Supporting the next generation of Welsh speaking healthcare professionals

Published 10/02/26

Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) is passionate about encouraging young people and graduates to take their first steps towards a career in NHS Wales, while also strengthening the use of the Welsh language across health and care services.

This is reflected in HEIW’s continued funding of Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol’s Tomorrow’s Doctors, Tomorrow’s Dentists and Tomorrow’s Health Workers schemes.

The schemes are specifically designed to support Welsh speaking year twelve students and graduates who are considering applying for healthcare university courses in Wales.

The Tomorrow’s Doctors and Tomorrow’s Dentists Schemes support learners who wish to apply to study medicine or dentistry, while the Tomorrow’s Health Workers scheme is aimed at those interested in other healthcare degrees, including midwifery, pharmacy, speech and language therapy and physiotherapy.

Those joining the scheme benefit from tailored guidance from Welsh speaking healthcare professionals and university students from Cardiff, Swansea, Cardiff Metropolitan, Bangor and Wrexham Universities. Learners gain practical support with personal statements and interviews, as well as valuable insight into the challenges and opportunities of training and working in NHS Wales.

Registration for the 2026 schemes is now open, with applications closing on 20 February.

For HEIW, providing funding for these programmes is about more than supporting career opportunities in NHS Wales. It is about helping to build a future workforce that can confidently provide services in Welsh for patients for whom Welsh is their first or preferred language. People across Wales often access health and care services at their most vulnerable and being able to communicate in their preferred or native language is a vital part of delivering safe, compassionate and quality care, helping to improve patient experience and clinical outcomes.

This supports the Welsh Government’s More Than Just Words strategy, which aims to strengthen Welsh language services across health and social care.

Welsh speaker, Lily Kearney, who is in her final year of study at Gower College, Swansea has been accepted to study Medicine at Cardiff University in September 2026. Reflecting on her Tomorrow’s Doctors Scheme experience, she said: “The Tomorrow's Docotors programme was extremely valuable to me as it gave me the opportunity to attend video calls with the medical schools of Welsh universities, as well as getting support with the UCAT and advice with using my work experience in my personal statement. Without the programme, I don't believe I would have been able to get a place in medicine.”

Fourth year medical student at Cardiff University, Julia Bugelli said: "I am now in my fourth year and I still remember the support I received from the Tomorrow's Doctors scheme. This included practice interviews with real feedback, opportunities to speak with Cardiff University medical students and of course the offer of an interview with the university following completion of the scheme. It was a priceless opportunity that I am extremely grateful for and it was instrumental in helping me secure a place at medical school."

Nia Cole Jones, Head of More Than Just Words at HEIW said: “At HEIW, we are committed to strengthening the use of Welsh across education, training and professional practice across NHS Wales. By encouraging everyone to use their Welsh language skills as they work and learn, we help ensure that people living in Wales can access healthcare services in the language that they feel most comfortable.”

Myfanwy Davies, Strategic Advisor, Health and Care at Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol, added: “Tomorrow's Doctors has been phenomenally successful in supporting Welsh speaking students as they apply for places to study medicine, prepare for interviews and beyond. We are proud of the way the scheme has grown.

“Students really appreciate the practical help that mentors can offer, which is particularly important for students that are the first generation that aims to go into medicine. It gives them confidence in themselves and shows them that using their Welsh in their studies and interacting with patients is crucial.”

The application form for Tomorrow’s Doctors, Tomorrow’s Dentists and Tomorrow’s Health Worker Schemes is available here: Ffurflen gofrestru Doctoriaid Yfory/Deintyddion Yfory/Gweithwyr Iechyd Yfory 2026

Visit HEIW’s Using Welsh at Work webpage for more information about the use of the Welsh language across NHS Wales.