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Author Topic: Minister say Bias in med school a no-no  (Read 4234 times)

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Offline zuluwarrior

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Minister say Bias in med school a no-no
« on: July 16, 2007, 10:14:12 AM »
BY COREY CONNELLY

A new policy is being devised to address alleged discrimination in the enrolment practices at UWI’s Faculty of Medical Sciences, Mt Hope, says Tertiary Education Minister Mustapha Abdul-Hamid.

The policy, which is expected to take effect by January, comes in the wake of claims of discriminatory practices in the entry level criteria of the institution.

Abdul-Hamid said he had several conversations with administrators of the university advising them that the situation that existed in Trinidad was inconsistent with the recommendations of the accredited body.

“Since then, on a number of occasions, we have had a number of meetings, and so, as a result of the intervention, I suspect of the vice chancellor, that resistance which was taking place within the faculty was able to be defeated,” he said in an interview on Friday.

The minister’s stance came as university lecturer Dr Courtenay Bartholomew also complained about the faculty’s discriminatory enrolment policies.

In an article published yesterday, Bartholomew said the medical rot in T&T began with the selection of students and teaching staff at the Faculty of Medical Sciences.

Bartholomew criticised those who, he claimed, had presented false resumes, adding he had “long brought” the issue to the attention of deans and others in authority.

Abdul-Hamid said yesterday on a radio programme that, based on information he had received, Indo-Trinidadian students had an advantage when applying for entry at the faculty. He stressed, however, this practice would not be tolerated at any of the country’s higher learning institutions.

“My understanding of this is that on the basis of A-level performance, large numbers of students of East Indian descent were, in fact, gaining entry into the Faculty of Medical Sciences,” he said.

“This is my understanding…I do not have empirical evidence. It is on the basis of information that has come to me as line minister.

Abdul-Hamid said the issue of race was raised because there were some lecturers in the faculty who held the view that to adjust the admissions criteria would be discriminatory against Indians.

The minister regarded this view as “ridiculous,” saying emphasis should be placed on pursuing an admissions criteria that were consistent with international best practice “without consideration of what might be the implications on the basis of any other variable.”

Gopeesingh: Ethnicity not a factor

United National Congress senator Dr Tim Gopeesingh, a former clinical vice dean at the faculty, insisted ethnicity was not a factor in student admissions.

“The admission team comprises members of the medical faculty, the dean, together with somebody from the University of the West Indies in St Augustine, somebody from the campus in Barbados, (and) someone from the campus in Jamaica,” he said.

“There is no way that a dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences in Jamaica or who heads the medical school in Barbados—and now we have a branch in Bahamas—no way they will encourage or inculcate any form of divisive or ethnic polarisation in terms of admission into the medical school.

“So, I want to state categorically that there is no way that the Faculty of Medical Sciences deals with anything about ethnicity in terms of admission requirements…It goes purely by meritocracy.”
 
 
 
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Offline Bourbon

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Re: Minister say Bias in med school a no-no
« Reply #1 on: July 16, 2007, 02:21:14 PM »
It isnt just the medical faculty........UWI is the only university i know you have to accept a provisional offer of acceptance by submitting a passport photo in addition to your other documents. Things like that make yuh wonder.
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Offline zuluwarrior

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Re: Minister say Bias in med school a no-no
« Reply #2 on: July 16, 2007, 05:55:24 PM »
Ah was listening to i95 yesterday an from what they are sayin it happening in the Law Faculty also . 
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Offline ribbit

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Re: Minister say Bias in med school a no-no
« Reply #3 on: July 16, 2007, 07:47:42 PM »
lawd - like they want affirmative action in the medical school?  ::)

Offline trinindian

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Re: Minister say Bias in med school a no-no
« Reply #4 on: July 16, 2007, 10:00:19 PM »
Another racially slant article appears in an election year. why am I not suprised!!!!!!!

Please post your source.
 

Offline Bourbon

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Re: Minister say Bias in med school a no-no
« Reply #5 on: July 17, 2007, 08:03:07 AM »
Well it is a brewing debate now. How the medical faculty works for admission is that you need to get 15 points from A Levels. Your A level grades are given certain point ratings....with A being 5....and an E being 1....and the same equivalent system for CAPE etc. Thus to be accepted to do medicine.....you need to get 3 A's....not including the General Paper....as well as submit a 150 word statement on why you would like to be accepted into the medical faculty. Professor Bartholemew's grouse is based on the fact that he has recieved several claims of discrimination of persons for entry before. However two persons employed on his medical staff with a first degree (with upper second class honours) in Biochemistry were denied entry to the medical faculty because they held B's at the A level. The first 2 or more years of the medical degree is biochemistry...and as such they are by far more qualified than those out of secondary school with only A levels. The question of race enters the equation when you compare the grades of those accepted to do medicine in the Mona Campus....where C's and D's even are common place from what i have heard. The question is why would a university have different standards for different campuses.....and why this disparity is necessary. And that...is just the tip of the iceburg.
The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today are Christians who acknowledge Jesus ;with their lips and walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.

