They were almost all unhappy with the Entry test to access Medicine. Almost everyone seems unhappy even today, that the test has been abolished (by the Senate, at least). L’Order of Doctors has already announced battle and the student unions say they are “dissatisfied”. The French model, but the Italian one, seems to be disliked, even though it has the flavor of a revolution that has been expected for at least twenty years. That is, since when has there been talk of the abolition of limited numbers for Medicine. In reality the limited number – at least for now – will not be touched, but the entrance test will be eliminated (probably from 2025). That criterion, for which one entrance test – now there have been two – is worth a good portion of a student’s career. We therefore move on to the French model: a semester open to all and then, based on a system that will be defined by the Ministry of the University with specific implementing decrees, a skimming, but significantly increasing the number of medical students. Anna Maria Bernini said that at Mur they are aware that they can “train at least 30 thousand future new doctors in the coming years”. Now there are 20 thousand places.
The reform
The reform is reality. Universities look favorably on the Mur idea, although a space problem already seems to be emerging on the horizon. That is to say: how will universities be able to accommodate the tens of thousands of students who will enroll in the first semester? The document explains: «In compliance with innovative standards relating to the quality of training», «ways must be identified to allow the alignment of the quota of places in degree courses with the places available for access to post-graduate training courses» . And then a system for monitoring the needs of national health service personnel must also be introduced, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health (a technical table was already tested a year ago).
The doctors’ unions are critical, speaking of the possibility of having thousands of unemployed when the effects of the reform are seen, i.e. in at least ten years. However, the students are also critical, although they are satisfied with the elimination of the test. «It is a first step, but we are disappointed with the methods chosen. The delegation to the Government – comments Federico Amalfa, head of the University Union – does not clarify what investments will be made in infrastructure, teaching and the right to study to allow the access programming to be overcome. From what we learn, it will not be a real abolition of the limited number, but a partial reform. In fact, the criteria for the establishment of local programmed numbers have not been changed and an access filter will still be maintained, only that it will be deferred compared to registration”.
The test
Speaking of tests, the first (two sessions) of 2024 is scheduled for May 28th. A slight drop in registrations throughout Italy: a year ago there were around 70 thousand, in a month’s time 61 thousand will try. And the trend is also visible in Puglia: Unisalento reports 1,300 members (there were 1,700 in 2023). But there is another game that will be played between now and the next three months. Minister Bernini has already announced that the number of places for medical students will increase further, starting next September. And even the people of Puglia want to share the new slice of cake. If at the moment there are 844 places in Puglia (not counting, however, the course in English at the University of Bari and places for citizens residing in countries outside the European Union), it is easy to think that we could reach 900. It would be the completion of a path that has seen Puglia as a great protagonist in recent years. Suffice it to say that in 2014/15 there were 312 registrations in Medicine between Bari and Foggia. In the meantime, Medicine has arrived at the University of Salento (next will be the third year) and in the training offer of the Lum of Casamassina. And the University of Bari, for some years now, has opened a course in Taranto, which should become autonomous. Now we await another leap forward, regardless of what the entry methods will be from next year.
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