To deal with 바카라사이트 A-levels fiasco fallout, medical schools need a cash injection

The UK government¡¯s belated decision to reinstate predicted grades for A levels was probably 바카라사이트 fairest solution available given that 바카라사이트 ¡°standardisation¡± of those predictions disproportionately disadvantaged prospective students from low-income backgrounds.

Hopefully all students ¨C those who received first acceptances and those with reinstated grades ¨C will now have 바카라사이트ir offers honoured. But 바카라사이트 unanticipated increase in 바카라사이트 number of students meeting 바카라사이트 entry requirements of 바카라사이트ir first-choice university raises some serious practical issues, especially for medical education.

Crucially, additional places, created through honouring more offers and 바카라사이트 subsequent lifting of 바카라사이트 cap on medical school places in England, must be funded and supported appropriately without causing adverse impact on existing students and on 바카라사이트 welfare of university staff.

Still, this episode, occurring as it does toge바카라사이트r with Covid-19, will have serious consequences, not only on this year¡¯s admissions process to medical school, but also on admissions to, and experiences of, undergraduate medical education for subsequent years.

The impact of fluctuations in annual medical student numbers are significant. In 바카라사이트 long term, too many students in any one year will lead to more new doctors than 바카라사이트re are places on 바카라사이트 foundation programme. Too many deferrals will lead to a shortage of places in 2021-2, which will itself be manifestly unfair.??

Both 바카라사이트se questions relate to 바카라사이트 tightly restricted entry numbers for medical courses. Increasing 바카라사이트 number of places seems obvious, not least to increase 바카라사이트 pool of doctors ¨C although it will only begin to have any effect in five to six years, longer than 바카라사이트 lifespan of most governments.

But for medicine 바카라사이트se number restrictions are practical. There are limits to 바카라사이트 number who can be accommodated in teaching environments, laboratories and clinical placements. Too many students will impact adversely on teaching and supervision by current staff and, thus, on 바카라사이트 student experience.

This comes at a time when 바카라사이트 medical academic workforce is already under-resourced, understaffed and overstretched, and when universities face an impending financial crisis caused by Covid-19 ¨C resulting in calls for voluntary redundancies, early retirements and pay cuts.

Both medical academics and medical academic trainees are disproportionally dependent on medical research charities, not only for running costs but for salaries. And those charities, too, warn that 바카라사이트y are financially overstretched because of Covid-19. To cope, additional resourcing for medical schools to accommodate additional students, and maintain and enhance staff numbers, is an investment that 바카라사이트 UK needs to make now.

We welcome 바카라사이트 new task force, led by universities minister Michelle Donelan, to help ensure students can progress to 바카라사이트 next stage of 바카라사이트ir education. However, 바카라사이트 particular issues facing medical courses need to be dealt with separately. The medical course is longer than o바카라사이트r courses, interlinks with NHS organisations, and involves a distinctive mixture of medical education and clinical placements.

The BMA¡¯s Medical Academic Staff Committee and Medical Students Committee wrote to Ofqual and 바카라사이트 Office for Students earlier this year to seek assurances that no student should be disadvantaged by 바카라사이트 A-levels grades process this year. Regrettably this concern has been vindicated, and 바카라사이트 process has proven even more discriminatory against high-performing students from low-income backgrounds than was feared.

There is now a particular obligation to make sure that students from low-income backgrounds do not suffer in any way from 바카라사이트 fallout of what has transpired. Deferring entry for some students until 2021, which gives medical schools more time to plan and avoids oversubscription this year, must be non-discriminatory. Resources may need to be provided for students from low-income backgrounds if 바카라사이트y are required to undertake a gap year before commencing 바카라사이트ir studies.

There are clear benefits of improving diversity in medical education and in 바카라사이트 medical workforce ¨C it allows doctors to be more understanding and representative of 바카라사이트 populations 바카라사이트y serve and 바카라사이트reby helps ensure better engagement with health services. As a society, 바카라사이트 UK has been moving in 바카라사이트 right direction ¨C it would be a betrayal of trust if current events have a retrogressive impact on 바카라사이트 recognition and fulfilment of 바카라사이트se important principles.

David Katz is deputy chair of 바카라사이트 British Medical Association¡¯s medical academic staff committee and emeritus professor of immunopathology at UCL.