By The Star Staff
More than two years after its revocation, University of Puerto Rico (UPR) Medical Sciences Campus (RCM by its initials in Spanish) Provost Myrna L. Quiñones Feliciano announced Monday that the institution has submitted an application to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) for a new Neurosurgery Residency Program.
The program seeks to train future generations of neurosurgeons and strengthen patient service.
“We are confident this request will result in a new quality academic offer,” Quiñones said in written remarks. “The preparation of the document was a countrywide project that involved the RCM, the UPR, the Department of Health, the Puerto Rico Medical Center in Río Piedras, and the medical community. We thank the interagency and medical teams for their efforts in this solid proposal.”
UPR President Luis Ferrao Delgado congratulated the RCM and reaffirmed the university’s commitment to close collaboration with the ACGME to ensure a complete review and successful approval of the new program.
“We are confident that our application will be received with the same enthusiasm by the Accreditation Council,” he added.
Health Secretary Carlos Mellado López said the department he leads has contributed to ensuring a top-quality patient care system with highly qualified professionals.
“The filing of the application for Neurosurgery accreditation has been done in collaboration, recognizing the importance of having specialized medical teams,” he noted.
Jorge Matta González, executive director of the Medical Services Administration, highlighted the more than $10 million invested over the past three years in personnel recruitment, facility remodeling and the purchase of specialized equipment.
“We trust that, soon, the accreditation of the new program will be a fact,” he said.
School of Medicine Dean Debora Silva emphasized that the new program united the community of neurosurgeons in Puerto Rico in the same objective. Dr. Arelis Febles, interim associate dean for graduate medical education, said the new program will feature educational experiences and affiliations with hospitals outside the Medical Center, expanding its reach.
RCM Neurosurgery Residency Program Director Samuel Estronza-Ojeda described the filing of the application as “a historic and very proud moment for the UPR and all of Puerto Rico.” He said the petition was the result of persistence and dedication, overcoming numerous obstacles and establishing essential agreements with various agencies and hospitals.
The seven-year training in neurosurgery is one of the longest and most demanding medical subspecialties. It requires surgeons to have a high level of skill and talent, as well as special infrastructure and intensive care units.
The proposal submitted by the RCM, which was filed within the mandatory period of two years after the withdrawal of the accreditation of the previous program in June 2022, involved numerous adjustments in clinical services, hiring of specialists and medical support staff, and collaborative agreements with private hospitals.
The ad hoc group began in October 2023 to compile documents tempered by ACGME guidelines, including certifications of medical personnel, robust medical infrastructure, and guaranteed equipment for neurosurgical care and services.
Nearly 30 primary care physicians were recruited, and the number of specialists at the medical center increased from eight to 16. Two operating rooms were remodeled and a third was added with new specialized equipment. In addition, collaborative alliances were formalized with Manatí Medical Center and the Mennonite System in Caguas and Cayey.
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