One in three medical students plan to quit the NHS within two years of graduating, either to practise abroad or abandon medicine altogether, according to the largest survey of its kind.
Poor pay, work-life balance and working conditions of doctors in the UK were the main factors cited by those intending to emigrate to continue their medical career.
The same reasons were also given by those planning to quit medicine altogether, with nearly 82% of them also listing burnout as an important or very important reason.
The findings from the study of 10,486 students at the UK’s 44 medical schools, published in the journal BMJ Open, triggered calls for action to prevent an exodus of medical students from the NHS.
They come weeks after junior and senior doctors announced the first joint strike in the history of the health service, which is expected to bring widespread disruption in September and October.
The Guardian revealed in July that the NHS was losing senior doctors to countries including Ireland, Australia and the United Arab Emirates because they could double their salary and enjoy better working conditions.
