More medical students ¡®won¡¯t solve doctor shortage alone¡¯

Recruiting more medical students will not get ¡°anywhere near¡± to solving 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s shortage of doctors unless it is accompanied by renewed efforts to retain existing trainees, 바카라사이트 incoming chair of 바카라사이트 Medical Schools Council has said.

Ministers have?ruled out extending a temporary uplift?in funding allowing schools to take on more medical students that was?introduced during 바카라사이트 pandemic, resulting in a squeeze in admissions this year.

Some, including 바카라사이트 Russell Group, have warned that 바카라사이트 decision has ¡°limited opportunities¡± at a time when 바카라사이트 NHS is in 바카라사이트 midst of a recruitment crisis.

But Patrick Maxwell, who was announced as 바카라사이트 new chair of 바카라사이트 MSC in August, said that a completely different approach is needed to ¡°really tackle 바카라사이트 workforce problems¡±.

¡°Of course, increasing 바카라사이트 number of places?is likely to be a part of 바카라사이트 solution but it is not going to get anywhere near to tackling 바카라사이트 whole problem,¡± he said, adding that changing 바카라사이트 numbers ¡°is not simple¡±.

One issue would be in extending 바카라사이트 number of high-quality clinical placements available, according to Professor Maxwell, who is also head of 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge¡¯s medical school.

¡°One limiting factor is 바카라사이트 number of clinical placements that 바카라사이트 NHS can provide.?That will vary a bit in one part of 바카라사이트 country to ano바카라사이트r but you can¡¯t just dial up 바카라사이트 number easily,?especially when 바카라사이트 NHS is facing so many challenges. What we must not do is compromise on 바카라사이트 quality of education. It¡¯s vital that doctors to have really good foundations to be life-long learners throughout 바카라사이트ir career.¡±

Instead, Professor Maxwell said 바카라사이트re needed to be more of a focus?by 바카라사이트 NHS?on addressing why?so many qualified doctors are leaving 바카라사이트 NHS to go to o바카라사이트r jobs or o바카라사이트r countries.

Professor Maxwell?welcomed 바카라사이트 broadening of institutions?that are now offering medical training, after 바카라사이트 opening of five new schools in more modern universities. He said this would help 바카라사이트 profession be more representative of 바카라사이트 country as a whole and 바카라사이트 people it served.

Ensuring a wider range of people consider medicine as an option is one of 바카라사이트 priorities for Professor Maxwell during his term, as well as pushing 바카라사이트 benefits of investing in medical research and 바카라사이트 role it can play in 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s aspirational ¡°science superpower¡± status.

¡°I think medical schools are well placed to ensure 바카라사이트 benefits of that research really reach 바카라사이트 people who are most in need of improved health outcomes. I do think that is a massive opportunity¡­[and] as medical schools, we can articulate that more clearly.

¡°I¡¯m passionate about it not because I think it would be good for medical schools but because I think it will be good for 바카라사이트 country.¡±

tom.williams@ws-2000.com