Medical admission policies in south africa
Medical Admission Policies: Assessment 1
Al Sharpton said: “I was there during the first elections in South Africa. I watched them take down the apartheid flag and raise the new flag.” What a wonderful experience that could’ve been, a feeling of a nation being one again. However, looking at medical school’s policies, did they truly make the nation one, or did they make it one-sided?
To start with, we need to go back to why each medical school has their specific criteria. According to me it would seem that they all chose these criteria to reconcile for what happened during Apartheid. Although UFS say they are trying to be sensitive to the National Department of Health’s target for 65% black and colored, we all know there must be a reason why they chose to support that target. Taking into consideration that UFS came from an Afrikaans background, it could be that the implied reason is to “right” the “wrongs” of the past: reconcile for the suffering the black people had to undergo during Apartheid.UCT said their reason is to try and represent the population with their criteria. However, their criteria forces white and Indian people to have 700/900 on the admission point score before they get accepted while blacks only need 534/900. Is that truly representing the population, or giving blacks a head start for applying? The underlying truth is that UCT tries to reconcile for Apartheid. UKZN says that although they aren’t rigid to the quota they have enforced a quota to get the top applicants from each racial category and to defend themselves against racism accusations. Their quota however is 69% black and 3% white. What other historical reasoning than to reconciliation?
Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad they are trying to reconcile for what happened. But when will enough be enough? Reconciliation must stop to give all races an equal chance. Currently according to me none of these admission policies is fair to all sides. On none of the application forms do they ask you
Al Sharpton said: “I was there during the first elections in South Africa. I watched them take down the apartheid flag and raise the new flag.” What a wonderful experience that could’ve been, a feeling of a nation being one again. However, looking at medical school’s policies, did they truly make the nation one, or did they make it one-sided?
To start with, we need to go back to why each medical school has their specific criteria. According to me it would seem that they all chose these criteria to reconcile for what happened during Apartheid. Although UFS say they are trying to be sensitive to the National Department of Health’s target for 65% black and colored, we all know there must be a reason why they chose to support that target. Taking into consideration that UFS came from an Afrikaans background, it could be that the implied reason is to “right” the “wrongs” of the past: reconcile for the suffering the black people had to undergo during Apartheid.UCT said their reason is to try and represent the population with their criteria. However, their criteria forces white and Indian people to have 700/900 on the admission point score before they get accepted while blacks only need 534/900. Is that truly representing the population, or giving blacks a head start for applying? The underlying truth is that UCT tries to reconcile for Apartheid. UKZN says that although they aren’t rigid to the quota they have enforced a quota to get the top applicants from each racial category and to defend themselves against racism accusations. Their quota however is 69% black and 3% white. What other historical reasoning than to reconciliation?
Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad they are trying to reconcile for what happened. But when will enough be enough? Reconciliation must stop to give all races an equal chance. Currently according to me none of these admission policies is fair to all sides. On none of the application forms do they ask you