Students Guide

Medical SchoolsAt OXFORD UNIVERSITY the number of new preclinical

students continues to be restricted by decree. Duringthe coming academic year 55 men and 10 women willagain be admitted. The selection of candidates is made

by a central university committee ; their names are putforward by colleges, so that preliminary acceptance bya college is essential for any prospective medical student.Students reading medicine at Oxford must in additionqualify for a B.A. degree. Almost all medical studentsdo this by taking the final honour school of animalphysiology, which normally occupies them for one yearafter they have taken the 1st B.M. examination in organicchemistry, anatomy, and physiology. A few studentstake instead the final honour school of psychology,philosophy, and physiology. The new physiologydepartment is nearing completion, and should be readyfor occupation in 1953. After taking the B.A. degreemost students do a course in general pathology andbacteriology and pharmacology, lasting two terms, beforegoing on to their clinical studies. The clinical sectionof the school continues to limit its entry to 32 studentsa year so that a high degree of personal supervisionand opportunities for practical experience may beretained. About two-thirds of the clinical students aredrawn from Oxford preclinical students ; and theremainder come from other universities, normally to takethe degree of their own university. At the present timethe clinical students include men from Cambridge, Leeds,and London universities, and in addition scholars comeregularly from the Dominions. By assembling such amixture of students the University hopes to minimiseany risk of parochialism among students who receivetheir complete medical training in Oxford. The RadcliffeInfirmary (520 beds) remains the main teaching hospital,but practical instruction is also given in other membersof the United Oxford Hospitals Group (1250 beds). Forexample, tuberculosis is taught at the Osler Pavilion,and infectious diseases at the Slade Hospital; and studentsspend two months in their final year at the ChurchillHospital doing general medicine and certain specialties.In addition the Wingneld-Morris Orthopaedic Hospitalis used for orthopaedic training, and Littlemore Hospitalfor training in mental diseases. The small size of thestudent body ensures good opportunities for practicalexperience. In both medicine and surgery studentsspend half their time in a

’’ firm " of 4 students, andhalf in a " firm " of 8 students. Instruction is givenpartly by the whole-time Nuffield professorial units ofmedicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, anæs-

thetics, orthopaedic surgery, and plastic surgery, andpartly by the consultant staff of the Radcliffe Infirmary.Fur example, in general medicine all students spend threemonths with a consulting physician and three monthswith the professor of clinical medicine. In this waystudents are provided with a mixture of academic andvocational training. The Radcliffe Infirmary is an

active centre of clinical research, and it is hoped thatstudents will be stimulated by being taught in thisenvironment. At the same time the large share in theteaching taken by the consultant staff ensures that thecourse is rich in practical instruction. Throughoutthe clinical course each student has a tutor who sees himregularly in the traditional Oxford way. The tutorialsystem is proving to be a valuable part of clinicaleducation.

At the UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE the number wishingto enter the medical school still greatly exceeds thenumber of places which can be found (some 220 perannum). and all college entries are subject to a universityquota. Most colleges will not admit candidates to readmedicine unless they have passed the three parts of the1st M.B. before coming into residence. This policy allowsthe student every opportunity for getting a good class

in part I of the Natural Sciences Tripos, whilst thosewho have the ability and energy are able to take part IIof the Tripos during the third year of residence. A revi-sion of the syllabus for the 1st M.B. examination isunder discussion, and the new regulations for the finalM.B. examination are now in operation, but those whomatriculated before October, 1948, have the option, untilDecember, 1952, of taking the final examination underthe present regulations or under those previously inforce. The first part of the final-the basic subjectsof pathology, pharmacology, and therapeutics-may betaken after two and a half years of clinical study. Theclinical subjects-medicine, surgery, and midwifery andgynaecology-constitute the second part of the examina-tion and may be taken after three years of clinicalstudy. At his first attempt the candidate has no optionbut to take the three main clinical subjects together,but a pass is permitted in one or more subjects providedthat a reasonable standard is attained in the remainingsubject or subjects. The undergraduate in Cambridge,having qualified in anatomy and physiology, has excellentopportunities for preparing for clinical studies duringthe long vacation when he may attend courses in elemen-tary clinical methods and in elementary psychologyincluding practical demonstrations in clinical psychology.In the course in clinical methods, the teaching is confinedto the simple technique of making a proper examinationof patients attending the general and special depart-ments of a hospital. Lectures in medical statistics andmedical genetics are included in the course. A smallnumber of undergraduate students are admitted to thepostgraduate sessions (see section on postgraduateeducation), but the facilities are strictly limited. Theuniversity department of human ecology, which includesthe university health service, has moved to a new

building at Fenner’s, and is engaged upon research andteaching in the social aspects of disease, epidemiology,medical statistics, and medical genetics. A veterinaryschool has recently been established in Cambridge, andveterinary students will work alongside medical students,to mutual advantage, for many of the subjects leadingto the Tripos. Prof. E. D. Adrian has been electedMaster of Trinity College, and his place as professor ofphysiology has been taken by Prof. B. H. C. Matthews.

LONDON SCHOOLS

LONDON UNIVERSITY bears a different relation to itsmedical faculty from other universities : whereas theyhave one school of medicine each, London has twelveautonomous schools, each of which is closely linked withone of the teaching hospitals, as well as University, King’s,and Queen Mary Colleges, all of which take medicalstudents for some part of the preclinical course. Allthe medical schools are now open to men and womenstudents.

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At UNIVERSITY COLLEGE a renewed attempt has beenmade to bring the preclinical course more into line withcourses in other scientific departxnents by reducingteaching hours to about thirty a week, including timefor tutorial teaching in small groups. A useful newphase of the investigation of teaching methods in theanatomy department has been the introduction of

" free-group discussions " designed to develop scientific habitsof thought. An additional floor has been added to theanatomy building to provide a small but valuableaddition to the accommodation of most of the verycrowded preclinical departments ; but no radical remedyis in sight until the new biochemistry building can beerected as planned. The retirement of Prof. A. V. Hillfrom the chair of biophysics. and the appointment ofProf. B. Katz as his successor coincides with the changeof status of biophysics, which now has a normal universitydepartment instead of being financed from outsidesources. Happily Professor Hill, now working in the

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physiology department. is as active a stimulus as ever.The centre of interest in the biophysics department willcontinue to be the physical aspects of physiology.

KlXG’s COLLEGE continues to have its medical facultywell filled with students in the preclinical stage of theircourse. The intake each autumn consists of abont55 students for the one-year course for the first medicalexamination of London University, and about 120students beginning the course for the second medicalexamination. Of the 55 1st M.B. students an increasingproportion (the fraction has risen in recent years fromabout one-fifth to one-third) have already obtainedexemption from one or two subjects of the lst M.B.examination. Of those taking the examination in allthree subjects about three-quarters normally pass com-pletely. and form part of the 120 to be admitted to the2nd -’*I.B. course in the following autumn. All applicantsfor admission are interviewed jointly by representativesof the college medical faculty and of the medical schoolwhere they hope to follow their clinical studies. Thelarge number of applications makes admission verycompetitive. One of the main features of the college’slong-term policy is the improvement of the accommoda-tion in the physiology department, but this can onlybe achieved by first finding alternative accommodationfor some of the departments of the faculty of naturalscience which are occupying space that will be requiredfor physiology. This alternative accommodation will notbe forthcoming until the general library can be movedinto its new quarters over the gateway ; these wereplanned before the war, but it has not yet been possibleto begin work on them.

