Concern of medical students

1995/02/01 Irazusta, Jon Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Medikuntza

We have recently seen medical students in the streets of our villages more often than usual. Dressed in a white gown, they have been taking tension, running or looking for signatures, these young men who until now showed the other image.

The change of image is due to the conflict between the Ministry of Health and medical students. It is not easy to explain this problem in depth, analyze the health and university models of our society, and perhaps question it because it would be necessary. On the other hand, Einstein explained in his theories that each observer performs a different measurement of facts based on his position (and interests). However, I will try to give some clarifications about it, knowing that I will not fully analyze the problem.

The origin of the conflict is not today in the morning. The regulations adopted by the European Union in 1987 require all medical graduates to practice two years as a general practitioner in public health. Internships must be carried out in hospital or health centers and will be necessary in the Spanish State since 1995. This point is the first key to the conflict, the lack of foresight that the government has had for not having faced in time due to the problem that had come from a long time ago.

On the other hand, to date, the ministry has only offered the MIR way to carry out the practices. To continue with this path, it is necessary to obtain an examination that exceeds 25% of those presented. As a result, the 6 academic courses of most graduates (except those who have passed the MIR exam) that will then finish the race, if the situation does not change, will not serve anything. Faced with this, medical students from all over the state have said goodbye asking the government to offer two practical years. Students also want this course to be quality for all graduates.

Following the latest mobilizations, the Government has been willing to offer two years of training and expand MIR seats. However, this has not satisfied the expectations of the students, since this course will take place in the university and not in hospitals or health centers, and even the Minister has declared that it will be of poor quality. This can generate general practitioners of two levels: Persons who have completed Family Medicine through the MIR (exclusively in the Spanish State in the European Community) and have completed the aforementioned training course. On the other hand, I believe that this form of education would not be at least in improving the quality of health that we all demand.

However, the solution of the problem will not be to everyone's liking at all. Several medical associations, to act as general physicians, are in favour of maintaining the MIR path as the only one that, in their opinion, ensures the quality of health.

Finally, and in order to analyze the problem from other points of view, I would like to ask some questions, specifying that I do not have clear answers either: Should you educate not only the doctors the state needs, but everyone? Offering a course to all medical graduates is not a great advantage for the unemployed who have completed other studies? When should people be selected for any profession? etc.