Sessional_Paper_1937 — Page 165

Sessional Papers 議政定例兩局文件 All

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without keeping in touch (more so than the busy practitioner) with the latest know- ledge on his subject. And we have evidence that there is even a certain amount of something like research, which is all to the good. We would however give our opinion that there are not enough funds at present for research in its full modern sense, which of course involves training of a very special kind and comparative freedom from teaching duties. If some benefactor will endow such an activity there is an ample field, but we do not think that the University as at present constituted should expand in this direction.

46. The cost of the Medical Faculty for the month of January 1987, taking the same basis of calculation as in the case of Engineering, was just over $16,000. The total number of students in the same month was 129.

47. We have given much consideration to the question of the relationship between the three clinical Professors and the Government Medical Service. The present situation is in the nature of a compromise resulting from discussions over a long period of years. The University has sought in this, as in other matters, to retain inviolate its independence of the Government. On the other hand the teach- ing of the students must necessarily be given in the wards of a hospital which is under Government control.

48. This anomaly has in the past led to some friction and the compromise of giving the clinical Professors a certain number of wards and making them theoretical- ly Government servants by Gazette notice and paysheet adjustment has accentuated the anomaly and is open to the criticism of wastefulness. But from the University's point of view the system does not work badly and the difficulties of the past seem to have been resolved, to a very great extent, by the compromise arrangement. made in 1930. By selection from the out-patients the clinical Professors arrange for those cases most suitable for the purposes of tuition to be allocated to their wards, and in practice the Government doctors show great consideration for the wishes of the Medical Faculty.

49. We have given much consideration to recommendations which have been put before us (both from inside and outside the University) that the clinical Professors and the Medical teaching staff of the University should be Government servants, i.e. members of the Government Medical Service whose duties would be mainly professorial. We understand that in Singapore, mutatis mutandis, such a system is in existence and works efficiently; but there the Medical College is, we under- stand, purely a Government Institution designed for the production of doctors for service in that territory only.

50. It has been argued that not only would this lead to less overlapping, better organization and fuller use of Government institutions by the University, but also to some economy and wider opportunities for members of the Government Medical Service generally. We feel however that this would be a retrograde step to take. There would not, we are satisfied, be any real economy in staff inuring to either the University or the Medical Service; and for many intangible reasons we feel that the atmosphere of, and the attitude of mind engendered by, a Government service are incompatible with the traditions of a University. In view of the distinguished nature of the support given to this proposal it has merited the very earnest con- sideration which we have devoted to it, but we have satisfied ourselves that it would not be in the larger interest of the University to follow up these recom- mendations, and that the compromise system, which was evolved to meet the clinical requirements, imperfect though it may be, should be left untouched.

51. Although we make no detailed recommendation, we consider that economy would result to either Government or University by the amalgamation of the University School of Pathology and the Government Bacteriological Institute, and we see no insuperable objection to this fusion. A further amalgamation deserving of close study is between the Biology Department and the Government's Botanical Department.

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