An aspiring Bradford doctor met Secretary of State for Health Alan Milburn yesterday, as he visited Shipley, to ask for help in completing his medical studies.

Mohammed Baig, 23, from Bradford told the Minister how his medicine course had been terminated just weeks before he was due to sit his final exams at Nottingham University.

Labour candidate Chris Leslie had invited Mr Milburn to visit state-of-the-art Windhill Green Medical Centre in Thackley Old Road, Shipley. Mr Baig was introduced to Mr Milburn and asked him for help. The Minister said he would look into the situation.

Mr Baig, a former Bradford Grammar School student who has 10 GCSEs and three A-levels, all at grade A, said: "I have been trying to finish my course for 15 months. I should have graduated last summer.

"I want to be a doctor, I always wanted to do medicine and feel I should be allowed to complete my studies. If more doctors are needed, as the Government says, then why are universities not giving people like me the chance to qualify?

"My mother was ill during my course in 1999 and I had to take a week off to look after her. My consultant, who was in charge of the course, was rarely available but I got permission from him to take the time off. But when I got back I was told I had effectively failed the six-month hospital attachment I was on."

Mr Leslie said: "We want to encourage as many medical students as possible to complete their studies. If there is a vacancy and a person wants to complete their studies they should be given every opportunity to do so."

As well as speaking with staff at the Medical Centre, which treats up to 20,000 people each year, Mr Milburn visited several treatment rooms.

He said: "I think this is a first rate centre. It is accessible for the whole community. What we need to do is increase investment in the National Health Service to ensure we have more doctors and more facilities like this."

Mr Leslie said: "It is a rare opportunity to have a Secretary of State for Health visiting the front line of patient-doctor care. Windhill Green Medical Centre is something I am very proud of. It covers a very diverse range of patients and is at the cutting edge of health care."