Medical careers and aptitude tests

Sir, – Times have changed. The old-fashioned notion of the doctor with the big stethoscope, dressed in tweeds, never off duty, charging in guineas and the object of worship from his patients is long gone.

Today’s doctor needs to be “tech-savvy” to read complex scans, to be familiar with endless numbers of new drugs and tests, to work in shifts, to engage in teamwork rather than function as an individual, and to follow protocols of international best practice rather than decide his own way of managing an illness.

In addition, much time is spent carrying out screening such as blood pressure and cholesterol levels where the patients are mostly healthy. Nurses and allied health professionals such as occupational therapists provide most of the “caring” aspect of medicine nowadays.

Medicine has become a technical job rather than a caring profession, although it remains a difficult and challenging career.

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Perhaps against this background the Leaving Certificate points race is sufficient for entry into medical school.

There is no need for a supplementary test that claims to measure the nebulous concept of “aptitude”. – Yours, etc,

PAVEL MARIANSKI,

Dungarvan,

Co Waterford.