Ending Bank of Ireland student doctor loan will 'remove access' to medical courses for many

The discontinuation of the Bank Of Ireland medical loan will remove “access for anyone who doesn’t have the financial means" to cover fees up front.

Future doctors say the ending of a popular loan used by many to finance their studies highlights the “glaring gap” in financial support for medicine students.

From July, Bank Of Ireland is to phase out a loan to new applicants it offers specifically to General Entry Medical (GEM) students, which many students use to fund the fees for the four-year accelerated course. As the programme is considered a "second-degree" course, students are not currently eligible for free fees or student grants.