Læknablaðið - 01.12.1963, Side 59

LÆKNABLAÐIÐ
179
that the difficulties can be eased
hy providing the proper facili-
ties and this is particularly nec-
essary for those who are en-
gaged in individual practice and
wlio are not working in the
large centres, where meeting
with colleagues, where discus-
sions are a daily occurrence,
where library facilities and so
forth are readily available.
Tliis complex and expanding
problem which I liave endeav-
oured to sketch in broad out-
line, when translaled into prac-
lice raises many issues, some
major, some minor, all of which
merit careful study and discus-
sion. Clearly to-dav I can only
touch on two or three which
are of particular moment.
Whereas Post Graduate Edu-
cation in the past was cliiefly
concerned witli the advanced
study by the few, to-day when
all doctors must participate, it
is clearly necessary tliat there
must he some organization, if
it is to be effectively pursued.
It can no longer be left hope-
fully to voluntary effort and
chance. To add it to the duties
of a Faculty of Medicine and
the Dean is to impose a very
liea\w additional loan on an
organization a-nd an individual
wlio, alreadj7 liave very considei’-
able and prior commitments.
Further, the teaching liospitals,
while they must play a part and
are willing to do so, have al-
ready a lieavy and competing
responsibility for undergradu-
ate students and it is therefore
necessary that we should call
in the potential resources of tlie
non-teaching or peripheral hos-
pitals and the associated staffs.
Tlie provision of facilities such
as libraries, of accommodation
wliere doctors can meet to dis-
cuss theirprol)lems orhold sem-
inars, must be made avail-
able and of course if we are
going to use as teachers, senior
members of the staffs in these
peripheral hospitals, we must
make sure that they liave ade-
quate time to undertake this ad-
ditional task. In the past many
teachers liave accepted volun-
tary Post Graduate teaching, bul
there comes a time when the
additional burden is more than
they can carry. The importance
of this is that in calculating the
establishment of these hospitals
due weight must be given to
these teaching responsibilities.
It will further be necessary lo
liave in each hospital some se-
lected member as the „tutor“
or regional director to ensure
tliat the educational programme
is organized and implemented.
Il will be readily appreciated
that these things mean money
— doctors in very few countries
are so well off that they can
provide this finance from the
resources of the profession. It
may be obtained from charita-