The arrangements made by the joint committee of(,2L.:Lw MARY COLLEGE and the London Hospital MedicalCollege ensure that the teaching in physics, chemistry,and biology fits in closely with preclinical teaching.Most of the available places are taken by London Hos-pital men and women, but applications from studentswith other hospitals in view are considered. During the1951—52 session UO first-medical and 1 premedical(Conjoint) students passed through the departments.

At T--NIV17R,-4ITY COLLEGE HOSPITAL Medical Schoolstudents are beginning to wonder how the preregistrationhouse-appointments will affect them when they beginnext year. Most of them are readily reassured con-cerning the difficulties which they foresee in beingcertain of getting recognised posts within a reason-

able time of qualifying. The new introductory courseis much appreciated. Here general and specialistphysicians and surgeons make their contributions to anintegrated series of lecture-demonstrations in which the" introduction "’ is to aspects of sickness or sick people,rather than to the diagnosis of medical or surgicaldiseases. Some of our old students in well-establishedp1’act&Iacute;<:t." have lately been inviting senior undergraduatesto spend a few days with them to learn at iirst hand whatgeneral practice is like in these days. We have not yetbeen able to iuul a health centre to which the schoolmight become attached fur teaching purposes. Wehave been lucky enough to acquire a sports groundwithin easy reach of the school. The ground itself isat the moment in the throes of rehabilitation : -. the

pavilion, designed to replace the one damaged by thesome years ago, exists at present only on paper.

At ST. BARTHOLOMEW’- -.: Hospital Medical Collegeone of the more cheerful events during tlie past yearhas been the opening uf the newly built College Hall.This stands in the college grounds off CharterhouseSquare, and provides, besides dining-room, common-rooms. and recreation-room, study-bedroouis for one

hundred -tudents. The common-rooms and dining-roomare of sutHcient "iz., to accommodate all the preclinicalstudents who work in the college in Charterhouse Square.The rebuilding fortunately has not stopped with theCollege Hail : progress is well advanced with the firststage of tlie new science block to replace the war-

shattered buildings of physiology, pharmacology, physics,

and chemistry: Within a measurable time it shouldbe possible to house in an adequate building the depart-ments of physiology and pharmacology. Physics andchemistry will have to wait rather longer until thesecond stage of the building can be completed. On theadministrative side two problems have to be faced.Firstly, the prospect of compulsory internships for thosewho are graduating in the near future makes necessarysome overhauling of the present rather haphazard systemof appointments to house-physician and house-surgeonposts. Although it may not be compulsory for theschool to ensure that every student passing a qualifyingexamination obtains a suitable internship to enable himto go on the provisional register, it is regarded as beingsomething of a moral obligation. Steps are being takento see that the delay in finding posts is cut to a minimum.Secondly, the fact that the college will adopt the newcurriculum of the University of London in 1953, withits re-integration of the eight terms’ preclinical work,requires some study of the problems of teaching in thoseyears. It is realised that the entry must be hetero-geneous, to the extent that some entrants will havedone considerably more of the science subjects thanothers. We believe that a course can be devised whichwill be interesting and understandable to all, but whichwill not retrace the ground already covered by thosewho have taken science subjects to the advanced level.It is hoped too that it will be possible to decrease theactual content of the knowledge that the first two yearsof the curriculum at present demands. Suitable studentsare encouraged to take an honours B.sc. course in theyear after passing their examination in anatomy andphysiology, before they start their clinical work. Thereis no difficulty with those to whom an internal scholar-ship can be offered for this purpose, but other suitablecandidates who have grants from various educationauthorities are encountering some difficulties in havingtheir grants prolonged for an additional period becausethey have had no internal scholarship awarded to them.The first clinical period, which is locally called theintroductory course, is continually under review. Inorder to make it as practical as possible, a short periodof actual nursing each day has been incorporated inthis three months-an addition which on the whole hasbeen enthusiastically received by the students. Anotherproblem to which a complete solution has not yetbeen found is the time taken by travelling if studentsare to see any of the activities which cannot easily bedemonstrated to them in a general hospital, such astuberculosis work, child-health organisations, child-guidance clinics, and public-health arrangements in a

typical borough.

The CHARING CROSS HOSPITAL Medical School hasagain had a successful year and its activities have beenextended in certain directions. The examination resultshave again been very satisfactory : in the 2nd M.B. thepass-list was over 90 %, and in the final M.B. there wasa 73 % pass-list ; and at the recent examination twocandidates were in the honours list. Although theschool is still cramped, and financial restrictions haveprevented a start being made to the scheme for rebuildingat Northwick Park, various adaptations and extensionsof accommodation have been possible. In fact, duringthis summer the reconstruction of the lecture-theatresin the school will be completed, and the new extensionfor the departments of histology and anatomy will becomeavailable. The school had reached an advanced stagein the negotiations about teaching the subjects of the1st --NI.B. examination at the Royal Veterinary College s -as to conform to the requirements of the new syllabusof the integrated preclinical course of London University.Unfortunately financial limitations have made it iiiip4)s-sible to complete the new departments of chemistry.physics, and biology at the Royal Veterinary Collegeby October next, and therefore arrangements have beenmade for these subjects to be taught at. the NorthernPolytechnic. Holloway. These students will spend partof their time at the parent medical school to gain aninsight into the importance of the premedical subjectswhich they are studying at the Polytechnic. During thepast year the scheme by which students are taughtspecial clinical subjects at centres outside the medical

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school has been carried a stage further. The importanceof students acquiring a knowledge of general practicehas been emphasised by many people in recent years.It has been possible, with the kind cooperation of thegeneral practitioners in the Harrow and Wembley areas,to send final-year students to selected practitioners fora month’s special tuition on a

" G.P. firm." They spend

any spare time at the local hospitals of Harrow andWembley, which are a part of the Charing Cross groupof hospitals. This scheme has proved a great successand is very popular.

ST. GEORGE’S HOSPITAL Medical School has for sometime submitted to the handicap of cramped and incon-venient premises on the assumption that rebuilding wasimminent. When it became obvious that no such projectwould be completed for at least a decade, the school, withthe help of the University of London, embarked on aplan of reconstruction at Hyde Park Corner, of whichthe greater part has now been completed. The adminis-trative offices and students’ refectory and club weremoved over a year ago to larger premises in Knights-bridge adjoining the school, while the old buildings werebeing converted for the use of the department of patho-logy. The school now has an excellent new building ofthree storeys with adequate space to house the teachingand research of this department. Part of it is already inuse, but there will be a formal opening in October.Increased facilities for clinical teaching are still needed,but there is hope of an improvement in the reasonablynear future. In the meantime, by rigidly restricting theentry to 45 students a year, it is possible to maintainthe St. George’s tradition of personal instruction tosmall classes at the bedside. The societies of the schoolcontinue to flourish. Choral and dramatic activities areprominent, whilst the various athletic clubs are wellpatronised. Individual students have achieved con-

siderable distinction in athletics and swimming and onthe river.

