Hospital Plan For School

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31868, 21 December 1968, Page 42

Hospital Plan For School

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, December 20. I'he Wellington I lospital Board is to seek the establishment of a school for the teaching of clinical medicine at Wellington Hospital. The school will cater for fourth-year and fifth-year medical students.

This was decided at yesterday’s meeting of the board. The Minister of Health (Mr McKay) is to be asked for his approval for the board to seek an agreement with the University of Otago for an enlargement of the hospital’s teaching arrangements. I which at present cover sixthyear medical students. The motion was proposed by a member of the board. Dr J. M. Nicolson. "with regard to the eminent success of the Wellington Hospital branch faculty of the University of Otago and the wide range of clinical facilities available at Wellington Hospital.” Dr Nicolson said clinical I facilities at Dunedin were] inadequate for teaching and ! the population growth there showed no likelihood of im--1 provement. ■ “The medical faculty at; the University of Otago tells I pts that teaching and other' duties cannot continue effec-; lively under present condi-1 tions. I “The Christie report says' in effect that you cannot] teach doctors without patients and medical research slips unless you are servicing and caring for an expanding population.” Dr Nicolson said. The Wellington Hospital Board had served the .Otago University Medical School faithfully in training its students for 40 years. “We must jnow amend agreements and 'offer them our immense and compact clinical resources

with little or no financial outlay on their part.” Dr Nicolson said the Wellington Hospital Board, the j second largest in New Zealand, would soon have three compact major hospitals in; its region—the 900-bed WelJington Hospital and two 660bed hospitals, at Hutt and at | Porirua.