Read on Twitter
I fundamentally disagree with Doctors and Med Students charging for UKCAT/ PS courses. In this thread I'm going to explain point by point why I think it's wrong based on this article in the spirit of healthy debate (and not cancel culture) https://twitter.com/FaisalJ95/status/1282764470587097092
The first point is that hard work should be compensated. I agree, but there are plenty of charitable organisations that are ACTUALLY widening participation to medicine who work on a not-for-profit basis and are very successful.
Nobody is suggesting that you need to do this work for free, in fact nobody is suggesting you should do it at all. The claim that free = poorer quality doesn't mean a thing when the entire industry is unregulated and held to no reputable standards.
Charities indeed charge for their services on some occasions, but most don't. The argument that they get money from elsewhere and therefore its not free is irrelevant because the cost isn't put onto the participant therefore it doesn't discriminate based on wealth.
Arguing that charities provide inconsistent results and products only highlights that individuals are also unregulated. Charities have strict government and organisational guidelines to follow, including safeguarding, which most individuals do not have.
To say that for profit courses aren't a requirement and are therefore moral and not perpetuating elitism in medicine is a weak point. Private school isn't a requirement for university, yet there is an unfair advantage to the rich students who attend
Correct, the UKCAT cannot be studied for, all resources needed to be very successful are available for free... thus implying that paid for course are exploitative and play on young people often desperate to get into medicine
A direct quote from the article "anyone can create a UCAT course, you simply repackage freely available information and sell it."
"Nobody is forcing students to buy the expensive ones, there are plenty of low-priced (and free) courses that provide just as good if not better information than their mainstream competitors."
This quote just proves the point that these people do not offer certifiably good quality products and are charging based on the fact that young people are desperate enough to buy it. Its unregulated and in my opinion exploitative.
The argument that because people will buy the product, means that you as a doctor/medic should provide it and make money from it is not really a good philosophy to have.
The free market argument is valid, but additionally as I keep saying, its completely unregulated and due to the fact that these courses are offered to young people, I think thats SHOCKING. Safeguarding needs to be put in place and the GMC needs to provide guidance.
Doctors & students offering paid for courses claiming to improve chances of getting into Med school ARE NOT widening access. They are perpetuating the elitism in medicine. Thats not a guilt trip, its your business model. Charging those who can afford it, excluding those who cant.
