UG appoints interim Medical Director

Jul 02, 2016 News

Interim Medical Director, Dr. Ronald Aaron

An interim Medical Director has been appointed to serve the University of Guyana (UG)’s School of Medicine.
That person is Dr. Ronald Aaron and his appointment became effective on June 17, 2016. Dr. Aaron formerly held the position of Assistant Dean in the Faculty of Health Sciences. He received his MD in 1986 from the Vinnitsa Medical Institute, Ukraine and has done post-graduate work in the United Kingdom.
The new interim Medical Director served as the Medical Superintendent at the West Demerara Regional Hospital for 11 years before joining the staff at the Faculty of Health Sciences in 2002 as a lecturer in Anatomy and Histology in the School of Medicine. Dr. Aaron was then appointed Pre-clinical Sciences Coordinator in 2010 and served in this position until September 2015.
The position of Medical Director was previously held by Dr. Madan Rambaran.
During Dr. Rambaran’s tenure in office, he was instrumental, along with the current Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Dr. Emanuel Cummings, in fostering the development and introduction of a number of post-graduate programmes in medicine. These programmes are offered by the Faculty in collaboration with the Georgetown Public Hospital and a number of Universities in North America.
Vice-Chancellor Ivelaw Griffith has commended the appointment of Dr. Aaron and, according to a statement issued by the University, he looks forward to his (Dr. Aaron’s) leadership in enabling UG to enhance the instructional, community service and research output of the valued School of Medicine.
Vice-Chancellor Griffith has expressed appreciation for Dr. Rambaran’s service to the School of Medicine between 2012 and 2016.
The School of Medicine has produced more than 450 graduates to date, many of whom are holding senior administrative and clinical positions, nationally, regionally and internationally.
And Vice Chancellor Griffith, who was recently appointed himself, said that among his top priorities at UG is the re-accreditation of the School of Medicine. He made this closure during his first press conference last month.
According to the professor, the university is feeling comfortable with the position it is in, regarding the works which were done to the school since losing its credibility in July 2015.
Before the end of this year, it is expected that a site team will visit the Turkeyen Campus and with its approval the university will be setting the stage for full accreditation. The team will be coming from the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and other Health Professionals (CAAM-HP).
The CAAM-HP was established in 2003 with support of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Its mandate entails the determination and prescription of standards, and to accredit programmes of medical, dental and veterinary health professionals.
The accreditation authority had withdrawn the certification of the medical school due to the lack of infrastructural improvements, the absence of a review of the curriculum, and for there not being a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Public Health, University of Guyana School of Medicine and the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.
Dr. Griffith said, “There were three of four distinct concerns relating to the medical school.” He continued “one of them (concerns) had to do with facilities.” He said that the medical school is currently in the process of upgrading.

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