A new school of surgery is being set up in Malta in collaboration with the four British Royal Colleges of Surgeons in what the Health Minister has described as a “historic moment” for the country.
The new “centre of excellence” will cover 10 surgical disciplines.
Speaking at the signing of the agreement on Friday, Jo Etienne Abela said Malta had been collaborating with the Royal Colleges for several decades and the Malta School of Surgery will provide a new platform through which aspiring surgeons will receive digital training and assessment experiences aligned with British standards of excellence.
“Today marks a historic moment in the history of surgery in our country. Precisely on the 350th anniversary since the establishment of Malta’s first school of surgical training, founded by Grand Master Nicolas Cotoner, we are taking another important step forward for surgery in Malta,” Abela said.
He added that the school, which is directed by orthopaedic surgeon John Casaletto, will ensure that aspiring surgeons will receive training and assessment of the highest level in Malta, identical to that offered in the United Kingdom.
The project will be backed by an initial €500,000 investment over the next three years, aimed at improving surgical training standards and, in turn, the quality of surgical services.
The Health Ministry currently subsidises around 50 surgeons every year to receive practical training in the UK.