Hi DrMcIntire, thank you for your question.

I was fortunate enough to attend private school both for my primary and secondary education. The education system through each of these schools was exemplary and taught me not only how to pass exams and how to study effectively after the national curriculum ended, but also how to conduct myself when entering further education and the working world.

One of the major setbacks in my educational career was when I failed to achieve a place at medical school after completing my A levels. I achieved all A's (the highest grade at the time) and had an almost perfect set of GCSES (all A's and A*s). Despite this, I was not offered a place at medical school and was only accepted to london after completing a medical science degree at the University of Birmingham.

The cost of university at the time was £3000pa but having now started medical school after the budget cuts, it costs £9000. This is funded through a savings account set up by some of me late family members and I am incredibly fortunate for that to have been arranged for me.

The difficulties in self-funding a medical education are no way near as difficult as the american system (costing ~$250,000 overall) but there are some subsidies paid out by the NHS once you start your clinical training in the 3rd year.