Latest news with #medicaldegree
Fox News
4 days ago
- Health
- Fox News
Florida Poly and OCOM offer accelerated medical degree to address physician shortage
Amid a growing healthcare provider shortage in Polk County, Florida Polytechnic University and the Orlando College of Osteopathic Medicine have announced a new six-year accelerated medical degree program designed to fast-track the next generation of doctors. In Polk County, reports show that they have half as many doctors, dentists and pediatricians per 100,000 residents than the state average. This shortage has been linked to a rapid growth in the population. They also report a notable increase in emergency room visits linked to non-emergent care and general chronic disease management due to the absence of primary care access. With the new initiative, students will be able to complete both a Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree in just six years — compared to the traditional eight years (four for undergrad, four for medical school), not including residency. The accelerated curriculum will assist students in getting both degrees needed by addressing physician shortages while making medical education accessible. The program will also promote STEM-medicine integration, cost-effective education, and innovative academic partnerships. Dr. Kiran C. Patel, OCOM's Founder, and Dr. Devin Stephenson, Florida Poly's President, announced that they had signed an agreement to move forward with the endeavor in July of this year. The program will limit acceptance to 20 high-achieving students a year and will require a minimum SAT score of 1390, an ACT score of 31, and a GPA of 3.5. However, a Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) will not be required. "This is a transformative opportunity for students who want to become physicians and are eager to begin serving their communities," Stephenson said. "By combining rigorous STEM education with a clear, accelerated track to medical school, we are reimagining what's possible in health education and responding to a critical need for more doctors across Florida and beyond. This agreement also reflects Florida Poly's 25|30 Strategic Plan's commitment to build capacity through enhanced partnership development, strengthening our role as a driver of innovation and impact." The hopes of the new program are that, by limiting entry to high-achieving students and eliminating the MCAT requirement, the program will be able to produce local physicians faster, more affordably, and in greater alignment with Florida's rapidly growing healthcare needs.
Telegraph
15-05-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
Emeka Ilione: The medical student battering his way towards England
Leicester Tigers' super-sub Emeka Ilione talks a lot about making an impact, although where and when these impacts are made can look very different. Last Thursday afternoon, the 23-year-old was on a ward providing support to dementia patients at Highbury Hospital in Nottingham as part of his placement for his medical degree. A little over 24 hours later, the flanker came off the bench to score two tries in Leicester's crucial 44-34 victory over Sale Sharks to spark raucous scenes at Welford Road. Job done thinks Michael Cheika, the Leicester head coach. 'He's making an impact as far as the game is concerned,' Cheika said. 'That's his job. That's all we want him to do. He is a very impressive young man.' Ilione is in his fourth year of his degree at the University of Nottingham, and is hoping to follow in a rich tradition of rugby players turned doctors such as Jonathan Webb, Brendan Venter and Jamie Roberts. Indeed, it was Roberts, the former Wales centre who graduated from Cardiff University School of Medicine in 2013, who provided a reference to the university explaining that it was possible to balance a full-time degree with being a professional rugby player. This is not without its considerable challenges. As Ilione explains, both the university and the club are incredibly supportive but he cannot skimp on either his studies or his training. In effect, this means Ilione is generally either in his kit or his scrubs 12 hours a day, seven days a week. He cannot remember when he last had a full day off from rugby and medicine. 'I am expected to do just as much as any other medical student and rightly so – if you are going to be a doctor you need to do all the training,' Ilione said. 'I do the same hours as everyone else; my timetable is slightly different in that regard. There's a lot of self-directed study time and it is organised around my training. Post-training, I will go straight to the clinic or the ward or if there is teaching. 'It is interesting at times, but it is definitely worth it. The rugby was almost like a no-brainer for me in terms of getting the opportunity to play at the highest level with your mates and push yourself physically. Medicine was always something I wanted to do and the ability to have big impacts on people's lives. 'It is such a privilege that people will tell you things that they may not have told anyone else in their lives. To be with them in that moment is why I wanted to do it. For some patients, I am someone different: I am not their doctor or their nurse, I am someone they can have a chat with. There's value in that. You get to know some patients really quite well so when a patient you spend a lot of time with passes, it is difficult. But that's the nature of medicine.' It might not seem to be a coincidence that Exeter winger Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, another player of Nigerian descent, is also doing a full-time medicine degree. The stereotype of Nigerian parents pushing their children to academic excellence has a certain grain of truth in it, but Ilione says the decision to combine rugby and medicine was entirely his. 'My parents were saying 'do you realise how hard it is going to be?'' Ilione said. 'If you are going to do it, do it fully. Don't commit to it by half. But I said if you give your best and succeed then how good would that be?'' Borthwick influence He also owes a considerable debt of thanks to Steve Borthwick, his first head coach at Leicester. 'I was initially going to go to university in London, but on A-Level results day I had a conversation with Steve who pointed out how hard it was going to be to play for Leicester and study in London,' Ilione said. 'In my head, I thought I would just get on the train and come back but then I had a conversation with my parents and we realised that it would be better to go somewhere a lot closer. 