Medical specialists concerned over changes in medical school admissions

Colombo, April 26 (Daily Mirror) - The Association of Medical Specialists (AMS) have raised concerns regarding proposed changes to the entry criteria for fee-levying medical undergraduate programs at the state-owned medical school of Kothalawala Defense University.

Traditionally, admissions to medical faculties in Sri Lanka have been based primarily on the Advanced Level Examinations Z score, with the University Grants Commission (UGC) allowing a small allocation of additional marks for students excelling in extracurricular activities. This approach has been praised for providing equal opportunities regardless of economic or social background.

In a press release, the AMS argues that altering the current criteria could introduce unfair advantages for economically and socially privileged students, disrupting the level playing field. Factors such as the cost and accessibility of certain extracurricular activities, biased assessments, and favoritism during admissions could exacerbate inequalities.

Furthermore, the AMS highlights the need to reassess the minimum entry criteria for medical undergraduate courses, as the current standards may be outdated compared to international benchmarks. With an increasing number of students achieving high results in the Advanced Level Examinations, aligning Sri Lanka's standards with global norms is deemed necessary.

Moreover, the AMS emphasizes the importance of updating the cadre of medical officers in the state sector to accommodate the expansion of the healthcare system. This includes addressing the potential unemployment of medical graduates in the future and ensuring recruitment is based on merit, with priority given to graduates from state medical schools.