THE PURCHASE OF the landmark BET building at Wildey by the offshore American University of Barbados is much more than the sealing of a business deal. It marks a significant development that points to the potential this educational business can offer in breathing new life and diversity into the island’s economy.
The expansion of offshore medical colleges, while offering a multiplicity of benefits, does not in any way threaten the medical faculty at the University of the West Indies. These foreign colleges are simply meeting the worldwide need for more doctors, particularly in the United States. At the same time, they are offering an opportunity to students who, for whatever reasons, did not make it to their first-choice university.
There is a shortage of doctors in the US which some estimates, including from the Association of American Medical Colleges, suggest could be between 45 000 and 90 000 by the year 2025. This is happening at a time when there is an acute need for primary care physicians.
At the turn of this century, it was found that poor medical education was a major contributor to the underlying problems in health care in the US.
The Flexner report, coming out of a study commissioned by the Carnegie Foundation, has resulted in major changes at medical schools, whether on mainland US or offshore schools.
As Barbados opens up to more of these types of training institutes, it is critical that the authorities establish and maintain international standards.
It is evident that having accredited colleges will be very important. The role of the Barbados Accreditation Council cannot be overstated in ensuring that the country not only becomes a location of choice, but also one of high quality. It must not allow the country’s reputation and image to be tarnished by those who are in business purely for profit. Such an approach in any case would be unsustainable.
Given that most of the graduates of these colleges want to practise in the US, they must meet the same standards required of those pursuing similar studies within the US. Students at Caribbean offshore schools will have to pass certain exams to prove their knowledge and skills. Fortunately, medical graduates are evaluated on merit, not simply where they studied.
As Barbados makes a serious thrust into this business it needs to establish itself as being not only different, but certainly better. Again, the issue of accreditation becomes critical. Those schools setting up here must be of such quality that they would want eventually to be evaluated and rated by the Academic Ranking of World Universities in Clinical Medicine. This is important and it carries weight.
Barbados should have long ago been an established offshore medical jurisdiction; but scepticism and ignorance may have been our undoing in the past. Fortunately, we are not too late and must make the most of this second opportunity.
