via ‘Student doctors failure rate worrisome’ – Newsday March 20, 2015 by Feluna Nleya
THE Ministry of Health and Child Care has expressed concern at the high failure rate among student medical doctors which is seriously affecting efforts to increase skilled personnel in the health sector.
Permanent secretary in the ministry Gerald Gwinji said this year alone, out of the over 100 who sat for their final medical school examinations, about 60 students failed to make it.
“Having roughly 60 students failing to make it to the next level has definitely affected our manpower development and deployment,” Gwinji said.
“We then have to rationalise on what we have. We distribute them throughout the central hospitals so that work continues.”
He said government needed at least 90 medical students annually for deployment at central hospitals.
“The problem now is that our population has grown, disease burden has also grown and, therefore, we increasingly need more and more manpower. So this year, it has been a bit of a challenge,” Gwinji said
“In as much as it is a challenge in terms of incoming human resource, it just attests to the stringency of the university system in terms of saying ‘you are now proficient, you can proceed’ or ‘no, you need more time, therefore, we are comfortable with that position’. We want well-baked practitioners coming into the system.”
He said students who would not have made it were either given supplementary examinations or made to repeat.
“Those who would have not made it are actually given a second chance. They are given a sup or repeat, but if you are deemed totally unable, then it’s the university that decides whether they should stop completely,” Gwinji said.
Doctors said the failure of some students would mean more workload for junior doctors.
Junior doctors are usually the first point of call for patients who visit central hospitals.
COMMENTS
Something is not right if it takes five years to decide one is not fit for purpose.
By getting to the final year, these students have proved they have something in them.
I once heard someone saying some students are entering the degree without the required A level points just because of who they know at UZ? I remember disagreeing but now it might have some truths???? Hmmm no wonder why people who shouldnt die when they visit the hospitals die.
On one hand we are facing troubles with good doctor reviews for the current doctors, and on the other hand the amount students becoming doctors is declining. No matter how much we advance in technology, the need for doctors will remain just the way it. So it is very important to take this matter under serious consideration.
http://www.doctorreview.org/