I’ve just had a look into the financial arrangements for the final year of medical school and I was pleased to read the word bursary in a non income assessed context. I get my fees paid for the last year of the 5 year degree. Not quite sure what the point is mind, it’s not as if you are going to rush to medical school for that incentive, but I’m not complaining.

But there’s a big catch attached. Because you qualify for a bursary of any level, your student loan gets cut by £1205. Fees are £1255 for the year. So basically this “bursary” just means that I have a grand less debt but no extra money to live on during the 45 week course.

All in all, this seems like a waste of NHS money.  What makes matters worse is the students with parents from a very poor background are given an extra £3000 bursary for that year. How is that fair? In a years time they will be earning the same as everyone else, why should they not have to pay back the money like their marginally richer counterparts?