MEDICAL STUDENTS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 11 December 1940, Page 8

MEDICAL STUDENTS

LIMIT OF 100 IN SECOND-YEAR CLASSES OTAGO UNIVERSITY [United Press Assoe.at.on) DUNEDIN. 10th December. Dr. C. E. Hercus. dean of the medical faculty, in his annual report to the university to-day. intimated that it wo.fld be necessary to limit the number of students to be admitted to secondyear classes in March. 1941. to 100. The number of students on the register of the Medical School. Dr. Hercus said. 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 University College. 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 and after consultation with the Government. to limit the number to be admitted to second-year classes in March, 1941, to 100. The method of selection decided upon is that second-year students who fail to qualify for admission to a third year but have been reported on favourably by the medical faculty will have first claim to admission. 'Next will come graduate entrants, and the remainder will be admitted on the results of the During the year. Dr. Hercus added. 78 have graduated M 8.. Ch. 8.. all of whom have secured resident appointments in the hospitals of the Dominion. Largely because of war conditions, the demand for junior house surgeons has increased markedly till 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