The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland

Godfrey Laferla, Dean, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta made a number of inaccurate comments regarding the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland in his letter titled Postgraduate Medical Training In Malta. They require correction.

The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland was founded in 1784 by Royal Charter, giving the college the power to control the practice of surgery and to make provisions for surgical education.

The college is responsible for surgical training and exam-inations in Ireland and is the legal entity for the award of the Membership of the College (MRCSI). Since 1886, the college has also been providing undergraduate medical educ-ation. Graduates of the college receive the historical licentiates of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland and since 1978, the college is a recognised college of the National Univer-sity of Ireland with the award of the MB, BCh, BAO to its graduates in addition to the licentiates.

At present we have in excess of 1,300 students attending our medical school in Dublin. The RCSI also runs medical schools successfully in Bahrain and Penang, Malaysia. In addition to the undergraduate medical programme the college also delivers degree programmes in pharmacy, physiotherapy and nursing.

All clinical teaching takes place in a number of RCSI teaching hospitals both in Ireland and overseas.

As regards postgraduate training, because of our relationship with the Royal College of Physicians the college will be able to provide assistance across a large number of specialties and not just in surgery, as stated by Prof. Laferla.

It is also important to note that it was the government of Malta which specifically requested our assistance in the area of postgraduate training because of the brain drain from Malta to the United Kingdom.

It is also important to be aware that postgraduate training in the United Kingdom comes under the control of the Postgraduate Medical, Education and Training Board rather than an individual medical school.

Finally, the RCSI did have discussions with the University in September 2007, when a number of subjects were covered including research, postgraduate training programmes, post-graduate degrees and a graduate medical school.

While it remains our wish that the management of the Medical School will be independent, it remains our view that the two institutions can still work together in the area of research, postgraduate degrees etc.

However, to date, we have not received confirmation on these potential areas of collaboration from the University, but again reiterate our wish to do so.