At GUY’S HOSPITAL Medical School the aim hasalways been to encourage students to accept responsi-bility as early as possible, rather than to spoon-feed withtoo much organised teaching. There are, however,lectures and demonstrations organised by the directorsof the departments of surgery, medicine, obstetrics,paediatrics, and anaesthetics in order to cover the wholecurriculum. The object is to make good doctors ratherthan good examination candidates. There is a full rangeof house-appointments for which students may applywhen they qualify, and every encouragement is given tomen of promise to obtain the higher degrees and diplomas.House-officers, and students during selected weeks oftheir course, live in the college ; and there are twohostels where a limited number of senior students canlive near the hospital. It is a condition of entry to themedical school that students should join the clubs’union which covers all athletic and intellectual activitiesand includes membership of the students’ club. Thenew regulations of the University of London for thepreclinical curriculum will be adopted as from October,1M3, and students will then be admitted only for thefull course, or for the clinical course in the case ofstudents from Oxford and Cambridge.

hr::->O’s COLLEGE HOSPITAL Medical School providesthe clinical training for men and women students readingfor the medical degrees of the universities of London,Oxford, and Cambridge. 50 medical and 25 dentalstudents are admitted annually. The preclinical subjectsof the LB., B.s. (London) are taken in the faculty ofmedical science, King’s College, London. The presentregulations for these subjects will be retained until sucha time as facilities are available for the implementation’-’f the new 1st M.B. regulations, and students will con-tinue to be admitted for either the 1st or 2nd M.B. course.

Although the scheme for an association with DulwichH’.<-pital has not yet come into operation, it is hopedthat 200 beds at that hospital will be available fort.er_hing purposes in the near future. Full-time tutors’tea medicine and surgery will be appointed to assist in

the teaching. This year has seen the establishment ofthe King’s College Hospital and Medical School ResearchCommittee which will advise and recommend on allresearch projects to be financed by the Hospital Endow-ments Funds and the medical school. Additional researchrooms will be available in the near future within thehospital. Plans have been prepared for the buildingof a new dental school, but the national economicsituation may delay them. In the meantime, however,arrangements are proceeding for the provision of increasedspace for the local-extraction department, which willgreatly improve the facilities for student teaching.Exploratory discussions are taking place for a schemefor the regular interchange of registrars with a selectedCanadian university in order to broaden the experienceof the potential consultant and teacher. Starting in thepresent session, special internal examinations for part Iof the final examination for the B.s. (London) andfor -part I of the 2nd B.D.S. (London) will be held inthe medical school. A scheme to provide personaladvisers to students came into force last year. Theadvisers are members of the medical staff who teachstudents during their first clinical year, and they establishand maintain personal contact with the students allottedto them throughout their career as undergraduates.The personal advisers do not specifically advise on

academic matters, which remain the province of the tutorsin medicine, surgery, obstetrics, and child health. Thenew curriculum, which was introduced in January, 1950,is proceeding satisfactorily. The first group of studentsto be appointed to senior medical clerkships and seniorsurgical clerkships commenced their appointments onJuly 1 last year. One of the chief objects of the newcurriculum was to introduce the student to some of thespecial subjects during his early training in medicine andsurgery : this is to counteract the marked tendencyin recent years for the special subjects to be treated asthings apart, to the detriment of the teaching of generalmedicine and surgery. A fortnight’s residence both atthe Belgrave Hospital for Children and at the GroveHospital for Infectious Diseases are now included in thecurriculum. This medical school is fortunate in beingable to give nearly all the newly qualified students theirfirst house-appointment in the teaching hospital group.Sir Philip Manson-Bahr has been appointed lecturer intropical medicine in succession to Colonel C. H. Barberwho resigned in July of last year. A week of medicalfilms was held at the end of the spring term. The thirdLegg Memorial Lecture was delivered by Sir CharltonBriscoe, and the first Dorothy Platt Memorial Lectureby Prof. D. W. Smithers. During the twelve monthsup to May of this year, 35 students gained qualifyingdegrees in medicine and dentistry in the universities ofLondon, Oxford, and Cambridge, including 2 withhonours, and 37 students obtained diplomas in medicineand dental surgery of the Conjoint Board.

At the LONDON HOSPITAL Medical College the selectionof students remains one of the largest and most time-consuming problems. Now that the training of ex-Servicemen is virtually over, the return to the pre-warannual intake will mean admitting about 70 preclinicalstudents yearly. The raising of the standard of require-ments for London University matriculation on theGeneral Certificate of Education means that it is gainedonly at the end of the applicant’s school career and makesselection more difficult. It is also resulting in the vastmajority of medical students spending their last twoyears at school studying two or more of the premedicalsciences in order to achieve advanced-level passes inthem, and their general education suffers. The Londonwill continue to accept as preclinical students boys andgirls who have obtained exemption from 1st M.B. on theGeneral Certificate of Education, and their preclinicalsubjects will consist only of anatomy, physiology, andpharmacology. At the same time, as in the past, QueenMary College will continue to teach the premedicalsubjects to students selected for later admission to theLondon Hospital, and they will take the London 1st M.B.internally ; these students must have e matriculatedbefore going to Queen Mary College. In the preclinicalcourse there is now much greater integration between

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anatomy and physiology and between pharmacologyand physiology-a policy that is already showing goodresults. In physiology clinical members of the staffare taking a larger share in the demonstrations in appliedphysiology. The introductory course for clinical studentsstill consists of two main periods: the first is devoted toteaching small groups the methods of history taking andclinical examination ; the second consists of systematicand closely coordinated clinical and pathological demon-strations, devised to illustrate the disorders of functionand structure produced in the patient by pathologicalprocesses. More time is being given to pathologythroughout the course, and in the second period threemornings a week are given to the training of studentsin various general hospital departments, such as medicaland surgical outpatients and the receiving-room, thusincreasing the amount of practical work at this stage,giving a clearer introduction to the hospital as a whole,and enabling the student to acquire a sound basis ofclinical medicine. In the last few years attentionhas also been paid to teaching social medicine, thehistory of medicine, and the organisation of modernmedicine and the modern hospital, on which medicaleducation is to some extent dependent and which isvery likely to make the student feel that he is merelyan observer for educational purposes. A particularaim of this course is to make him feel a part of theprofession. The number of beds at the London Hospitalhas now risen to 898, of which 198 are at the annexe atBrentwood. The turnover continues to be rapid andthe annexes in Surrey and at Felixstowe continue toplay an important part. The special departments ofthe hospital attract great numbers of patients fromall over the country, while the East End of Londoncontinues to provide local material of rich clinical value.The clinical curriculum has been reorganised toconsist of the introductory course, a year of inpatientclerking and dressing, a three-month pathology course,and a year in special departments. There will then bea period of up to five months in which the student w;llattend general outpatients and have a chance to reflecton his studies before going up for his finals. The yearin special departments is the result of a completereorganisation of teaching. During this year studentswill do midwifery, gynaecology, and diseases of children,and will also spend a short appointment in variousspecial departments such as thoracic medicine (thebeds at the London Hospital annexe for tuberculosisprovide excellent clinical material), psychiatry, dermato-logy and venereology, neurosurgery, E.N.T. diseases,ophthalmology, &c. By this means all students, aftera thorough grounding in basic medicine, will have theopportunity of meeting the staff in these special depart-ments, and an opportunity for clinical work unhamperedby the previous large classes. In postgraduate teaching,the annual course in advanced medicine continues to beextremely popular. This course begins in Januaryeach year. It is too early to comment on preregistrationhouse-appointments. It is felt to be an excellent planin theory, but it is obvious that when it comes into

practice there an- likely to be considerable administrativediiuculties : but there is every reason to hope thatgeneral goodwill and close liaison with the region willenable us to get over the inevitable teething troubles.Facilities for clinical research are not as full as couldbe hoped, but steps are now under way to remedy this.There has been a remarkable increase in all forms ofspurt, and results in competitive e events have beenexcellent. Interest in music, art and dramatic societies,and other extramural activities has reached a scaleunknown before the war.