'My first three years were under Steve so he shaped my idea and understanding of what it takes to be a professional rugby player. When he joined, I had just come out of school and it was a tough learning curve, but it was what I needed to be.' On the pitch, Ilione has enjoyed a breakout season for Leicester as a momentum-changing replacement, particularly with his jackalling ability at the breakdown. A former England Under-20 captain, Ilione's physical potential was clear, but it has taken ex-Australia head coach Cheika to unlock it by simplifying his role. 'I am an over-thinker,' Ilione said. 'I like to study and analyse things. That's probably why I enjoy medicine. Cheiks has stripped it all back and I am now playing without thinking. You can think during the week, but in a game it is all straight reaction. That's probably the main difference. I feel like I am a second quicker to do everything. I am able to play without over-thinking in my head which has been incredibly beneficial. 'I have been really fortunate to have Cheiks and the coaching group work really hard to take my game to the next level. I don't think it was a technical thing, more of a mindset thing of having that belief in yourself to go and do the things the coaches obviously believe I can do and just put that on the pitch. 'It has been a progression around how I feel in myself and having the belief in myself to go and do what I am doing. Having that trust and absolute clarity that when I carry the ball, I am not just carrying to set something up, I am carrying to get over the gain line.' Ilione is keen to point out his pair of tries against Sale were both from mauls so were really a collective effort for the forwards. Comeback complete ✅ Emeka Ilione's second try wraps up a 44-34 win over Sale Sharks to strengthen Leicester Tigers' grip on second in the #GallagherPrem table 👏 Look at what it means. — Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) May 9, 2025 He takes far more pride in the jackal penalty he won moments after coming on, which is increasingly becoming his calling card. 'It is an opportunity to have a big impact on games,' Ilione said. 'That's part of the mindset of doing your job for the team but also making a huge impact as opposed to just doing your job but being hidden away. 'Those big moments in defence when you have been on the back foot for 20 phases and the boys are working so hard and then you get that opportunity to jackal and relieve that pressure… I just love that feeling.' The Premiership is overflowing with outstanding jackallers, but none may be harder to shift than Ilione once he is locked on, which is why he might yet be in with an outside shot of touring Argentina with England this summer. 'That feeling when you are over the ball, it is my favourite part of the game,' Ilione said. 'When you are clamped on and you might be able to see in your peripheral vision that someone is coming in from a distance to absolutely whack you but if you have a good grip and a good base then I'm not moving.'
BBC News
09-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Peter Matthew George: Top Liberian doctor struck off as qualifications questioned
The head of Liberia's doctors' association has been banned from practising medicine after a regulatory body said it did not have evidence of his initial medical part of a qualifications audit, the Liberia Medical and Dental Council (LMDC) asked Peter Matthew George to provide his professional April, the LMDC told Dr George that it had revoked his license as he had not given satisfactory proof he had graduated in medicine from the UK's University of Hertfordshire as, it said, he had been George has disputed the LMDC's findings. He told the BBC there was a "bias" against him because of his advocacy in a row between doctors and the government. In a letter to Dr George explaining its decision, the LMDC said he had not provided an actual certificate of his qualification from the University of Hertfordshire but instead sent an "award verification letter" which said he had "obtained an MD". The LMDC pointed out that "MD" is a qualification acquired in the US and not the the LMDC said "of utmost concern is that investigation showed that the only University of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom does not currently offer a medical degree".The university told the BBC that "following a thorough review of our academic records, we can confirm that there is no evidence that this individual was ever awarded any degree by the University nor studied here. Any claim to the contrary is therefore false and constitutes a misrepresentation of our institution."We are cooperating fully with the appropriate authorities in Liberia and will continue to support any investigations as required."In his education record on LinkedIn, Dr George said he had studied for a "professional doctorate in medicine MD, general medicine" at Hertfordshire between 2010 and 2014. His LinkedIn page has since been taken in an email to the BBC, Dr George said his primary medical degree was not from the British university. "I never told anyone so. Those are make-up stories," he why he had mentioned the University of Hertfordshire, he said: "Maybe I made an error when writing because am under pressure."Instead, he said his initial medical degree was from the University of Central said that since starting practising medicine in Liberia in 2014, and providing his qualifications to the authorities at the time, no-one had raised an issue with his fact, he said, he had been promoted and praised for improving the medical facilities at the Chief Jallah Lone Government Hospital in Gbarpolu county."I have served the Liberian health sector diligently for over a decade with no record of misconduct," he George argued that problems began to arise after he became the president of the Liberia Medical and Dental Association (LMDA) in December last said he was continuing "the long-standing advocacy for the rights and welfare of doctors and dentists in the country" and said hostility against him began after the LMDA raised issues with the "reclassification of all government-employed specialists and consultants".The news that he had been barred from the profession has only just emerged as Dr George was given 15 working days to respond. The medical council said it did not receive a a statement, the LMDA said it had now "nullified" his presidency and that he was no longer a member of the association. More BBC stories on Liberia: How President Joseph Boakai hopes to rid Liberia of its problemsLiberia's war and peace: Lessons from 30 years' reportingHow returning $50,000 changed a taxi driver's life Go to for more news from the African us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
