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Threats to medical school intakes in Australia
Threats to medical school intakes in Australia Medical
academics
strongly
opposed
in Australia have federal government intentions to reduce the annual intake of medical students to Australian universities from 1200 to 1000. Because funding of medical schools is primarily based on their numbers, the proposal was seen as a serious threat to the future financial viability of some medical schools. Discussions that followed between the Australian Vice-Chancellors’ Committee and government led to a refined policy statement that the number of overseas-trained doctors to be granted registration would also be reduced; that the tentative reduction of 200 new students would be dependent on the outcome of discussions with universities; and that allowance would be made for individual medical schools (see Lancet 1995; 246:
431-32). Stephen Leeder, professor of public health and community medicine at the University of Sydney, wrote in the Medical Journal of Australia (Sept 18, pp 324-25)
UK increases efforts to reduce air pollution :
10-15 11m diameter., and in the absence of strong evidence on the relative effects of different particle sizes within the respirable range, the committee concludes that is reasonable to base policy on those under 10 11m (PM10). Predictions, from models, of lung depostion of PMIO are shown in the figure. The only major difficulty preventing : firmer conclusions about causality in the link between suspended particles and adverse effects of health is the lack of any established mechanism of action, says the committee However, it advises that "in of protecting public terms health, it would be imprudent not to regard the associations as causal". It goes on to point out that there is no evidence that exposure to concentrations of particles found in ambient air in the UK produces acute effects in healthy individuals; those with pre-exiting respiratory and/or cardiac disorders are Lung deposition versus particle size most at risk. COMEAP Source: The committee’s recommenNon-Biological Particles and Health (ISBN dations for research include studies on the 0-11-321952-0). Few studies have been the effects of co-exposure to allergens and based on direct challenge. : ambient particles and urgent epidemioThe report says that there is clear evilogical studies to answer four questions: . Which component of the air pollution dence of associations between concentramixture has the greatest effect on health? tions of suspended particulate matter and Is there evidence for a threshold of . changes in several indicators of damage to effect with health. These indicators range from regard to effects of particles? Is the rate of change of particle concen. in changes lung function, through increased symptoms and days of restricted trations an important factor in controlling the response? activity, to hospital admissions and mor. Which individuals are most affected by clear the There is no evidence that tality. associations are restricted to specific types raised levels of particles? of particles. The particles most relevant to ill health are those in the range ofVivien Choo
The UK government has pledged to increase its efforts to reduce concentrations of airborne particles, in line with the findings of the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants and the Expert Panel on Air Quality Standards. In its review of information on epidemiological studies, mostly from the USA and, more recently, from Europe, COMEAP (Department of Health) paid particular attention to the reliability of the evidence, which gets a chapter to itself in
that if the government seeks to reduce the medical workforce, then "cutting medical school intakes is a very slow way to do it". Leeder also commented that university administrators might remain concerned for some years, because, "Government, in : deciding to seek reductions ... is acting without coherent conceptual framework". Chair of the National Committee of Medical Deans and dean of the University of Sydney medical school, Prof John Young, said that, because medical schools are forbidden to charge tuition fees, schools would be reluctant to enrol more students than were funded. Young has agreed to cut 20 medical students from his school’s 1999 intake (from 204), when the new postgraduate, 4-year medical course will commence (see Lancet 1994; 343: 1216). He said that this was in the Poland’s first case on abortion law inconclusive long-term interest of the school, and the smooth introduction of the new course. Poland’s first prosecution under the new which showed Ms P to be pregnant. But "Law on the protection of unborn life" : the judge dismissed this as "unreliable", Young agreed that 1200 medical graduhas been anxiously monitored both by the ates per year was about right, and that the and based her decision on the testimony of was its and Catholic of a second doctor, who stated that she oversupply perceived problem lobby seeking repeal by one of maldistribution of the med"hardliners" who would like to see a ban had examined Ms P a week later and really ical workforce between urban and rural even on the few grounds for abortion that found no signs of pregnancy or of a areas. "We [the deans] do not believe that that law permits. But the first such trial, : recent abortion. The implication is that the government has any grounds at all heard in the provincial town of Chorzow, Ms P was trying to obtain money from it is a for a cut from 1200 to 1000 her former lover under false pretences. proved inconclusive. The judge decided naked agenda of [federal minister for that the woman (Ms P) had never been The verdict has caused some lifting of health] Dr Lawrence to create a shortage pregnant, and that therefore no abortion eyebrows in the Polish medical profesof doctors, to enable a significant part of could have been performed. The accused sion-in particular, regarding the poor health care delivery to be offered to other light it throws on Polish ultrasonic procegynaecologist and his wife (who acts as health professionals, which has been his nurse) were therefore acquitted. But dures. The Polish media has been carethe father of the putative fetus, who had openly discussed", said Young. He added, fully neutral, while pointing out that the "If she thinks that will save money, it’s judge was something of a stop-gap, supplied the money for the abortion, was cloud cuckoo land ... other practitioners found guilty of being an accessory to an brought in after several others had since no refused to hear the case. In all events, the who might be marginally cheaper, will illegal abortion-although operarefer more often, offer more services more tion in fact took place, no sentence was definitive test-case under this law is yet to : come. often, and cost more money". : imposed on him. The prosecution put forward as eviPeter Harrigan dence the result of an ultrasonic scan, Vera Rich ...