At ST. MARY’S IIoSPIT.U. Medical School students intheir final clinical year are being attached to generalpractitioners for a week each as an experiment. Althoughlectures on general practice have been included in thecourse for many years. it has been felt that an opportunityshould be given to the students to learn something of thepractical side of the work. and that by accompanyinga ueial practitioner, even for a few days, a defectin medical education may be remedied. The scheme,which is entirely voluntary, appears to have been

enthusiastically received by the students who havetaken part in it since the beginning of the session. The

establishment of a readership in physics means that allthe premedical and preclinical departments now ban,an appointed teacher of the University of London attheir head. The physics laboratory has been alteredand equipped with new benches which will allow for anincreased number of students in the first year. Newresearch laboratories, an urgent need for many years.have been completed during the session for the surgicaland paediatric units. The difficulty of obtaining a

building licence has again delayed the scheme for th’alteration of houses purchased some time ago to provideresidential accommodation for approximately 175 5students. It is hoped that at least part of the alterationwill be carried out in time to accommodate the student-entering the medical school in October, 1953. Mr. A. G.Cross has succeeded Dr. D. H. Brinton as dean of tbmedical school.

At the MIDDLESEX HOSPITAL Medical School one

of the things that is at the forefront of everyone’s mindat the moment is the posts to be held during the periodof provisional registration. Broadly speaking, these arethe house-physician and house-surgeon posts, and somehouse-appointments to special departments. All uni-versities in England and Wales, and the ExaminingBoard in England have recently agreed to completereciprocity in the matter of approval of house-appoint-ments to be held during the period of provisionalregistration, and a list of such appointments has nowbeen forwarded to the General Medical Council. Sincethe late war some of the students at the school havecontinued to attend the Central Middlesex Hospital forinstruction during the clinical period, and an officialunderstanding has been reached whereby studentsattend during a part of the first year of their clinicalcourse and carry out duties as clerks and dressers inexactly the same way as they do at the MiddlesexHospital. In addition to the obvious advantage to theindividual student, by which he gains a wider experience,this also reduces the size of the " firms " at the MiddlesexHospital. Students also pay visits to Harefield Hospitalfor instruction in pulmonary tuberculosis, and to ShenleyHospital for teaching on mental diseases. They alsospend three weeks in’ residence at St. Ann’s GeneralHospital where they gain experience of infectiousdiseases. In October, 1953, the school, together withseveral others, will adopt the new regulations of theUniversity of London for the preclinical examination.which are being instituted as an alternative to thepresent regulations for the first and second examinationsfor medical degrees. Briefly, these new regulationsare for closer coordination in the teaching of 1st and2nd M.B. subjects, and will mean the inclusion ofquestions on elementary anatomy and physiology inthe papers on chemistry, physics, and biology whichwill make up part I. The implementation of the-,;4enew regulations means that as from October, 1953, theschool will admit students only for the whole of thepreclinical course commencing with instruction in

chemistry, physics, and biology, and not direct to clasin anatomy and physiology as at present. It willcontinue to admit students from the Universities ’*tOxford and Cambridge direct to the clinical course.

This new method of admission will start in October.1953. part I of the new preclinical examination beingheld for the first time in July, 1954.

At the ROYAL FREE HOSPITAL School of Medicinethe new preclinical wing was opened by Queen Elizabeth,the Queen Mother, in October, 1951. The new buildinghas been in use since last summer and has given alldepartments greatly improved facilities both for teachingand research. Approval has been obtained for theformation of a joint school and hospital department <<;physics under the direction of a University Reader-On the hospital side, work on the conversion of furtherwards at the Liverpool Road branch of the Royal FreeHospital is proceeding rapidly, and when it is completedthe obstetrical and gynaecological beds at present at theGray’s Inn Road branch will be transferred there to forma single unit. The number of applications for admissienwas still greatly in excess of the places available, andless than one in seven could be accepted. The first-

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year entry for 1952 has been increased to facilitate thechange-over to the new regulations of the Universityof London for the preclinical course in October, 1953.The entry requirements have been revised for that yearto ensure that first-year students will, in general, havereached advanced level in the examination for theGeneral Certificate of Education in physics and chemistrybefore entry. The clinical-lecture time-table and thequarterly appointments for clerks and dressers have beenreviewed during this session, and, among other changes,a new systematic course of lectures in medicine overa two-year period is being introduced. Duringthe present session, 52 students gained qualifyingdegrees, including one with honours in obstetrics andgynaecology. In athletics the school has had a successfulyear, winning both the intercollegiate lacrosse tourna-ment and the inter-hospitals women’s hockey cup.The University Grants Committee has approved in

principle a scheme for the acquisition of a sports groundin the North London area.

At ST. THOMAS’S HOSPITAL Medical School there hasbeen no decrease in the number of students applyingfor entry, but the admissions have been strictly limitedin order to ensure that not more than 80 to 85 studentsa year enter the clinical period. The hope that therebuilding programme would be in full swing has notbeen realised, so that there has been no increase in thenumber of beds. There are two new conditions whichwill affect the coming year. One is the abolition of the1st M.B., and the other is the preregistration clinicalyear. As from October, 1953, students will be admittedfor the whole of the preclinical course, and it willbe impossible to obtain exemption from part I of thepreclinical examination. This examination will consistof chemistry, physics, and biology together with someelementary biochemistry, physiology, and humananatomy. The purpose of this change is twofold.It is hoped that by its introduction there will be acloser integration of the whole of the preclinical course,and that, as a result of the abolition of the 1st M.B.fewer applicants for places will, from the age of 13,have spent most of their time at school studyingscience. Admission to the temporary register will datefrom Jan. 1, 1953. This will mean that all studentswho qualify will have to do a year’s house-appoint-ment in approved posts before being admitted to themedical register. The students will have to find theirown posts, but it will fall to the dean to certifythat the post is a suitable one and to provide a certificateto that effect. All the activities in the clinical periodhave continued, and many research problems haveinvolved cooperation between the preclinical and clinicaldepartments. The sports ground at Cobham is now infull use and has contributed materially to the successof the cricket, football, athletic, and other outdoor clubs.There has been a boom in rowing and sailing, for whichwe now own two dinghies. There has been similaractivity in all the indoor clubs, such as the medical andphysical, choral, and arts societies. The students nowcoming into the school are of a high calibre ; and,because of the number from which they can be selected,should continue to be so. Candidates are selected oncharacter and background rather than on pure scholasticattainment, for the school believes that if this is done thefuture of medicine will be in safe keeping. Whole-timeprofessorial units, part-time clinical teachers, registrarsin greater numbers than ever before, with far better’quipment and teaching aids, and highly selectedstudents should all combine to produce still betterdoetois.

The future of the WEST LONDON HOSPITAL Medicalschool is uncertain. Negotiations have continued withthe Postgraduate Medical School of London and withthe Postgraduate Federation over possible schemes forcollaboration, but nothing has yet been decided. Asuggestion from the academic council of the Postgra-duate Medical School proposed that the West LondonHospital should by slow degrees become an accidentand einergency hospital by converting beds to thispurpose as members of the staff retire. This is a

long-term scheme on which agreement has not yet beenreached. No undergraduate students have been acceptedfor the full clinical course since October, 1948, and thegreat majority of students have now qualified. Generalpostgraduate instruction is given to students referred bythe Postgraduate Federation and to some others whoapply direct. The main difficulty of an amalgamationwith the Postgraduate School is that the two hospitalsare too far apart, and it has been found by experiment,early in 1950, that it is impossible to teach students ofone school effectively at two different hospitals. Althoughthis is done in certain special hospitals, not unsuccess-fully, it has been found that students do not like

journeying from Hammersmith to the West Londonand prefer to do all their work in one place.

