TRAINING OF N.Z. DOCTORS

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25139, 21 March 1947, Page 10

TRAINING OF N.Z. DOCTORS

PLANNING FOR NEEDS OF FUTURE VIEWS OF SIR CHARLES HERCUS ** The Press ” Special Service DUNEDIN, March 19. The need for a carefully-planned policy of admission to medical studies, which would “prevent the violent fluctuation in numbers which has created the present crisis and would enable the existing facilities to deal adequately with the needs of New Zealand for at least the next 40 years,” is urged by Sir Charles Hercus, dean of the Otago Medical School, in an article printed in the University of Otago students’ paper, “Critic.” Sir Charles Hercus says that an annual output of only 45 graduates would meet New Zealand’s needs in the immediate future, but the present rate of graduation approximates 100 each year.,. “The level of one practitioner to 900 of population is considered to provide adequate medical services, including general practitioner, specialists, medical teachers, and a body of graduates engaged in post-graduate studies,” says the article. “On March 31, 1946 the latest date for which the necessary figures are available—there were 2000 names on the medical register, of whom 1431 had taken out their annual practising certificates: a further 250 were either still with the New Zealand armed forces or had recently been demobilised and were engaged in post-graduate studies, thus not requiring to take out practising certificates; 100 were in the whole-time employment of the State or university, and in consequence were not required to take out practising certificates: an unknown but considerable body of graduates who§e names appear on the register were engaged in postgraduate studies abroad when war broke out and joined up with the British armed forces or the British Emergency Medical Service. Many of these have, or will in the future, return to practice in New Zealand. Number of Practitioners “There are at present 541 registered medical students in the Medical School, and their graduation will provide practitioners in excess of any reasonable estimate of the capacity of the country to utilise their services. It is assumed that each graduate will give 41 years of active practice, but sickness and death reduce this figure to a conservatively-calculated figure of 36.6 years. “If there is a constant accruement of 92 graduates a year, then a body of 3370 (36.6 x 92) practitioners would be built up and maintained, which would be sufficient for a stationary population of 3.000,000. If. however, it is assumed that this population is increasing at the rate of 1 per cent, annually, the practitioners’ numbers would have to be increased at the same rate, and the calculation shows that the output of 92 graduates would suffice to recruit the increasing practitioner forces up to the level of 2815 under 65 years of age. This would provide for the needs of New Zealand until 1987. The Present Position “The actual position at present is that not more than 25 practitioners are expected to retire annually for the next 15 years, and to replace these and produce the practitioners necessary for a 1 per cent, increase in population a year will require an annual output of only 45 graduates. “The position calls for a carefully planned policy of admission to medical studies which takes cognisance of the Dominion’s - needs and encourages admissions when they fall below the necessary requirements, as they did between 1926 and 1935,” adds Sir Charles Hercus. “Such a policy would prevent the violent fluctuation in numbers which has created the present crisis and would enable the existing facilities to deal adequately with the needs, of New Zealand for at least the next '4O years.”