The number of applicants for medical degrees has dropped significantly across the UK, but particularly in Wales, which saw a 13% decline in applications, UCAS statistics revealed.
Wales showed the largest drop in applicants, a 13% decline compared to 2012, whereas the number of applicants in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland all decreased by 2%. Overall there was a 3% decrease in UK applications for 2016.
In 2012 there were 670 applicants in Wales, and in 2016 there were just 570.
Whereas in England, there were 14,240 applicants for medical courses in 2012, dropping by 1,620 to 12,620 for 2016.
Speaking to our sister title, Pulsemagazine, Professor Azeem Majeed, professor of primary care at Imperial College London, said the decline in applications could be due to “negative publicity”.
He went on to explain that he meant “the negative publicity we have seen about the NHS in the last few years – problems with funding, workload, seven-day working, consultant and GP contracts, etc – has started to discourage some people from applying”.
In all four countries the majority of applicants were age 18, and applicants were those who applied to the UCAS system during the cycle reported (and included applications for deferred entry).
See the full information here.
