Fears that Barts medical school could put pressure on clinical resources used by the University of Malta are being addressed in talks between both entities.

Godfrey LaFerla, dean of the University of Malta’s Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, told the Times of Malta a joint committee was set up to ensure better coordination of timetables.

“In order to ensure viability of both undergraduate degrees, a joint committee between the University of Malta and Barts – Queen Mary University of London – is exploring timetables to ensure best use of available clinical resources,” Prof. LaFerla said.

He was responding to questions on the matter in the wake of news that some 40 doctors currently lecturing at the university’s medical school had expressed interest in teaching at Barts in Gozo. The Barts school is expected to open its doors later this year.

Medical students’ representative Alexander Clayman told this newspaper last month that he feared the more lucrative packages offered by Barts could impact the university’s medical school.

Prof. LaFerla rejected any suggestion of friction between his faculty and Barts, adding the two entities were submitting joint applications for EU funding.

The faculty sees this as an exciting challenge

He said the university and Barts had established links on the research side, having already organised three seminars in the fields of oncology, haematology and genomics.

“The faculty sees this as an exciting challenge which, with close cooperation, will result in mutual benefit and will enhance further the prestige of both institutions,” Prof. LaFerla said.

The dean took umbrage at Mr Clayman’s criticism that the university medical school could do with modernising its programme. The student had described the way it teaches and examines undergraduate students as archaic.

Prof. LaFerla said the faculty was “well known” for its high standards and enjoyed a good international reputation. “The number of medical graduates from our faculty who have attained pivotal posts in important universities overseas is testimony to this, and our organisational capability has attracted foreign institutions to conduct their competitive clinical examinations here,” the dean said.

He noted that the faculty’s curriculum was modernised three years ago, resulting in greater emphasis on clinical experience and small group teaching. The faculty has also invested heavily in simulation teaching, he added.

Prof. LaFerla explained each department in the faculty invited external assessors with expertise in the area of specialisation during the examination period.

“Apart from being part of the examining board, these external assessors look critically at our teaching programme, the teaching staff and the examination process and advise accordingly,” he said.

Any changes to teaching and the way students are examined is done in light of recommendations made by these assessors from foreign universities, he added.

The Barts medical school will form part of the Gozo general hospital complex when Vitals Global Healthcare redevelops it into a state-of-the-art facility.

VGH was awarded a concession by the government to develop and run the hospital in Gozo and St Luke’s and Karin Grech in Malta.

The public-private partnership will see VGH promoting private medical tourism while selling a number of beds to the government for use in the public health service.

The medical school was to open its doors last September but delays in the project pushed the first student intake to September 2017.

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