UK medical students and doctors are increasingly vulnerable to financial difficulties

Medical students and doctors are at increasing risk of experiencing financial difficulty throughout their careers, with reasons ranging from illness and disability to high training costs and student debt, according to a new study led by researchers at UCL. Published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine , the study reviewed research and wider literature concerning financial need among medical students and doctors in the UK between 2011 and 2021, and conducted interviews with 25 experts who work with medical students and professionals in financial need. The authors identified five main pathways to financial difficulty: Dr Rowena Viney (UCL Medical School), joint first author of the study, said: "Our research really highlights that financial difficulty can happen for many reasons and at different points in a medical career. Some of these reasons are universal, but some are relatively unique to medicine, particularly the financial demands of studying and training for many years." The study, supported by the Royal Medical Benevolent Fund, also outlines particular scenarios where financial difficulty can occur, depending on social background and career-stage. Medical students can be affected by study expenses and high living costs - particularly if they are from widening participation backgrounds or from overseas where financial support from family may not be available. Medicine is a long course, with long term times and high workloads, meaning less time for additional paid work to help with living costs.