The Medical profession.

  • Reaney, Michael Foster.
Date:
1905
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The Medical profession. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    to have that expected of the average middle-class lad of his own age. If the standard be raised higher still than this, the fear comes in that so many boys will be prevented from entering the profession that its numbers will be depleted. It is doubt- ful whether this would ever be the case ; the more likely result would be the raising of the average age of qualification, which would not be wholly harmful. One more suggestion must be considered before leaving the subject of preliminary education, and that is, that the General Medical Council should itself hold a preliminary examination which all students would have to pass. But first, even if this came to be, the Council could only refuse to register those students who had not taken its examination. The Medical Act, unfortunately, gives no power to the Council to enforce registration, so a somewhat difficult situation would ensue. Further, the Council would have to delegate its powers to some one or more educational authorities, and so the desired end would not really be obtained. The Board of Education in England is at present con- sidering the advisability of instituting a leaving school examination, after the example of that which has conduced so much to the advance of education in Scotland. Perhaps, if the standard be suitable, it may be possible to make these official examinations essential preliminaries to the medical curriculum. [Diagram.