Izvestia: Tough competition for prospective psychiatry students
Government to grant 10 thousand scholarships to students and postgraduates.
At a meeting of the Government Presidium, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin put the focus mainly on social issues. Ministers reported on new support measures for young families and orphans, but students were at the centre of attention. Entrance exams for university have just finished up, and the time has come to think about providing additional scholarships to talented young people.
Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Zhukov announced at the meeting that beginning January 1, 2012, the government will award 10 thousand scholarships. Four and a half thousand students can expect an additional five thousand roubles per month for their excellent academic performance. Five hundred distinguished postgraduates will receive 10 thousand roubles each from the government. The remaining five thousand scholarships will be awarded to outstanding students at primary and intermediate vocational schools – two and four thousand roubles respectively.
Alexander Zhukov said that the government has also prepared a decree on presidential scholarships. There will be less total scholarships of this kind – only three thousand – but they will be more substantial. Two thousand seven hundred students will be eligible to compete for an additional seven thousand roubles from the president. Three hundred postgraduates will be awarded 14 thousand roubles per month.
"These scholarships will be awarded by the Ministry of Education and Science beginning January 1, 2012," said Alexander Zhukov.
Vladimir Putin noted that the number of students wishing to study medicine has grown and asked Minister of Healthcare and Social Development Tatyana Golikova about the most popular specialties among prospective students. She confirmed that during the entrance exam period in 2011 the number of people wishing to study medicine rose by 21%. Most apply for general medicine. Pediatrics is the second most popular field, while dentistry is the third.
But the most competitive field is clinical psychiatry, with 18 applicants per spot. The ministers snickered at this.
Applicants from outside Moscow mainly choose dentistry. At the Pirogov Moscow State Medical Institute there are 180 applicants per spot in the dentistry programme.
"We have never seen such enrollment competition," boasted Tatyana Golikova.
"There are not enough teeth," Vladimir Putin replied. Evidently he did not share her optimism. "The Japanese have figured out how to grow artificial teeth."
Ms Golikova did not take the prime minister's bait. She continued her report, noting that this heightened interest in medical professions is a result of government's greater focus on medicine.
"There is also demand for doctors with certain specialties in private practice," Ms Golikova said. "Private medical companies are willing to pay higher scholarships to students specialising in fields that are in-demand. They are also ready to send them abroad for training."
Anastasia Novikova
