Cumbria Medical Services Bursary

Cumbria Medical Services

Bursary for First Year Medical Students

Cumbria Medical Services is an NHS community dermatology and minor surgery service, delivered in our community hospitals and GP surgeries in Cumbria.

Each year CMS is pleased to offer up to 5 bursaries to Cumbrian students who have been accepted to study medicine at university.

The bursary programme aims to encourage and support those students living in households with a household income of less that £65,000 to apply to study medicine. Applications for the bursary can be made by following this link to the application form:

Written applications are encouraged by the end of June. Dr Chaudhri and Dr White usually have an informal conversation with the applicants over the phone about their aspirations and plans for the future.

The bursaries are awarded based on merit and evaluated from the student’s personal statement and a supporting statement from the school.

How much is the bursary?

Each successful applicant receives £2,000 in their first year of study. The bursary is paid in three instalments over the academic year directly into the student’s bank account.

Who is eligible to apply?

Any student living in Cumbria with a household income of less than £65,000 who is holding an offer to study medicine is welcome to apply.

Successful Applicants 2025

This is one of the students who successfully applied for the bursary last year. We wish them well at this important in their lives and in their future studies:

Angelina Biju

Studying Medicine at Nottingham university.

University is going great! There has been a little of content, but I’ve been keeping up to date with everything whilst getting involved with societies such as netball, and the Indian society.

For this next semester we’ve got a couple GP placements which I’m excited about, where I’ll get a chance to engage with patients and even get a chance to do some history taking.

The bursary has been a huge help too, I’ve not had to worry as much with finances, and I’ve been able to spend more time getting involved with my societies, than potentially having to get a part time job .

Successful Applicants 2024

These are some of the students who successfully applied for the bursary in 2024 We wish them well at this important time in their lives and in their future studies:

Ella Bonsack

Studying Medicine at Edge Hill University.

I have been doing well at university. I’ve settled in well and I’m really enjoying the course so far. 

In our first term we had a variety of outside lecturers come in to deliver interactive lectures including Thomas Pocklington trust. We also had many practical sessions where we covered cardiac and pulmonary exams, ECGs, taking blood, inserting a cannula, and BLS (basic life support). 

Next term we will begin our placements where we spend one day every two weeks at a different sector within the healthcare system. I am particularly interested in the days we spend at a GMC tribunal in Manchester and at one of the prisons near by as they are very unique opportunities I wouldn’t have anywhere else. 

I just want to say an extra thank you for this bursary and the opportunities it’s given me. It has allowed me to more freely experience university life without the worries of finances. 

Also my old head of year has mentioned wanting me to come in and talk to other students looking at applying to medicine and I was wondering if it would be alright with you if I talk about your service.

Michael Walmsley

Studying medicine at Oxford University.

First term at university was great!

Had a lot of fun and met some wonderful people, am very excited to go back!

We covered the musculoskeletal system in our first term, which was tricky but I had lots of help from my tutors and my fellow medics. Next term its cardiovascular + respiratory systems which sounds interesting.

We spent a few hours sitting in on GP consultations which has been my favourite part of the course so far- getting to see what we’ve been learning in practice.

Yuke Lin

Studying medicine at Newcastle University

University has been amazing, everyone has been very welcoming and very supportive.

At the moment I have just finished my 5th case and have covered cardiology and renal as well as a wide range of diseases e.g anemia, AKI, MI, diabetes and colon cancer.

I have also already had my first visit to the RVI and GP, which was incredible. My next cases cover the respiratory system and I have more clinical experience coming up!

Past Successful Applicants

Alistair Martin

The CMS Bursary has been with us for a few years now. Alistair Martin was one of the first medical students to successfully apply for the Bursary in 2016 to pursue his studies at Sheffield University. It’s great to know Alistair is now qualified and due to start a medical post in Redditch and we wish him well.

I went to Cockermouth School and started university in 2016.

I received the bursary in my first year, which was fantastic in getting me set up with everything I needed, first year is the most expensive year in some ways. 

Once at university there were many other offers of support if you needed it, financial or otherwise. Money is certainly not a barrier to going to university, even though it can be perceived that way. 

I studied at Sheffield University; Sheffield is a lovely city, with fantastic people. It ticked all of my boxes, smaller city only a few hours’ drive from home with a lot of green space and beautiful scenery nearby. 

Doncaster was my favourite hospital for placements, big enough to see a lot of interesting medicine but small enough to have a very friendly and personal atmosphere.

I am due to start a job in Redditch as an F1 next month, and I feel my university experience has left me well prepared and very much excited for what is to come.

Medicine has been a fantastic choice for me, I’ve experienced so many things I never could have otherwise and it has shaped who I have become in a lot of ways. It is also nowhere near as hard as people make it out, the content is simpler than some of the stuff covered in A level biology and chemistry (there’s just more of it). 

I have always said if you can get the grades to get in you can easily manage medical school.

Good luck!

Miriam Westwood

I am entering my final year of medicine at Newcastle University – it has flown by! The course is everything I hoped for and more; despite being challenging it is also both fascinating and rewarding. Newcastle is a great place to study and I am thoroughly enjoying my time here.