Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Storm Newton

Struggling doctors trapped in a ‘cycle of debt’ are driving Ubers

  • Newly qualified doctors and medical students are taking on part-time jobs, such as driving Ubers or working in bars, to cope with financial difficulties.
  • The British Medical Association (BMA) reports an average £3,674 drop in funding for final-year undergraduates and post-graduate medical students due to reduced student loans and NHS bursaries.
  • This funding gap is forcing students into a “recurring cycle of debt,” with many maxing out overdrafts and credit cards to complete their medical degrees.
  • Students from poorer backgrounds and those on longer, six-year programmes or post-graduate degrees are disproportionately affected, facing up to three years of reduced funding.
  • The BMA is calling on the government to provide full student finance maintenance for the entire duration of medical courses, estimating the cost at £24 million.

IN FULL

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.