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LETTERS: Mohammad Farhad Peerally The real elephant in the room BMJ 2007; 335: 684-a [Full text]

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Economics of foreign medical students

Edward G Tuddenham   (20 November 2007)

Economics of foreign medical students 20 November 2007
Edward G Tuddenham, Professor of Haemophilia Royal Free Hospital, NW3 2QG Send response to journal: Re: Economics of foreign medical students	Peerally makes a fair point but his comments expose a fallacy in the economics of encouraging medical schools to admit fee paying students "What people should also know is that despite international students paying at least £80 000 for their training, it costs the taxpayer about £250 000 to train each of them." So although it helps medical school deans to balance their budgets, the tax payer is out of pocket to the tune of £170,000 per foreign medical student. As a tax payer it does not seem good value for money. The conclusion is obvious, pay medical schools not to admit foreign students the amount they would loose by not doing so, thus enabling them to balance their budgets and at the same tume reduce the number of disappointed graduates who are not eligible for further training. Alternatively charge the full amount for medical school training. Competing interests: UK tax payer