At WESTMINSTER MEDICAL SCHOOL the number ofapplicants for admission continues to be far in excessof the vacancies available. The number of clinicalstudents in attendance at the present time is 184 menand 22 women. The preclinical students at King’sCollege preparing for clinical studies at Westminsternumber 54 men and 8 women. Approximately 25students from other universities, notably Cambridge,are admitted at the clinical stage each year. Owingto the keen competition for vacancies, students fromCambridge and other universities are accepted as a

general rule only if they have passed their preclinicalexaminations at the first attempt. Examination successeshave been well maintained, due no doubt to the morerigorous selection of preclinical applicants which hasbeen enforced during the last three or four years. A sitefor the new preclinical school has now been acquiredclose to the hospital. The proposal has been approvedin principle, and actual building operations await onlythe provision of funds and the release of materials andlabour. The hospital has bought for renting to theschool on a long lease a large playing-field at Cobham,Surrey. It is hoped that at least part of this groundwill be in use next year. In the meantime, a newlyacquired motor-coach is in service for the clubs’ journeysto and from the temporary playing-field at St. Ebba’sMental Hospital, Epsom. Additional facilities for mid-wifery training have been secured through the co&ouml;pera-tion of the St. Helier Hospital Management Committeeand the authorities at the Nelson Hospital where studentscarry out a period of residence in rotation. An interestinginnovation has been an arrangement whereby studentsvoluntarily attend the surgeries of certain of the generalpractitioners in the neighbourhood. The experimenthas proved popular and is obviously capable of exten-sion. It should do something to counter the commoncriticism that the teaching hospitals do not cater suffi-ciently for the intending general practitioner. A majordevelopment in the field of research has been the settingaside of a large sum by the hospital for the establishmentof postgraduate fellowships and grants. Postgraduatecourses (for the F.R.c.s., for senior officers of the RoyalArmy Medical College, and in dentistry and radiology)continue to be held. These courses are not allowed tointerfere with the normal undergraduate teaching.Additions have been made to the museum and thearrangement of the specimens has been improved.Competition for house-appointments at the hospital hasbeen particularly keen ; it has not been possible to findposts for all the applicants, and some of them have tobe accommodated in the provinces. Arrangements forthe compulsory one-year internships which will come intoforce next year are being made by the school authorities.

At the SCHOOL OF DENTAL SURGERY of the ROYAL DENTALHOSPITAL of London, the curriculum for the first two yearsincludes the study of general and special anatomy andphysiology, dental mechanics, the properties of dentalmaterials, and dental prosthetics. The anatomy and physio-logy courses are held at King’s College, London. Duringthe second two years students attend lectures and clinics ongeneral medicine and surgery at Charing Cross Hospitallledical School, and lectures and practice in dental surgeryat the dental school. Degree students attend for a furtherperiod of four or six months’ duration before completing theirfinal examination.

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OTHER ENGLISH SCHOOLS

At the UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM, although there hasbeen a fall in the number of applications for admissionto the medical school, competition for entry is stillvery keen as applications are still in excess of theavailable places. There have been no major changes inthe curriculum during the past year ; the extensionof the course in pharmacology to three terms has provedsatisfactory, the proportion of passes in the professionalexaminations being higher than for some years past.The school is once again looking forward to a visit duringAugust by a party of Norwegian medical students fromOslo. During their stay in Newcastle it is hoped to givethem an insight into the methods and facilities of themedical school and teaching hospital. They will also beshown some of the places of interest in the north east.The annual meeting of the British Medical Students’Association will this year be held in Newcastle. Afteran interval of thirty years, the Durham Medical RugbyFootball Club was successful last season in winningthe Senior Challenge Cup Competition held under themanagement of the Northumberland Rugby Union.

In the UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM * the board of thefaculty discussed at the beginning of the year the generalpolicy to be pursued during the next five years, anddecided that everything possible should be done tofoster closer contacts and cooperation between preclinicaland clinical departments. To this end the departmentof pharmacology has already established outposts inthe General, the Queen Elizabeth, and the Children’sHospitals for the study in human subjects of gonado-trophin excretion, and the mechanism of fat absorptionand its disorders. The latter work attracted the attentionof the Army medical authorities, and acute cases oftropical sprue are now brought by air from Hong-Kongto the wards of the teaching hospital for investigationand treatment. Collaboration between the departmentsof anatomy, chemistry, physics, and pharmacology hasled to the application of modern methods to the studyof cellular ultrastructure with special reference to lipo-proteins. From the department of anatomy has comea suggestion for the formation of a group in the hospitalto investigate certain aspects of steroid chemistry andcopper metabolism in cases of arthritis and liver damage.The organisation of the department of pathology hasbeen reviewed and, as conditions permit, a departmentof pathological studies will emerge with two divisions,experimental pathology, and morbid anatomy andhistology. The Leith professor of experimental pathologywill have access to hospital beds in the medical pro-fessorial unit and will be relieved of responsibility forroutine autopsy work. Experience suggests that thiscloser association of the preclinical and clinical depart-ments will prove to be a very valuable development,and the new laboratories to be erected on the hospital’ssite should promote it. The Board of Clinical Studieshas taken an active part in the administration of theschool. It was stimulated by the receipt of a spontaneouscommunication from the clinical students who hadreviewed their curriculum by means of a questionnaire,and printed their candid criticisms and conclusions.Some things of real value were brought to notice andsteps have been taken to implement suggestions made.It was obvious, however, from the results of the question-naire that many of the clinical students had failed tomake the best use of their opportunities, because theywere confused by the multitude of classes listed in theprogrammes and made their choice between themwithout any serious thought or coherent plan. The boarddecided that an attempt should be made to enlist thesupport of the clinical staff of the teaching hospital inthe development of a tutorial system, and the schemeis now in operation, whereby small groups of studentsare allocated to clinical teachers who act as personaltutors during the students’ clinical course. The board

* The entrance requirements for the Universities of Manchester,Liverpool, Leeds, Shettield, and Birmingham are laid down inthe pamphlet, Unirersity Entrance Requirements 1951-1955,copies of which may be obtained from the Secretary to theJoint: Matriculation Board, 315, Oxford Road, Manchester, 13.Additional faculty requirements may, however, be imposed ;detail- can he obtained from the dean of the faculty of medicinein each university.

has also arranged an experiment by which students intheir final year are to be attached to general practitioners.Measures have been discussed to meet the situationthat will arise when it becomes necessary for a graduatestudent to acquire satisfactory experience as a hospitalresident before he is fully registered for independentpractice. The responsibility for supplying the necessarycertificate within the meaning of the Medical Act, 195.lies with the licensing body-i.e., the university throughits faculty of medicine and its dean-and it is obviouslydesirable that the definition of " satisfactory experience "should not vary between different licensing authorities.Discussions at the General Medical Council and at theconference of deans of provincial medical schools have ehelped to clarify the position. The appeal for fundsto endow a lectureship in memory of the late dean,Sir Leonard Parsons, realised about &pound;4500 and sub-scriptions are still coming in. The terms and conditionsof the lectureship have now been approved, and thefirst lecturer will be Dr. Edward Park, of the JohnsHopkins Hospital.At LIVERPOOL UNIVERSITY * the annual intake of

undergraduates has remained stable at 100, of whom44 were admitted into the second year. There does notseem to be any sign of a falling off in the number ofapplications for admission. The revision of the curri-culum is still under consideration, but it is probable thatmany changes will be decided on in the near futureand that they will relieve some of the present over-crowding of the syllabus. During the year provisionhas been made to include human anatomy among thehonours schools of the faculty of science in orderthat suitable students may spend the year afterpassing their 2nd M.B. examination reading for an

honours degree in anatomy, as they have been able todo for many years in physiology. The faculty have hadunder review the " approval " of hospitals for the periodof resident service required under the Medical Act of1950. It is not anticipated that graduates will experienceany difficulty in finding suitable intern posts. It is morelikely that the hospitals will be pressed to find enoughinterns to fill all the posts. Owing to the shortage ofsteel, the plans for the new building which will housethe departments of pathology, bacteriology, and pharma-cology have had to be radically altered, but it is hopedthat before the end of the year a start will be made on thebuilding of the first section. The site has already beencleared and the foundations laid.

