Renowned medical specialist visits Guyana … focus is on female reproduction and health

January 26, 2013, By KNews, Filed Under News, Source

Dr. Sterling Williams, who is the Vice President for Education at The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), is currently in Guyana visiting the Georgetown Public Hospital. Dr. Williams arrived here last week and is expected to be here until January 27, 2013.

The visit comes at the request of Dr. Margaret Larkins-Pettigrew, the Programme Director for the WONDOOR Global Health Programme at Case Western University, Cleveland, Ohio. WONDOOR is the programme through which the inaugural Obstetrics and Gynecology residency program at Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) has been established.

Dr.Williams is currently overseeing the delivery of the Council on Resident Education in Obstetrics and Gynecology (CREOG) exams for the first class of Obstetrics and Gynecology residents at GPHC.

The (CREOG exams) are the annual exams taken by all US Ob/Gyn residents as a benchmark of their progress and competency. It is an honour that the residency programme in Guyana, is allowed to participate in the exams. According to hospital officials, that programme commands a lot of respect overseas.

The hospital said that it was especially an honour to have Dr Williams here to administer them.

During his stay Dr. Williams is expected to teach the residents and general medical officers at GPHC on Ward rounds and in lectures.

Dr. Williams delivered a CME lecture on Wednesday at GPHC regarding “The Future of Education in Obstetrics and Gynecology”. The lecture focused on the importance of setting and maintaining standards of medical education and continuing education for doctors in training in medical.

Additionally, Dr. Williams participated in a television interview with Dr. Madan Rambarran, the Director of Post Graduate Education and Director of University of Guyana School of Medicine and Dr. Ruth Derkenne, the Assistant Residency Director, Ob/Gyn.

The interview discussed the growth of specialty training in Guyana, in particular in Obstetrics & Gynaecology and its integral role in improving the health of the people of Guyana.

Other visitors to GPHC this week included a team from Case Western who will be reviewing the midwifery care and training at GPHC to see how it can be involved in improving these services.

The WONDOOR programme has bought great improvements for the doctors and infrastructure at the maternity hospital (including the opening of the new Obstetric operating theatre), and they would also like to extend these opportunities to include the Midwifery staff.

Ms. Rachel Kay, a midwife from Case Western, who is involved in Midwifery education; Tenisha Gaines, the Coordinator of case Western’s antenatal care program and Katie Might, the Programme Coordinator of WONDOOR; have been here for one week spending time in the wards at GPHC, visiting the Nursing school, meeting Guyana’s leaders of Nursing and Midwifery training, delivering lectures on midwifery topics and running demonstration group antenatal classes.

“GPHC is very grateful for the support of its international partner, WONDOOR, for helping to improve the way we care for the women of Guyana,” Dr Rambarran said.