Devon secures 27 new medical school places as Health Secretary visits Exeter

It's part of a national scheme to increase the number of medical students in England

Devon’s two medical universities have secured 27 additional places for would-be doctors as part of a national scheme.

The announcement comes as Health Secretary Victoria Atkins was in Exeter to tour the university’s medical school and speak with students and staff.

The University of Exeter will get 10 new medical school places, with Plymouth bagging 17.

Earlier this week, 350 extra medical school places were announced nationwide for the 2025/26 academic year.

The government claims the new places will address uneven distribution and support areas across the country that are short of doctors, helping to bridge a gap in access to medical education.

The Office for Students (OfS) used analysis of geographical distribution provided by NHS England to target under-doctored areas in its allocation of places.

Besides London, which secured 10 additional places, the southwest secured the fewest new places, but Bristol and Plymouth were ranked joint-fourth out of 34 universities to receive extra student doctors.

Only the University of Surrey (34), Anglia Ruskin University (28) and the University of East Anglia (27) secured more new spots.

The moves to increase the number of places at medical schools is part of the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan. In its first year last year, an additional 205 spaces were created.