Students from the Armed Forces College of Medicine in Egypt will be gaining clinical experience as part of a new project with Imperial College London.

Ten students will spend four weeks carrying out placements with consultants across various hospitals within Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.

The programme involves the cadets, who are in the third year of training, spending time gaining clinical experience with departments including emergency surgery, radiology breast surgery, anaesthesia and acute medicine.

'This is a very special occasion' Dr Mona El-Bahrawy Adjunct Reader, Imperial College London

Dr Mona El-Bahrawy, Adjunct Reader and Consultant histopathologist at Imperial, who organised the new partnership, welcomed the medical students on the first day at the College.

Dr El-Bahrawy, said: “This is a very special occasion as this is effectively the first joint project between the Armed Forces College and the UK medical education system and the fact that your administration chose Imperial to be the first port of call for this is testimony to their will to give you the best learning opportunity.

“Imperial ranks in the top 10 universities worldwide and is in the UK lead for international collaboration.

“With this placement at Imperial you are the flagship for a truly aspired for long standing and progressively expanding partnership of the Armed Forces College with Imperial, for both undergraduates and postgraduates.”

Dr El-Bahrawy urged the cadets to ‘keep an open mind’ and be ‘proactive’ during their placements but to also experience the vibrant culture in London.

One of the students Mohamed Abotahoun said that he was very excited about the placement at Imperial, which will involve spending time at Charing Cross and St Mary’s hospitals.

Mohamed said: “I am looking forward to a new experience, being introduced to a different medical system and gaining exposure to a new culture.

“I am very excited, inspired and energised.”

Dr Joanne Harris, Deputy Head of Undergraduate Medicine at Imperial gave an introduction to the role of the NHS and explained its structure, funding and future challenges.

President of Imperial College School of Medicine Students’ Union, Dan Faehndrich, spoke about the support offered to the medical students during their time at Imperial.