10% of medics don't believe in evolution

One in ten first year medics at the University of Glasgow rejects evolutionary theory in favour of creationism, a new survey has found.

The poll of first year students, conducted by Professor Roger Downie, also found that 7.5% of Biology students disbelieve current scientific thinking on the origin of species. The Department of Biomedical and Life Sciences teaches that Darwin’s theory of evolution is the best explanation for life on Earth, and does not hold biblical or other creationist theories as a credible alternative.

Professor Neil Metcalfe, Head of the Department of Environmental and Evolutionary Biology, was worried by the findings.

He said: “There are students out there who are hearing lectures on evolution, but clearly don’t believe them. Of course they’re entitled to do that, but the idea that people reject hard evidence because of their own intrinsic beliefs or because they believe false propaganda is a bit depressing.

“Evolution is fact,” he added, “And creationism is absolutely not something we’d teach as an alternative. We might mention it in passing, saying that some people do believe it, but we certainly wouldn’t give it any air time other than that.”