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Willows Health Academy

Leading in our field — world-class undergraduate and postgraduate medical education delivered across our primary care practices.

Leading in our field

We are proud to provide world-class undergraduate medical education to medical students from the University of Leicester, postgraduate Physician Associate students from De Montfort University, and GP Specialty Trainees.

Many of our clinical tutors work across both primary and secondary care and lead tutorials for our students. Outstanding students are offered the opportunity to publish research through case reports and case series via the DMU–Willows Centre for Primary Care Research.

Our passion for high-quality education has been recognised through awards, including Best Undergraduate Teaching Practice and Excellence in Clinical Tutorship.

Award-winning tutors & faculty

  • Professor Fahad Rizvi

    Chair of Willows Academy

  • Professor Vinay Gupta

    Co-Chair of Willows Academy

  • Professor Tariq Kapasi

    Governance Lead

  • Stephanie Wightman

    Head of Operations, Willows Health

Academy projects & audits

Under our guidance, students have been involved in many exciting and innovative projects, with a focus on quality improvement and high-quality patient care. Examples include:

  • Management of patients with cardiac issues
  • Patients on hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
  • Patient satisfaction
  • Patients on various forms of contraception
  • Patients diagnosed with osteoporosis
  • Outcomes from our acute respiratory infection hubs (Dec 2022 – Mar 2023)
  • Appropriate antenatal counselling
  • Patients diagnosed with gestational diabetes
  • Patients with a history of alcohol misuse
  • Patients with a range of mental health issues

Academy aides

  • Rajvinder Kaur

    Lead Administrator

  • Sarah Salisbury

    Lead Administrator

What our students say

“I have felt extremely well supported over my 6 week placement with Willows Academy. The team made every effort to accommodate my preferences, allowing me to gain the most out of the placement as possible. Arina especially was very approachable and understanding, and was willing to adapt my timetable to best suit me. Overall, I am very satisfied with my SSC at Willows and would like to thank them for supporting me over the last 6 weeks.”

— 5th year SSC student

Paired with local providers

We provide training, teaching and education for medical students from the University of Leicester, Physician Associate and Pharmacy students from De Montfort University, and international medical students seeking placement and exposure to UK primary care.

Willows Academy partners include:

  • University of Leicester
  • De Montfort University
  • Health Education East Midlands
  • Nottingham Trent University
  • LLR Training Hub

In collaboration with

International students

With courses ranging from 1 week to 3 months, Willows Health caters to a wide variety of interests in clinical and medical careers.

  • Clinical time and tutorials

  • Self-catering accommodation

  • Teaching and working in the UK and the UKMLA

  • Opportunity to explore parts of the UK

Medical Career Orientation Programme

Programme highlights

  • 1–2 weeks of orientation to medicine and clinical sciences
  • Doctor shadowing at NHS clinics
  • Observe procedures of experienced physicians and surgeons
  • Special lectures on various fields of medicine and latest innovations
  • Insight into UK medical schools, including admission requirements
  • UK-certified first aid training
  • Secure university accommodation included
  • Organised excursions around the country
  • Limited availability — spring and summer batches
  • Competitive prices

Clinical Placement & Internship Programme

Programme highlights

  • Flexible training duration of 2, 4, 6, 8 or 12 weeks
  • Practice at NHS clinics in the UK
  • Work alongside experienced physicians and surgeons
  • Special lectures on the NHS, residency training applications and pathways
  • Support with UKMLA preparation and future NHS applications
  • Course completion certificate to support career progression
  • Opportunities to take part in audit, research and quality improvement projects
  • Safe and secure university accommodation included
  • UK visa assistance and documentation

Training in various specialities

  • Family Medicine
  • Internal Medicine
  • Maternity Care
  • Urgent Care
  • Surgery
  • Paediatrics
  • Elderly Care
  • Dermatology

Get in touch

For enquiries about Willows Health Academy, including placements and partnerships, email us at wh.academy@nhs.net.

Email the academy