I retired from my roles as a professor of medicine at St George's University of London and consultant physician in 2005. My Fellowship was in medical education, specifically investigating fast-track medical degree courses in Australia. At the time I applied, the UK Government was offering to support additional student places at medical schools to cope with the increased needs of the health service. At St George's we considered that a shortened course (four instead of the usual five years for undergraduates) would be attractive to graduates, who would bring maturity, breadth of experience and commitment.

I chaired the working party set up to design a new accelerated graduate entry course, and was awarded a Fellowship in 1998 to examine similar courses in Australia. Our proposals, based on my Fellowship experiences, were eventually accepted by the General Medical Council (GMC). The first students (selected from graduates in any discipline who had passed a rigorous entrance exam and selection process) started in September 2000 – a first for the UK. My Fellowship was a most rewarding experience, with a positive and lasting impact on the diversity of UK medical education.