THE number of Scottish students enrolled in medical schools across Scotland is the lowest in 10 years, according to official figures.

The total number Scots studying to become doctors at the country's five medical schools in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, St Andrews and Aberdeen dipped to 2,160 in 2016/17.

The figure combines students across all five years of study.

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It compares to a peak of 2,350 in 2013/14 and is the lowest recorded since the SNP first came to power in 2007.

Concerns have previously been raised over the decline in the proportion of medical school places taken up by Scottish students compared to those from the rest of the UK and overseas, who are required to pay tuition fees.

Previous research has shown that Scottish students accounted for 63 per cent of the 1999/2000 intake for clinical medicine at Scotland's medical schools, but now make up around 50 per cent.

It has led to warnings that unless the share of medical school places allocated to Scots is increased, NHS Scotland will increasingly struggle to retain young doctors after their training is complete.

Evidence shows that Scottish-born doctors are statistically more likely to remain in Scotland after qualifying than those from the rest of the UK or abroad.

Scottish Conservative shadow health secretary Miles Briggs said: “If the SNP had maintained levels since coming to power, hundreds more young Scottish people would have had the opportunity to study medicine.

“This would have gone some way to solving the GP crisis we are currently facing across the country, not to mention some specific shortages in other areas.”

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The Scottish Government cut medical school places after coming under pressure from the BMA that too many graduates were failing to secure training posts after university.

However, it has since reversed its policy and by 2020/21 there will be a record 1038 intake for the first-year of medicine - up from 848 in 2015/16.

A spokesman for the Scottish Government said that while the total number of Scots in medical schools is lower than previous years, the share of Scottish students in first-year intakes has been creeping up. 

He said: “The reality is that the latest statistics show the number of Scottish domiciled students entering first year medicine have in fact increased – from 480 in 2014-15 to 515 in 2016-17.

"Scottish students now account for 54 per cent of all new entrants, up from 52 per cent in 2014-15."

Meanwhile, the latest figures for junior doctors show that 85 per cent of training posts in hospitals and GP surgeries have been filled so far in 2018, the highest fill-rate in five years. Recruitment will conclude in October.

Public Health Minister Joe FitzPatrick said: “It’s particularly positive to see we’ve sustained 25 per cent increase in GP specialty training posts.

"This includes filling 36 posts, many in in remote and rural areas, supported with bursaries of £20,000, which shows that our efforts to target and recruit doctors for certain specialities is working.

“In particular, it is encouraging that a number of our higher specialty psychiatry posts have improved fill rates.”

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It comes after the Scottish Government confirmed that junior doctors will be guaranteed a 46-hour rest break after completing a block of night-shifts from August 2019.

Talks are also ongoing to cap junior doctors' rotas at a maximum of 48 hours per week, without averaging.

Professor Stewart Irvine, deputy chief executive at NHS Education for Scotland, added: "We’re pleased to see these numbers, which put us on track to filling nearly all this year’s vacant posts.

“However, we recognise that recruitment remains challenging, and are continuing to work with partners and stakeholders across Scotland to address these challenges.

“We welcome the announcement by Scottish ministers of additional undergraduate places in Scotland’s medical schools, important investment which will improve the longer-term supply into postgraduate training.

“And the recent announcement of new employment arrangements will make an important contribution to improving the working lives of junior doctors in Scotland.”