Too few black doctors graduating

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"The number of particularly black doctors graduating from medical schools is not in proportion to the number admitted as first year students. This is an indication [of the problem]," national chairman Charl Oberholzer said.

He was referring to Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande's comments on Tuesday that while medical schools focused on reducing the scarcity of health skills they were not producing enough professionals.

During a meeting with the South African Medical Association (Sama), Nzimande said graduate targets in the health would not be met by 2014.

Sama said it was concerned that the number of black doctors graduating was not proportionate to the number of first year black students being admitted.

The failure rate among black students tended to be particularly high, the association said.

Oberholzer said: "The high rate of failure among black students can be attributed to the obsession with race that leads to students being admitted according to race quotas."

He said Nzimande should invest in the potential of students who came from poor socio-economic conditions by providing bridging courses for them.

"A mental shift must be made about the representation of black students in certain careers," said Oberholzer.

Source: Sapa via I-Net Bridge.