XN000022-1974-08-14 — Page 6

LEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 1974.

MAKE FULLER USE OF NON-COMMONWEALTH MEDICAL GRADUATES

GOVERNMENT URGED

UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY CAME OUT STRONGLY IN SUPPORT OF NON-COMMONWEALTH MEDICAL CRADUATES AND URCED THE GOVERNMENT TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR THEM TO PRACTISE IN HONG KONG.

THE MANY NON-COMMONWEALTH MEDICAL GRADUATES IN HONG KONG PRESENTED A VALUACLE SOURCE OF EXPERTISE WHICH SHOULD BE TAPPED TO HELP OFFSET THE SHORTAGE OF DOCTORS, THEY FELT. THIS COULD BE DONE WITHOUT TOO MUCH OUTLAY ON THE GOVENIKENT'S PART.

EXPANDING ON THE SUBJECT DURING THE DEBATE ON THE MEDICAL WHITE PAPER, THE PRINCIPAL UNOFFICIAL SPEAKER, DR. THE HON. HARRY FANG, SUGGESTED THAT THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG COULD BE GIVEN A MANDATE TO HOLD EXTERNAL EXAMINATIONS LEADING TO A LICENTIATE IN MEDICINE AND SURGERY OF AN EQUIVALENT STANDARD TO THE M.B.B.S.

THE EXAMINATIONS, HE SUGÇESTED, SHOULD BE HELD AT REGULAR INTERVALS, IN BOTH ENGLISH AND CHINESE, SO AS TO ENABLE ALL THOSE WHO CLAIM TO HAVE MEDICAL QUALIFICATIONS TO BECOME REGISTERED FOR PRACTICE IN HONG KONG.

AS SOME OF THE NON-COMMONWEALTH GRADUATES MIGHT REQUIRE REFRESHER COURSES BEFORE SITTING FOR THE EXAMINATIONS, THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG SHOULD ALSO BE ASKED TO OFFER SUCH COURSES. IN THIS RESPECT, HE FELT THAT IT NICHT BE FEAS JELE TO REQUIRE THOSE ATTENDING REFRESHEN COURCES TO SIGN AN UNDERTAKING TO SERVE A MINIMUM MUNDER OF YEARS IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE UPON COMPLETION OF THEIR INTERSHIP. HOWEVER, THIS COULD DEPEND ON THE FINAL ARRANGEMENTS AND THE METHOD OF FINAND LEG.

SINCE THE PROPOSED LICENTIATE IN MEDICINE AND SURGERY WOULD BE A LOCAL REGISTRATION ONLY, DR. FANG SAID THAT RECOGNITION BY THE GENERAL MEDICAL COUNCIL ÎN BRITAIN VOULD NOT DE NECESSARY.

THE SCHEME, HE ADDED, WAS NOT WITHOUT PRECEDENT AND WAS IN FACT IN OPERATION IN OTHER SOUTHEAST ASIAN COUNTRIES,

DR. FANG SAID THE PROPOSED SCHENE VOULD NOT IMPOSE A FINANCIAL BURDEN ON THE COVERNMENT AS IT WOULD BE LARGELY SELF-FINANCING EXPENDITURE L'OULD BE RECOVERED BY WAY OF FEES.

AS AN AS ANNOTHER STOP-GAR MEASURE TO HELP EASE THE DOCTOR SHORTAGE, DR. FANG SAID THE SECOND MEDICAL SCHOOL AT THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY SHOULD BE STARTED AS A MATTER OF URGENCY AND SUĘCESTED THAT STUDENTS BE TAKEN IN AT THE MATRICULATION LEVEL INSTEAD OF

LOVER FORM, V1.

THIS WOULD NOT ONLY SAVE ONE YEAR, BUT ALSO REDUCE GOVERNMENT SPENDING, HE SAID.

/EVEN IF