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1356
academics
strongly
opposed
in Australia have federal government intentions to reduce the annual intake of medical students to Australian universities from 1200 to 1000. Because funding of medical schools is primarily based on their numbers, the proposal was seen as a serious threat to the future financial viability of some medical schools. Discussions that followed between the Australian Vice-Chancellors’ Committee and government led to a refined policy statement that the number of overseas-trained doctors to be granted registration would also be reduced; that the tentative reduction of 200 new students would be dependent on the outcome of discussions with universities; and that allowance would be made for individual medical schools (see Lancet 1995; 246:
431-32). Stephen Leeder, professor of public health and community medicine at the University of Sydney, wrote in the Medical Journal of Australia (Sept 18, pp 324-25)
UK increases efforts to reduce air pollution :
10-15 11m diameter., and in the absence of strong evidence on the relative effects of different particle sizes within the respirable range, the committee concludes that is reasonable to base policy on those under 10 11m (PM10). Predictions, from models, of lung depostion of PMIO are shown in the figure. The only major difficulty preventing : firmer conclusions about causality in the link between suspended particles and adverse effects of health is the lack of any established mechanism of action, says the committee However, it advises that "in of protecting public terms health, it would be imprudent not to regard the associations as causal". It goes on to point out that there is no evidence that exposure to concentrations of particles found in ambient air in the UK produces acute effects in healthy individuals; those with pre-exiting respiratory and/or cardiac disorders are Lung deposition versus particle size most at risk. COMEAP Source: The committee’s recommenNon-Biological Particles and Health (ISBN dations for research include studies on the 0-11-321952-0). Few studies have been the effects of co-exposure to allergens and based on direct challenge. : ambient particles and urgent epidemioThe report says that there is clear evilogical studies to answer four questions: . Which component of the air pollution dence of associations between concentramixture has the greatest effect on health? tions of suspended particulate matter and Is there evidence for a threshold of . changes in several indicators of damage to effect with health. These indicators range from regard to effects of particles? Is the rate of change of particle concen. in changes lung function, through increased symptoms and days of restricted trations an important factor in controlling the response? activity, to hospital admissions and mor. Which individuals are most affected by clear the There is no evidence that tality. associations are restricted to specific types raised levels of particles? of particles. The particles most relevant to ill health are those in the range ofVivien Choo
The UK government has pledged to increase its efforts to reduce concentrations of airborne particles, in line with the findings of the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants and the Expert Panel on Air Quality Standards. In its review of information on epidemiological studies, mostly from the USA and, more recently, from Europe, COMEAP (Department of Health) paid particular attention to the reliability of the evidence, which gets a chapter to itself in
that if the government seeks to reduce the medical workforce, then "cutting medical school intakes is a very slow way to do it". Leeder also commented that university administrators might remain concerned for some years, because, "Government, in : deciding to seek reductions ... is acting without coherent conceptual framework". Chair of the National Committee of Medical Deans and dean of the University of Sydney medical school, Prof John Young, said that, because medical schools are forbidden to charge tuition fees, schools would be reluctant to enrol more students than were funded. Young has agreed to cut 20 medical students from his school’s 1999 intake (from 204), when the new postgraduate, 4-year medical course will commence (see Lancet 1994; 343: 1216). He said that this was in the Poland’s first case on abortion law inconclusive long-term interest of the school, and the smooth introduction of the new course. Poland’s first prosecution under the new which showed Ms P to be pregnant. But "Law on the protection of unborn life" : the judge dismissed this as "unreliable", Young agreed that 1200 medical graduhas been anxiously monitored both by the ates per year was about right, and that the and based her decision on the testimony of was its and Catholic of a second doctor, who stated that she oversupply perceived problem lobby seeking repeal by one of maldistribution of the med"hardliners" who would like to see a ban had examined Ms P a week later and really ical workforce between urban and rural even on the few grounds for abortion that found no signs of pregnancy or of a areas. "We [the deans] do not believe that that law permits. But the first such trial, : recent abortion. The implication is that the government has any grounds at all heard in the provincial town of Chorzow, Ms P was trying to obtain money from it is a for a cut from 1200 to 1000 her former lover under false pretences. proved inconclusive. The judge decided naked agenda of [federal minister for that the woman (Ms P) had never been The verdict has caused some lifting of health] Dr Lawrence to create a shortage pregnant, and that therefore no abortion eyebrows in the Polish medical profesof doctors, to enable a significant part of could have been performed. The accused sion-in particular, regarding the poor health care delivery to be offered to other light it throws on Polish ultrasonic procegynaecologist and his wife (who acts as health professionals, which has been his nurse) were therefore acquitted. But dures. The Polish media has been carethe father of the putative fetus, who had openly discussed", said Young. He added, fully neutral, while pointing out that the "If she thinks that will save money, it’s judge was something of a stop-gap, supplied the money for the abortion, was cloud cuckoo land ... other practitioners found guilty of being an accessory to an brought in after several others had since no refused to hear the case. In all events, the who might be marginally cheaper, will illegal abortion-although operarefer more often, offer more services more tion in fact took place, no sentence was definitive test-case under this law is yet to : come. often, and cost more money". : imposed on him. The prosecution put forward as eviPeter Harrigan dence the result of an ultrasonic scan, Vera Rich ...
...
1356