The idea that this financial burden could stop me from becoming a doctor – something that wasn’t my fault, that I didn’t ask for – it felt very unfair.Ivy, a medical student supported by the RMBF
When I was at medical school, things were different. Our tuition fees were covered, and we had means-tested grants, plus subsidised accommodation and food. With all this institutional financial support, we just didn’t get into debt in the same way. We didn’t have to take on part-time jobs alongside our studies – and after qualifying, we could get free accommodation for doing clinical work.
It’s so much harder, financially, for today’s medical students. It’s common for a young trainee to have amassed over £50k in debts by the time they graduate from medical school.
And when a student is hit by unexpected misfortune, it can create an extra financial burden, putting them at risk of dropping out – through no fault of their own. But the RMBF can help. That’s why I’m launching the Medical Students at Risk campaign, and asking you to make a donation today. We don’t want to lose promising young doctors from the profession because of financial hardship.
Josh was a final year medical student when he noticed a lump on his neck. It was cancer. It derailed his studies and caused untold financial distress.
“I just thought it wa
s a swollen gland, nothing serious. Then to be told I had cancer, it had spread to all the lymph nodes, and I needed surgery the next week – I was in shock.
“I remember thinking: I can’t have cancer, I have my finals coming up and I need to complete this rotation. I asked for the surgery to be delayed, but of course they had to operate. I was forced to leave my medical course for the surgery and follow-up treatment.
“I was already struggling to put myself through medical school anyway, and now I’d have to fund an additional year. I had to somehow support myself whilst I was off ill too.”
Thanks to donations from supporters like you, we were able to help Josh with the financial burden of his additional, unexpected year of study. Josh returned to his course the next year and went on to qualify as a doctor.
“I’m now working in the same hospital where I had my treatment,” says Josh. “I feel like I’ve come full circle. I’ll be working alongside the consultant who operated on me!”
Yes, I’ll donate to support medical students at risk
Everyone knows the NHS is under severe pressure. The last thing that patients need is for talented, hard-working medical students to be lost to the profession – through no fault of their own. Please donate today, and help us ensure we can be there for medical students like Josh and Ivy.
During her third year of medical school, Ivy was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. It hit her hard, emotionally and physically, forcing her to pause her studies and having a severe financial impact.
“As a medical student, I already knew a lot about diabetes. I remember thinking: Am I going to lose a foot? Am I going to go blind, are my kidneys going to stop working? The diagnosis, the sudden changes, hit me hard. It really affected both my mental and physical health.”
Ivy’s university advised a leave of absence whilst she adjusted. “At first, I was reluctant to take time out, because of the financial implications.
“Before I started studying, I’d worked out with my parents that we could afford the whole course, but only just. Having to re-sit a year would really throw things off track.
“I actually tried to return in April, hoping to catch up, and I gave it a good go! But it was impossible – there’s just too much to cover. Soon it became clear I would have to re-sit.”
She also had to give up her part-time work in a pub. “A job where you’re doing 20 thousand steps a day, with no set breaks for meals, is not diabetes-friendly.” It was a further financial blow.
“By the start of my fourth year, I knew I needed to contact someone, because finishing the course wasn’t feasible without help. On top of tuition fees, I hadn’t budgeted at all for an extra year of rent.
“When an email came back from the RMBF, telling me that they were going to support me with a grant – I honestly cannot describe how it felt, knowing that this huge hole in my finances was sorted out, just like that. It was the best thing that could have happened.
“I’m really excited to finish the course and qualify as a doctor – I’ll be the first one in my family. I’ve wanted to be a doctor since I was about six years old. I broke my arm, and from that point onwards, I was fascinated by hospitals, and the doctors that took care of me.”
Your donation could provide crucial support to students like Ivy and Josh who have to repeat a year due to illness. It could help to cover their housing costs and essential living expenses, allowing them to focus on their medical training without the added worry of trying to make ends meet.
The students we want to help show remarkable perseverance in the face of adversity. They urgently need help to continue their studies and join the profession they aspire to. Your donation could help ensure that their ambitions aren’t derailed by simple misfortune.
As a group of professionals, we look out for each other and look after each other. I know that’s why so many of our supporters donate. What I find so hopeful is that because of the kind of people we are as doctors, when we do get back on our feet – we thrive. Which means a helping hand at a crucial time can really have a huge impact on someone’s life. Please, donate today.
Yours sincerely,
Professor Dame Jane Dacre
RMBF President
PS – I will leave you with some words from another medical student beneficiary:
This award will help me so much – I can fully focus on my studies now. My financial situation has caused me a lot of stress and anxiety, and I am honestly so grateful. I hope in the future I will be able to give back to the fund.
