30 September 2008
Kigali — Uncertainty has of recent emerged at the medical school of The National University of Rwanda (NUR) over the head of faculty's decision to abruptly bring in or introduce a 7th year programme in the medical curriculum.
According to reliable sources at the medical school and Butare University teaching hospital (CHUB), the introduction of the seventh year at the medical school is an initiative from the Dean of the Medical School, Prof. Hubert Nsanze, and working together with yet to be known officials in the concerned ministries.
Prof. Nsanze has claimed that the seventh year medical school will bring in some positive values to medical education. However, since the initiative was put on the table for discussion and implementation, University administrators, medical students and the public have raised question marks over its possible outcome.
When contacted last Friday, the NUR Rector, Prof. Silas Rwakabamba said that the seventh year or senior clerkship is just a proposal that is yet to be approved by the University Senate before it's put into practice.
"This proposal needs time for understudy before it's put into practice," the Rector underscored.
The Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Prof. Nsanze is, however, said to be working around the clock to make sure that his initiative gets support from various concerned ministerial circles.
When contacted Friday by The New Times, Prof. Nsanze refused to comment on the issue. 'Go and ask those who gave you the information of the seventh year programme," he charged.
Professor Nsanze has also refused to address medical students on this issue ever since it was raised. Impeccable sources also say that he has continuously tried to lobby officials from concerned ministries to endorse his initiative.
Question marks are being raised due to the fact that the senior clerkship initiative will not improve quality since it has been brought towards the end of the course instead of the beginning.
Opponents to the seventh year programme argue that it is not in harmony with the East African Community medical curriculum.
In East Africa, medical faculties have a five-year education programme, with one year of internship under the Ministry of Health.
According to a professor at NUR who preferred anonymity, the proposed education period increment at the university is also likely to draw the government of Rwanda into extra costs and expenses without guaranteed outcome from the change. He further advised that Prof. Nsanze needs to address the public and his medical students on the values of this change.
The current internship programme which is in line with the East African Community member countries, is run by the Ministry of Health and has existed for the past three years.
The internship programme carried out in the sixth year of medical school, was endorsed and approved by Parliament through a Cabinet Minister's meeting in cooperation with the Ministry of Health in 2005.
Read comments. Write your own.
Copyright © 2008 The New Times. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
Seven years for medical school is not a bad idea actually.
If it is well analysed and planned it would bring greater benefits for Rwandan graduates. This would put Rwanda in line with the UK and many other major countries, medical school programs.
If was asked my input to it I would say this; 5years for a medical school graduates as a generalist, in this respect those who finish these 5years would work as family doctors, publics heath planning and protection etc, then add 2 years to become a specilist or a consultant in a particular field. Remember we have… [Read Full Text]