AMA slams Macquarie medical school
The AMA has urged the Federal Government to reject Macquarie University’s “ill-conceived” plan to open a medical school for full-fee paying students.
In late December last year, just days after the Government announced a shift in policy focus away from expanding the number of medical school places to encouraging more doctors to practice in rural and regional training areas, the AMA sounded the alarm over Macquarie’s medical school plans.
Federal AMA President Dr Michael Gannon and NSW AMA President Dr Brad Frankum have written to the Assistant Minister for Health, Dr David Gillespie condemning the idea.
“We wish to express our complete opposition to Macquarie University’s plan to establish a full-fee paying medical school,” the AMA leaders said. “This is an ill-conceived [idea] that will simply waste precious health system resources for the benefit of a privileged few who will be able to afford entry.”
The AMA has called on the Government to specifically examine the impact of the Macquarie University proposal as part of its current review of medical school places.
