Originally published on January 20th, 2009

The British Medical Association (BMA) has warned that increasing levels of student debt could scupper government attempts to make the medical profession accessible to people of different social backgrounds.

The BMA’s comments were in response to the government’s recently published ‘New Opportunities White Paper’, which outlines plans to boost career prospects and social mobility.

The paper suggests methods for supporting child development, schools, those year olds in the transition period between education and work, those who are economically active and families.

Commenting on the proposals, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said: “During this global economic downturn we must continue to invest in people so they have a fair chance to achieve their potential.”

The government will also create the Panel on Fair Access to Professions, whose aim is to make sure that social background does not impact on one’s chance of entering their chosen career.

However, medical student leaders have said that the government must aim to decrease rising levels of student debt in order to increase social mobility.

According to Louise McMenemy, who is on the BMA’s Medical Students’ Committee (MSC), “The spectre of debt hangs over the government’s entire social mobility agenda.

“At present medical graduates leave university with £21,000 worth of debt on average, a figure that could rise as high as £37,0001 in the next few years now that variable top up fees have been introduced.”
McMenemy added that, “in view of this worrying situation the BMA remains concerned that talented individuals from lower socio-economic backgrounds will either be discouraged or simply unable to pursue a career in medicine because of the spiralling debt burden.
A 2004 study by the Board of Medical Education, found that of those applying to dental and medical school in 2003, only 41% were not from professional or managerial backgrounds.