One of the Faculty members of the Integrated Masters in Medicine (MIM) at the University of Algarve was «surprised» with the position taken by the direction of the course and argued that «the existence of an excellent relationship between the Department of Biomedical Sciences and Medicine (DCBM) and the Hospital Center of the Algarve (CHA) are fundamental for the smooth running of the course, and beneficial for both parties».
Paulo Caldeira, who teaches in this UAlg course as an external collaborator and is a doctor at the CHA, sent an Open Letter to the board of MIM, in which he shows his surprise at the dismissal, but “even more so for the statements and reasons presented, which indicate that there is a important cleavage on the understanding of the relationship between the DCMB and the CHA».
Last Friday, the directors and Executive Group of the MIM presented their resignation to the dean of UAlg João Guerreiro, claiming that a new protocol that will be signed between the university and the CHA compromises their pedagogical autonomy, a situation that the rectory denies .
“The institutional relationship with the CHA is unique, as much of the clinical teaching is carried out on the premises and by the clinical staff of this hospital centre. It is natural that, for the development of pedagogical activities understood as necessary by the direction of the course, the internal structure of the different Clinical Services is taken into account and that, in general, the relationships are institutional and not personal", it reads, in Paulo Caldeira's letter.
«On the other hand, numerous CHA clinicians (among whom I am) are effectively part of the Faculty of the Medicine course. As such, they have guaranteed clinical teaching in the 3rd and 4th year of the course and must naturally take part in the pedagogical decisions of the course. They should not be understood only as external contributors to the DCBM and placed on the sidelines of course development, as is often the case. The lack of prior knowledge of the grounds for this decision by the Board is just one more example», he defended.
The CHA doctor also recalled that some of the recommendations made by an External Evaluation Committee to the MIM «clearly point to the need to strengthen collaboration with clinical institutions, to the need to strengthen and qualify the clinical faculty and to the need for a effective coordination of clinical teaching”.
«I believe that, until now, there has been a lack of implementation of these measures and this is reflected in the quality of education», maintained Paulo Caldeira.
The doctor defends that “minor issues” should be left aside and focused more on implementing “the changes that are needed: reinforcement and qualification of the clinical faculty and creation of intermediary structures that guarantee an effective pedagogical coordination of clinical teaching at CHA”.
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