Senator Walcott: Clarity needed on accreditation of medical schools in the region
Fri, 05/27/2016 - 12:00am
OPPOSITION Senator Dr. Jerome Walcott says there still needs to be clarity about the accreditation of medical facilities operating in the region. One of them he says, is the American University of Barbados (AUB).
His comments came in the Honourable Senate on Wednesday, where he debate on the Caribbean Accreditation Authority (Education in Medicine and other Health Professions) (CAAM-HP) (Incorporation) Bill 2016.
According to Dr. Walcott, “...In perusing the records of Caribbean Association of Medical Councils (CAMC), I noted that the AUB has not fulfilled the accreditation requirements. It applied, it submitted some information two years ago was asked to submit additional information and this has not yet been forthcoming.”
“So as it stands today the American University of Barbados operating in Barbados has not been accredited by CAAM-HP in terms of Barbadian students attending. It would obviously mean they would not be entitled to automatic registration to practice medicine in Barbados when they complete their studies at that institution. That will then be a matter for the CAMC and a series of exams which they will have to sit and pass to become eligible for registration in Barbados.”
The former Minister of Health gave full support to the CAAM-HP to which Barbados has been a signatory since 2005 saying that the establishment of the authority will provide the assurance to the public, students, professionals that the Undergraduate programmes being offered in the region meet appropriate national and international standards.
He explained that as it relates to the global registration of training facilities in medicine and other fields, the World Federation for Medication Education and the Foundation for the Advancement of International Medical Education and Research were established, to create standards and regularise training in medicine. “And the first Authority to be assessed by this new body was the CAAM-HP and they were very successful.”
He explained that the policies and procedures are in accordance with internationally accepted best practice.
Dr. Walcott stressed that the Accreditation Authority deals with standards for training while the CAMC deals with the registration of graduates to practice in member countries. (JH)