Sunderland's new graduate doctors ready to care for patients
More new doctors than ever before have been welcomed South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust as the graduates get ready for the next stage of their training.
The trust has added 93 doctors to its Foundation Programme training, 18 more than previous years.
Six join from the University of Sunderland’s School of Medicine, which has produced its first graduates since launching in 2019.
In August 2025, the same school will allow the Trust to expand its foundation training places even further, with 36 to work and train on its wards and in the specialities it delivers.
Foundation training takes two years. Each doctor will spend time working in medicine, surgery and in community placements. Then they progress to speciality training, potentially becoming GPs or consultants.
The increase in number of first year foundation doctors, known as F1s, means the Trust can expand its Out of Hours services; meaning shift cover during evenings, nights and weekends will increase by up to a third in some specialities.
It also means more doctors working on its medical wards.
Before they set out on their first placements, the newcomers spent a day being welcomed to the NHS at an induction event at Sunderland Royal Hospital’s Education centre.
The programme included a welcome address by Dr Nigel Stout, who leads the Trust’s Foundation Programme faculty, and Dr Sid Ahmed, its clinical director of Medical Specialities.
Dr Stout said: “We are delighted to welcome these new doctors here to our Trust as they set out on the next stage of their training.
“We offer a special welcome to those who have graduated from the University of Sunderland’s School of Medicine.”
Surena Sahota from Washington joins the Trust following her graduation from the University of Sunderland.
She said: “It is such a privilege to now join Trust as a new F1 doctor graduating from the first cohort of Sunderland University Medical School.
“I’m very excited to embark on this new journey within such a welcoming and supportive Trust. I’ve spent time here as a medical student and had an amazing experience and wanted to continue my training here.
“Also, the opportunity as a born and raised local to remain and help the community is such an honour.”