At MANCHESTER UNIVERSITY * the clinical sciencesbuilding in York Place is now almost complete, and ispartly occupied by the departments of pathology.medicine, social and preventive medicine, occupationalhealth, otolaryngology, and rheumatism research. Thedepartment of obstetrics and gynaecology is expectedto move in quite shortly, and the space vacated in themedical school will ease the problems of accommodation.Under the Medical Act of 1950 all students completinga final qualifying examination in medicine and surgeryafter January, 1953, will be required to work as a house-officer in an approved hospital for a period of 12 monthsto acquire the experience thought necessary for fullregistration. In common with all other medical schools.the university has prepared a list of approved hospitalsin this region for submission to the General MedicalCouncil. Last year for the first time the universitygave exemption from chemistry and physics in the1st M.B. examination on a satisfactory standard in thesesubjects at the advanced level in the General Certificateof Education. About a third of the students who enteredin October, 1951, were able to take advantage of tht*new regulation. There have been no major changein the curriculum during the session, but the period uresidence in obstetrics has been extended from 2 monthsto 3.

At the UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS * applications for entrycontinue at the very high rate of the post-war years.and the selection of students is a matter which continuesto cause considerable discussion here, as elsewhere.First experience with the new form of the final examina-tion has been encouraging. An attempt has been madein medicine and surgery to integrate the special with

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the general subjects without in any way lowering thestandard of the examination. It will in this way be

possible to reduce the very numerous occasions when theunfortunate examinee is compelled to meet his inquisitors.The discussions on the revision of the curriculum havebeen protracted, but thanks to the cooperative attitudeof the scientific departments of the university, a new1st M.B. course will begin this October. In the meantime,progress is being made in the review of the remainderof the curriculum. The preregistration course is to beabolished. This course consisted of one year in inorganicchemistry and physics, together with an optional subject,followed by a 1st M.B. course in organic and physicalchemistry, zoology, and botany lasting two terms.

Exemption from a preregistration course was grantedby obtaining a pass at principal level in a higher schoolcertificate ; and in recent years students entering directfrom school were expected to gain exemption in thisfashion, and the preregistration course was virtuallyconfined to ex-Service candidates or candidates who, forsome exceptional reason, were unable to take principalhigher school certificate from school. As from October,1952, the preregistration course will cease and the 1stM.B. course will extend over three terms. The subjectswill be inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry,physics, zoology, and botany. Exemption from physicsand botany will be granted to students who do sufficientlywell at advanced level in the General Certificate ofEducation examination, or have equivalent qualifications,and exemption from a portion of the course in chemistrywill be granted to those with advanced chemistry. Asa result of this change, the 2nd M.B. will now last fiveterms instead of six. The curriculum both for themedical degrees and certain other diplomas is at presentunder review, and further changes may be made nextyear. In June, a ceremony was held in the AlgernonFirth Institute of Pathology, when a bronze-plaqueportrait of Prof. M. J. Stewart was unveiled. At thesame time, the establishment of a Matthew StewartLectureship was announced; the lecture will be givenevery third year.

In the UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD* the year has beenone of steady work rather than of dramatic development.Various interesting projects have come, and continue tobe, under active discussion, but most have not yetreached the stage of practical implementation. It is,however, satisfactory to report that, following discussionsby the faculties of medicine and of pure science, a pro-cedure has been agreed upon which it is hoped willfacilitate the taking of the combined degrees of M.B.,CH.B., and B.sc. with honours in physiology (or, whenenlargement of the department chiefly concerned allows it,in anatomy). The introduction of the new medical curri-culum in 1947 upset the previously existing arrangementsfor such combined degrees, but it will now be possiblefor a student to obtain an honours science degree inphysiology by undertaking certain extra work duringhis second and third medical years and by interposingone extra year (which will include a long-vacation termof six weeks) between the 2nd M.B. examination and thestart of clinical work. New ordinances and regulationsrelating to the degree of M.D. have been approved, andwill come into force in October, 1953. The submissionof a thesis is made obligatory, the former option oftaking the degree by examination alone being abolished.Microbiology, at present comprised within bacteriology,will next session become a department in its own right,under a senior lecturer in charge, and forming a partboth of the faculty of medicine and of the faculty ofpure science.

In the UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL the session 1951-52hac provided no great changes in the medical school,and plans for expansion in the coming session are

awaiting the pronouncements of the University GrantsCommittee. However, a new clinical lecture-theatre hasbeen built at the Roval Infirmary. One innovation inthe curriculum has been a week’s nursing in the wardsf.,jr all students at the end of the introductory clinicalcourse, before the start of dresserships and clerkships.The students are allocated to surgical wards, and workthe same hours as the day nurses ; meals are provided

for them in the nurses’ home. In spite of a few tired feet,the week was much appreciated because it gave a thoroughinsight into hospital work ; it also had its lighter moments,as, for example, when two students were found by thesister scrubbing floors, having been led by junior pro-bationers to believe that this was part of the nurse’s duty.The additions to the staff of the dental school madeduring the last few sessions have provided opportunityfor more research work in its departments. The veterinaryschool, established within the medical faculty threeyears ago, is forging ahead, and the first group of studentswill begin their clinical studies during the comingsession. For this purpose a new building has been erectedat the University Veterinary Institute at Langford, andhas been opened by the Minister of Agriculture andFisheries. This building comprises a conference hall,lecture-room, and laboratories. A chair in veterinarysurgery has been established and will be filled before thenew session begins. The liaison between the medical andveterinary schools is already proving of value in somebranches of research. All departments have been activein research ; a Colston Research Symposium on thesuprarenal cortex held during May was attended byrepresentatives of eleven countries.

WALESIn the WELSH NATIONAL SCHOOL OF MEDICINE there

have been few major developments in the past year.The new institute of pathology has been completed andis fully occupied by the department of pathology andbacteriology and the public health laboratory of theMedical Research Council. These two departmentscarry between them the responsibility for the clinicaland preventive service in pathology and bacteriologyfor the hospitals and public health departments of awide area, as well as teaching the students in the medicalschool. The research centre in anaesthetics, which issituated in premises of the Cardiff Royal Infirmary,is now virtually complete. The use of premisesadjacent to Llandough Hospital and the provision ofmeals there has made it possible to establish a rota ofresident clerks in the school department of paediatricsat this hospital. Joint arrangements have been made bythe school and the infirmary to establish a departmentof clinical photography. The Minister of Health, actingboth for his own Department and for the UniversityGrants Committee, has acquired 53 acres of land on theHeath Estate in Cardiff as the site of a new medicalteaching centre. A joint committee of the university,the school, the United Cardiff Hospitals, and the RegionalBoard is engaged in planning the new combined hospitaland teaching school. It has been decided to includein the buildings a dental school and hospital. Completeschedules for an architectural competition will soon beready.

