Fair play, says NWCI, and can we have some more of it?

Published: Tuesday, August 18, 2009

The National Women's Council of Ireland (NWCI) is amazed by the government's ability to address gender imbalance among would-be medical students, considering its extreme reluctance to address such imbalance in other areas. 'Might this perhaps have something to do with the fact that it was males who were losing out in this case?' asks NWCI Director, Susan McKay.

According to one leading medical academic, the Health Professionals Admission Test was introduced in order to change the balance among medical students entering college. According to another, 'the pendulum had swung too far in favour of females'. Before the test, some 60% of places went to female students, with 40% going to males. Since the test came in this year, males have caught up, securing 48% of places.

'Without entering into the details of this particular measure, we quite agree that a 50/50 balance is desireable in medical schools' said McKay. 'However, we would now urge the government to introduce with a range of effective measures to ensure gender balance across the board in Irish society. How about addressing the fact that jusy 13% of TDs and Senators are women? Or that while 85% of primary school teachers are women, 50% of principals are men? Let;s have more men as cleaners and more women as chief executives, while we are at it.'