Papuan Medical Students
p. 21 · Read in the full issue
Fail At Cms
From a Special Correspondent
SUVA, July 8 rpHE four Papuan students who were A admitted to the Central Medical School, Suva, at the beginning of the year have failed to pass their prelim inary science course.
Originally, seven boys went to Fiji to enter the School, but one was subse quently found to be suffering from TB, and others were not up to the required educational standard.
The four who have now failed in the science course will go to Queen Victoria School, Fiji, for further instruction and will re-enter the Medical School as stu dents in 1948.
Even in normal times the educational standard of Papuan and New Guinea students would generally be below that required by the Suva Medical School.
But, in addition, educational facilities in
the Australian territories had been dis located by years of war. The failure of these students to make the CMS grade does not surprise anyone. It is believed that Dr, J. Gunther, Director of Medical Services in Papua-New Guinea, was against the boys going in their unpre pared state, but that some higher auth ority prevailed against his judgment.
Dr. A. S. Frater, the new principal of the CMS, Suva, is making good progress.
His long experience in the New Hebrides has enabled him to appreciate the diffi culties associated with native medical students.