SCOTLANDAt the UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN the course of

study for the degrees of M.B., CH.B. extends over sixyears. The sixth year of study is devoted to clinicalwork in the various hospitals in Aberdeen. Thechair of social medicine was instituted in 1951, butan appointment to the chair has not yet been made.The work of the department is meantime being carriedon by the head of the department, who is a reader, andtwo lecturers. The department is associated with public-health activities in the city. The new buildings forthe department of chemistry, which are near to King’sCollege, Old Aberdeen, have been completed, and willbe opened on Sept. 17 by Sir Robert Robinson O.M.,F.R.s., Waynflete professor of chemistry at OxfordUniversity. In addition to lecture-rooms and labora-tories for the department of chemistry, accommodationhas been provided for the departments of agriculturalbiochemistry and soil science. and for the medical officerfor the students’ health service.

At the UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH the past year hasbeen as busy as ever. Detailed plans for the extensionof the universitv medical school into the north side ofGeorge Square are now in the course of preparation.The number of applications for admission to the courseleading to the M.B., cn.B. degrees continues to be muchgreater than the number of places available. The degree

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course now occupies six years, and the stage has beenreached where students commence, in October next, thefifth year of this curriculum. Students are still con-tinuing to attend the five-year medical curriculumand in July, 1952, the last full class graduated. InJuly, 1953, the graduating class will be muchsmaller than usual. Thereafter approximately 200students, under the six-year curriculum, will graduateeach year. From October, 1952, there will be moreplaces available in the school of dental surgery for thefive-year course leading to the degree of B.D.s. Withthe institution of the degree in veterinary medicine andsurgery (B.V.M.S.) and the incorporation of the Royal(Dick) Veterinary College within the university as theRoyal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, a five-yearcourse for this degree will begin in October, 1952. Theuniversity does not offer courses in preparation forhigher degrees in medicine and surgery ; but coursesfor the diplomas in public health, tropical medicine andhygiene, radiodiagnosis, radiotherapy, and psychiatryare given. An intensive course for the diploma inpsychiatry, lasting five weeks, will begin in October,1952, for the examinations in December, 1952, and April,1953. While this course is primarily intended for thoseregistered as candidates for the diploma of the university,it is open to others who may be interested to apply forpermission to attend. The courses for the diplomas inmedical radiodiagnosis and medical radiotherapy nowoccupy a full-time period of two years’ study. The coursefor the diploma in industrial health has been discontinued.The university offers a three-year course leading to acertificate in medical illustration, and the first studentsto complete the course received their certificates inJuly, 1951.

At GLASGOW UNIVERSITY almost all the additionalstudents taken over from the local extramural schoolsin 1947 have now completed their curricula and qualified.As a welcome consequence, the extreme congestion ofthe last few years has been almost completely relieved,and the number of students in attendance has revertedto the level which, before 1947, was regarded as normal.There now remains only one full year of students follow-ing the old five-year curriculum and these are due toqualify in 1953. There will then be relatively few medicalgraduates from this school until July, 1955, when thefirst full year of the six-year curriculum will be due tograduate. There have been no changes of major impor-tance in the courses and organisation for instructionduring the year, though the additional hospital unitsrecently brought into service are proving of increasingvalue, not only in general medicine and surgery, but alsoin psychiatry. Clinical teaching in obstetrics and childhealth is now given at Stobhill Hospital, in generalmedicine and general surgery at Southern General Hos-pital and at Paisley Royal Alexandra Infirmary, andin psychiatry and neurology at Southern General Hos-pital. The main developments in the faculty of medicinehave concerned the dental and veterinarv schools. Inthe dental school, a chair of dental surgery has beeninstituted. The course for the university degree ofbachelor of dental surgery has now been in existencefor five years, and the first quota of graduates appearedthis summer. In the veterinary school, chairs of veterinarysurgery and -of veterinary pathology have been estab-lished, and rapid progress has been made with theprovision, within convenient distance of the university,of an animal hospital and ancillary buildings which willprovide the veterinary school with greatly improvedfacilities for clinical work.

At the UNIVERSITY OF ST. ANDREWS instruction in thesubjects of the clinical years of study is given at Dundee,while the premedical and preclinical subjects can bestudied either at St. Andrews or at Dundee. The annualintake of students to the faculty of medicine is limitedto between 70 and 80 entrants. to ensure that the hospitalfacilities available are sufficient to allow of adequateclinical instruction being given to each undergraduate,as advised by the Goodenough Committee. In 1948the six-year curriculum recommended by the GeneralMedical Council was introduced. The necessarv rearrange-ment of work in the years of study has now been made.In the past year two new chairs have been instituted in

this University-namely, a chair of social medicine anda chair of child health. At St. Andrews and Dundeethere are excellent student residences which accommodateundergraduates from all the faculties, and medicalstudents in their early years are encouraged to residein these so that there are broad contacts among theundergraduates which are of great educational value.There is also the William Low Residence for :MedicalStudents, situated near the principal teaching hospitaland devoted exclusively to undergraduates in their clinicalyears of study.

IRELAND

In the UNIVERSITY OF DUBLIN the number of applica-tions for admission to the School of Physic continues tobe far in excess of available places, and all the placesallotted for overseas students have been filled. The build-ing for the Moyne Institute of Preventive Medicine isnow practically complete, and it is hoped that theinstitute will be formally opened early in 1953. A newschool of social medicine will be established with itsheadquarters in the institute. The arrangements for thefoundation of this school are well in hand, and it ishoped that work will begin very soon after the com-pletion of the institute building. Arrangements are

being made for the year of internship duty to be carriedout by graduates before full registration as medicalpractitioners. In the Republic of Ireland newly qualifiedmedical practitioners will become eligible for provisionalregistration by virtue of obtaining their medical qualifi-cation, without being required to produce evidence thatthey have obtained a house-appointment in an approvedhospital. The list of hospitals approved for the purposeof internship will be under the control of the MedicalRegistration Council and not the licensing bodies. Thiscentral control should mean a general simplification inthe working of the scheme, as in Dublin alone there arefour licensing bodies and ten general clinical hospitals,independent of the licensing bodies and of each other.To some it seems regrettable that this new scheme willinvolve the serious curtailment, if not the extinction, ofthe system of undergraduate residence in hospital-forgenerations a tradition of the school. The course forthe diploma in gynaecology and obstetrics continues toattract a large number of non-Irish postgraduate students.This course is run in close collaboration with the threelarge maternity hospitals, and six months’ residence inone of these is compulsory for all D.G.O. students. Theexamination for the diploma in psychological medicine.which was suspended for several years, has now beenrestored.

The SCHOOLS OF SURGERY, DUBLIN, includingCarmichael and Ledwich Schools, are attached by charterto the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Studentsare admitted by competition in the preliminaryexamination, and the schools accept women as wellas men.

