The
number of doctors in training has risen by 50 per cent since 1997, according to
new government statistics.
The
number of student doctors has risen from 5,050 to 7,662, with 2,250 more
medical school places and four new medical schools opening their doors in the
past year.
The
number of applicants to medical school has been steadily rising, with 26 per
cent more applicants for entry in 2003 compared to the previous year.
Health
secretary John Reid said: "The NHS will not only have more doctors than
ever before, but also doctors who are trained better than ever.
"They
are being taught to put the patient at the centre of the service, which is the
ethos of a modern NHS," he added.