WORCESTER'S state-of-the-art hospital has been awarded teaching hospital status in a link with the University of Birmingham.
Medical students will have further opportunities to develop clinical experience with the opening of new facilities at Worcest-ershire Royal Hospital.
The Charles Hastings Education Centre was officially opened on Saturday.
It incorporates a lecture theatre, seminar rooms, clinical skills laboratory and library facilities, as well as a computer cluster that will link to the medical school on the university campus.
"This is an exciting development in the training of our future doctors," said Professor William Doe, Dean of Medicine at the University of Birmingham.
"Concerns have been expressed about the shortage of doctors.
"This outstanding new teaching hospital has enabled the school to expand its medical intake and some of the medical students trained here may well become tomorrow's doctors in Worcester."
The first group of 30 third-year medical students from the University of Birmingham started their training at the new hospital at the beginning of September.
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