A leading consultant has criticised proposals to include aptitude testing as a means of assessing a student's suitability to study medicine.
Dr Róisín Healy, consultant in accident and emergency medicine, at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, described the proposals as "not making sense" and as an "exercise in dissipating the anger of mothers in this country over the points race".
She was responding to a report yesterday outlining proposals to be put before the Minister for Education, Mr Dempsey, to radically change medical school entry criteria. The Committee on the Future of Medical Education has recommended a two-pronged model to include both graduate and undergraduate entry to the State's medical schools.
Aptitude testing is to be introduced, with all Leaving Certificate students gaining 450 points or more in the exam eligible to sit an aptitude test to determine their suitability to become a doctor. Honours graduates of any discipline will also be eligible to do the test.
The committee under the chairmanship of Prof Pat Fottrell, of the National University of Ireland Galway, has proposed that the new system be introduced in 2006. Dr Healy, a spokeswoman for the campaign for medical school entry, said it was cynical to produce proposals without any reference to the shortage of medical training places for Irish students.
"The country is short of doctors. We have the lowest number in training in the EU. Both the Hanly Report and a report from the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health have identified the need to train more than 700 doctors a year." She wanted to know why so many training places were given to overseas students, when just over 300 Irish students were entering medical schools each year.
Dr Eamon Shanahan, chairman of the Irish College of General Practitioners welcomed the proposals. "The present system is unworkable. Aptitude testing can be welcomed as a step in the right direction, as can the move to a mix of undergraduate and graduate students," he said.
Dr James Reilly, president of the Irish Medical Organisation said the current system of training doctors was not working.
"Clearly we are not recruiting enough and we must make available more places for Irish students."