Sixth-formers performed life-saving operations, delivered babies, and inserted cannulas at the Cumberland Infirmary.

The aim of these operations, which were performed on mannequins, were to give the young people an up-close look at the work being done by doctors.

The Careers in Medicine event has been running for the past six years and it is an opportunity for young people to get a better understanding of the routes into medicine.

It was open to students from all ends of the county - from Carlisle to Whitehaven to Kendal.

Across the two-day event, 50 young people got stuck into the intensive workshops and debates about all aspects of the industry, such as ethics and what the career actually entails.

But, it was the workshops that grabbed most people’s attention.

The pupils particularly enjoyed the trauma workshop and the bone-saw workshop.

Oliver Brooks, 17 from Carlisle, and a pupil at Austin Friars school, said: “The trauma workshop was a lot more exciting, we learned how to deal with road traffic accidents.”

A common thread among the students was the root of their desire to pursue this career. They either had relatives who work in the industry or they are drawn to it as it is a rewarding career.

Ellis Ewin, 17, a student at Kirkbie Kendal School, in Kendal, said: “I’ve always had that caring nature and I was brought up caring for animals so I think that has motivated me to go into the health-care environment.

“I like the idea of working in A&E - I like that fast paced environment and fast paced decision making.”

Aside from the excitement of practicing resuscitation and delivering a baby, the Careers in Medicine event was a way for the young people to get tips on applying for one of the most competitive degrees available.

Dr Louise Buchanan, consultant cardiologist and course director, said: “I grew up in west Cumbria and want to encourage as many people as possible from the area to pursue a career in medicine.”

Many of the pupils, who will soon begin the process of applying to university, commented on how helpful it had been for them.

“It’s good to be given a variety rather than sticking to the stereotypical routes into medicine,” said Caroline Wiles, a 17 year-old student at Trinity School, in Carlisle.

“It has helped me with my application.”

Lyn Coulthard, medical education facilitator, said: “When we hear that students have attended this event and gone onto study medicine at university, it’s great to know that they’ve got something out of it.”