Medical specialists concerned over changes in medical school admissions

26 April 2024 10:10 pm - 24 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Colombo, April 26 (Daily Mirror) - The Association of Medical Specialists (AMS) have raised concerns regarding proposed changes to the entry criteria for fee-levying medical undergraduate programs at the state-owned medical school of Kothalawala Defense University.

Traditionally, admissions to medical faculties in Sri Lanka have been based primarily on the Advanced Level Examinations Z score, with the University Grants Commission (UGC) allowing a small allocation of additional marks for students excelling in extracurricular activities. This approach has been praised for providing equal opportunities regardless of economic or social background.

In a press release, the AMS argues that altering the current criteria could introduce unfair advantages for economically and socially privileged students, disrupting the level playing field. Factors such as the cost and accessibility of certain extracurricular activities, biased assessments, and favoritism during admissions could exacerbate inequalities.

Furthermore, the AMS highlights the need to reassess the minimum entry criteria for medical undergraduate courses, as the current standards may be outdated compared to international benchmarks. With an increasing number of students achieving high results in the Advanced Level Examinations, aligning Sri Lanka's standards with global norms is deemed necessary.

Moreover, the AMS emphasizes the importance of updating the cadre of medical officers in the state sector to accommodate the expansion of the healthcare system. This includes addressing the potential unemployment of medical graduates in the future and ensuring recruitment is based on merit, with priority given to graduates from state medical schools.

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Concerned Citizen Friday, 26 April 2024 11:16 PM

Stop meddling in the education policy of this country ! Let the universities decide the criteria and it is important for the fee paying students to enroll so that the university can be self funded instead of wasting tax payers money...

Balla Donkey Saturday, 27 April 2024 01:09 AM

If a person study in Bangladesh

ruwan Saturday, 27 April 2024 01:40 AM

it's politicians and businessmen who decide here. not universities

Annin Saturday, 27 April 2024 10:42 AM

Seriously sir! We don’t want stupid students of rich parents to to be messing up our lives as incompetent doctors in future.

Maqshood Saturday, 27 April 2024 05:06 PM

True... If not, these students will just leave for some other foreign country and by paying millions. So, isn't it better to retain them here itself? Further, any university will look for the minimum criteria. They won't blindly enroll students just because they have money

Naomi Fonseka Sunday, 28 April 2024 03:29 AM

We will soon have doctors worse than doctors with Russian qualifications.

Neha Sunday, 28 April 2024 11:17 AM

For those who are thinking that studying medicine abroad is just about the money- NO ITS NOT !! Go check the admission criteria for Monash , Leeds , Aberdeen and every other reputed foreign universities -especially in the USA ,UK and Australia. (Lets not talk about those cheap universities that accept students just for money here- nobody in tge real medicine world accepts or likes to accept them - those graduates often fail entrance exams in Australia like countries even after 3- 4 years of specail extra curated teaching for them. Of course this doesnt apply to everyone - cuz not everyone studying in a cheap uni is qcademically poor. There are good students -but a VERY FEW ) Let me highlight the need of good academic scores for admission. In medicine you deal with LIVES. Its not like running a business. Every life has their own story. Poor grades mean poor memory capacity and poor understanding of the condition - especially in emergencies.

Shera Saturday, 27 April 2024 03:16 AM

Sri Lanka desperately needs more doctors. Students who don't qualify in the Z core desperately need opportunities in the country to become doctors. They spend millions and go overseas and some still cannot practice in Sri Lanka with foreign medical qualifications. This is a broken system which needs to be fixed and a cycle which needs to be broken. AMS should get over their insecurities and archaic way of thinking.

Ram Saturday, 27 April 2024 03:31 AM

Earlier it was 4 subjects in ALs to seek admission to a Medical College. It was reduced to 3 and the AMS and others did not utter a word. When it is private Medical education if the student has the basic qualifications needed why oppose. The students who reach the pass mark will pass the exams. The Lecturers and Professors are all AMS members. If AMS do not want these fee paying medical schools, then restraint AMS members from teaching if you consider the new med schools are substandard

Srilankan Saturday, 27 April 2024 06:26 AM

Earlier GMOA, now AMS, tomorrow XXX, day after YYY. All are jokers!

Man Saturday, 27 April 2024 06:44 AM

Thank you AMS for your concern and need some tangible action as Ranil wants to do business only while degrading the standards which is paramount.

UniDon Saturday, 27 April 2024 08:23 AM

Education is not a commodity but a right that assures equal opportunities regardless of the economic or social background of a child. But unfortunately, partially qualified and partially wealthy corporate middle-class people think that it should be a commodity.

