Inside the MCCS Medical Cannabis Elective
December 1, 2025 | IN NEWS | BY Wish Digital
We are pleased to introduce Ariyan Makhecha, the Society’s most recent medical student to complete the MCCS Medical Cannabis Student Elective.
Ariyan joined us for week placement, taking part in clinical observation, industry visits, structured teaching, and international events, gaining a rare insight into one of the fastest-developing areas of medicine.
As part of the programme, Ariyan has written a reflective blog about his experience, which you can read below. Applications for 2026 are now open. If you’re a medical student interested in taking part in next year’s MCCS Medical Cannabis Elective, you can find full details and application information here. We welcome early enquiries and encourage students from all backgrounds to explore this unique learning opportunity.
Inside my elective with the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society
My elective placement with the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society provided me with an outstanding opportunity to study one of the most dynamic and evolving fields of medicine. At the very beginning, I received structured teaching on the endocannabinoid system and its clinical importance, as well as an overview of ethical and legal framework associated with the prescription of medical cannabis. This provided me with a good knowledge base to make the most of the rest of the placement.
I attended remote consultations where I had the opportunity to view various clinics, such as pain management consultations, psychiatric consultations, and follow-ups and new patient visits. Learning about the practical uses of medical cannabis in treating numerous diseases and the medical practitioners developing tailored treatment plans, demonstrated the potential of cannabis-based medicines as a treatment approach and the importance of safe and evidence-based prescribing.
I also had the chance to visit pharmaceutical facilities located all around the United Kingdom, and that is where I learnt a lot about how medical cannabis is grown, processed, and distributed. The importance of quality control, standardisation and regulatory compliance in ensuring that patients obtain safe and reliable therapies was emphasised throughout my time at these sites.
Networking was yet another invaluable part of this elective. I had the opportunity to meet with import and export companies specialists, pharmaceutical representatives, and medical specialists, who gave great information and individual perspectives on the interdisciplinary nature of the medical cannabis industry. The ability to network with such a diverse range of professionals helped me recognise how important it is foe industry leaders, research, politics, and medical experts to collaborate with each other to enhance patient care.
The most memorable experience of the elective experience was attending two international conferences, Mary Jane and the International Cannabis Business Conference (ICBC) in Berlin. ICBC gave me the chance to meet professionals, leaders in the sectors of agriculture, genetics, lighting, fertilizers, curing, drying, sterilisation and packaging from all over the world. I was able to gain a lot of through specialised seminars delivered by industry experts. One talk which stood out to me was one that discussed the impact of plant irradiation on terpene profiles.
I chose to explore further through wider academic reading which memebers of the MCCS supported me through and hence I was able to better understand the usefulness of terpenes in relation to cannabinoids, exploring potential combinations between them and the rationale behind different patient/professional attitudes toward the two. Along with broadening my clinical knowledge on cannabis, this elective allowed me to understand better the significance of ethical practice, and the global implications of medical cannabis.
I also learned its role in illnesses such as epilepsy and chronic pain and the risks, precautions and monitoring necessary to prescribe it safely. Taking the time to understand how perspectives and legislation are changing across nations in Europe, the Americas, and South East Asia, also provided me with further insight as to the history and the global policy landscape regarding medical cannabis and its future.
Why the MCCS Elective Stands Out
I would describe my experience with the MCCS as nothing short of incredible. It gave me the chance to learn through clinical observation, research, and exposure to the industry as well as international networking all in a single placement.
I would wholeheartedly recommend the MCCS elective to anyone who wants to learn more about medical cannabis as this placement provides a unique opportunity to gain exposure to an industry that is shaping the future of medical therapies whilst also being a priceless learning experience.
Ariyan Makhecha, MCCS Student elective 2024/25