YOUNG DOCTORS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 79, 13 January 1928, Page 3

YOUNG DOCTORS.

SHORTAGE IN THE DOMINION. (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, January 12. “A serious problem is confronting the Hospital Boards in the difficulties experienced in securing the services of junior doctors,” said Dr. G. W. Gower, Surgeon-Superintendent of the Waikato Hospital, at a meeting of the Board to-day. There was a great dearth of young doctors in New Zealand, continued the Superintendent. The present shortage of junior doctors in New Zealand to take up positions in the hospitals was practically universal at present, said Dr. C. E. Maguire, Superintendent of the Auckland Hospital. The chief reason was the lengthening throughout the Empire of the course of training for medical students from five to six years. The extra time and expense involved had led many who would otherwise have sought to enter the medical profession to turn in other directions. As far a.s New Zealand was concerned, there was a marked overcrowding of the Otago Medical School immediately after the war to such an extent that a limit had to be put on the number of new students that would be accepted each year. The’ warnings then issued against the overcrowding of the profession had no doubt had their effect, and had assisted in the present swing of the pendulum away from it. The Auckland Hospital had not so far experienced difficulty in obtaining the required young staff, and Dr. Maguire considered that the present shortage was merely a temporary fluctuation which would right itself in time.