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Medical Graduates Per 100,000 Population (2017): 12.9
Nursing Graduates Per 100,000 Population (2017): 29.4
Percent Share of Foreign-Trained Doctors (2017): 28.7%
Percent Share of Foreign-Trained Nurses (2017): 15.0%

Source: OECD (2019), Health at a Glance 2019: OECD Indicators, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/4dd50c09-en.

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“To train in medicine, students spend 4–6 years, dependent upon whether they have already completed an undergraduate degree or choose to do an optional intercalated degree (a further undergraduate degree undertaken in 1 year instead of 3 years), on an undergraduate degree course, which takes place under the supervision of the United Kingdom GMC. Continuing professional development is required of all doctors. Doctors show their proficiency in continuing professional development by two methods: the annual appraisal process (one for GPs and one for hospital consultants), and the 5-yearly revalidation process, which is more detailed than the annual appraisal, requiring more in-depth evidence, introduced in 2012.”

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“To train as dentists, students attend 5 years of undergraduate dental school. After undergraduate school, they register with the United Kingdom GDC to practise as a dentist. More training is required for dental specialists, such as orthodontists. Specialists usually work in hospitals. Dentists are revalidated through the GDC, a process that began in 2011.”

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“To train as nurses or midwives, students attend a 3- or 4-year pre-registration degree course. Midwives must have a midwifery degree, or, if they are already a nurse, they can do a short additional training programme. After training, nurses and midwives register with the United Kingdom NMC to practise. Nurses and midwives have to re-register annually, and every 3 years revalidate with the NMC to illustrate that they have met the standards required for safe practice in their chosen area of work. In 2018, a new nursing associate role has been introduced with the intention to support registered nurses and free them up to focus on more complex care. A nursing associate completes a 2-year training programme and, although not implemented yet, there is an expectation that nursing associates will at some point be allowed to progress to graduate level nursing.”

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“To train as pharmacists, students must obtain a 4-year Master of Pharmacy postgraduate degree. After that, they spend a year training in a community or hospital pharmacy, and then register with the Great Britain General Pharmaceutical Council in order to practise.”

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“The student loan for tuition fees is provided by the SLC [Student Loans Company] and covers the cost of tuition fees for your course. This loan is not dependent on your household income. The loan will cover the full amount you are charged for tuition fees (£9,250 per year for all medical schools in England as of 2018/19).

“The BMA has consistently passed policy in support of free education and the abolition of tuition fees. We believe entrance to medical school should be based on ability, not ability to pay. Examples of incidence when we have proactively organised in support of this objective include when, in 2017, we voted to support the boycott of the National Student Survey due to, amongst many things, its links to a punitive system of ever-increasing tuition fees.

“Student loan for maintenance
“The student loan for maintenance is provided by the SLC and is intended to help with accommodation and other living costs. The amount you can borrow depends upon
– Whether you are living with your parents or not
– Whether you are studying London or not
– Your household income and whether you have any siblings also receiving SFE support.”

Source: Medical student finance guide 2018 – English domicile students. British Medical Association.

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“There are three key organisations that provide funding for medical students from England:

“1. The Student Loans Company (SLC), which administers Student Finance England financial support in the form of:
“– Variable tuition fee loan
“– Means-tested student loan for maintenance
“– Other forms of financial support including the disabled students’ allowance and travel grants.

“2. The University where you study, which administers:
“– Access to learning funds and hardship funding
“– Scholarships, grants and bursaries
“– Academic prizes

“3. NHS Student Bursaries which administers:
“– Tuition fee bursary
“– Universal, non-means tested grant for maintenance
“– Means tested grant for maintenance
“– NHS Hardship Grant
“– Other forms of financial support including childcare allowance and practice placement expenses.”

Source: Medical student finance guide 2018 – English domicile students. British Medical Association.

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Student Loans

How much you repay

“How much you repay depends on which plan you’re on.

“Each plan has a threshold for your weekly or monthly income. You repay:

• 9% of the amount you earn over the threshold for Plan 1 and 2
• 6% of the amount you earn over the threshold for the Postgraduate Loan

“You do not pay anything back if your income is under the threshold.

Interest starts being added to your loan from when you get your first payment.”

Source: “Repaying your student loan: How much you repay,” UK Government, last accessed July 26, 2020.

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Postgraduate Loan

“The thresholds are £404 a week or £1,750 a month (before tax and other deductions).”

Source: “Repaying your student loan: How much you repay,” UK Government, last accessed July 26, 2020.

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World Health Systems Facts is a project of the Real Reporting Foundation. We provide reliable statistics and other data from authoritative sources regarding health systems in the US and sixteen other nations.

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Page last updated July 16, 2023 by Doug McVay, Editor.