Medical Students in Northern Ireland Consider Leaving Due to Poor Pay and Conditions

Strategic Insights -

Medical students in Northern Ireland are being forced to consider careers in health systems outside the region due to poor pay and working conditions, a recent survey from the British Medical Association (BMA) has found. The survey, completed by 191 final and penultimate year medical students at Ulster University and Queen's University Belfast, revealed that over half of the respondents (54%) are either planning to leave Northern Ireland or are undecided about where they will work after graduation. The reasons cited for leaving include poor pay and conditions, the state of the health service, and poor experiences of training or medical education.

Key Takeaways:

  • 54% of medical students surveyed are either planning to leave Northern Ireland or are undecided about where they will work after graduation.
  • 66% of those who plan to leave Northern Ireland are heading to Australia to work.
  • 81% of those who plan to leave stated that their decision was due to pay and conditions, followed by the poor state of the health service, and 51% cited poor experiences of training or medical education.
  • Only 3.92% of respondents considered doctors' pay and reward as fair in Northern Ireland.
  • 83% of respondents said that improved pay would encourage them to remain in Northern Ireland to continue training, with almost 77% citing improved working conditions.
  • Those choosing to stay in Northern Ireland cite family and support networks as the primary reason.
  • 90% of surveyed students still want to pursue a career in medicine, but are being discouraged by current pay and conditions.
  • The complex student finance system is also a factor in doctors seeking work in better paid health systems.

Statistics:

  • 54% of medical students surveyed are either planning to leave Northern Ireland or are undecided about where they will work after graduation.
  • 66% of those who plan to leave Northern Ireland are heading to Australia to work.
  • 81% of those who plan to leave stated that their decision was due to pay and conditions.
  • 51% of respondents cited poor experiences of training or medical education as a reason for leaving.
  • 3.92% of respondents consider doctors' pay and reward as fair in Northern Ireland.
  • 83% of respondents said that improved pay would encourage them to remain in Northern Ireland to continue training.
  • 77% of respondents said that improved working conditions would encourage them to stay.

Sources:

  • British Medical Association (BMA) survey of final and penultimate year medical students at Ulster University and Queen's University Belfast.
  • PA news article by Jonathan McCambridge.
  • Jonathan McCambridge, PA (no date). "Northern Ireland doctors 'feeling burnt out' due to staffing and workload pressures".