DZ went to medical school in the 1970s,
having been born in the 1950s. Had he been born twenty or more years earlier it
is unlikely that he would have even contemplated applying to study medicine.
Being the son of immigrants, and from a working class background the cost would
have been prohibitive.
But the Education Act 1962 made it a
legal requirement for local education authorities to provide funding for
university tuition, and a maintenance grant, for any young person in their area
who obtained a place at a British university.
This meant that anyone, regardless of
gender, social class, parental income or ethnic background could aspire to a
university education. DZ remembers well that his peers at medical school were
indeed a very diverse bunch, from a wide range of backgrounds. For 36 years
British youngsters lived in a window of opportunity where anyone could afford a
university education. This situation
continued until 1998 when Tony Blair brought in student tuition fees, and
loans. And all that ended. We now live in a time when higher education is
considered a commodity. Students graduate with such huge loans that many can
never hope to pay off, and many youngsters are put off going to university by
the costs. The clock has been turned back, and again only the sons of the
wealthy can aspire to a career in medicine. This at a time when we are
thousands of doctors short, and there are plans to massively increase training
places for doctors.
This has been noticed and the view has
been expressed that it would be desirable to “widen access and participation in undergraduate medical
education and attract students from varying backgrounds that
better mirror communities, or may have struggled to pursue a traditional
medical degree education”
So they have thought of a new route to a medical
degree, as described here. It is assured that this will not be a second class
version of an ordinary medical degree, and that those enrolled will earn a
wage! It sounds a lot like a back door way of admitting the old grant system was
better, and bringing it back, (but only for medicine) whilst calling it
something new and avoiding all the embarrassment of admitting that you fucked
it up in the first place.
It's due to start as early as next year.
Like you I was born in the 1950's and university was always an option. Unfortunately I didn't take it and did an apprenticeship in the building trade instead - my sister went to college.
ReplyDeleteWhen I started nursing I was paid a wage to train - I could not have afforded it otherwise at that time.
But the joys of being Scottish at the present mean university tuition is paid for so it is affordable for us (yes I know there are caveats).
Howver having used the apprenticeship system both in my trade and as a trainee nurse I wonder if the system you describe is done correctly whether it may mean more people coming through?
As a PS to my comment,
ReplyDeleteYes, they fucked up in the first place by introducing charges and what is worse it was done by people who benefited from that very same free education.
Listen, even if you train at a street food van, you can still be a Michelin Chef!
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't my intention to express that I disapprove of the idea. I think it could work very well if properly managed. I'm just a little suspicious that;
ReplyDelete1) The government may try to use this as a means of getting doctors trained on the cheap.
2) The medical profession, not known for their enthusiasm for new ideas (remember BMA opposition toward the NHS 1n 1948) may well be prejudiced against doctors who come through the new system, regarding them as somehow second class.