MEDICAL SCHOOL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25458, 12 February 1944, Page 4

MEDICAL SCHOOL

REFUSAL OF ADMISSIONS PERTURBATION IN AUCKLAND (Special) AUCKLAND, Feb. 11. “A state of affairs which, at first sight, seems to be little short of scandalous has been brought to my knowledge this morning,” said Mr R. jM. Algie, M.P. for Remuera. “It appears that a number of medical students who have passed all the necessary qualifying examinations have been refused admission to the Otago Medical School on the ground of insufficiency of accommodation at the school.

“From time to time the air pulsates with fatuous platitudes about the freedom for which we are said to be fighting, while our younger citizens look out on a world of restriction and frustration. What is the practical value of all this talk if so many unnecessary obstacles are placed in the path of those who have both the qualifications and the will and courage to use them? ” asked Mr Algie. Debarred for Year “ Hard on top of the recent disclosures of insufficient accommodation in our secondary schools and at our Training College,” he continued, “comes the news that a number of medical students are to be debarred for a year or even longer from their studies, simply because there is not room for them in the Medical School. These lads are not failures. They have

done all that was asked of them, and yet the authorities are unable to give them what they seek —their chance. Surely this is intolerable. “If the refusal to admit these lads has to be sustained, they will be faced with two unfortunate alternatives. On the one hand, they will have to sit for their qualification examination in November of this year and pass all over again in subjects in which they have already satisfied their examiners, or they will have to. abandon their chosen careers and give up all hope of trying to enter the medical profession. Such a situation is nothing less than a shocking injustice. “During the past few days we In Auckland have had far more than enough of this kind of injustice. A is all very well for some of us to declare that the future belongs to youth, but our younger people would feel much better about it if we did a bit more for them in the present. Statement Sought

" I think the position would be met to some extent,” Mr Algie said, “ if the Medical School authorities would say definitely that the lads who have already qualified but have been refused admission would be given _ definite preference in 1945, and that their claims would be satisfied before those of 1944 candidates were considered.” According to a statement made by one of the students, it is learned that at least 12 Auckland lads have been advised that they cannot be accepted at the school this year. In practically all cases, so far as is known, the parents of the students have completed at considerable expense all the arrangements for their departure. “ It is rather trying, to say the least, to be advised of the refusal of admission only about 10 days before the students were due to leave for Dunedin.” remarked one parent.