POTENZA – Degree course in Medicine and Surgery of the University of Basilicata convinces but does not overwhelm. The numbers confirm this, the ones that represent the balance of these first six months of registrations. At the end of September, 60 places were available for the enrollment of future doctors. Sixty places that had attracted the attention of over 500 young Lucanians who – enrolled in the 2021 selection test – had indicated it among the possible study locations.
To date, however, only 50 future doctors attend the course’s lessons. Ten less than the expected capacity.
Ten places that will certainly not be “lost” considering that the Ministry has yet to start the scrolling of the ranking but which, at the same time, arouse perplexity. Why wasn’t an overall small capacity immediately saturated? Why did the young Lucanians who passed the test prefer to focus on faculties outside the region?
Some professors of the University profess optimism. “This is what happens with the new degree courses” they explain, taking as an example other universities such as that of Molise. And in support of their words there are the analyzes made a few months ago by Angelo Mastrillo, professor of organization of health professions at the University of Bologna and secretary of the Conference of degree courses in health professions, which he had reiterated how at the start the impact is “difficult”.
Now, therefore, the rankings are expected to be scrolled which, surely, by the summer, will lead to the occupation of the entire capacity. It remains to be understood, however, whether or not the question will weigh on the number of places that the Ministry of University will assign to the University of Basilicata for the academic year 2022 – 2023. The Mass minister, in fact, has already announced the increase of 10 percent of the places compared to those offered last year. Which – starting from the base of 14 thousand 20 units in 2021 – should lead to more than 15 thousand seats available. Number to be divided among all Italian degree courses. Including the Lucanian one. And this could raise the capacity for new members to over sixty (already last year, for example, there was talk of 70 seats in Basilicata).
However, these are decisions that will be taken in the coming weeks. After the discussions between the Ministry and the leaders of the Lucan University. In the meantime, we continue to think about sixty units. A figure that, with the new academic year, could be exhausted immediately. On the other hand, the attractiveness of the degree course remains high. Suffice it to say that last year there were over 800 young Lucanians who participated in the selections that were held at the Tito scalo Efab. And for the next year, many believe that the number could be even higher. With a greater number of young people ready to indicate Unibas among the chosen locations.
The launch of the degree course in Medicine and Surgery, in fact, represented and still represents an important challenge for the Lucanian territory. This is also confirmed by the commitment of the Region which has financially supported the Faculty with three million euros foreseen for the first year and four million euros each, instead, for the following years.
Financial sustainability that will continue beyond 2023, with four million euros per year (the initial dowry of the course is, in fact, 26 million euros: two million for the first three years are assigned by the Ministry of University, three million for the first three years are given by the Ministry of Health while the Basilicata Region assigns 11 million euros in the three-year period). An economic dowry that in the intentions can also be used for other specializations considering that graduating doctors could also lead to the training of further indispensable figures in the world of health in general, such as economic – management experts of health systems or automation experts.