Student Doctors Face £70k Tuition Fees

Medical students will be left in almost £70,000 worth of debt under Government plans to allow universities to charge up to £9,000 in tuition fees, the British Medical Association (BMA) warned today.



Proposals to reform higher education funding were announced by the Universities and Science Minister, David Willetts MP, in response to the recent review by Lord Browne. 



Karin Purshouse, Chair of the BMA's Medical Students Committee said: 

"The government’s proposal to potentially treble tuition fees will have a devastating financial impact on thousands of talented young people from low and middle income backgrounds who want to become the doctors of tomorrow.



"Medical students are already leaving university with high debt levels that leaves many dependent on an estimated £16,000 in support from their families over the course of their expensive five year degree.

"The BMA estimates that if universities charge the £9,000 rate allowed under these plans, students will see their debts increase to around £70,000. This figure only includes debts incurred from student loans and does not take into account overdrafts, credit cards and professional loans which many students depend on for additional support. 



"This will be an enormous financial burden for hard-working families.

"The Government is right to recognise the importance of widening access to medicine in its announcement, but its plans will be crippled if it does not address the debt implications of studying degrees like medicine. 



"The BMA will be fighting these fee proposals vigorously in the coming months. We will also ask that politicians examine Lord Browne’s suggestion that expensive courses such as medicine be given special consideration, including exploration of forgivable loans and other measures."



The BMA will be supporting the National Union of Students rally on Wednesday 10th November, and encouraging its members to attend. 



Professor Michael Rees, Co-Chair of the BMA's Medical Academic and Staff Committee said: 

"It is important that the higher education system is given a stable platform so that it can continue to be at the forefront of international research and, in the case of medicine, train the next generation of doctors. 



"The debt implications of today's announcement are alarming. It is especially worrying for students, primarily from low income families, who take a graduate entry course into medicine that involves them completing a foundation programme and then another degree before starting medicine.

"This can take up to eight years, but is a key access route for those from disadvantaged backgrounds into the profession.



"We also need to establish a system where there is a transparent relationship between the fees paid and the investment in medical education, so that students can clearly see the benefits from undertaking their degree.”
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(BMcN/GK)