School leavers would be able to enrol to become doctors without having to pay to go to university.
Apprentice-doctor roles may be rolled out as part of the government's plan to fill NHS staffing gaps in England.At the end of the programme, the apprentices will become junior doctors, providing an alternative to the traditional medical-degree route.The plan is expected to be published in the coming weeks - and if the apprenticeship proposal gets the green light, they could be launched as early as September.
Sources said it was among the options being considered to help tackle staff shortages and broaden access to NHS jobs.Dr Latifa Patel, workforce lead for the British Medical Association, said: "Innovative approaches to education and training are welcome - but there are huge question marks over how far medical apprenticeships can solve this crisis."
Dr Patel said: "The medical-training pipeline is already stretched to its limits, with lecture halls at capacity, limited numbers of clinical placements and falling numbers of medical academic staff. Where are the extra resources going to come from? Meanwhile, Vanessa Wilson, of the University Alliance, said while apprenticeships offered a "high-quality training option", there were challenges expanding them in the NHS.
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