STUDENTS on medical courses are facing crippling debts, according to a new British Medical Association survey.
The BMA has found that final-year medical students have an average total debt of almost £13,000.
The highest figure recorded was £42,500, and many students had debts of more than £20,000.
The survey, based on replies from 1,100 medical students across the United Kingdom, revealed that 70 per cent came from professional or managerial backgrounds.
Debts were much higher among those from lower-income families.
Liz Kingston, a medical student and deputy chairman of the BMA's medical students committee, said they had more expensive courses than most other students and little chance to earn extra money while studying.
"If medicine is to truly represent the people that it serves, there must be incentives to attract students from all walks of life, otherwise medicine will remain the domain of the privileged," she said.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article