Head of the College of Medicine Professor Keith Lloyd told guests, including Welsh Health Minister Mark Drakeford, that the quality of its research, learning, teaching and interaction with industry and the NHS are making it one of the fastest growing medical schools in the UK.

Professor Lloyd said the College is making huge contribution to the health, wellbeing and wealth of the people of Wales, and beyond, by attracting top class students and researchers, establishing major facilities and working with private companies and the NHS.

The College of Medicine also marked its 10^th anniversary in style with the graduation of more than 70 doctors from Graduate Entry Medicine (GEM) a pioneering four-year programme set up in September 2010 following work with the Welsh Government, the Wales Deanery, local Health Boards, hospitals, community organisations, students and the GMC.

Before this, students at the College of Medicine followed a Graduate Entry Programme in Medicine (GEP), a collaboration between Swansea and Cardiff universities funded by the Welsh Assembly Government during which they studied for two years at Swansea before joining the final two years of the Cardiff undergraduate programme.

Now medical students at Swansea can expect to follow an innovative course that reflects the way clinicians actually approach patients, by investigating problems and conditions from all possible angles. It prepares them to be tomorrow’s doctors.

Professor Lloyd also praised the impact of research being carried out at the College.  “Researchers are investigating news ways of detecting disease, understanding how our bodies fight infection and how antibiotics are developed.

“Others are looking at how to improve medical devices, grow new cartilage for our joints, evaluate new treatment and harness the mass of data in healthcare to improve treatments and outcomes for people in Wales.

“With major research facilities having been established at the Institute of Life Science and a new Data Science building currently being built it seems that the future is very bright for the College of Medicine.

“Swansea’s medical school is building a virtuous circle – attracting bigger grants, more students, more companies and working to improve the health of the people of Wales and beyond.”

Also at the dinner was Chairman of ABMU Health Board Professor Andrew Davies.

‌‌CAPTION: Pictured at the College of Medicine’s 10^th anniversary dinner at Swansea’s Waterfront Museum are (from left) Swansea University Vice-Chancellor Professor Richard B Davies, Welsh Health Minister Professor Mark Drakeford AM, Chairman of ABMU Health Board Professor Andrew Davies, and Dean and Head of the College of Medicine Professor Keith Lloyd.