Left party calls for better support for medical students

The leader of the Left Party in Saxony, Susanne Schaper, supports demands from medical students for improvements in the practical year. Specifically, it is about uniform training standards and remuneration at least at the level of the maximum BAföG rate of currently just under 1000 euros per month. Schaper explained on Sunday that without an attractive medical degree course, it would be difficult to recruit young doctors. She had taken part in a day of action on the topic in Leipzig the day before.

"The shortage of medical staff is a huge problem. Without enough new blood, it is unsolvable. This is why medical studies must be attractive, with the practical year playing a major role. It is intended to prepare prospective doctors for everyday working life by allowing them to work full-time in a hospital for a year," explained her party's top candidate for the state elections on September 1. Schaper is a nurse by profession. However, students rightly complain that they are generally employed in hospitals far below their qualifications and are not paid enough.

Schaper referred to Saxony-Anhalt. There, under pressure from students, an allowance of 934 euros was introduced at the university hospitals in Halle and Magdeburg. In contrast, teaching hospitals in Saxony have so far paid less than 500 euros in some cases. Students would then have to take on a part-time job alongside their full-time work at the hospital.

In addition, they would be granted a maximum of 30 days' absence. "If you call in sick, you lose time for self-study or recovery. This is different for employees for good reasons and should also be separated for students - if only so that no one has to drag themselves off sick to hospital for work."