National backs third medical school in Waikato

3 years ago by Yhmg to c/newzealand

A third medical school would boost doctor numbers for a sector in the throes of a workforce crisis, leader Christopher Luxon says.

No national fan but this might be the only decent ideas to come out of this party imo. Not enough for me to vote for them but man I wish labour would stop letting Auckland and Otago bullshit their way through securing their duopoly at the expense of our countries medical system.

Of course, the plan to fund a new medical school is sketchy at best. Medicine is obviously underfunded already, perhaps I'd hear an argument that the money would be better spent increasing wages for our existing doctors. That said, I'm of the opinion a new medical school couldn't hurt us.

gleph 8 points 3 years ago

I think this is generally good idea, but if I recall from previous times this has been proposed, the problem isn’t really the medical school part, it’s the hospital’s capacity to host and train the student doctors in the later years.

So, great that Waikato Uni is on board, but what do the regional hospitals think?

save

path: 0 839773, hotness: undefined, score: 8, children: 1

Yhmg 5 points 3 years ago

This is a good point, residency capacity would have to be increased to accommodate more medical students.

save

path: 0 839773 839883, hotness: undefined, score: 5, children: 0

HappycamperNZ 5 points 3 years ago

Massey already does training for nursing - wouldn't it make more sense to expand there rather than develop an entirely new school?

save

path: 0 840819, hotness: undefined, score: 5, children: 0

Dave 4 points 3 years ago

My initial reaction is that this must be good!

But I do have questions. Are our current schools full?

If so, do we have 220 more applicants every year that can meet the high entry standard?

If so, how do we keep doctors in NZ once they graduate?

save

path: 0 839700, hotness: undefined, score: 4, children: 1

Yhmg 4 points 3 years ago

My understanding is that yes, there is the demand. The issue is money, Auckland and Otago want the money that would go to a new med school to instead increase their own capacity. Opening a new med school is certainly expensive but is a better solution in the long run, in my opinion.

Keeping the doctors is the other side of the coin, to which I don't have a great answer other than, unfortunately, more money.

save

path: 0 839700 839833, hotness: undefined, score: 4, children: 0

skeezix 3 points 3 years ago

Australia will certainly appreciate NZ for the increase in eligible doctors

save

path: 0 842042, hotness: undefined, score: 3, children: 0

kiwiheretic 1 point 3 years ago

If you are going to spend that sort of money it has to come from somewhere. Will they raise taxes? Divert spending from elsewhere?

save

path: 0 863099, hotness: undefined, score: 1, children: 1

Yhmg 3 points 3 years ago

Raise taxes on everyone who isn't me :)

Nah I don't have the answer, money is what all the issues boil down to in the end.

save

path: 0 863099 863601, hotness: undefined, score: 3, children: 0