Siva Monday, 29 April 2024 01:28 AM

Are you fully qualified as a fool?

Sokrates Saturday, 27 April 2024 09:07 AM

The jealousy of the medical associations cannot be surpassed. These associations are nothing more than trade unions, although they call themselves something else. They have never contributed to increasing medical qualifications in this country; on the contrary, they have always been counterproductive. Every other university, whether foreign or private, in Sri Lanka produces better doctors because they offer far better education than the pathetic state universities in Sri Lanka.

A Srilankan with PhD living in Denmark Sunday, 28 April 2024 04:12 PM

Go and improve your brain. In the most developed countries also to enter medical faculty one should get the highest marks. Otherwise door to medical faculty is not open. It s because this is not a joke or a business that everybody could do. It needs a lot of commitment and brain and stamina. Even if these universities start they should undergo a standard exam at least ERPM at the end before releasing them as doctors to serve. Otherwise you Srilankans will face a lot of trouble, not us living in Europe

Gamini Saturday, 27 April 2024 09:13 AM

So from when did these tax payer funded non tax paying doctors start to worry about education in the country. First of all address the medical service provided by your fraternity

BBM Saturday, 27 April 2024 10:34 AM

When there is a big shortage of doctors, the admission criteria may be set to a minimum adequate (3Cs) for private universities. Extracurricular activities are not relevant when considering the core disciplines of the medical profession which has formally been the norm and one might argue that this accepted policy by the UGC might produce alumni unfit for the profession. All professionals disrupt the level playing field of everything, once they enter into politics. Learn how private medical colleges are regulated in successful countries and produce competent medical officers.

Rz Saturday, 27 April 2024 11:40 AM

Free education beyond advanced level is the root cause of these problems. Most of the kids who benefit from it migrate after using the tax payers money.

A graduate Saturday, 27 April 2024 12:02 PM

Admission to various faculties should be left in the hands of the universities. Others please don’t meddle with it. Politicians keep out of it.

Channa Saturday, 27 April 2024 02:27 PM

Surprise to see the comments here . If anyone can become a doctor with 3Ss in SL you better go to another country for medical treatment. For god’s sake please check the minimum entry requirements in private medical schools in UK and Australia. just because you have money to spend you cannot become a doctor, A Doctor needs a minimum IQ as he or she is dealing with human lives. I’m glad I’m not living with jokers anymore

Wise Saturday, 27 April 2024 05:25 PM

Medical degree is not like other degrees. It is related to life. It is not a property of doctors or any other party. The standard of medical studies can not be compromised by public talk or money. If you or your child who achieved the expected qualifications for entry he/she can get the chance. There is no objections. Please don't compromise it for money and endanger your life

Chandani Moulgahage Saturday, 27 April 2024 08:19 PM

In Canada and Australia universities accept students, with a Bio-Since degree, sometimes awarding schols to study for MD(specialist doctor) qualification. Some of those students possess only minimal AL qualification based on Z score of certain districts. What is AMS's stance on this? If they can be specialist doctors, why can't a student who obtain better AL results, enter into a private university and study for MBBS? Now there are no MBBS programs in many developed countries.

Tissa Fernando Sunday, 28 April 2024 09:57 AM

Do not compare Canadian and Australian medical education with Sri Lanka. It takes 12 years fir a student to pass out as a Doctor including the time spent on First Degree, Medical School, Residency program. In Sri lanka it is only 4 to 5 years max unless JVP disrupts the university time. I remember my brother had to spend 10 years to pass out due to JVP disruptions at that time. The solution here is to have more Medical schools and even attract students from other countries. A fee should be charged , and students should get a loan to pay for tuition and other expenses . The loan can be paid once he starts earning money. Extra curricular activities are required to build up personality so exams are not enough.

Neha Sunday, 28 April 2024 11:26 AM

Continuing my comment here... CCS ? What a joke ? This aint just a Bio Science degree. Also a note about those cheap universities- they dont have cadaveric dissections (Google this) and their clinical exposure is very poor. You cant really tell where the organs are without a real exposure. Ultimqtely the point is the patients lives arw at risk!! Doctors need to be extremely quick and competent when handling patients - but if their grades are low... THATS THE DOOM . Which is why entry criteria are very important. In contrary Students in state medical universities face meticulous exams - if they dont pass - they literally get sent home!! No matter how high their ALs z-score is. Do your research on these stuff.

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Medical specialists concerned over changes in medical school admissions

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