Students from Keele University’s School of Medicine have welcomed over 400 individuals from across the globe to a virtual neonatal and paediatrics conference.

Final-year medical student Pamela Sturges and Dr Sajan Khullar, Clinical Teaching Fellow in Paediatrics and postgradute student, organised the National Neonatal Conference in order to increase awareness of an area of paediatrics known as neonatology - care for newly born babies who are often born premature or unwell.

The event, which was sponsored by the British Medical Association, the Medical Defence Union and the Unofficial Guide to Medicine, saw leading experts in the field deliver a series of talks about neonatology, to what life is like working as a neonatal consultant, and training routes into this area of paediatric medicine.

The event sponsors and the neonatal charity Bliss also delivered talks to the audience which consisted of medical students, junior doctors, speciality trainees, midwives, nurses and paramedics from countries including the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Cambodia, Ukraine, Romania, and Belgium.

The free event also raised over £230 for Bliss to help give babies born premature or sick the best possible start in life.

Speaking about the event, Pamela said: “We felt Neonatology was an area of medicine most medical students have had limited exposure to. Therefore, this event made it possible to learn first-hand from consultants and trainees what the discipline is like and how to apply. We are pleased with how the event ran and have had great feedback from all who attended asking us to run this again next year!”

Professor Christian Mallen, Head of Keele’s School of Medicine, added: “I’m incredibly proud of our student's involvement in organising such an outstanding event. Increasing awareness of neonatal medicine is very important and I am delighted that students are working with leading experts in the field”