Perth partnership boost for medical teaching

The University is to greatly expand its teaching facilities at Perth Royal Infirmary, which was recently unveiled as a University Teaching Hospital.

The University has taken over two long-vacant wards at the hospital with plans to transform them into a £5 million Perth Clinical Research Centre which will focus on research into chronic diseases including adult and childhood asthma.

The increased range of clinical research programmes at the teaching hospital will greatly boost public engagement in healthcare research and development in Perth and Kinross.

Professor James Calderhead, Vice-Principal (Educational Development), said the partnership was an important development in medical education and research in Scotland.

"The new link between the University and Perth Royal Infirmary will provide additional training opportunities for the increasing number of doctors coming through the University, and will also provide a base for the further development of clinical research."

"This is an important partnership that can lead to significant improvements in health care within the region and beyond, and the University looks forward to a long association with PRI."