Ministry offers scholarships for medical specialisation
Cayman Islands Hospital
(CNS): The scholarship application process for the doctors’ specialisation program is now open and will run through 31 January 2016. The Seafarer’s Association is funding two doctors to obtain specialty training overseas for four years and the Education Council is also offering a limited number of scholarships for doctors’ specialisation with an increased scholarship allowance of up CI$30,000 per year to be in alignment with the Seafarer’s scholarship. The Education Council Scholarship will be made available every two years.
The issue of funding for Caymanian doctors to specialise has long been an issue of concern as doctors must go overseas to seek training, making it prohibitively expensive in some cases and inhibiting the development of local medical professionals. Earlier this year MLA Ezzard Miller pointed to more than a dozen local doctors who were struggling to take their professional development to the next level and he called on government to make the investment in local talent.
Caymanian doctors who are interested in specialisation may apply by completing the electronic overseas scholarship application online at www.education.gov.ky/scholarships .
For more information on the Medical Specialisation Scholarship offered through the Education Council, please contact the Scholarship Secretariat in the Ministry of Education by emailing scholarships@gov.ky or calling 244-2482.
Commenting on this opportunity, Education Minister Tara Rivers said, “I would firstly like to thank the Seafarer’s Association for providing such an important opportunity to our local doctors. I would also like to thank the Education Council for supporting specific scholarships for medical specialisations, and the Scholarship Secretariat for managing this new scholarship opportunity. It is important that we provide such financial support to our local doctors so that they obtain the professional development needed to better serve our community.”
HSA’s Chief Executive Officer Mrs. Lizzette Yearwood offered her appreciation saying, “I would like to thank the Honourable Minister Marco Archer for making the proposal to the Seafarers Association to fund the training, and for their eager acceptance to support improving the quality of healthcare at the HSA as they have done in the past and continue to do. Also, thanks to the Education Council for agreeing to manage the application and interview process, along with input from the HSA and the Seafarers Association. I am very grateful that the support for training of doctors in specialist areas has also been made a priority by the Education Ministry, as this funding is critical for succession planning in the physician services.”
Category: Education, Scholarships
