Education of Medical Officers

Provision was made, whenever there was opportunity, for clinical study, especially for younger medical officers. When the Division was resting, as many officers as possible from field units were attached temporarily to the staffs of base hospitals. Ward clinics, both medical and surgical, were held regularly and medical officers from the Division were welcomed, as they were to the out-patient page 468 clinics. Classes were instituted also for sixteen candidates sitting for the examination for membership of the Royal College of Physicians of England. As opportunity arose, a few 2 NZEF medical officers were posted to the Middle East Force courses in tropical diseases, gas warfare, malaria, and blood transfusion. A special course in medicine and pathology at Hadassah hospital, Jerusalem, was also attended by two of our officers.

Arrangements were made for the training of medical officers and technicians in X-ray work both in New Zealand and overseas, it being considered that training for six months for medical officers and twelve months for technicians would be satisfactory.

After the North African campaign had ended a series of discussions was held in Maadi Camp on the problems of medical and surgical work in the forward areas, and the extensive experience gained in the Division was very well debated and evaluated. (At this time orderlies also spent short refresher courses at the hospitals in nursing, operating theatre, laboratory, and venereal disease work, and cooks attended a cooking school at Maadi Camp.)