UCV medical students ask to resume classes

The paralysis of the UCV medicine classes not only hampers the performance of nine hospitals in the country with the absence of their interns, but also delays a future generation of Venezuelan surgeons.

Caracas. The medical schools of the Central University of Venezuela, Luis Razzeti and José María Vargas, They have been stagnant for nearly eight months since the confinement was decreed by the pandemic. After numerous meetings with the authorities and without a concrete answer, the fifth year students ask for an immediate solution to continue their education.

The representative of the students before the Council of the Faculty of Medicine, Ángela de Freitas, assures that since March they have not made significant progress, not even in the modality on line. While other internal higher education institutions have authorized continuity of the academic term and admission to the Rotary university internship. This is the case of the Universidad de Oriente, the Nacional Experimental Rómulo Gallegos and the Universidad de Carabobo.

As future healthcare professionals, we understand the measures initially adopted by the Faculty of Medicine and the School Council to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we ask that the resumption of practical activities be considered in a controlled way, through biosecurity protocols ” , He highlighted.

It only takes eight weeks of tuition to complete the final current academic year and then access Rotary’s undergraduate internship in nine hospitals and more than 20 rural areas across the country. However, despite the fact that students have submitted proposals to resume classes at the School Council, the uncertainty continues.

Since April, and with greater emphasis, in the last three sessions of the Faculty Council, attempts have also been made to touch on the point of remote evaluations, without any success, since the dean’s authorities diverge in their discussion ”, explains de Freitas.

Although on 19 September the Minister of Higher Education, César Trómpiz, reported that starting from October the professional practices could be carried out in the 7 + 7 program flexibility weeks, the UCV University Council is still evaluating distance mode, as reported in the ordinary session of 29 September.

Short and medium term consequences

The most alarming situation is represented by the country’s health centers, which have been waiting for Ucev inmates since May. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, supply shortages and low demand for medical personnel, their absence puts the capacity of nine hospitals at risk. These include the Vargas hospital of Caracas, the Domingo Luciani hospital, the Miguel Pérez Carreño hospital and the university hospital of Caracas.

Less personal. Less logistics. More work for the residents ”, says María Olivieri, resident of Pérez Carreño, underlining that“ interns play a very important role in the hospital health team ”.

On the other hand, rural health centers are others affected by the delay in the academic calendar of the Faculty of Medicine. “They have less and less staff and are the first level of assistance for the communities,” says Olivieri.

If students do not complete internships early, they will not be able to take up their positions as Venezuelan doctors in rural centers (Article 8 of the Law on Medical Practice). “These spaces will not be taken into account, therefore, the general population will be neglected,” explains the resident.

Looking for solutions

To complete the current academic year, UCV Medicine students must complete a theoretical and practical workload in person. In this sense, in the hands of the teachers, the proposal consists and carries out the evaluations in two possible ways: on line and mixed.

According to the student representative before the school council Luis Razetti, Fabián Chacón, coeducation would involve going to health centers in small groups and with the respective biosecurity measures during the flexible weeks of the 7 + 7 quarantine model.

“A mixed education proposal is in preparation, which will finally be reviewed and approved by the Faculty Council,” he said.