Assistant Medical Officer
Encyclopedia
Assistant Medical Officers are health care providers in countries like Tanzania
and Malaysia. They work independently or with limited supervision of a physician to provide healthcare services to largely underserved populations.
They are also called "surgical technologist
s" (or técnico de cirurgia) in Mozambique
, clinical associates
in South Africa, or "assistant medical practitioner" (AMP, formerly "native medical practitioner" or NMP) in Fiji
. They are grouped under "paramedical practitioners" in the International Standard Classification of Occupations
, 2008 revision.
s who pass a government entrance examination undergo a further two-year training program to become Assistant Medical Officers. They can then enroll in another two-year program to specialise in anaesthesia, paediatrics, radiology
or surgery
.
With at least 8 to 10 years of medical training and experience, Assistant Medical Officers are regarded as equal to MD
s and the two are used interchangeably.
The Assistant Medical Officers program, which combines theory and clinical training, is offered at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre and Ifakara Training Centre for International Health.
Assistant Medical Officers perform routine and emergency surgery including 80 percent of Caesarean section
s done in Tanzania.
. The DMA students study the human body; how the systems, e.g. cardiovascular and respiratory systems, work in normal and diseased states and how they relate to medicine. They also learn pre-hospital care, community health, disaster management, orthopedics and surgery. The final year of training involves clinical placement in hospitals and health clinics
.
Government colleges that offer the Diploma in Medical Assistant program are:
These are under the health ministry's training department. Private colleges include:
DMA graduates register with the Medical Assistant Council (Lembaga Pembantu Perubatan) before being appointed into service.
Assistant Medical Officers diagnose and treat common ailments, order and interpret tests, counsel on preventive health care, assist in surgery, manage medical/surgical emergencies, and write prescriptions.
They often work in places with no medical officers.
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
and Malaysia. They work independently or with limited supervision of a physician to provide healthcare services to largely underserved populations.
They are also called "surgical technologist
Surgical technologist
A surgical technologist, also called "scrub tech," "surgical technician," or "operating room technician", is an allied health professional working as a part of the team delivering surgical care in some countries. They possess knowledge and skills in sterile and aseptic techniques...
s" (or técnico de cirurgia) in Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
, clinical associates
Clinical associates
Clinical associates are a category of healthcare providers found in South Africa. They assess patients, make diagnoses, prescribe treatment and perform minor surgery under the supervision of a physician....
in South Africa, or "assistant medical practitioner" (AMP, formerly "native medical practitioner" or NMP) in Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
. They are grouped under "paramedical practitioners" in the International Standard Classification of Occupations
International Standard Classification of Occupations
The International Standard Classification of Occupations is an International Labour Organization classification structure for organizing information on labour and jobs. It is part of the international family of economic and social classifications of the United Nations...
, 2008 revision.
Tanzania
Qualified clinical officerClinical officer
Clinical officers are health care providers who practice modern medicine. They practice independently but may be supervised by a physician in some settings....
s who pass a government entrance examination undergo a further two-year training program to become Assistant Medical Officers. They can then enroll in another two-year program to specialise in anaesthesia, paediatrics, radiology
Radiology
Radiology is a medical specialty that employs the use of imaging to both diagnose and treat disease visualized within the human body. Radiologists use an array of imaging technologies to diagnose or treat diseases...
or surgery
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
.
With at least 8 to 10 years of medical training and experience, Assistant Medical Officers are regarded as equal to MD
MD
- Science :* Doctor of Medicine, from the Latin Medicinæ Doctor * Macular degeneration, a condition characterized by progressive thinning and atrophy of the macula area of the retina* Mahalanobis distance, a distance measure introduced by P. C...
s and the two are used interchangeably.
The Assistant Medical Officers program, which combines theory and clinical training, is offered at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre and Ifakara Training Centre for International Health.
Assistant Medical Officers perform routine and emergency surgery including 80 percent of Caesarean section
Caesarean section
A Caesarean section, is a surgical procedure in which one or more incisions are made through a mother's abdomen and uterus to deliver one or more babies, or, rarely, to remove a dead fetus...
s done in Tanzania.
Malaysia
Assistant Medical Officers complete a three-year Diploma in Medical Assistant (DMA) undergraduate program recognized by the Malaysian Qualifications AgencyMalaysian Qualifications Agency
The Malaysian Qualifications Agency or the MQA is a statutory body in Malaysia set up under the Malaysian Qualifications Act 2007 to accredit academic programs provided by educational institutions providing post secondary or higher education and facilitate the accreditation and articulation of...
. The DMA students study the human body; how the systems, e.g. cardiovascular and respiratory systems, work in normal and diseased states and how they relate to medicine. They also learn pre-hospital care, community health, disaster management, orthopedics and surgery. The final year of training involves clinical placement in hospitals and health clinics
Clinic
A clinic is a health care facility that is primarily devoted to the care of outpatients...
.
Government colleges that offer the Diploma in Medical Assistant program are:
- Allied Health Science College, Ulu Kinta, Ipoh (New Campus as of 01/07/2011)
- College of Medical Assistant, Seremban
- College of Medical Assistant, Alor Setar
- Allied Health Science College, Kuching
These are under the health ministry's training department. Private colleges include:
- Kolej Islam Sains & Teknologi
- Management and Science University
- Kolej Universiti ShahPutra
DMA graduates register with the Medical Assistant Council (Lembaga Pembantu Perubatan) before being appointed into service.
Assistant Medical Officers diagnose and treat common ailments, order and interpret tests, counsel on preventive health care, assist in surgery, manage medical/surgical emergencies, and write prescriptions.
They often work in places with no medical officers.
See also
- Human resources for health information systemHRHISA “Human Resource for Health Information System” — also known within the health care sector as “human resource information system” — is a system for collecting, processing, managing and disseminating data and information on human resource for health...
in Tanzania - Allied health professionsAllied health professionsAllied health professions are clinical health care professions distinct from dentistry, nursing and medicine. One estimate reported allied health professionals make up 60 percent of the total health workforce...
- Clinical officerClinical officerClinical officers are health care providers who practice modern medicine. They practice independently but may be supervised by a physician in some settings....
s - Clinical associatesClinical associatesClinical associates are a category of healthcare providers found in South Africa. They assess patients, make diagnoses, prescribe treatment and perform minor surgery under the supervision of a physician....
, a similar category of health care provider in South Africa - Physician assistantPhysician assistantA physician assistant/associate ' is a healthcare professional trained and licensed to practice medicine with limited supervision by a physician.-General description:...
, a similar category of health care provider in the United States and elsewhere - FeldsherFeldsherFeldsher is the name of a health care professional who provides various medical services in Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union, mainly in rural areas...
, a similar category of health care provider in Russia and elsewhere
External links
- Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre, Tanzania
- Ifakara Health Training, Tanzania
- Fiji School of Medicine
- Management and Science University, Malaysia