The Oceania University of Medicine (O.U.M.) ran its clinical skills workshop in Samoa for the first time and not in Australia or America with local and international students in attendance. 

Five Samoan students, who are studying at the university under the O.U.M. Tuition Scholarship, as well as one international student, took part in the clinical phase of their medical training and attended the workshop. Two more students educated under OUM at the American Samoa LBJ Hospital were not able to get a flight across to Apia.

The O.U.M. Dean for Samoa and American Samoa, Professor Asiata Dr. Satupaitea Viali, told the Samoa Observer that the clinical skills workshop was held in Samoa for the first time last week and marked a milestone for the university. 

"This is the first O.U.M. Clinical Skills Workshop held in Samoa, as this is normally held in Australia or U.S.A. We did this for the last 4 days," said Prof. Satu in an email to this newspaper. "This is a workshop to teach the third-year medical students various clinical skills that they need to have, to see patients in the hospital.

"They learned how to take a history from a patient, and how to examine any body system of a patient, including the heart, chest, abdomen, nerves, musculoskeletal system, etc. They were taught skills in psychiatry, cardiology, paediatrics, emergency medicine, surgery, internal medicine, general practise, public health, etc.

"They were taught ethical behaviour on how to approach patients, and how to communicate with patients. They also learned practical skills like suturing of wounds, inserting IV (intravenous) lines, examining ears, looking into the eyes, etc."

According to Prof. Satu the above skills are necessary in order to get the medical students ready for their clinical rotations in the hospital. 

"For patient body system examination, we used a volunteer, and for IV line insertion, we use a "dummy arm", and for suturing, we used standard suturing kids bought from Australia. The international and local teachers ran the course."

The O.U.M. Doctor of Medicine program is a postgraduate course with Prof. Satu saying that it is a 4–5 years degree course. However, in order for students to enter the course, they must have a first degree like a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Nursing. 

The first two years are pre-clinical years, where the student is educated in the medical science of anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, neurology and brain, blood and haematology, pathology, public health, infectious disease, nutrition, etc. Each body system module finishes with an exam.

"If they do not pass this exam, they do not progress. After the 2-years of pre-clinical, they sit the final pre-clinical exam, which they must pass to continue the course, to the clinical phase, where they get to see patients, under supervision."

The clinical skills workshop which began last week will prepare students to see patients with Prof. Satu saying that the clinical phase of the M.D. Program is about 2-3 years with theory and clinical examinations for the duration of the course. After 2-3 years of clinical rotations, the academic said a final written clinical exam is done, followed by an OSCE (objective structure clinical exam) done in Australia and the USA. 

"The Samoa students go over to Australia to sit the O.S.C.E. exam, to pass the M.D. Degree," he said.

Prof. Satu said the feedback from the O.U.M. students who attended the course over four days last week was good.

"The feedback from the O.U.M. students attending the course in the last 4 days, had been really good, as they have enjoyed this experience to prepare them for their clinical phase."

Tutors of the Clinical Skills Workshop include local and international lecturers - Course Coordinator - Dr David Mountford (Australia), O.U.M. V.C. Professor Athol MacKay (Australia), Papalii Dr Tito Kamu (Paediatrics), Mulitalo Dr George Tuitama (Psychiatry), Dr Nola Fuamatu (Emergency Department), RN Taiaopo E'etau (Wound Management), RN Daru Heaven Isaia (Scrubbing in Theatre), and Prof. Satu (Samoa).