‘Students love free food’ is a time-tested adage, often luring medical students into grand rounds.

During a placement to a larger metro hospital last year, I recall marvelling at a friend who had worked out where to get free lunch every day of the week by attending different departments’ teaching sessions.

While this was likely one determined student’s solution to not needing to pack lunch every day, the unfortunate reality is that many medical students are being left behind due to the financial difficulty of completing their degree.

This year, medical deans reported that 73% of graduating medical students relied on family support for their income, an increase from 68% in 2014.