The University of Guyana is set to regain its medical accreditation beginning from the academic year 2016/2017.
This is according to Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Dr Emmanuel Cummings, who said on Saturday that the school of medicine is working assiduously to correct the deficiencies of the past.
“We are looking at October when they will visit for evaluation of the evidence we have and I am certain that the kind of evidence that we have and what we are doing, accreditation to the medical school will be restored in the new academic year 2016-2017,” Dr Cummings said.
The University of Guyana’s School of Medicine lost its accreditation in April 2014 and was served with provisional accreditation until 2015 by Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine (CAAEM). The medical school was offered accreditation for the periods 2008 to 2009, 2009 to 2012 and 2014 to 2015. The medical school lost its full accreditation after a visit from the CAAEM revealed that a number of recommendations to improve the institution were not adhered to.
“The School of Medicine was given $33 million from the Government through the Education Ministry that is being used to upgrade the medical laboratories because that was one of the deficiencies that was highlighted by CAAEM,” said Dr Cummings.
In efforts to regain accreditation, the upcoming academic year 2016-2017 for the Medical School will be featuring refurbished laboratories and upgraded classrooms for the students.
According to Dr Cummings, “so far as I know the Ministry is at the stage of procuring equipment that we will definitely have in place for September and we are currently evaluating the physical facilities.”
Dr Cummings noted that all relevant documents have been submitted and the curriculum is being currently reviewed.
Meanwhile, Dr Cummings pointed out that the new Vice Chancellor, Professor Ivelaw Lloyd Griffith, who took office only four days ago, has already engaged the Health Science faculty in two meetings.
“Restoring accreditation to the medical school is one of his main agendas. He is very concerned and supportive of all of the steps we are taking to ensure we are on the right path.”
“Definitely, we are getting everything in place. I am more than certain accreditation will be restored. Once CAAEM would have looked at the documents, the site date will be determined three months minimum and from then we can move on,” Dr Cummings reiterated.
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