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Festival of Imagination: The Future of Medicine

As the University celebrated its 50th birthday this year, we thought it only fitting to join in the celebrations at the Festival of the Imagination and explore what the next 50 years of medicine could hold for doctors and patients alike. ‘The Picture of Health: Exploring the Future of Medicine’ event gave an audience the opportunity to quiz our panel of experts. The audience included medical professionals, staff from the university, med students, the general public and now you, as you watch this video of some of the best bits of the evening.

Our panel explored how science will integrate with medicine – when exactly will we know our genetic make up and how will this help us manage our own health? The role of the doctor was examined, including how it may change in the next 25 years - will appointments be conducted digitally and how will the rationing of services affect patients?

The panel also explored current topics in the media. Joanne Wallace, an MB ChB student at WMS asked the panel their thoughts on the changes to junior doctor contracts and the threat of strike action.

Should I apply for medicine? One member of the audience asked this very question. Watch the video and listen to our panel’s responses – even if you hadn’t considered medicine as a career before, you will now.

Our panellists included:

  • Professor Richard Smith CBE – Chairman of Patients Know Best
  • Professor Richard Lilford – Director of the Centre for Applied Health Research and Delivery, University of Warwick
  • Professor John Wass – Academic Vice-President, Royal College of Physicians
  • Professor Sarah Purdy – Associate Dean of Social and Clinical Medicine, University of Bristol
  • Professor Ashley Woodcock – Professor of Respiratory Medicine, University of Manchester
  • Andrew Hardy – Chief Executive Officer, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire

… And to say they were inspiring is an understatement.