The University of Guyana’s Faculty of Health Sciences is set to offer its newest programmes at the start of the Semester in September.
According to Dean of the Health Sciences Faculty, Dr Emanuel Cummings, the programme, a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Medical Imaging, is in fact an upgrade of the Associate in Science Degree in Radiography.
The programme, Dr Cummings said, is being done in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) and most of the curriculum work has been done and approved by the University.
Intended to be wider than just Radiography, the Dean explained that the programme will not be characterised merely by x-rays, ultrasounds and CT Scanning, but rather is designed to further develop such skills of health care providers. In essence, Dr Cummings said that it will be a much wider programme.
It is expected that about 10 or 15 individuals will apply for the inaugural programme. “Initially we are attempting to upgrade those persons already in Radiography to take advantage of this degree in Imaging and also to have new students as well. It is another health career option and now we have so many options in the Health Sciences.”
Meanwhile, Dr Cummings said that moves have been made to rename and reintroduce its Rehabilitation Services programme which will be introduced in time for the new semester as well.
The programme, which was formerly called the BSc in Rehabilitation Sciences, was not attracting too many applications and therefore has been renamed the BSc in Medical Rehabilitation. According to Dr Cummings, “we have done some work on this lately and we need some very good Public Relations work for it because we are not getting the students.”
The programme is identical to what was offered through the Rehabilitation Services Degree Programme complete with three specialties – Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Physio-Therapy.
“We are hoping that we can attract lots of young people…these are exciting careers in the United States…Rehabilitation Science is a big area; it is related to all areas of medicine and it supplements health care delivery and the work of the physician,” said Dr Cummings.
According to him, training for Occupational Therapy is also required for the Education Sector thus the importance of the programme being offered.
After being introduced in 2010, the need to review the programme was essential since it did not attract a great deal of applicants. In fact Dr Cummings had confided that from all indications the offering of the programme was plagued with a number of challenges ranging from the unavailability of Government loans, the way it was promoted to the fact that several persons were unable to secure time to attend lecture sessions.
The latter problem, he said, was rooted in the fact that the programme was mainly intended to attract persons already working in the area of Rehabilitation Services within the health sector.
“Only about 10 persons applied. Many potential students had issues with getting time off from their jobs. The way it was promoted too needs to be seriously reviewed,” Dr Cummings revealed then.
Moreover, he had speculated that the programme be advertised as Physiotherapy rather than Rehabilitation Sciences since Physiotherapy is in fact the aspect of Rehabilitation Sciences that should be placed in the forefront.
“I think that the public would be better able to relate to Physiotherapy rather than Rehab Sciences.”
“I have already indicated this to the University, because I think we will have to do some career guidance as it relates to this programme.”
Dr Cummings is optimistic that with the availability of such a programme, the Ministry of Health, and by extension the various Rehabilitation Centres and Community Based Rehabilitation Programmes, would be able to benefit from the skills of local experts.
The Faculty of Health Sciences has since 2005 been able to establish over nine programmes in medicine thereby securing for itself the flagship status at the University.
