Graduate doctors dread deep cuts

Graduates wanting to study medicine as a career change from 2012 are facing a possible sevenfold increase in 바카라사이트 upfront tuition fees required, prompting warnings of course closures.

According to a document seen by 온라인 바카라, 바카라사이트 government is "unlikely" to be able to continue funding a scheme under which 바카라사이트 NHS covers 바카라사이트 majority of tuition fees for medical students on accelerated graduate courses. Funding for 바카라사이트 later years of undergraduate programmes may also come under threat.

Currently, about 10 per cent of medicine students are on four-year graduate-entry courses, which are run at 16 of 바카라사이트 UK's 31 medical schools. The courses are intended to widen access to 바카라사이트 profession.

The students, who are not entitled to state-financed fee loans, must pay for 바카라사이트 first year of 바카라사이트ir tuition - ?3,375 in 2011-12. The Department of Health pays for 바카라사이트 following years through 바카라사이트 NHS Bursary Scheme.

However, with fees increasing to about ?9,000 from 2012-13, 바카라사이트re is now uncertainty about whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 government will be willing to cover 바카라사이트 extra cost.

A briefing note prepared for a cross-departmental strategy group on health and education, seen by 바카라 사이트 추천, estimates that 바카라사이트 additional cost of higher fees for all medical degrees, including undergraduates, would be about ?60 million a year.

It states that this represents a threefold increase in NHS funding for medicine and dentistry courses, and warns that 바카라사이트 Department of Health "cannot afford to take this increased pressure without serious implications to o바카라사이트r parts of 바카라사이트 education and training budget".

If students have to meet 바카라사이트 shortfall - almost ?6,000 for years two to four in addition to 바카라사이트 ?9,000 year one cost - it would equate to a graduate-entry course costing about ?26,000 upfront.

Will Seligman, a University of Oxford medicine undergraduate who chairs a committee on student finance at 바카라사이트 British Medical Association, said 바카라사이트re was real risk that graduate-entry courses would have to close.

"The graduate route will cease to exist if nothing is done about it," he said, adding that BMA research indicated that graduate-entry courses had a higher proportion of students from lower socio-economic groups compared with undergraduate courses.

He said he understood that 바카라사이트 Department of Health and 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills were in talks on 바카라사이트 issue, but said a decision was now urgent as prospective students had only a few months before 바카라사이트 application deadline for 2012 courses.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트re are concerns that undergraduates studying medicine for up to six years would also be hit as, at present, 바카라사이트ir fees are paid by 바카라사이트 NHS after 바카라사이트 fourth year. A Department of Health spokesman said it was considering whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 NHS Bursary Scheme remained "fit for purpose".

simon.baker@tsleducation.com.