Developing Guyana’s first postgraduate surgical training program
The Health Ministry has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with McMaster University to facilitate training of Guyanese physicians in various sub-specialities at the education institution.This MoU essentially sets in motion a partnership in which McMaster has agreed to facilitate the training of Guyanese physicians in various sub-specialities. In return, McMaster will continue to expand its global health and research initiatives with a major focus in Guyana.In brief remarks, Dr Anthony thanked several physicians who have been instrumental in partnering with IHSC to develop many of the post-graduate programmes in Guyana. These include Dr Ronald Barr, Dr Brian Cameron, Dr Andrea Hunter, Dr April Tam, Dr Karen Baley and Dr Narendra Singh.
Dr. Cameron moved to Vancouver to train in Pediatric Surgery. Soon after, his career in global health and surgery steered him in a new direction; this time, to Guyana’s capital city, Georgetown, which he continues to visit to this day. Before retiring from McMaster University in June 2021, the professor of Pediatric Surgery and director of the McMaster International Surgery Desk was awarded the 2020 Royal College M. Andrew Padmos International Collaboration Award in recognition of his contributions to global health and surgery.Dr. Cameron collaborated with Guyanese colleagues and the Canadian Association of General Surgeons (CAGS) to develop the country’s first postgraduate surgical training program at the University of Guyana.“We pitched the Guyana-CAGS collaboration to the local Canadian consulate [High Commission of Canada to Guyana] to see if they would be interested in supporting the development of the program,” he says. “Thankfully, they had a grant and budget available for travel expenses, which we used for Canadian visiting faculty.”
“Most importantly, half of the budget went to our Guyanese partners so that they could provide stipends for their own teaching faculty and open a postgraduate medical education office affiliated with the university,” he adds.From 2005 to 2014, 29 Canadian surgeons were recruited through CAGS for more than 75 teaching trips. Held two weeks at a time, the surgeons worked with local Guyanese faculty who taught half of the modules. By 2014, 14 surgeons completed their training. Some have completed fellowships in Canada.
Dr. Cameron moved to Vancouver to train in Pediatric Surgery. Soon after, his career in global health and surgery steered him in a new direction; this time, to Guyana’s capital city, Georgetown, which he continues to visit to this day. Before retiring from McMaster University in June 2021, the professor of Pediatric Surgery and director of the McMaster International Surgery Desk was awarded the 2020 Royal College M. Andrew Padmos International Collaboration Award in recognition of his contributions to global health and surgery.Dr. Cameron collaborated with Guyanese colleagues and the Canadian Association of General Surgeons (CAGS) to develop the country’s first postgraduate surgical training program at the University of Guyana.“We pitched the Guyana-CAGS collaboration to the local Canadian consulate [High Commission of Canada to Guyana] to see if they would be interested in supporting the development of the program,” he says. “Thankfully, they had a grant and budget available for travel expenses, which we used for Canadian visiting faculty.”
“Most importantly, half of the budget went to our Guyanese partners so that they could provide stipends for their own teaching faculty and open a postgraduate medical education office affiliated with the university,” he adds.From 2005 to 2014, 29 Canadian surgeons were recruited through CAGS for more than 75 teaching trips. Held two weeks at a time, the surgeons worked with local Guyanese faculty who taught half of the modules. By 2014, 14 surgeons completed their training. Some have completed fellowships in Canada.
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