The Director of Medical Education (DME) at each affiliated hospital is the hospital administrator responsible for the SGU student program in the Clinical years and is the liaison with the School of Medicine. DMEs receive formal appointments to the School of Medicine’s faculty, that are commensurate with their qualifications and duties. The DME is appointed by the Administration of the affiliated hospital to the Dean of the SOM and the senior associate dean of clinical studies.
The DME is responsible both to the hospital administration and to the SOM. The DME in the US reports to the senior associate dean of clinical studies (US) and in the UK to the associate dean of clinical studies (UK).
The DMEs principal role is to supervise the clinical program and ensure its quality and its conformity with the University’s guidelines as described in the Clinical Training Manual, SOM Faculty Handbook and student manual. The duties of the DME include the following:
- Recommend clerkship directors for appointment to the SOM department chairs
- Recommend the appointment of faculty members
- Consult with the clerkship directors to ensure that teaching timetables and educational content meet the requirements of the Clinical Training Manual
- Consult with the clerkship director to evaluate faculty
- Supervise the student coordinator/secretary (the Medical Education Coordinator) at the hospital in terms of maintaining academic and health files on each student, scheduling rotations and communicating with the Office of clinical studies and/or the Registrar in the UK
- Attend the annual faculty meeting in Grenada and other meetings in the US and UK
- Promote the activities of SGUSOM
- Review and provide feedback to all clinical faculty associated with teaching SOM students in collaboration with the department chairs
- Monitor student progress and inform the Dean of Students and the senior associate dean of clinical studies as soon as possible of students who are having difficulties for whatever reason
- Liaise with the SGUSOM departmental chairs, associate deans and deans
- Ensure all students are assessed in accordance with SOM policy and the Clinical Training Manual by the clerkship director and that all assessments are forwarded to the Office of clinical studies
- Coordinate and disseminate feedback from the Dean of the SOM, senior associate dean of Clinical Studies and department chairs to the clerkship directors and clinical faculty
- Review the overall program with the Deans, department chairs and accreditation bodies at the time of their visits to the hospital
- Participate in accreditation activities for SOM
- Provide data upon request, as required for accreditation, progress and annual reports
- Publishing a weekly schedule of office hours per week based on the number of students during the rotation