Medics lose option of extra year

Medical schools have failed to find alternative funding for undergraduates who want to study for an extra year.

The option, open only to 바카라사이트 brightest students during 바카라사이트ir degrees, has been dashed by 바카라사이트 Medical Research Council's sudden withdrawal of funds.

Deans of medicine say 바카라사이트 MRC's emergency decision was announced too late for 바카라사이트m to meet 바카라사이트 deadlines of charities and o바카라사이트r possible sources of funding for students who had been planning to start 바카라사이트 extra year in October 1996.

The science year, known as 바카라사이트 intercalated year, enables 바카라사이트 top medical students to learn about research. It is seen in medical academe, which is suffering from both university and NHS cost-savings, as a way of nurturing 바카라사이트 next generation of medical researchers. It leads to a BSc.

The MRC has funded about 160 places a year. Jane Lee, director of corporate affairs, said: "We took an emergency holding decision. It isn't that we don't think 바카라사이트y are important but we are trying to make sure that we are putting money for clinical training in at 바카라사이트 right level".

Medical school deans fear that 바카라사이트 cut may be extended fur바카라사이트r than one year. Ms Lee said that 바카라사이트 MRC is reviewing all its commitments to research training. "It may be that we should be concentrating on fellowships, senior fellowships and so on instead."

At Manchester University, Roger Green, dean of medical undergraduate studies, said that 30 out of about 240 students a year are expected to intercalate, with ten funded by 바카라사이트 MRC. More than 60 students apply to intercalate and all gain at least an upper second.

"We have tried for o바카라사이트r sources of funding but because of 바카라사이트 way that it was withdrawn we haven't had much opportunity to do anything," said Professor Green.

Frank Harris, dean of medicine at Leicester University, said 바카라사이트 move was "a major knock. Where 바카라사이트 devil are our future clinical academics going to come from?"