A huge number of potential medical students would be absolutely petrified at the amount of debt that comes with a medical degree

After studying economics at Dundee University Peter went on to complete higher degrees in economics and began teaching at Edinburgh University. It was during his time as a lecturer he decided to pursue a career in medicine.

He said: "The idea of medicine had appealed to me from the beginning of my first degree, and throughout my degree and postgraduate study it kept coming up as something I really wanted to do, but I felt that it was too late to switch tracks.

"Whilst I was lecturing I decided it was what I really wanted to do, I applied to Newcastle and luckily I was accepted.

Peter Taysum is heavily in debt

"At this stage in my medical degree I have around �14-15,000 of student loan debts, and a �9,000 professional studies loan which I took out in order to cover costs like books, medical equipment, white coats etc.

"I also wanted to make sure that I had money aside so that I could afford to buy this kind of equipment as my degree went on.

"Due to the interest on the professional studies loan I now owe just under �30,000.

"This debt is largely unavoidable, it covers my cost of living and course essentials."

Compounding the problem

Peter has also found that being a medical student, faced with a large academic workload and little time for part-time work, compounds the problem.

The current situation could be deterring a large number of people from applying to medicine

He said: "Finding time to do part-time work to supplement my income is a problem.

"I am fortunate because I can take on some work, such as marking essay papers, which fits in around my medical student work.

"A lot of my friends work in bars or do night jobs to supplement their finances - and it exhausts them.

"There is also little chance to take on extra work during holidays. Medical student holidays tend to be shorter than the average student holiday and we often have work to do during the break.

"Last Christmas I had two weeks off, for one week I had to work full-time to help my finances, the following week I had to spend a couple of days doing work for my degree."

Negative impact

Peter also believes that the level of debt is having a negative effect on those who are considering medicine as a career.

At the moment 80% of medical school entrants are from middle-class backgrounds. I fail to see how this will change

"Having previously been in full-time employment, the amount of debt I'm in is a shock to the system.

"I think that a huge number of potential medical students, both graduate and non-graduate would be absolutely petrified at the amount of debt that comes with a medical degree.

"The current situation could be deterring a large number of people from applying to medicine and this is a massive problem.

"Graduates are being put off pursuing a career in medicine as are people from less affluent backgrounds.

"At the moment 80% of medical school entrants are from middle-class backgrounds, and with the situation as it is I fail to see how this will change.

"The sheer level of debt is killing off diversity in the medical student community - a sad loss for both patients and the profession."