Offline trinindian

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Re: Minister say Bias in med school a no-no
« Reply #6 on: July 17, 2007, 08:49:14 AM »
This is a serious flaw in the admission policy a policy that seeks to apply the economics of supply and demand to student admission, with the currency of choice being A level grades. To say it is racially motivated is akin to simplifying it into a black and white issue. The admission policy of satellite universities under the same board of regents often vary, factors that determine admission criteria include student population desiring admission and school ranking. A comparison of the student population requiring admission to the Mona and St Augustine facilities will assist in determing if the grade requirements of one is too high, it will not say if one is racially slanted.
« Last Edit: July 17, 2007, 08:53:58 AM by trinindian »
 

Offline Bourbon

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Re: Minister say Bias in med school a no-no
« Reply #7 on: July 17, 2007, 08:56:52 AM »
This is a serious flaw in the admission policy a policy that seeks to apply the economics of supply and demand to student admission, with the currency of choice being A level grades. To say it is racially motivated is akin to simplifying it into a black and white issue. The admission policy of satellite universities under the same board of regents often vary, factors that determine admission criteria include student population desiring admission and school ranking. A comparison of the student population requiring admission to the Mona and St Augustine facilities will assist in determing if the grade requirements of one is too high, it will not say if one is racially slanted.

I dont want to misinterpret your response...so i need to ask you to expand more on what exactly you trying to say. I have an idea...but it could be wrong.
The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today are Christians who acknowledge Jesus ;with their lips and walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.

Offline trinindian

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Re: Minister say Bias in med school a no-no
« Reply #8 on: July 17, 2007, 09:17:10 AM »
I am saying the admission policy is simply flawed and need to be treated as such and corrected (this is based on your description since i have not applied to Med school). Also a comparison of the admission requirements of the satellite campuses of the UWI does not reflect the desire to attend these universities. Desire to attend a school impacts the requirements e.g the admission requirements to be an engineering student at UW-Madison is different from the requirements to be a student at UW-Whitewater but both schools are under the University of Wisconsin umbrella.

From you description I envisioned a flawed system is which the admission requirement policy needs review, not one that invokes a response to cry racism.
 

Offline Bourbon

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Re: Minister say Bias in med school a no-no
« Reply #9 on: July 17, 2007, 09:42:34 AM »
Well...as i said...tip of the iceburg. There are things that provoke questions....such as why is it necessary to accept a provisional offer with a passport photo....the ethnic composition of the faculty....and the ratio of those successful compared to those who are not.
The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today are Christians who acknowledge Jesus ;with their lips and walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.

Offline dcs

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Re: Minister say Bias in med school a no-no
« Reply #10 on: July 17, 2007, 01:03:31 PM »

Morehouse in Atlanta (HBCU) used to ask for a photo...not sure if they still do it.

Names could also be used.  There are probably specific cases that lead people to believe their is discrimination.  The A-level points system doesn't seem to have anything to do with racial discrimination but may be a limitation in the admissions criteria which is inherently imperfect.

They would have to present the cases to some independent panel to review and see what the report says.  Maybe they have done it already but they could avoid all that by just overhauling the admissions system to ensure they are getting as close to the best potential candidates as possible.  Is something that should be done from time to time anyway.

Offline Bourbon

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Re: Minister say Bias in med school a no-no
« Reply #11 on: July 17, 2007, 01:57:07 PM »
I could understand a HBCU asking for a passport photo due to the need to meet racial compositions etc....which in the spirit of the suituation could still be misconstrued(i think it had a thread about it here a few weeks ago). As far as i know UWI has no policy on that.....i yet to get a reason i would consider plausible for submission of a passport photo when accepting a provisional offer.
The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today are Christians who acknowledge Jesus ;with their lips and walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.

Offline trinindian

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Re: Minister say Bias in med school a no-no
« Reply #12 on: July 17, 2007, 03:11:40 PM »
....the ethnic composition of the faculty.

This is used to support many arguments and even on this board it was used when the soca chutney warriors issue was raised. It is not possible that I could look at the pic below and come to a similar conclusion about a different profession.  The reality of the situation is the medicine and law have always been professions that traditionally hold a certain allure to them and been the professions that individuals were encourage to pursue making the competion that more fierce.

Tradition also plays a key role on what kids place their emphasis on. Is education traditionally emphasized more at the expense of sport by a group of indviduals in our culture more than others. YES, it would appear so.

Is it right? NO

I do not know what the racial make up of the Trinidad's medical body is but one has to ask is it more lucrative to have a private practice or be an  academic. Unless you have tenure the life of an academic is filled with uncertainties.

« Last Edit: July 17, 2007, 07:28:07 PM by trinindian »
 

 

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