STUDENTS at a Worcester sixth form college will soon have a new route to enter medical professions.

Worcester Sixth Form College has launched a medicine diploma which offers opportunities for students to progress onto studying medicine, optometry, dentistry, radiology, veterinary science, pharmacy and subjects allied to medicine.

The Access to Medicine Diploma is a one-year course offering a large amount of science content in Biology, Chemistry and Physics and will equip successful students with appropriate qualifications to enter medical professions.

The College will be the only college in Worcestershire to offer the qualification as part of its Access to Higher Education qualifications.

It means students with experience after formal education will be able to achieve level 3 qualifications, which will in turn enable them to progress into Higher Education.

The new diploma will be available from September 2017.

The qualification will be accepted at the University of Newcastle, Kings College London and Cardiff University. Other universities are in the process of ratifying the diploma.

Andy Russell, access to HE co-ordinator, said: “We're really pleased to be offering this exciting new opportunity for those seeking specialist careers as doctors, dentists, vets or workers in other medical or science related fields. The diploma opens up opportunities to study a range of medical, health care and science degrees at universities around the country.”

Michael Kitcatt, principal, said: “This new pathway will build on the success of our existing Access course, which already has a significant focus on science subjects.

"It will make use of our tremendous staff expertise and fantastic new facilities in science to enable students to progress onto degree courses in this extremely competitive field.

"Students will also benefit from the skill of our careers advisers in the Student Services department, which helped to ensure that last year all of our applicants to degree courses in Medicine were offered places.”