MEDICAL SERVICE

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 December 1940, Page 12

MEDICAL SERVICE

MINISTER’S OPTIMISM. [per press association.] AUCKLAND, December 10. “I think that in the end common sense will prevail, and that the doc? tors will be parties to the Government scheme,” said the Minister for Health (Mr. Armstrong) this, afternoon, when discussing the attitude of the medical profession to the medical benefits provided under the amendment to the Social Security Act which was passed by Parliament last week. Mr. Armstrong said he felt sure that doctors would show the same co-operation as every other section of the community. The regulations had already been prepared, and were now in the hands of the law draftsmen for overhaul. “They will be ready for operation at any time, and the scheme will soon be ■ put into practice,” he said. Although not in a position to mention the date, the Minister said it would be early in the New Year, and it was proposed, also at an early date, to make outpatients’ services at hospitals free. There was a good deal of preliminary work to be done, including the appointment of additional staff and 'office accommodation.

The Minister said he would like to see an agreement between the Government and the medical profession, but if one was not arrived at, it would make no difference as far as proceeding with the scheme was concerned. “I can say definitely that the public will get the service as soon as possible in the New Year,” he added. RUSH OF STUDENTS. DUNEDIN, December 10. Dr. C. E. Hercus, Dean of the Medical Faculty of the University of Otago, in his annual report, intimated that it would be necessary to limit the number of students to be admitted to second year classes in March, 1941, to 100. “The number of students on the register of the Medical School,” Dr. Hercus said, “namely 452, constitutes a record. In addition, there are 174 students engaged in the study of intermediate subjects—93 in Otago, 25 in Canterbury, 21 in Victoria’, and 35 in Auckland. This extraordinary increase in the number of students taking the first year of the medical course has compelled the Otago University Council, after full consideration with the Government, to limit the number to be admitted to second year classes in March, 1941, to 100. The method of selection decided on is that second year students who fail to qualify for admission to third year, but have been reported on favourably by the medical faculty will have the first claim to admission. Next will come graduate entrants, and the remainder will be admitted on the results of the intermediate examination. “During the year,” Dr. Hercus added, “78 have graduated M. 8., Ch.B., all of whom have secured resident appointments in the hospitals in the Dominion. Largely owing to war conditions, the demand for junior house surgeons has increased markedly, until there are now more than 80 appointments to be filled. It must be pointed out that these requirements bear no relationship to the real needs of the Dominion for medical graduates. The Director-General of Health has estimated that a yearly influx of 60 to 70 graduates will be ample to satisfy the present needs of the Dominion.”