SOM Policy on Volunteers for the General Hospital

Section 1. Background and purpose

 Finalized: May 3, 2022

This policy was developed by the Office for Faculty Affairs, and was approved by:

• Dr. Tyhiesia Donald, Medical Director, Ag.
• Dr. Shawn Charles, Chief Medical Officer, Ag.
• Dr. Dolland Noel, Director of Medical Education
• Dr. Marios Loukas, Dean of School of Medicine

Section 2. Scope

This Volunteer policy for the Grenada General hospital applies to all appropriately qualified faculty in full-time employment with the SGU School of Medicine (SGUSOM), who chose to volunteer for evening, weekend and/or public holidays shifts at the hospital. It defines the procedures and application process necessary to be assigned as a volunteer to a Department at the General Hospital in Grenada. It is effective from April 1, 2022.

Section 3. Policy statement

The SGUSOM faculty have a valuable diversity of clinical experience. In order to benefit both the community of Grenada, and the physicians employed by the SGUSOM, faculty can apply as volunteers at the General hospital in their spare time (i.e., non-working hours). This enables them to maintain their clinical skills and clinical knowledge, through the provision of healthcare to the Grenadian community. Limited Registration (which expires at the end of the contract with SGU) and License are required. Fees may be waived by GMDC if faculty are volunteering at the hospital.

Section 4. Procedure

1. A General Hospital Volunteer Review committee will be formed, composed of:
   1.  Dr. Dolland Noel Director of Medical Education & Associate Dean of Clinical Studies
   2. the Medical Director, Dr. Tyhiesia Donald
   3. the Director of Emergency Medicine, Dr. Sonia Phillip
2. In January and August, interested faculty who hold an MD, MBBS or suitable equivalent medical degree can apply via email to the Hospital administrative assistant McQuiva Wilson MWilson@sgu.edu in the Clinical Teaching Unit
   1. Cc to: medicaldirectorgrenada@gmail.com
3. They should include a letter of intent as to why they wish to volunteer
4. Contained in the letter should be details of their:
   1. Current academic position/rank (e.g., Clinical Instructor, Lecturer)
   2. Current SOM Academic Department (e.g., Pathology, Pathophysiology)
   3. General Hospital Department choice, indicating their ranked preference for
      1. Emergency Medicine
      2. Internal Medicine
      3. Pediatrics
      4. OB/GYN
      5. Orthopedics
      6. General surgery
5. Upon receipt of their application and its approval by the Review Committee, the applicant will be sent the GMDC’s requirements in order to obtain a Provisional license (usually valid for 1-2 years)
6. A master schedule of volunteer opportunities will be sent by the Clinical Training Unit (CTU), to which the faculty member will then respond with their availability.
7. A week-long orientation will be held at the beginning of each Semester, including relevant  lectures from each of the above listed Hospital departments, covering e.g., notifications, signing in and out, management of emergencies in the respective departments, etc.
   1. Additional guidance and mentoring will be provided initially for each volunteer, until it is established that they are fully familiarized with the systems and procedures of the relevant Department and the general hospital.
8. In the event that a faculty member does not wish to be kept in the system in an ongoing fashion or for the upcoming semester, they should submit a written notice of discontinuation to the administrative assistant as described above, 1-month prior to their last scheduled session.
9. The General Hospital will maintain a list of active SGUSOM faculty volunteers and will share it regularly per semester with the Office of the Dean, SOM.
10. Medical indemnity will be covered by government for doctors volunteering within the hospital only. A letter will be issued by the Medical Director to the GMDC on acceptance into the program indicating that the doctor will be volunteering at the St. Georges General Hospital.
11. The volunteering will take place in the evenings, weekends and/or public holidays. Any hospital volunteer time will be in addition to the normal working week required of full-time SOM faculty, i.e., 40-hours, Mon-Fri 8am to 5pm as defined in the 2022 SOM faculty handbook.
    1. Faculty may not request modifications to their work schedules and educational responsibilities in order to facilitate their volunteer time at the General Hospital.
12.  Faculty are required to be registered in order to practice.

Section 5. Definitions

• Volunteer: pro bono provision of skills, knowledge and services, in addition to standard working hours for faculty that are defined in the 2022 SOM Faculty handbook.

Section 6. Stakeholders

• General Hospital
• Ministry of Health, Grenada
• SOM Faculty with MD, MBBS, or other medical qualifications
• Dr. Dolland Noel
• GMDC: Grenada Medical and Dental Council
• CTU: Clinical Training Unit
• Qualified physicians current employed as faculty in the SOM

Section 7. Summary/additional information

 n/a