An ambitious campaign is reaching pupils across the capital’s state schools, opening their eyes to a career in medicine that they may not have previously considered possible.
The University of Edinburgh’s Medical School is teaming up with charity You Can Be A Doctor for a year-long project that will see classroom sessions rolled out across all 23 state secondary schools in Edinburgh.
The project launched on Thursday 29 October at Castlebrae Community Campus in Craigmillar, Edinburgh.
Organisers hope the S1 programme will broaden aspirations and inspire more pupils to see medicine as a career within their reach.
One of the most competitive courses to get into, medicine is widely recognised as a challenging career path for students from less advantaged backgrounds.
Research suggests that poorer access to relevant knowledge among pupils from less advantaged socio-economic backgrounds can impact their chances of admission to medical school.
In response to these barriers, You Can Be A Doctor was formed by Callum Cruickshank while he was studying medicine at the University of Edinburgh in order to create a more inclusive and representative healthcare community.
In particular, the charity aims to break down the barriers young people from underprivileged backgrounds often face when considering a career in medicine.
Run by doctors and medical students it provides early outreach to primary and early secondary schools to raise awareness and opportunity, including offering support for the application process.
During the new S1 programme sessions, pupils will meet with medical professionals who will give them an inside look at what it is like to practise medicine in Scotland.
During the launch session at Castlebrae, pupils spoke with You Can Be A Doctor founder, Callum Cruickshank, You Can Be A Doctor’s Paula Glancy, alongside student Alsadeg Bilall and Lorna Marson, Professor of Transplant Surgery and Dean of Clinical Medicine at the University of Edinburgh.
Student Alsadeg reflected on his own pathway into medicine. A 6th-year MB-PhD student, Alsadeg is now in his second year of a PhD in cancer biology.
Growing up in Edinburgh, he was inspired by You Can Be A Doctor and also received support from the University’s Reach programme, a national widening participation initiative supporting local secondary school students.
The new S1 programme has been developed with You Can Be A Doctor as part of a series of events and community projects taking place in 2026 to mark 300 years of medical education at the University of Edinburgh.
One key area of focus for the anniversary is on projects that support widening access to the medical profession.
Edinburgh’s partnership with You Can Be A Doctor will also complement the University’s ongoing commitment to widening participation for all.
Dedicated teams across the University work with would-be students to encourage and support the best and brightest to study at Edinburgh, no matter their personal circumstances or background.
More than 80 per cent of the University’s entrants from Scotland now consistently come from a state school and the proportion of students from Scotland’s most disadvantaged areas has almost doubled since 2015.
In the year we mark 300 years of medicine in Edinburgh and as a university deeply embedded in its communities, it is important that we look ahead at the future of our medical workforce. Entry into medicine should be based on potential and ability rather than advantages or challenges someone has faced due to their background. By providing early exposure and guidance through programmes like this, we are helping young people make informed decisions about their future and explore opportunities they may not have previously considered.
Working with the University of Edinburgh, You Can Be A Doctor brings the medical profession directly into schools so that pupils from every background can see medicine as a career open to them. Research such as the ASPIRES study shows that many children have largely formed their career aspirations by the end of primary school, so S1 is a crucial moment to reach them. Our aim is to visit every secondary school in Edinburgh within a year, giving S1 pupils the chance to meet a real doctor, ask anything they like and keep that door open. This is about making sure everyone has the support they need to succeed, and building an NHS workforce that truly reflects the population it serves.
I remember well as a teenager from Edinburgh being part of The University of Edinburgh REACH programme and hearing from You Can Be A Doctor. Thinking then I could do that and being inspired to pursue a medical pathway to become a doctor. The effect of the programmes wasn't just from the initial conversation, but the mentorship it afforded, the connections with people working and studying in the field which support me still to this day. It is a collegiate effort from all sides and in turn my experiences are now impacting other young people.
Castlebrae is committed to equipping our vibrant and talented young people with the support and opportunities to succeed in their lives now and in the future. Our long-term partnership with neighbouring Edinburgh BioQuarter, home to Edinburgh Medical School, brings their STEM curriculum to life. The You Can Be A Doctor workshops are a perfect example, connecting them with people that work in medicine, opening the young people's eyes to future possibilities and the support available.
S1 Programme | You Can Be A Doctor
300 years of medicine | College of Medicine and Vet Medicine | University of Edinburgh
Widening Participation | University of Edinburgh
Image credit - Michael Grant, Raw Film Productions
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