Written answers

Tuesday, 8 July 2008

Department of Education and Science

Medical Education

11:00 pm

Photo of James ReillyJames Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 618: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the progress made on the Programme for Government commitment to implementing the restructuring of medical education, including an increase in training places and postgraduate medical degrees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26805/08]

Photo of James ReillyJames Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 619: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the progress made on the Programme for Government commitment to implementing the Fottrell Report recommendations on undergraduate places in medicine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26806/08]

Photo of Batt O'KeeffeBatt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 618 and 619 together.

A programme of reform and expansion of undergraduate medical education and training commenced in 2006 following the acceptance by the Government of the report entitled "Medical Education in Ireland A New Direction" (the Fottrell Report) published jointly by the Department of Health and Children and the Department of Education and Science. The measures being implemented under the programme include an increase in the intake of Irish/EU medical students, changes to the entry criteria for medical courses, the introduction of a graduate entry programme and curriculum reform.

Progress to date in implementing the reform programme and the recommendations of the Fottrell report is as follows: Increase in the intake of Irish/EU medical students. The Fottrell Report recommended an increase in Irish/EU places in medicine from 305 to 725 over a four year period. The increased intake is being achieved through the provision of an additional 180 undergraduate places and the introduction of a new programme of graduate entry to medicine which will provide 240 places.

In the 2006/07 academic year, an additional 70 undergraduate places were provided amongst the existing five medical schools and an additional 40 places were provided in the 2007/08 academic year. A further 35 places will be provided in 2008/09 and again, in 2009/10. Graduate Entry Programme for Medicine: The programme of graduate entry to medicine commenced in the academic year 2007/08 with 60 new places created. A further 60 graduate places will be provided in the 2008/09 academic year, the graduate stream will grow to 240 places by 2010/2011. This includes 95 places in a new medical school which has been established at the University of Limerick, bringing the total number of medical schools to six: New selection mechanism for entry to undergraduate medicine. The reforms in medical education which have been agreed with the universities and the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland include a new entry mechanism to undergraduate medical education to be introduced from 2009 to replace the current selection system. The new selection process will be open to all students who achieve a threshold level of 480 points and meet matriculation requirements. In addition it will include a medical school admissions test that complements the Leaving Certificate examination by assessing a range of general and personal skills and competencies. Weighted credit will be given for performance in the Leaving Cert up to 550 points, with significantly moderated credit for any points above 550.

The new selection criteria are designed to provide students who reach the threshold of 480 points in the Leaving Certificate with a reasonable prospect of achieving the entry standard based on strong performance in the admission test. The admissions test, selected by the Irish Medical Schools is called the HPAT-Ireland (Health Professions Admissions Test-Ireland). This test is independently administered by ACER (Australian Council for Educational Research). Curriculum Reform: Significant progress has been made by the medical schools in implementing the Fottrell report recommendation that each medical school should have a structured medical programme with defined programme outcomes, quality assurance mechanisms and addressing the issues such as safe patient care, professional standards and development. To date €7.5m has been allocated to the medical schools for the purposes of curriculum reform. Academic clinicians: To date, funding has been provided for the additional appointment of 25 academic clinician posts on a 50:50 basis between the HEA and the HSE. The posts cover a wide range of specialities, including clinical pharmacology, medicine for the elderly, respiratory medicine, general practice, public health medicine, accident and emergency medicine, palliative medicine, nephrology and anaesthesia. Revised contractual arrangements for academic consultants have been agreed as part of the recently finalised consultant's contract negotiations.

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