MEDICAL students’ leaders yesterday defended final year medical students against threats to their careers if they demonstrate against the government imposing a dangerous and wage-cutting contract onto junior doctors.
The medical students accused medical schools of attempting to silence protest over the new junior doctors contract, after receiving a letter advising them to be ‘professional’ on social media. On Thursday, the Medical Schools Council admitted it had sent out a letter to 34 schools, warning that final year students taking part in protests were putting their future careers at risk.
One email, sent out to final year students at St George’s, University of London warned: ‘The priority for medical students is to get on with your studies and pass the assessments. A medical degree carries with it many opportunities. It would be unwise to put this at risk.’ Another email in a similar vein, sent by a different school, includes the line: ‘In particular, at this time, we advise you to adopt a professional attitude in your engagement with social media.’
Harrison Carter, BMA Medical Student Committee co-chair, told News Line yesterday: ‘The BMA has raised serious concerns over the impact the new junior doctor’s contract will have on doctors’ well-being and the safety of patients, but rather than work with the BMA through proper negotiations, the government has chosen to ignore those concerns.
‘This decision will impact more than just today’s junior doctors. Increases in tuition fees have made medicine a much less attractive option for many students. This has been made worse by the government’s decision to scrap student maintenance grants, burdening those from low-income backgrounds with further debt.
‘Those studying for a career in medicine will look at what the government is proposing to do with growing concern, which they must feel able to express as junior doctors of the future. ‘If Ministers really are serious about getting more people to choose a career in medicine, it is vital that they rethink their strategy and work constructively with the BMA to put in place a contract that is safe for patients, fair to doctors and doesn’t undermine the future of the NHS.’
