16 August 2019
By Email:
[FYI request #10781 email]
Dear Ms Roe,
Please find the following answers to your Official Information Act Request of 21 July 2019.
1) Can any student submit an application for MB ChB to the Medical Admissions Committee for
consideration -- or does the student need to ask permission in order to apply. I am thinking, particularly,
of 'Alternative' Category applications where there is a 1-2 month window in which the University may or
may not authorise applications by the student.
A student can submit an application for MB ChB to the University of Otago without permission. They
cannot submit an application to the Medical Admissions Committee directly. For operational efficiency
and fairness to applicants, the University accepts applications within a finite window so that similar
applications can be processed together. More information on the application process can be found
here.
2) Does Peter Crampton have the authority to prevent a submitted application from being presented to
the Medical Admissions Committee (during such time as the Medical Admissions Committee is in
meeting)?
3) Does Brian Hyland have the authority to prevent a submitted application from being presented to the
Medical Admissions Commitee (during such time as the Medical Admissions Commitee is in meeting)?
4) Does Andrea Howard have the authority to prevent a submitted application from being presented to
the Medical Admissions Commitee (during such time as the Medical Admissions Committee is in
meeting)?
No Health Sciences staff member has the discretionary authority to prevent an application that meets
the eligibility criteria from being considered by the Medical Admissions Committee.
The terms of reference for the Medical Admissions Committee state the Committee’s role is “to select
from qualified applicants, candidates for admission to the course.” A screening process is undertaken
during which applications are assessed against criteria for eligibility. If an applicant is eligible then their
application wil be passed on and assessed by the Medical Admissions Committee.
The assessment of the applications against University of Otago criteria is undertaken by the University of
Otago Health Sciences Admissions staff. Individuals involved in the screening process participate in this
procedure by virtue of their roles and their assessment of the application is criterion based.
Yours sincerely,
Claire Gallop
Manager, Policy and Compliance, Office of the Registrar