Media Release
Ajman, Nov 30: The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, a world leader in education and training of General Practice and Vocational training based in Melbourne Australia, has entered into a formal tie-up with the prestigious Gulf Medical College in Ajman, yesterday. A high level delegation from Australia visited the college lead by Dr. Vasantha Preetham, President of RACGP and met Thumbay Moideen, President of GMCA to discuss various joint activities between the two institutions.
Later the delegation met with His Highness Sheikh Humaid Bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Ajman and appraised His Highness about the partnership between RACGP and GMCA. His Highness expressed his happiness over the partnership and hoped that this arrangement would benefit the students of the college.
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Dr. Vasantha Preetham, President of RACGP and Thumbay Moideen, President of GMCA in the presence of David Wright, CEO of RACGP, Dr. Morton Rawlins, Director of Educational Services, Prof. S. Rangaswami, Dean of Gulf Medical College and Dr. Hayat Qureshi, Adviser Ministry of Health UAE. This MoU will pave the way to create a synergy between RACGP and GMCA to offer high quality education programs for the students in the years to come. Fellowship of RACGP (FRACGP) is recognized and regarded highly world wide and it enables the students to work in countries in the Europe, USA, and UK apart from Australia, New Zealand, and many countries in Asia. A commitment to standards, quality care and education is the foundation of our college, said Dr. Vasantha Preetham, President of the Royal Australian College of general Practitioners. RACGP is seeking to offer their experience and knowledge to the Gulf Medical College in an equal relationship, a relationship of partners, she added.
We look forward to working closely over the next three years to adapt our Standards for General Practices and Vocational Training Standards to meet the needs of the Gulf Medical College and the doctors you serve, Dr. Vasantha Preetham told Thumbay Moideen during the signing ceremony. The delegation has expressed their appreciation of the facilities and services offered by the college. RACGP will be contributing a regular column in the HEALTH JOURNAL published by the college. They have joined hands with the Conference Secretariat to organize four joint CME’s in UAE and Australia during 2007.
RACGP’s Standards for General Practices have been adopted in New Zealand and Ireland. The standard of our Fellowship exam is internationally regarded, as is their work in vocational training. Our experience in overseeing assessment to the standards of our Fellowship means that we bring the skills and the knowledge gained through the experience of developing course content, delivering exams and managing assessment to our new relationship with Gulf Medical College, said Dr. Rawlin. We look forward to working with the Gulf Medical College to assist in developing training and education programs that lead to a Fellowship of the RACGP, as well as post graduate courses, emphasized Dr. Vasantha Preetham. The RACGP is a membership-based organization and we are only ever as strong as the sum of our members. We actively encourage overseas membership of our College and we support our members in all parts of the world. The RACGP is keen to promote our membership services to doctors in the Gulf region, we have much to offer explained Mr. David Wright, CEO of RACGP.
Earlier this month, two experts from the RACGP Library, Jane Ryan and Tony Parsons visited the college and made an assessment of the existing facilities at GMCA Library. They were commissioned to offer their expertise to enhance the facilities at the college library. Implementation of their suggestions over the next three years will make the library into one of the largest and comprehensive healthcare information centers in the region, said Prof. Rangaswami, Dean Gulf Medical College. GMCA is keen on offering world class facilities and services to our students which would help them achieve academic excellence during their study at the college, he added.