Medical student places - Good news for health service

THE long overdue plan to more than double the number of medical students represents a significant step towards improving Ireland’s ailing health service.

A radical revamp of medical education and training is urgently needed. Yet, despite growing demands on the health service, the number of undergraduate places available for Irish and EU students has been capped at 305 since 1978.

Boosting the intake of hospital doctors and GPs to an over-stretched and under-staffed system will address a major weakness in the system.