Uni bid to black-list GPs over sick notes

ACADEMICS at RMIT University have called for doctors to be "black-listed" if they give out too many medical certificates to students for essay extensions and exam delays.

ACADEMICS at RMIT University have called for doctors to be "black-listed" if they give out too many medical certificates to students for essay extensions and exam delays.

They have also suggested the university personally visit "high-volume" doctors and suggest they advise students how to manage headaches, colds or period pain rather than issue medical certificates.

The suggested changes to the university's special-consideration policies are before its academic board.

The staff recommendations were put together by the university's Academic Registrar's Group after it sought feedback from staff and students.

Improvements suggested by staff included banning doctors who were repeat offenders.

"If there is some serious doubt about some GPs then the university should black-list them," the group argues.

University staff also suggested discouraging certain doctors from giving out medical certificates.

"Talk to high-volume medical practitioners, explain the special consideration is a major academic concession and advocate they proactively support students to manage minor health issues, e.g., period pain, headaches and colds," it states.

"Meetings have been held/are being arranged with local medical centres to brief them on special consideration."

The discussion paper also recommends looking into the conduct of failing international students.

"Explore the link between selection of weak students and special consideration and those who choose to study against their strengths in order to get permanent residency," it states.

RMIT Student Union president Patrick O'Keeffe said the behaviour of the university was distrustful.

"The fact that such proposals would even be considered by the Academic Board displays widespread disregard for the right of students to receive confidential medical care," he said.

"These comments reflect a deep distrust of some medical practitioners and students."

RMIT pro-vice-chancellor Joyce Kirk said the university would not consider the suggestion and had not warned any doctors.

"At no time did any of the parties to the briefing consider or discuss the possibility of black-listing individual doctors or medical practices," she said.

"It is clearly not the Academic Registrar's Group's intention to act on the black-listing feedback received."

Professor Kirk said they had only one meeting with a medical centre and it was after the doctors requested more information on special consideration.