THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1913. THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 20 October 1913, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1913. THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.

There is no profession which commands greater respect that that of medicine. There is none which is more conservative in its operations. And it is this very conservatism that is causing people to ask whether the time has not arrived when the State should appoint and control medical men. The "British Medical Journal," in a recent article, discussed the attractions of medicine in the following terms: —"lt has never been easy to assess the attractions of medicine as a profession, that is to say, its attractions not only as an occupation but as a means of livelihood —and at the present mo-nent this would be more difficult than 'ever. While medicine aa an art and science is making immense strides, medicine as a profession is undergoing changes which are not only rapid in their sequence, but may variously be termed either or degenerative according to the point of view from which the observer regards them. For this reason little assistance can be afforded to those who are endeavouring to decide for themselves or for others whether medicine is a desirable career to adopt, beyond directing attention to one or two points which possibly migjht not occur to anyotne who had 110 experience of the profession, but are yet worthy of consideration by those who must look to the calling they adopt to provide a -neons of livelihood. In the first; place, there arise "questions as to the expenditure in time and money. Within

living memory tlio process of bocom- i ing a medical roan was comparatively simple. A man first served a term of apprenticeship j then 1 walked" tho hospitals for a while, and finally received a diploma or a degree after passing a relatively simple examination. Sinco then a definite oourse of study sproad over a term of years has been imposed. This term was formerly four years; it is now five, and at least one degroe-granting body refuses to admit to its final examination anyone who has not pursued a career as a medical student for six years. This official extension of the curriculum is due to the difficulty of finding time for the adequate study of tho increasing number of scientific subjects and practical arts. Hence, notwithstanding the very great improvement made by the medical schools in their arrangements for teaching, the average period necessary, even in the case of young men of industrious habits and excellent mental ability, is nearer seven than six years. This is considerably longer than is required for admission to any other profession. In weighing the advantages and disadvantages of .medicine as a career this initial objection must constantly be borne in mind." The operations of the Insurance Act at Home will, it is thought, furnish material upon which to base an estimate of the probable effect of the State regulation of the profession. Dealing with this Act, the "Medical Journal" says:—"An insured person under the Act —that is to say, a panel patient —will be not an ordinary patient, but a patient attended under a contract which, whatever els© it may contain, must, under the regulations, conform in general with the following . description, irrespective of whether the payment made under it is a yearly payment or a payment for each visit. Nominally the contract is between the Insurance Committee of the area and each medical man who has agreed to join the panel in that area and to undertake the treatment of insured persons living within its confines; but in effect it practically amounts to a personal contract between the practitioner and the insured person. Furthermore, the contract will not be variable by either of them without the other's consent unless tho patient leaves the area to which the contract applies, rir the practitioner ceases to practise in that arela, or the Insurance Committee intervenes on cause shown. It will be a contract fox- a year such year usuually terminating on tiie 14th of each January, and will hold good for a further year in default ef notice of a desire to abandon it being given to the Insurance Committee by one or other , party not later than a month .before a date, in November fixed upon by the committee for the devision of panel foir the ensuing year. On neither side will the contract be always voluntary, for if an insured person omits to exercise ' his right to select a medical man for himself he may be assigned to a practitioner by the Committee and a practitioner on the panel must accept a patient assigned to him by the committee provided that the assignment is, so far as practicable, made under arrangements approved by the praetij tionesrs on the panel."