Mayo's new €2.2m. medical academy officially opens

AN Taoiseach Enda Kenny has officially opened the Mayo Medical Academy, an NUI Galway partnership with Saolta University Health Care Group and Mayo University Hospital for the training of doctors.

 

The academy is housed in a purpose-designed facility located in the former chapel on the grounds of Mayo University Hospital in Castlebar.

 

This is a major investment by NUI Galway into Clinical training in Mayo, one of a series of proposed medical academies in the west/north west region.

Construction of similar facilities at Sligo and Letterkenny University Hospitals is almost completed and they will be opened early in the New Year.

 

Speaking at the launch, Deputy Kenny said: “This is a tremendous contribution to medical education and research in the west of Ireland.

 

'The ongoing development of the medical academies by NUI Galway and Saolta Health Group is an important strategic investment in the North-West region.

 

'The Mayo Medical Academy will support university medical education at Mayo University Hospital and thereby enhance its reputation and significantly benefit the local knowledge economy.”

The new Mayo Medical Academy will allow doctors of the future to fine tune their clinical skills under the watchful eyes of tutors and lecturers covering all medical specialties. 60 students per semester from third, fourth and final medical years rotate through Mayo University Hospital for one year clinical training.

The co-location of the academy with the hospital is deliberate as it allows students to attend didactic teaching in the academy and also bedside teaching in the hospital.

One of the strengths of the NUI Galway Medical School Academies is the ratio of both tutors to students and also of students to patients.