MEDICAL STUDENTS.

Waikato Times, Volume 113, Issue 18877, 22 February 1933, Page 8

MEDICAL STUDENTS.

INCREASE AT UNIVERSITY.

STATEMENT FROM HAMILTON. REPLY BY SIR L. FERGUSON. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) DUNEDIN, Tuesday. At a meeting of the Otago University Council to-day, the dean of the medical faculty, Sir Lindo Ferguson, replied to a statement by Dr. AI. AI. Hockin, medical superintendent of the Waikato Hospital, “ that young men are not going in for medicine as they used to.” Sir Lindo said that it was particularly undesirable that uninformed and irresponsible statements bearing on medical education should find their way to the press. He stated that there were 297 names on the 'class rolls at the end of last year, against 204. for 1928, and this year there was every probability of th£ numbers being still larger.

lie referred to the demand for house surgeons, which had grown enormously within the last 15 or 20 years, and referred to the educational advantages of supplying tlyise hospitals with students. Dr. Ilockin’s suggestion that the sub-dean had advised young graduates not to go to Hamilton was entirely without foundation. Last October, and at a later date, the Waikato Hospital Board had been communicated with asking what number of house surgeons it required, and on neither occasion was a reply received. “ The year after next,” concluded Sir Lindo, “we shall pi/ibably have more graduates than are necessary and for the next three or four years this state of affairs will continue, but there is nothing more likely to disorganise our arrangements for the future than publicity of the type which the Waikato Board has thrust upon us.’ ’

Dr. Hockin stated to-day to a Waikato Times representative that he is taking the matter up direct with the Dean, as there were several inaccuracies in Sir Lindo’s statement to the council •of the University.