by Linda Straker
- GMDC established in 2010 as mandated by Health Practitioner’s Act
- GMDC authorised to accredit medical schools operating in Grenada in 2019
- Programme’s accreditation status published in 29 July issue of Government Gazette
Members of the Grenada Medical and Dental Council on 23 June unanimously reaccredited the Medical Programme at St George’s University School of Medicine until 2030.
“The Grenada Medical and Dental Council hereby announces that it has completed a comprehensive review and evaluation of the S. George’s University School of Medicine (SGUSOM) medical education programme for the purpose of making a redetermination decision on that programme’s accreditation status,” said a notice published in the 29 July issue of the Government Gazette.
“At its Decision-Making Meeting on June 23rd, 2022, the Governing Body of the GMDC voted unanimously to reaccredit the medical programme of the St George’s University School of Medicine for a period of eight (8) years, until June 30, 2030.” The notice was issued by Dr Robert Yearwood Chairman of the Grenada Medical and Dental Council (GMDC).
The Council was established in 2010 as mandated by the Health Practitioner’s Act. Pursuant to the Act, the Ministry of Health appoints Council members to carry out GMDC’s responsibilities to oversee “educational institutions with respect to the education of persons in the practice of the medical or dental profession” and “to promote high standards in the practice of medicine and dentistry” in Grenada.
According to its website, in 2017, the Cabinet of Ministers and members of the Houses of Parliament formally adopted Resolution 1583, authorising the Council to “take the necessary steps to develop a new accreditation system to accredit medical schools in Grenada and to begin the work to perform this necessary function.”
In March 2019, Parliament amended the Health Practitioner’s Act, granting GMDC the authority to accredit medical schools operating in Grenada. The 2019 amendment authorised the Council to undertake all activities necessary to evaluate, accredit, and monitor medical schools in Grenada, and prohibits any person or institution from advertising, conducting courses, or delivering services of a medical doctor degree programme unless accredited by GMDC.
In December 2019, the US National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation via a letter to then Health Minister Nickolas Steele, determined that the standards and processes for accreditation used by the Ministries of Education and Health for the Council to accredit medical schools were comparable to those applied to medical schools in the United States.
