Cuts ‘not surprising’

Press, 26 May 1979, Page 22

Cuts ‘not surprising’

PA Dunedin The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Otago (Dr R. O. H. Irvine) has described the proposed reductions in student-doctor intakes as an "unpleasant fact of life,” but added that they could not be considered as surprising. The student-doctor intake to medical schools should be cut by 25 per cent, according to a report of the Advisory Committee on Medical Manpower. Dr Irvine said forecasting requirements was notoriously difficult, and factors such as the economic decline, zero population growth and the changed migration pattern had appeared and developed at an astonishingly rapid rate. It was encouraging to note the committee recom-

mended that teaching resources should not be run down, he said, but that there should be some redeployment in priority areas for education in relation to improved health care. "There is today a great deal more emphasis on the l.ealth team concept, which means that it is important that paramedical skills should be broadened, and which pinpoints the fact that existing facilities should be used to achieve this goal. “Another extremely important reason for retaining resources is the increasing emphasis on postgraduate medical education,” Dr Irvine said.

“In Europe, North America, and Australia there is already a surplus of doctors so that opportunities for New Zealand graduates to continug

their studies overseas are now sharply reduced. This means that there will be a rapid increase in the amount of postgraduate study undertaken in this country.”

The Otago University Medical School had not only been preparing and catering for this trend, but also had encouraged it by the establishment of the New Zealand Medical Education Trust,, he said. It had also been active in investigating aspects of nursing education and is well fitted to turn its _ inquiries and findings into positive action. "One further point is that the Otago Medical School has a special responsibility in Christchurch and Wellington where its clinical schools of medicine are established. in addition to Dunedin.