The dean of Ulster University's medical school in Londonderry has said that one of his main ambitions is to increase the number of people from the north west applying to become doctors.

Professor Peter Bazira said he wanted to attract people from the region into medicine as he believes it is key to retaining medical professionals and, in the long term, building and increasing local healthcare capacity.

He took up the role last year, succeeding the foundation dean Professor Louise Dubras.

The first cohort of newly-qualified doctors graduated from the Magee medical school last summer.

Civil war

Bazira grew up in Uganda and Kenya and his father was a gynaecologist.

He himself then specialised in obstetrics and gynaecology and first came to the UK to undertake training before becoming an anatomist at City St George's, University of London medical school.

Bazira spent 16 years at Hull York medical school, where he was Professor of Clinical Anatomy and Medical Education.

Speaking in his first interview since taking up the role, Bazira told BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today programme, that his experiences growing up in Africa had informed his outlook and approach to medicine.

His family had to leave Uganda in the 1970s because of political upheaval.

"In that time, Uganda was under military dictatorship, it was then hit by civil war and this was in the midst of HIV/Aids and cholera outbreaks," he said.

"There was an atmosphere of ill-health and much health inequality.

"I also had asthma as a child, I was in and out of hospital so my own experiences along with the health climate at the time, it just made sense to me go into medicine.

"I wanted to fix myself but I also saw how many people needed help."

Most of the first cohort of graduates at Ulster University's medical school were offered roles as doctors in Northern Ireland.

Medicine can be for everyone

The school opened in 2021 after several delays and concerns over sustainable funding.

It was hoped the school's opening in the city would eventually help to address a relative shortage of doctors in Northern Ireland.

Bazira said recruiting local people into medical careers was one of his main objectives in the role and a big attraction for him taking the job.

"Derry is very like Yorkshire. It was an area of health inequality, under-served by doctors and there was an opportunity to build capacity and I saw that happen in my time there.

"I also saw at Hull York medical school that you tend to get students not necessarily from the local area.

"My passion would be to encourage people from the north west towards careers in medicine and healthcare.

"That's where you get the longevity."

Bazira said he wanted people know that medicine can be for everyone.

"There is a misconception out there that to become a doctor you have to be especially academic or high-flying.

"I believe anyone can be a doctor."

He said that a lot of what student doctors need to learn, they can be taught.

"It is the softer side of medicine that is crucial," he said.

"Empathy, bedside manner and communication skills - a lot of people have those.

"Having been a patient myself, those are the skills that endeared me towards my doctors." (BBC)

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