Injecting anaesthetic, limb amputation and carrying out a heart transplant were just some of the fascinating activities on offer for pupils from across the county at Truro High School last weekend.

The school welcomed 120 pupils from Launceston to Penzance for two one-day workshops which gave them the chance to follow an in-depth medical course, set in a mobile operating theatre, which visited Cornwall for the first time.

Pupils were given the scientific insight behind procedures, which was coupled with practical tasks undertaken on real anatomical specimens and life-size patient simulators.

The pupils were fully dressed for surgery and performed a number of surgical procedures including angioplasty and live dissection. Each section of the day was then linked back to A level biology specifications with careers in health and medicine as a focus.

The workshops were open to all pupils from year 10 to year 13, and proved particularly popular with those considering applying for university to study medicine, dentistry, health courses or biosciences.

Jon Dean, head of STEM at Truro High School, said: “Days like this incredibly inspiring and the perfect way to support our budding doctors, dentists and vets. Standards for pupils applying to study medicine are incredibly high so it’s really important for our aspiring medics to stand out from the crowd. At Truro High School, we are keen to create an environment where our pupils have the opportunity to gain unique medical experience and get a real feel for what the profession will ask of them.”

Truro High School staged the event as part of its brand new programme for aspiring medics. The bespoke, two-year programme offers the school’s pupils wishing to further their studies in medicine, dentistry and veterinary science a tailored calendar of lectures, workshops, mentoring and one-to-one help to support their application in their chosen branch of medicine.