Hollywood actor Brian Cox ‘dazzled’ by Dundee School of Medicine, which he says is ‘world class’

As a Hollywood superstar, there’s little Brian Cox hasn’t seen. But even he admitted to being left stunned by what’s happening at Dundee’s School of Medicine.

The Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actor toured the University of Dundee’s Ninewells Campus late last week, describing the experience as “simply incredible” and “absolutely dazzling”.

“It’s incredible. To think it’s happening in my home town… I’ve always known Ninewells was at the cutting edge, certainly as a medical teaching establishment, but to come round today and see what you’re doing, and see the extent of it… it’s dazzling.”

During the 90-minute visit, the former University of Dundee Rector and Honorary Graduate met with staff and students while visiting a number of departments showcasing the school’s pioneering approach to education, research, and clinical innovation.

At the Clinical Research Centre, Cox was introduced to some of the latest advances in clinical trial methodology. He was also shown Scotland’s only focused ultrasound therapy, a groundbreaking non-invasive treatment for essential tremors, and more recently, Parkinson’s tremors, where patients can see life-changing results in just hours.

A stop at Surgical Skills Centre demonstrated Dundee’s leadership in remote surgical training. Here, the actor tested his steady hand on a virtual reality surgical simulator, carrying out a gall bladder procedure in a fully immersive setting.

In the Clinical Skills Centre, staff and students welcomed the Dundee-born star with demonstrations of advanced simulation training, including high-dependency mannequins and a cutting-edge virtual reality scenario room.

Cox also had the chance to sit down with seven visiting students from the American Arab University in Jenin, based in the West Bank, who are in Dundee as part of a summer knowledge exchange programme. This year’s visit was particularly hard-won, with only seven students able to attend due to complex visa accreditation issues.

Reflecting on his visit, Cox urged the School of Medicine to shout louder about its achievements, “When you’ve got it, flaunt it!”

“I think there’s a genuine modesty here, but it doesn’t serve. People need to know what’s going on here, and they need to know where they are in terms of medical science, because you’re right at the top tier.

“I’m so glad I came here today. I learned a lot about the dedication, the commitment of the people who are here. It’s humbling. Truly humbling.”

Dundee born Brian was back in his home city to star in the play ‘Make It Happen!’ - a co-production between National Theatre of Scotland, Edinburgh International Festival and Dundee Rep Theatre.