Family Health Medical School opens first virtual learning centre
Ghana’s premier private medical school - Family Health Medical School - has opened a first-of-its-kind virtual learning centre in the country for the teaching of anatomy.
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Known as the convertible anatomage, the technology, according to the Founder and President of the school, Prof. Enyonam Yao Kwawukume, will raise the bar of medical education in the country and in the sub-region.
He told the Daily Graphic after the third matriculation ceremony of the medical school in Accra that the facility, which is also the first of its kind in West Africa, meant medical students would combine the anatomage and cadaver (human body) in the teaching and learning of anatomy.
The anatomage, which is being adopted by many of the world’s leading medical schools and institutions, is a virtual dissection platform with a multitude screen that uses digital images in an interactive way to explore the anatomy of the whole body. It is the most technologically advanced anatomy visualisation system for anatomy education.
Prof. Kwawukume stated that the students were very excited because with the anatomage, they could visualise anatomy exactly as they would on a fresh human body.
The study of human anatomy, which is the study of the structure of the human body, is a central part of medical education as it is key to the practice of health and medicine.
Prof. Kwawukume indicated that the introduction of anatomage had contributed to the increase in enrolment in the medical school.
Numbers
Eighty-eight students from seven countries, comprising Ghana, Cameroun, Nigeria, Benin, United States of America, Britain and Canada, were matriculated for the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MB. ChB) degrees.
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They included 56 graduate students with science background who will undertake the MB. ChB programmes in four years, and 32 regular students who will spend six years for the programmes.
The Family Health Medical School, which is the teaching arm of the Family Health Group, started with 16 medical students, while 33 students matriculated as the second batch.
The medical school is affiliated to the University of Ghana and accredited by the National Accreditation Board.
New methods of teaching
In his speech at the matriculation ceremony, Prof. Kwawukume underscored the importance of adopting modern methods of teaching.
"We at the Family Health University College, particularly the medical school, believe in keeping abreast of modern methods of learning and teaching alongside our time-tested traditional methods of medical training," he said.
He urged the freshers to make the most out of the excellent opportunities offered by the university.
He disclosed that the medical school would increase its foreign students intake as it had received a lot of requests from students in other medical universities worldwide.
Medical practice and richness
The keynote speaker, Mr Tony Oteng-Gyasi, said gaining admission to the medical school was the dream of many students.
He noted, however, that the practice of medicine was not the way to get rich.
"I can assure you that if you succeed in your chosen medical profession, you are likely to be assured a reasonably comfortable life, but you are unlikely to become rich. And to achieve even that comfortable life, you will have to work very long hours,” he noted.
He said any medical doctor who thought that his or her measure of success was the money to be made was in the wrong profession.
"The study and practice of medicine is a life of service. You have chosen a life of service, never forget that," he said.
Mr Oteng-Gyasi added, "With human life, the relief of pain is not a negotiable commodity. You are training to be either a good or bad doctor, there is no middle ground."
He commended Prof. Kwawukume and his team for the great sacrifices made that had brought the university that far.