Amid the immense strain on the NHS today, with nurses going on strike, and more than 7 million people waiting for routine hospital operations, there is a paradox of sorts.

Even as we face severe staff shortages, we have a lot more students wanting to be doctors than medical school places to accommodate them.

According to the Medical Schools Council, last year there were over three times more applications than places available.

The University of Newcastle has one of the top medical schools in the country.

The Today programme’s Amol Rajan spoke first to Professor Steve Jones of the University of Newcastle, one of the top medical schools in the country, and then to two of his students.

(Image, Hospital ward, Credit, Peter Byrne/ PA)