Mature students in the medical course

Are mature students included in the Doctor of Medicine course? In nursing 56.5 per cent are mature students.

Two months ago, the health authorities had launched a campaign to encourage more people to take up nursing which resulted in double the number of applicants to a record 379. The Ministry of Education after agreement with the university announced that all eligible applicants who obtained the required qualifications by August 31 will be accepted into the degree and diploma courses. This means that an additional 25 students will be accepted, bringing the total intake to 165 students.

All those who applied as mature students but were not in possession of the academic qualifications will be assessed for their suitability to pursue the courses. This means that under the clause "maturity students" there are 214 students or 56.5 per cent of those who applied for the nursing courses.

Noting this information I asked if the University of Malta accepts students under the same clause to follow the Doctor of Medicine course? So far I have had no official answer.

Last year the total number of students starting this course reached 100 and I find it difficult to accept that each year there are 100 students reaching the high level entry requirements to begin this course.

I am assuming that for the Doctor of Medicine course there is a mix of both students with the needed high academic qualifications and others who applied under the maturity clause and are not in possession of the basic university entry requirements.

If so, the dictum that for the Doctor of Medicine course we need the best students is baseless.

Malta needs more doctors. If there are students who are not able to follow the course these have to stop. But not stopped at the beginning of the course.