Students at Roedean School with aspirations to study medicine and veterinary science have taken part in a practical suturing workshop led by third-year medical students from Brighton and Sussex medical schools.
The session, organised by Roedean’s student-run MedeVet Club, was attended primarily by Year 12 and Year 13 pupils, alongside one Year 11 student, all of whom are considering future careers in healthcare.
The workshop began with an introduction explaining the importance of suturing in medical practice, including its role in wound healing and patient care. Students then took part in dexterity-building exercises designed to develop the fine motor skills essential for clinical work. These included using tweezers to place individual grains of rice into a narrow straw, a deceptively challenging task that encouraged precision and wrist control.
Participants were then taught how to safely handle surgical instruments before learning and practising three basic suturing techniques using medical training kits. Throughout the session, the visiting medical students shared insights into their own experiences of medical school, offering advice on applications, interviews and managing the demands of life as a medical student.
Year 12 student Melissa described the session as both inspiring and enjoyable. She said: “I really enjoyed the suturing session — it was engaging and very well taught. I loved the hands-on experience, learning basic suturing skills and how to properly hold and use the instruments. Picking up grains of rice one by one into a thin straw was a surprisingly challenging but brilliant way to practise accuracy.”
The workshop forms part of Roedean’s wider programme to support students interested in medical and veterinary pathways by providing exposure to real-world skills and professional insight. Further sessions are planned, with the school hoping to develop a closer ongoing partnership with the medical students involved.
As students stitched and practised, conversations flowed easily between school pupils and university mentors, giving participants a valuable glimpse into their potential futures — and the chance to quite literally get a feel for life in medicine.
