Madam, - I foresee many problems in the proposed new system for entry to the medical sciences.
1. As it is suggested that students will now all do a primary degree in science followed by a degree in their chosen discipline, they will not even qualify until their mid to late twenties. They will then have to specialise, possibly reaching their thirties before finishing. This will put considerable social and financial strain on themselves and their families, particularly those on lower incomes whom the Department of Education allegedly is attempting to encourage to pursue higher education.
2. The aspirations of 17- to 19-year-olds will now be postponed until their mid-twenties. At that stage, they will again have to compete to get into their chosen degree courses. How and by whom will this be determined? At least with a points system, the candidates' marks are the only relevant factors.
3. Having spent years as a visiting professor at three medical schools in Washington DC, Kansas and Texas, I am very familiar with the complaints relating to the cost and duration of medical training in the US. These students on average owe $60,000 to $80,000 by the time they finish training. At least they are sure of being employed then, which does not necessarily apply in this country.
4. Will the new training scheme be approved by international authorities, particularly in Britain and the US? It is not so long since Irish graduates could not obtain gainful employment due to lack of recognition of their qualifications.
In short, the proposed system will increase the cost, pressure, tension and aggravation for parents and students alike, and prolong the duration of the above. Whom will this new system benefit, and why is it being proposed? - Yours, etc.,
PATRICK K. FITZGERALD, MD, MCh., MSc., Model Farm Road, Cork City.