Naples. The entrance exam for the School of Medicine and Surgery at the Federico II University of Naples, currently taking place on the Monte Sant'Angelo campus, began at 13 p.m.
An army of 4.327 candidates, this is the number of applications received, aspires to wear the white coat. But only 558 will pass the entrance exam for Medicine. Also available are 60 places for the Department of Dentistry and Dental Prosthetics and 50 for the newly established Department of Technological Medicine and Surgery. Last year, 4.508 applications were submitted.
“The Federico II – he explained to Dire Antonella Scorziello, professor of Pharmacology and president of the examining commission – offers the new course in Technological Medicine, a novelty this year with fifty places available, which qualifies the student for the profession of medical surgeon with an additional skill regarding technology applied to medicine. There are, therefore, more places available than last year”.
The pandemic has changed the way the exam is conducted. The green pass, which is mandatory in universities for both students and staff, was checked at the entrance, but there were no particular problems. Some aspiring doctors did not have the green certification with them, but only the vaccination card distributed by the Campania Region, which however was not valid for entry as it could not be read with the anti-Covid verification app. Self-certification was also required. In all Italian universities, the start of the exams, usually set for 12, was postponed by an hour to allow for checks.
Seventy-two classrooms are being used for the tests, two of which are dedicated to people with disabilities. The students are arranged in a checkerboard pattern, a method already in place to avoid confrontations between candidates but useful, this year, also to avoid crowds. At 8:30, the time of the first call, there were crowds outside the campus gates, but everything returned to normal in a few minutes.
Inside the classroom it is mandatory to wear a mask and all candidates, before accessing, were given an Ffp3 device to wear during the test. The selection lasts 100 minutes. “I'll give it my all – Francesco, a 20-year-old from Casoria, told Dire -, it's a big dream of mine. I've prepared a lot to answer the questions correctly, especially the logic ones. The test will be difficult, we have to compete with many other students, even with a 70-year-old who signed up”.
The oldest candidate is 75 years old and showed up to take the test this morning. The youngest is just 16 and wants to check his preparation.
“I am determined to pass the test – explained Luisa, 19 years old from Naples -, when I grow up I would like to be a pediatrician”. “Mathematics and physics is my terror – Antonia said before entering the room -. Now I won't repeat myself, I'm trying to keep my anxiety at bay. It's the third time I've tried, I hope it goes well because it will be my last attempt".
“The message I want to send to the students,” added the commission president, “is that if they believe in it, they have to try until they succeed. This is a difficult test, it takes a lot of preparation but the psychological component also plays an important role. I tell the kids to persevere and do their best to pursue their dreams.”
Leafleting outside the Monte Sant'Angelo campus of Federico II
“The pandemic has shown it, the restricted number must be abolished. No to corporate healthcare”. This is the text on a banner that appeared this morning outside the Monte Sant'Angelo campus of the University of Naples Federico II where the entrance exams for Medicine and Surgery are taking place. The protest was organized by "Fronte della gioventù comunista", a group to which some young people belong who this morning started a leaflet distribution action outside the Federico II campus.
“We demand the need to eliminate the restricted number of places,” they explain. “Every year they tell us that there are too many doctors in Italy, that priority must be given to merit, that places are limited. But the truth is that the restricted number of places blocks the way for thousands of kids from the working classes who cannot afford to prepare for the test. We cannot talk about merit if we do not start from the same economic bases. The pandemic has shown that we need more doctors and nurses, we need a national health service that is not subservient to the logic of profit, that is truly public, free and of quality that guarantees everyone the right to health.”
“This country needs doctors, but qualified and adequately trained doctors – the Pharmacology professor replied Antonella Scorziello, president of the examining commission, questioned by Dire -. The controversy over the limited number of places comes up every year. The rules are ministerial, but we would like to point out that Federico II this year is offering a higher number of places than last year and is on par with the availability of places in other Italian cities. The numbers are in line, in fact perhaps in Naples there are more places. There is a desire to try to broaden the offer, however the quality of the training must not be overlooked. This is why the limited number of places still exists and has its meaning”.
EDITORIAL TEAM
Choose the social channel you want to subscribe to