The rector of the National University of Salta (UNSa), Víctor Hugo Claros, a few days ago had the joy of announcing that the Medicine career will depend on the UNSa as of next year. Something that he wanted so badly for a while and now he was able to fulfill it.
After going through a delicate health picture for a few months, the accountant Claros returned to the ring with good news. In telephone dialogue with The Tribune He spoke of the importance of the Medicine career in times of pandemic, of the great interest it arouses among the young people of Salta and of the possibility that it means for low-income students of the Capital and the deep interior who could not go to other provinces to study the race.
Claros stressed that there are 26 young people in the last year of Medicine who “at the end of the year, I believe, there will be boys who will receive their degree from the University of Tucumán.” It would be the first batch of medical graduates who fully completed their career in Salta.
Regarding the expansion of the number of new entrants, he said that it is an issue that will be defined by the Superior Council of the university, according to the indications of the Coneau.
Asked about the return to presence in the house of studies after the winter break, he said: “We do not know when there will be presence, nobody can know that, we are with 700 infected per day, nor do the doctors know.” Regarding virtual classes, he added: “It seems to me that the students and teachers rose to the occasion.”
Since the Medicine career has been as a classroom extension in Salta, that is, from 2015 until now, how many students were able to enter the career?
In these six years there are just over 400 young people who entered and have the possibility of studying Medicine at UNSa, in 2021 137 entered.
What is the dropout rate in Medicine, according to what has been analyzed in these six years?
Almost nil.
Why do you think this happens, that desertion is almost nil?
First, the selection made in the entrance exam. Out of 600 or 580 who performed in the sixtieth year, he scored 8.25, that is, the one who scored 8.19 no longer entered. The other is that the commissions are of few students, in first, second and third there are between 12 and 14 students, they can reach 15, and the teaching is almost personalized. Then fourth and fifth can be up to eight students, even in the interhospital, in the final, there are five students, who are the doctors who are seeing patients. It seems to me that those are the factors, all those who enter are very good students, that does not mean that I am not with the unrestricted, I am in favor of the unrestricted entrance in the university, here it is necessary to differentiate Medicine from other careers. The university is for everyone, I specifically answer the question.
Is the number of new entrants going to be expanded as of next year?
That is a decision that the Superior Council will analyze and make, neither the dean nor the directive council nor the rector. What must be taken into account is that the Coneau in that opinion of Act 341, of March 31, of 20 pages, which gives reason to Ordinance 62, which is the one that proposes that the official recognition of the title of the Medicine career of the UNSa, says that it is for admission of 100 to 300 students, that is considered by the Coneau (National Commission for University Evaluation and Accreditation) based on the infrastructure, laboratories, agreements with teaching hospitals and in based on the 82 teachers who have the career.
Is the staff of teachers today made up of teachers from Tucumán? Will there be changes?
The vast majority are teachers from Salta, only those who are in charge of the chair as advisers are from Tucumán, but those who are in daily teaching are from Salta. The vast majority have a postgraduate degree in Medicine education, and precisely the Coneau is asking us every year to prioritize teachers and give them more dedication so that they can investigate.
Hand in hand with the announcement that the race will depend on the UNSa, are there any news from the infrastructure point of view?
We had a fairly large Anatomy laboratory and now we are finishing the second stage, something that will be very important for Medicine. The fundamental work is also in the hospitals, we made agreements with the San Bernardo, Materno Infantil, Ragone, Oñativia, El Milagro (which already came from before) and the Imac. A lot of work is done in the interhospital. As for the classrooms, some are being destined for Medicine.
Due to the pandemic, now they continue to work with virtuality or remote. Except for laboratory work, both in Nursing, Nutrition and Medicine, teams of 20 people were made. We present the protocol to the Ministry of Education of the Nation with the endorsement of the COE (Emergency Operational Committee) of the Province for the return to the presence, but complying with all the regulations. We depend a lot on what the COE of each jurisdiction says according to the epidemiological situation of the moment.
So, it is likely that after the break you will advance in the university with the presence …
We do not know when there will be presence, nobody can know that, we are with 700 infected per day, nor do the doctors know. In addition, we need transportation, of the 32,000 or 34,000 free passes that we have requested, 28,000 are for our students. We have to do with young people with fewer resources, there is a very large dependence on the issue of transportation and the authorization of the COE.
In 2020 there were 26 young people who were in sixth year, so this year they would already be receiving a title from Tucumán, but having completed the degree in full in Salta, is that so?
Exactly. Last year there was a problem with the interhospital, now the fact of having agreements with the teaching hospitals is already being done. That is very auspicious to say that at the end of the year I think there will be children who will receive their degree from the University of Tucumán. Then we have to articulate well with the School of Medicine of Tucumán what will happen with the advanced courses, who will go directly to the UNSa and who will remain for the title of Tucumán. As soon as the break is over, we will meet to define.
There are specialists who speak of a lost generation because they maintain that students are learning little in virtuality. How do you analyze this position?
It seems to me a very pessimistic term that of the “lost generation”, it is not so, here we have had graduates, we have delivered degrees and exams have been taken in virtuality and I do not think it is a lost generation. Of course, the presence is very strong, but there were also many possibilities in virtuality for others who might not be able to attend and it also affected those who do not have connectivity.
I said it ad nauseam at the CIN (National Interuniversity Council), that you have to take a look at the extreme of Argentina, to the north, to the deep interior, where there are many kids who do not have connectivity even if one gives them scholarships, but here the last thing we who are responsible for education can do is say “lost generation.” It seems to me that students and teachers rose to the occasion to try to go on and on in their careers.
Virtuality came due to the pandemic and there will be a lot of virtuality that will remain even when face-to-face returns. I do not add myself to that “lost generation”, it seems to me that it affects a lot and it is not to recognize the effort of many teachers and students who tried to study the same. And we should ask those who say that what the solution is then.
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