[CUPE healthcare list] Survey of medical students on private healthcare

["Irene Jansen" <ijansen@cupe.ca>]

This medical students federation study was a mix of different surveys and focus groups at each medical school, making it a rough estimation of opinion. While the spin is that medical students support single-tier health care, the report shows that many believe private care will shorten waits and that private clinics have a place. For the full report, which gives a breakdown by medical school, see:

http://www.cfms.org/communication/news.cfm

Future doctors in Canada overwhelmingly support access to health care for all patients, whether they can afford it or not. But some are comfortable with a move toward private clinics for those who can.

 
Need seen as priority for medical treatment
The London Free Press 
Tue 17 Apr 2007 
Page: B4 
Section: City & Region 
Byline: BY JOHN MINER, SUN MEDIA 


Western's next generation of doctors believes people should be treated based of their medical needs, not the size of their wallets. 

"Socio-economic status should not be a factor in determining the quality of care and the access to care," said Danyaal Raza, a second-year medical student at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Western Ontario. 

Medical students at Western and across the country were consulted over the past year by the Canadian Federation of Medical Students for their positions on for-profit health care and the move toward private clinics. 

The study was prompted by a 2005 Supreme Court of Canada decision that struck down a Quebec law banning private insurance for medically necessary services. 

The results released yesterday indicated Canada's medical students agree care should be provided on the basis of need rather than the ability to pay. The majority said they want to work in a public, not-for-profit system. 

The students also were concerned private health care would reduce the quality of medical education because physicians paid by private insurance might teach less since it could reduce their profits. 

Raza, Ontario regional representative on the medical federation, said the results help refute the perception doctors are in the profession for the money. 

"If you talk to most medical students at Western or anywhere else across the country, that is not why we get into medicine. We get into medicine because we find it interesting, we find it fascinating and we get into it for what medicine can do for people," he said. 

© 2007 Sun Media Corporation. All rights reserved. 

Edition: Final 
Note: John Miner is The Free Press health reporter. jminer@lfpress.com 
Length: 258 words