The state of medical education and practice in the UK
Our second report on the state of medical education and practice in the UK uses our data from 2011, as well as data and insights from other organisations and reports, to look at what has changed in the medical profession since 2010.
Five key facts from the report
- The number of female doctors on the medical register has exceeded 100,000 for the first time, rising from 99,889 in 2010 to 104,534 in 2011.
- More than a third of all registered doctors qualified outside the UK.
- We received 23% more complaints about doctors in 2011 than in 2010, which led to us to investigate one in 64 doctors. Complaints about doctors’ communication skills increased by 69% between 2010 and 2011 and, in particular, complaints about rudeness to patients increased by 39%.
- In 2011, male medical students were more likely to face complaints about their conduct, and female medical students about their health.
- Medical students continue to come from higher socioeconomic backgrounds. In 2010–11, 57% of medical students came from the top three socioeconomic groups and 7% from the bottom three.*
Who are the UK’s doctors and where did they qualify?
We’ve developed an interactive data application so you can explore our data on registered doctors. Take a look at anything from how many female doctors are aged 55–64 years and qualified in the European Economic Area, to how many doctors joined the register from Afghanistan in 2011.
Male medical students are more likely to face complaints about their conduct
These conduct issues can range from low level concerns such as lateness for lecture or clinical placements, through to more serious cases such as being under the influence of alcohol at a lecture or clinical placement, verbal abuse of a fellow student, plagiarism or cheating in exams. While some of these issues may appear relatively minor, if they begin to form a pattern of behaviour, they may raise questions about the professionalism of the individual and whether they will be able to meet the standards required of them as they enter the profession.
Given the changing expectations of patients and the profession, there is a case for renewing the debate on what is expected of young doctors. We at the GMC believe that medical students should engage in this discussion early, due to the privileges and responsibilities that come with being a medical student.
Doctors, along with armed forces personnel, have the highest incidence of work-related mental health†
There is a lot of evidence to show that more medical students experience mental health issues than the general population and age-matched peers. Together with the Medical Schools Council, in June 2012, we commissioned research from Cardiff University to look at how medical schools support students with mental health concerns.
Find out more
To find out more and to read the context for our findings, you can:
The report will also identify examples of good practice that will be shared between medical schools including an update on our report on student mental health issues.
The January edition of GMC Student News will tell you more about work we have done to help support medical students with mental health issues.
*The Cabinet Office (2012) Fair Access to Professional Careers: A progress report London, The Cabinet Office, p4
†Department of Health (2008) Mental health and ill health in doctors London, DH, p2