role in attracting and retaining medical staff in Lincolnshire.

LMS is training the next generation of hospital doctors and GPs, with students studying at Lincoln for the University of Nottingham’s prestigious BMBS Medicine degree or BMBS Medicine with Foundation Year, a program designed to widen participation in medical education.

The inaugural class, which enrolled in September 2019, graduated from the University of Nottingham on July 17 following the completion of their five year degree program.

Dr Grace Afolalu, was the first member of the very first cohort to cross the stage at the ceremony and reflecting on her time at LMS, she said: “My time at Lincoln Medical School has been an amazing whirlwind of a journey which I will never forget. Lincoln Medical School has helped me grow massively as a person and provided me with all the foundational training I need to become the doctor I’ve always aspired to be.

“It’s an honour to be the first graduate representing the school, and I will forever cherish the opportunity to be one of its pioneers! I’m excited to take the knowledge and skills I’ve gained here and make a positive impact as a junior doctor in my foundation years and beyond.”

Many of the cohort have already provided a benefit to the county’s NHS, undertaking the clinical phase of their education at Lincolnshire hospitals, and some of the new graduates will be beginning their career at Lincolnshire hospitals too.

These include Dr Miranda Ntorinkansah, who will start her career at Lincoln County Hospital in August. Speaking about her decision to stay in Lincoln and her experience at LMS, Miranda stated: “It feels surreal to be graduating. Over the five years that I’ve studied at Lincoln Medical School, the city has become a second home to me. Lincoln has offered me experiences I wouldn’t have had studying elsewhere.

“I’ve made invaluable friendships and connections, had the honour of being the inaugural President of the University’s Medical Society, so I couldn’t think of anywhere else I’d rather start my career. I’m really excited to start and experience the realities of being a doctor.”

In advance of the graduation ceremony, the University of Lincoln hosted a special event at the Ross Lucas Medical Sciences Building – the £21m state of the art home of the Lincoln Medical School which opened in 2021 – on Tuesday 16 July. The event saw the unveiling of a special DNA sculpture and brought together members of the graduating cohort, staff from both partner universities, and the donors who contributed to the sculpture’s creation. The piece, titled Photo 51, has been designed by Gavin Brown – a MA Fine Art student and BA Fine Art graduate from the University of Lincoln –  and represents the DNA of the building and Lincoln itself being forever woven into the students who study at LMS wherever their future takes them.

The graduation of this first cohort marks the beginning of the next phase in the Medical School’s development. From 2026-27, Lincoln Medical School aims to operate independently of the University of Nottingham, subject to General Medical Council approval. Earlier this year, an important milestone on this journey was achieved with the appointment of LMS’s inaugural Dean, Professor Jamie Read, from Cardiff University School of Medicine.

An independent Lincoln Medical School would be a landmark development in bolstering local healthcare services, fulfilling the region’s medical needs, and providing greater opportunity for local young people to pursue a medical career.

Professor Danny McLaughlin, Associate Dean of Medicine at the University of Lincoln said: “As someone who has seen the journey of our students from applicants in 2018 to graduating doctors in 2024, it gives me immense pleasure and pride to see this landmark event. This marks an incredible achievement by all of our students and the staff from both universities in putting our students and their future patients at the heart of everything we do.”

Professor Claire Stewart, Dean and Head of the School of Medicine at the University of Nottingham, added: “After launching this historic partnership with the University of Lincoln in 2018, it is fantastic to see the first cohort of students graduate. It is a major step in bringing our plans to help improve the region’s healthcare education and services to fruition. 

“We have been training doctors at Nottingham for over 50 years and it is great that our world-leading experience has now helped a new generation of medics to begin their careers in Lincoln. Congratulations to them all.”