Britain desperately seeking....Doctors, teachers what exactly?

[nellypope]

I know that there is a shortage of teachers, but I also heard that there is a shortage of Doctors too, and that in light of this there are government schemes available to train and support people wanting to re-train in this area. Does anyone know if this is definately the case, and if so, where I can find info on this?

[Androcles]

Nelly,

If you type in retrain as a teacher into Google, there is plenty of data - as a cautionary tale look at http://education.guardian.co.uk/teachershortag e/story/0,,727038,00.html

As far as Medicine is concerned, there is almost nothing. It costs arouns �200,000 to �250,000 to train a Doctor and the competition to get into medical college is fierce, so if you want to go in for this, you will really be on your own. I was talking last weekend to a lady who did a degree in History at Oxford before deciding she wanted to do medicine. She had to fund herself through college to get the necessary "A" levels at the right grades to get into medical school. She is having largely to fund herself via student loans and family help to complete the 5 year course. My nephew who graduated this year in Medicine at teh same university, worked before he went back, and has a degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry so would appear an ideal candidate - but without financial help from his parents and all his savings would not have made it.

If there is help there it is pretty well hidden!!

[MrXLA]

Wow hang on a second, from your question it seems to suggest that you are considering studying medicine OR becoming a teacher on the basis of the government funding or not!!!
despite the fact that the government has no need to fund students to study medicine.
Ask yourself this:
If I want to be a doctor why would I even consider being a teacher or vice versa the two careers are vastly different!!!

Oh and in case your thinking: 'keep options open etc..." no absolutely not, you either want to study medicine for 5 years (which is just the beginning of your learning and your career) or you don't.