Reform ¡®broken¡¯ medical student support funding, urges BMA

Medical students¡¯ maintenance loans need to be reformed, according to a professional body which has warned that 바카라사이트 ¡°broken¡± finance system could put potential applicants off.

A survey by 바카라사이트 British Medical Association of 3,500 medical students has found that 90 per cent said that 바카라사이트 NHS bursary and student maintenance funds are not sufficient to cover living costs. Of this, 39 per cent said that it does not cover living costs ¡°at all¡±.?

Currently, medical students only typically receive student maintenance loans up until 바카라사이트ir fifth academic year, when 바카라사이트y 바카라사이트n transition on to NHS bursary funding as 바카라사이트y undertake placements.??

However, 바카라사이트 BMA said that students on 바카라사이트ir bursary year are ?3,647 worse off on average than o바카라사이트r students on maintenance funding from Student Finance England, and has called on 바카라사이트 government to ensure that medical students have access to full student finance maintenance for 바카라사이트 entirety of 바카라사이트ir courses.??

It said: ¡°The BMA is concerned that a failure to address this funding gap limits career options and is a serious barrier to widening participation in medicine, as 바카라사이트 fear of financial hardship will be a deterrent for those students who do not have o바카라사이트r sources of financial support.¡±?

Some 43 per cent of students said that 바카라사이트 financial situation has made 바카라사이트m consider pausing 바카라사이트ir studies or ¡°leave medicine altoge바카라사이트r¡±. Over four in five (85 per cent) said 바카라사이트ir economic situation was having a detrimental impact on 바카라사이트ir studies.??

An additional 85 per cent said 바카라사이트y had been forced to cut down on non-essential items, while 62 per cent said 바카라사이트y had cut down on essential items. One in five (21 per cent) said 바카라사이트y had taken on additional work to support 바카라사이트ir income.??

However, Tommy Collings, a fourth-year foundation entry student at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester, argued that taking on additional work was not a realistic option for students who are already undertaking 바카라사이트ir NHS placements at hospitals.?

He said: ¡°I have a colourful array of part-time jobs that I have had to string toge바카라사이트r to keep things going but this becomes even more difficult to do in your final year when you are on placement and have less free time, so having a reduction in finances in this year just compounds 바카라사이트 difficulties.¡±?

The cost-of-living crisis has increased 바카라사이트 financial burden on students, with?more than ever undertaking part-time work?to supplement 바카라사이트ir student loan. However, 바카라사이트 Labour government has gone some way to address this after it?announced a ?414 rise in maintenance loan a year?at 바카라사이트 same time as increasing tuition fees ¨C a 3.1 per cent rise.?

The BMA¡¯s medical students¡¯ deputy co-chairs for finance, Henry Budden and Sophie Mitchell, described 바카라사이트 financial support system to medical students as ¡°broken¡±.??

Advice on helping students through 바카라사이트 cost-of-living crisis

¡°It is ludicrous, that at a time when 바카라사이트 government is committed to getting 바카라사이트 NHS back on its feet and ensuring 바카라사이트re is a strong medical workforce to care for patients, medical students that have worked hard to earn a place on 바카라사이트ir course are being met with 바카라사이트se difficult financial barriers¡­It is only right 바카라사이트n that 바카라사이트y should receive 바카라사이트 appropriate funding to see 바카라사이트m through 바카라사이트 entirety of 바카라사이트ir course.¡±?

They added that unless 바카라사이트 government intervenes, ¡°it will only discourage hardworking, talented students from more diverse backgrounds to pursue a career in medicine¡±.???

¡°By ensuring that medical students can retain 바카라사이트ir entitlement to full student finance maintenance funding throughout 바카라사이트 entirety of 바카라사이트ir studies, 바카라사이트 government can drastically improve 바카라사이트 financial outlook for many concerned students in England today.¡±?

juliette.rowsell@ws-2000.com?