Australian Medical Education and Workforce into the 21st Century by Committee of Inquiry into Medical Education and Medical Workforce (AGPS, Canberra, 1988), pp.xxxix 691, $39.95, ISBN 0 644 08294 I (original) (raw)

At a time when we are increasingly aware of the greenhouse effect, and its various causes, it is relevant to observe that publication of book s, requiring the use of (non-recycled) paper, involves the destruction of forests. Thus the re is a tradeoff between publication and ecological respon sibilit y. Book content must be very good to ju stify the death of trees. Th is is a big book: it is B5 sized, with over 700 pages. In fact, it weighs 1.1 kilogram s. In more ways than one, this is not bedtime reading. In 1987, The Commonwealth Minister for Health announced an Inquiry into Medical Edu cation and the Medical Workfor ce, with five terms "of reference: I. The effectiveness of the curricula and the structure of the current Australian medical undergraduate education and the interns hip year; 2. The effectiveness of current postgraduate Australian training for general medical practice and medical specialties; 3. The provision of an appropriate suppl y of each broad category of medical prac titioner. 4. The selection of students to undertake the study o f medicine; and 5. The health , social and economic impact of the major recommendations of the inquiry (p.l). The Committee had seven member s: a university Pro Vice-Chancellor (He alth Sciences) as chairperson; a Vice-Chancellor; a Professor of Medicine; two people from 'community medicine' (one of whom was an academic); a medical administrator and the Director of the Social Biology Resources Cent re in Melbourne. The Committee consisted of two women and five men. Four members had medical qualifications, two had training in the social sciences, and one had a first degree in science and a postgraduate qualification in education. The Report consists of an executive summary (39 pages), 13 chapters (550 pages) and appendices etc. (1 38 pages). The last chapter, entitled ' Health, social and economic consequences', addresses the fifth term of reference. Chapter Eleven, 'The Australian medical workforce', is concerned with the supply of medical practitioners, the third term of reference. I think we can conclude that the Committee regarded its strength as being in 'medical education' issues. The Report starts with a discussion of national health care needs. It begins with the World Health Organi sat ion (WHO) definition of health ("a state of complete physical, mental and socal well-being"), the WHO Alma-Ata declaration that "the main social target of governments should be the attainment by all citizens of the world by the year 2000 of a level of health that will enable them to lead a socially and economically productive life" , and statements from the (Australian) Better Health Commission. The Report recognises the " increasing pressure for a reor ientation of health services towards a more