At the QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY OF BELFAST the numberof entries each year is restricted to 108, of which up to20 places are allocated to the school of dentistry. Appli-cations for admission far outnumber the places available,and priority is given to children of persons normallyresident in Northern Ireland, to children of graduateof Queen’s University, and to ex-Service applicants.A few places are reserved for applicants from the CrownColonies, but all such applicants must be sponsored bythe Colonial Office. When priority places have beenallotted any which remain (usually not more than 5or 6) are allocated to selected applicants from GreatBritain and overseas. The requirements for admissionare: (1) matriculation in 5 subjects, of which English.mathematics, and a modern language are compulsory:(2) a qualifying examination in Latin; and (3) thepremedical examination in chemistry and physics.Details of the requirements and of examinations recog-nised for exemption may be obtained from the secretary.Faculty of Medicine, 25, University Square, Bdf&st.Northern Ireland. External examinations and coursesof study for the lst M.B. are not recognised for exemptionfrom the course and examination for the 1st M.B. inQueen’s University. The new curriculum has now been

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introduced throughout the whole six years, and the lastexamination under the old curriculum was held inJune. 1952. The death of Prof. Thomas Walmsley,professor of anatomy since 1919, was a severe loss tothe medical school. Dr. J. J. Pritchard has been

appointed to the chair from Oct. 1, 1952. Dr. G. Mac-

Gregor Bull has been appointed to the chair of medicineformerly held by the late Sir William Thomson. Thestudent-health department plays an increasing part inthe life of the university. B.C.G. inoculations have beencarried out successfully on Mantoux-negative preclinicalmedical students with a 100 % conversion-rate and nocomplications. A welfare officer has been appointed tolook after the general welfare of the students, to inspectand keep a list of lodgings, and, in particular, to lookafter the welfare of overseas students in conjunctionwith the British Council. The staff has been increasedby establishment of a lectureship in physiology withspecial responsibility for dental students, and a secondlecturer (temporary) in orthodontics, pending the appoint-ment of a lecturer in child and preventive dentistry.Several other lectureships remain to be filled. Theteaching staff now consists of 15 professors, 7 readers,44 lecturers, and numerous special lecturers, tutors,registrars, and assistant lecturers.

The NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND has collegesin Dublin, Cork, and Galway.

At UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, DUBLIN, although the numberof students applying for entrance to the medical schoolis still high, as is the number who are eventually allowedto enter the premedical course, the number of thosereaching the medical courses proper is falling. Thepolicy of making the premedical examination a stringenttest of ability to pass examinations has shown itsadvantages in that the percentage of failures in thesubsequent examinations has become much lower thanpreviously. It seems probable that as the public becomesaware of the possibility of the medical profession becomingovercrowded the number of applicants for entrance willfall further and the number of students will soon reach amore manageable scale. Postgraduate instruction isgiven, as in previous years, in preparation for thediplomas in public health, mental diseases, and childhealth. In addition, the practice, started a few yearsago, of giving a fortnight’s course, intended for generalpractitioners, in particular branches of medicine is beingcontinued. In the forthcoming session courses of thiskind will be held in cardiology and psychiatry forgeneral practitioners.

Degrees and DiplomasEXAMINING BOARDS

English, Scottish, and Irish Conjoint BoardsTHE Examining Board in England of the Royal College

of Physicians of London and the Royal College ofSurgeons of England examines candidates for thequalifying diplomas of L.R.C.P., M.R.C.S. Candidatessatisfying the board’s regulations in regard to thepreliminary examination in general education are

eligible for admission to the premedical examination inchemistry, physics, and biology, and are required tocomplete the professional curriculum subsequently at arecognised medical school. Copies of the regulations,with a calendar showing the dates of examinations, maybe obtained, free of charge, from the secretary to theExamining Board in England, the Examination Hall,Queen Square, London, W.C.1.The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, the

Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, and the RoyalFaculty of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow have anarrangement by which, after one series of examinations,held in Edinburgh or Glasgow, or both, the student mayobtain the diplomas-designated by the letters L.R.C.P.E.,LR.C.S.E., L.B.F.P.S.&mdash;of all three bodies. Candidatesmay work for the examination of the Scottish ConjointBoard at any of the recognised medical schools of GreatBritain and Ireland. The course lasts six years andincludes, in addition to the preliminary examination inthe natural sciences-i.e., chemistry, physics, and biology- three professional examinations : the first in anatomyand embryology, physiology, biochemistry, and bio-physics ; the second in pathology and bacteriology andpharmacology ; and the final in medicine, surgery, mid-wifery, forensic medicine, and public health. Details maybe had from the registrar, 18, Nicolson Street, Edinburgh.The Conjoint Board of the Royal College of Physicians

of Ireland and Royal College of Surgeons in Irelandaccepts candidates for the L.R.C.P.I. and L.M., L.R.C.S.I.and L.M. from most of the recognised medical schools athome and abroad. Full details of the regulations can beobtained from the registrar, Royal College of Surgeonsin Ireland, Dublin.

Apothecaries’ LicencesThe Society of Apothecaries of London grants the

L.M.S.S.A. Lond. to candidates who pass the primary..xa.mination (which is held quarterly) and the final’ xamination. Final examinations are held monthly,except in September. The minimum period of study13 normally five years. The four parts of the finalexamination may be taken together or in any order.Regulations and a schedule of the required courses ofstudy mav be obtained from the registrar, Apothecaries’Hall. Black Friars Lane. E.C.4.

The Apothecaries’ Hall of Ireland grants the diplomaL.A.H. Dubl. to students who have passed the threeprofessional examinations. Intending candidates mustfurnish evidence of having attended an approved coursein practical and theoretical pharmacy. The diplomaconfers on holders the right of registration on theMedical Registers of Ireland and Great Britain. Exami-nations are held three times yearly, in March, June, andNovember. Further information may be had from theregistrar, 95, Merrion Square, Dublin.

UNIVERSITY DEGREES

Bachelor of Medicine and SurgeryAll the universities in the United Kingdom, except

Nottingham and Reading, offer baccalaureate degreesin medicine and surgery, conferred on the results ofexamination.From Oct. 1, 1953, the University of London proposes to

introduce revised regulations for the preclinical period of thecourse of study for the baccalaureate degrees in medicine andsurgery. The existing regulations for the first and secondexaminations for medical degrees will remain in force beyondthat date, in view of the fact that some schools of the universitywill be unable to introduce the revised regulations as earlyas 1953 owing to shortage of accommodation. The revised

regulations provide for an integrated preclinical course of

eight terms in a school of the university, covering chemistry,physics, biology, anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, and

pharmacology. The course for the preclinical examination,part I, will extend over three terms and the course for thepreclinical examination, part 11, will extend over a furtherfive terms. There will be no exemption from the preclinicalexamination, part i, on the ground of a general certificate ofeducation or a higher school certificate.

HIGHER QUALIFICATIONSThose who have graduated in medicine and surgery are

at liberty to seek higher qualifications if they wish.

Doctor of Medicine and Master of SurgeryGraduates holding a bachelor’s degrees can take the

degree of doctor of medicine or master of surgery. Alluniversities with medical faculties in Great Britain andIreland confer such degrees. London University offersthe M.D. in general medicine, and in pathology, psycho-logical medicine, midwifery and diseases of women,hygiene, and tropical medicine ; the M.S. is obtainable in

general surgery, and in dental surgery, ophthalmology,and laryngology, otology, and rhinology. At the Univer-sity of Durham the degree of doctor of surgery (D.CH.)is offered in addition to the degree of master of surgery(M.S.). Liverpool offers the orthopaedic degree ofM.CH. ORTH.

Master of MidwiferyThe Society of Apothecaries of London grants the

mastery of midwifery (M.M.S.A.) upon examination in