June 08, 2021
Affirmative action backed for medical school admissions
The NZ Medical Association has changed its 15-year-old policy of medical school admissions to strongly support affirmative action selection policies.
It chair, Dr Alistair Humphrey, says Māori, Pacific peoples and those from rural communities are grossly under-represented in the current medical workforce.
Mounting international evidence suggests patients with the same racial or ethnic background as their doctor are likely to have better outcomes, so a diverse workforce is critical.
He says addressing Māori health and health equity by measures such as increasing the numbers of Māori medical students is supported by both needs-based and rights-based arguments.
Universities have an obligation to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi, including the responsibility to correct inequitable health outcomes experienced by Māori.
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