First Congress of the Argentine Forum of Public Medical Schools
The First Congress of the Argentine Forum of Public Medical Schools, convened by the country’s 13 public medical schools, took place in Cordoba on June 21-22, as part of the festivities marking the 400th anniversary of the founding of the province’s National University.
The meeting took place in the Argentine Pavilion assembly hall in the University City. Participants included the Argentine Minister of Health, Juan Manzur; the Minister of Education, Alberto Sileoni; the University of Cordoba Rector, Carolina Scotto; and deans and faculty from relevant academic institutions. Several Ministers of Health from other provinces also participated—from Chaco, Chubut, Cordoba, Entre Rios, Jujuy, La Pampa, Santa Cruz, Santiago del Estero, Tierra del Fuego and Mendoza; and representatives from the Secretary of University Policies and the National Commission of Evaluation and University Accreditation. From the standpoint of the announcement and the proposed agenda, this forum constituted a milestone without precedent in Latin America.
“The doctor that our country needs,” was the motto for the Congress with the principal objective to engage participants in political, social and academic discussions on the competencies required by today’s physician in Argentina.
Discussions focused on a vision for health at the regional level and within academia; how to bring theory into medical practice; and how to integrate policies between the Ministries of Health and Education and schools of medicine and management, on areas such as accreditation and careers.
The Ministers presented problems that were common to each Region, generating debate on controversial themes such as training based on Primary Health Care (PHC), medical residencies and the labor market, and the need to articulate the discussion into practice regarding PHC.
The Congress was transmitted live by PAHO via Elluminate.
