Struggling doctors trapped in a ‘cycle of debt’ are driving Ubers

Business & FinanceHealth & Fitness
9 Aug 2025 • 10:00 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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  • Newly qualified doctors and medical students are taking on part-time jobs, such as driving Ubers or working in bars, to cope with financial difficulties.
  • The British Medical Association (BMA) reports an average £3,674 drop in funding for final-year undergraduates and post-graduate medical students due to reduced student loans and NHS bursaries.
  • This funding gap is forcing students into a “recurring cycle of debt,” with many maxing out overdrafts and credit cards to complete their medical degrees.
  • Students from poorer backgrounds and those on longer, six-year programmes or post-graduate degrees are disproportionately affected, facing up to three years of reduced funding.
  • The BMA is calling on the government to provide full student finance maintenance for the entire duration of medical courses, estimating the cost at £24 million.

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