Newly-qualified doctors graduate from university with online ceremony amid coronavirus

Ben Turner celebrated his graduation at home in Buckinghamshire, hundreds of miles from the University of Bristol.

Now a doctor, he joined almost 250 classmates from the medical school for an online ceremony.

Dressed in a makeshift gown and mortarboard, he sat next to his parents as the formalities were carried out - and will soon be on the frontline fighting coronavirus.

Ben joined almost 250 classmates on a virtual graduation.

“It’s weird, it’s kind of surreal. We never really imagined it happening this way," he told ITV News.

“I think it just feels right that our graduation has been brought forward, so that we can help out within the NHS at the time the country needs it most."

There was still time for some fizz, even with an at-home graduation.

Along with girlfriend Megan Kelsey, Ben and his classmates had their graduation fast-tracked to get them into the NHS as soon as possible.

“I think it just feels right that our graduation has been brought forward, so that we can help out within the NHS at the time the country needs it most," she told ITV News.

Ben will remember his graduation for many reasons but he, and his classmates, will now turn their attention to the future and the fight against coronavirus.

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