Alberta government cuts number of medical students

[Shazam]

Not sure if they do this still, but students that got good grades often got part or all of their student loans remissed.

[CaramonLS]

Originally Posted by TheyCallMeBruce

Not in this day and age. $56k is only slightly above average. You'e qouting figures that are 6 years old. Everything has gone up. Mortgages, rent, even groceries and a bowl of pho. In 2004, how hard was it to get a $600 mortgage?

Unless you're an engineer, most new grads don't touch near 56k. Just about any BA, BFA, BComm and some BScs start well below that mark. Well below.

[CaramonLS]

Originally Posted by GGG

My favourite solution to Doctor shortages would be to drastically increase the number of spots available for doctors but at the same time set the tuition to approach the cost of educating the doctor.

Actually, they've got a cheaper, alternative solution at hand.

We've got a number of qualified (or just barely under qualified) doctors who are working in jobs out of their field because the equivalency tests required to get their certification are keeping them out of the market. Just head on down to your local grocery to see security guards who have optometrist qualifications from India, but can't afford to take the tests and/or additional courses.

That's how we're going to have to solve this problem.

[wooohooo]

Originally Posted by GGG

My favourite solution to Doctor shortages would be to drastically increase the number of spots available for doctors but at the same time set the tuition to approach the cost of educating the doctor.

Instead of scholorships you provide forgiveable interest free loans for large protions of the tuition. If after 10 years the Doctor is still in the province/country the loans could partially be forgiven.

Really I think most post-secondary education should be funded in this manner. If you leave the country you should have to pay back the gov's contribution to your education.

I think they have something in place like that. Not to this extent but more so in the rural areas to attract doctors.

[DrJ]

Sorry to bump...U of C officially admitted 170 students. This is only a 10 student cut from last year. U of A, as far as I know, have not released the "final" amount of students but there were much more significant cuts there.

Edit: U of A admitted 21 less for a total of 167.

[mykalberta]

Wow, a story from the Left leaning Edmonton Journal was biased against the conservative government in exaggerating the numbers - I am amazed

[missdpuck]

Originally Posted by Shazam

Reading the last issue of Moneysense, they describe a retiring couple that both worked for the federal government for thirty years, thus getting their full pension, which works out to $120K a year, indexed for inflation. That's about $3 million in PV. They're also retiring at 55.

DB pensions are gold-plated.

Holy crap. Now I understand the comment about Canadian govt workers not having to save for retirement.What are the terms for lower paying jobs?
Our governemnt retirement system has changed from something called CSRS (civil service) to FERS (federal employees retirement). The latter is a combination of social security and a thrift savings plan (contributions matched by govt). There was an opportunity several years ago to switch from the CSRS to the FERS. Most who did --that I know personally--regret it and did so long before the crash of the economy. And most CSRS people are busy getting their social security quarters in so they'll be able to get that too. Even though it wouldn't be much.

But now I'm more confused than ever about the Canadian health care system.

And here we also have something called the Earned Income Credit..a tax break for those who, as the ad says, "don't make much money". The cutoff is $48,000.

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by mikey_the_redneck

For what nurses get paid..........they should be worked hard.

Yup attack the hard working public service. I can't stand people like you who feel the need to attack these type of people.

[Azure]

I'm kinda thinking that the reason nurses get paid so much is because there is such a huge demand for them.

Public or private sector, high demand should equal higher salary.

[Devils'Advocate]

Originally Posted by missdpuck

Holy crap. Now I understand the comment about Canadian govt workers not having to save for retirement.What are the terms for lower paying jobs?

If you work 35 years, you get 70% of your salary. Which is what I plan on doing. And yes, I put a paltry amount away into RRSPs because that pension should cover my retirement. But I also have an enormous sum taken out of my paycheque every pay day to go into that pension fund.

I have worked in both private and public institutions. I did very well when I was working as a consultant for a business company. They offered me a huge sum to join them full time. I decided to take LESS MONEY to work for the Canadian federal government. Why take a job that pays less? Job security and a good pension plan. Those two things right there attract good people.