Sirindhorn and Lat KrabangHospital to serve as the clinical training center to nurture future generation of medical research doctors
Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding to support the establishment and clinical training of King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang International Medical College, allowing medical students to have clinical training at Sirindhorn Hospital.
Dr. Pirapong Saicheua, Permanent Secretary of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), said at the MOU signing ceremony: “BMA is pleased to support King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL), a leading educational institute in Thailand, in advancing the country’s medical service industry. Under this cooperation, BMA will allow King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang International Medical College students to have their clinical training at Sirindhorn Hospital and Lat Krabang Hospital which are the organization under BMA. Meanwhile, KMITL will support the hospital development in many areas, including the design and construction of medical student dormitory. This cooperation will in the end help Sirindhorn Hospital and Lat Krabang Hospital to upgrade itself to the Center Hospital or the central hospital that provides medical and healthcare services to the entire region, east of Bangkok in this case. In addition, the hospital will have the capability to support the country’s quarantine system to screen and prevent the outbreak of epidemic through passengers at Suvarnabhumi Airport.”
Prof. Dr. Suchatvee Suwansawat, President of KMITL, said, “King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang International Medical College was established with our intention to produce quality global doctors for the future. Graduates from this college will have good medical knowledge as well as excellent research skills. They must be able to work closely with engineers or product designers in creating practical medical innovations and technologies that will provide better medical care and lift people’s quality of life.”
King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang International Medical College will open for direct admission in the 2018 academic year with admission capacity of 40-50 students annually. King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang International Medical College will conduct course in English and offer pre-clinical training at KMITL facility by leading Thai and foreign medical lecturers and specialists with extensive experience at public or private hospitals as well as medical colleges. Clinical training will be held at Sirindhorn Hospital and Lat Krabang Hospital which are located near KMITL.
“King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang International Medical College will focus on producing medical research doctors who can create innovations and technologies that are relevant to the environment and needs in Thailand as well as the international markets. This will enable the country to reduce dependence on imported medical technology and equipment, which costs the country a huge sum every year. More importantly, graduates from the colleges will be “global doctors” who are fluent in English and have good understanding of the international culture as well as medical research capability,” said Prof. Dr. Suchatvee.
Prof. Dr. Anan Srikiatkhachorn, Acting Dean, King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang International Medical College, said: “It is important for us to start grooming global doctors of the future. We will need more and more medical technologies that help us fight with more complicated diseases and take better and more efficient care of the patients. The college’s role in nurturing medical doctors with research capability is therefore very important. The college will therefore emphasize on medical knowledge, research skills, good English proficiency and ability to adjust themselves to the changing or different culture and environment. This will enable our graduates to become the ‘global doctors’ as planned.”
Dr. Supaporn Koralak, Director of Sirindhorn Hospital, said: “Sirindhorn Hospital’s plans to become a large-scale secondary hospital that takes care of the people in the eastern region. We have a plan to upgrade from currently a 200-bed hospital to be a large hospital with 700-bed capacity that provides comprehensive medical and healthcare services to people in the eastern region which is also a major industrial zone with a large number of expats. We therefore have high potential serve international medical colleges as an incubator for medical innovators with great research skills.”
